Here's a couple pics of some friends mountain biking in the Ukraine with the local BOMB chapter. That's the Black Sea in the background. Quite the contrast to New Mexico!
Some good miles last week. Monday thru Thursday got 1.5 to 2 hours in every day on the single speed. Saturday got together again with the team for a devotional and talk by new Hammer sponsored triathlete Hector on nutrition and fueling your body. Thanks again to Hammer for providing sampler bags for everyone! After Hector's coaching session, got another 20 miles in on the SS in the foothills on an overcast morning. Trails were moist and fast and I focused on staying in HR Zone 4 for the climbs and 2 and 3 for the descents and flats. Forgot to set my timer but estimated 2 hours riding time.
Sunday was about long, steady, distance (LSD), so, I got out on the roadie and Ann and I started out heading down Tramway to the casino, then climbing the five miles back up. After a while on Tramway, Ann peeled off and I continued down Tramway, then went up the Canyon to Tijeras, then headed down South 14 a ways, and came back the same way. Once back in town, I had another hypoglycemic episode creep up on me along with the telltale signs; could only spin about 12 mph, and my concentration becomes non-existent and confused. After the gels kicked in, my senses rebound and the legs start to work again, but it's a horrible feeling. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to get a fueling plan dialed in, short of a new pancreas.
As I got closer to home, I needed another half hour to hit my target of 4 hours saddle time, so I hit some of the neighborhood climbs, but trying to hold back some to keep the heart rate out of the 4 zone. I eventually came down San Rafael to Tramway again to do some cool down, just in time for Damian to fly by me on his team Cannondale MTB. He was doing at least 25 mph down Tramway until I lost sight of him. It's fun to watch folks who are gifted cyclists! So, the good points of the ride were I burned 3,000 calories, which equals 1,000 calories for every 1000 feet of elevation I climbed. The average heart rate was 133 since I held back some on the climbs, and it was a beautiful, sunny day. Our team finished off the afternoon with an outreach to a local homeless shelter and everyone had a great time.
Labels: Hammer Nutrition, mountain biking, road biking, singlespeed, ukraine
posted by StageWest @ 10:08 AM
4 Comments:
Hammer is good stuff - and a great company. They sponsor over 1200 athletes but they put them to work just like you saw Hector. I turned them down though this year because it's only a 20% discount and you can get 15% just for signing up for Team Hammer (and not have to "work"). With 2 cyclists in the house it was easy to meet their minimum purchases. Best thing is you can buy the premixed stuff - but even better you can buy the ingredients ~ whey protein, enduralyte powder, sustained energy - and then build your own contraptions. I was running cranberry juice-sustained energy-enduralytes for a while. Good stuff.:-)
P.S. You saw one of Damian's secrets - he throws pleasure rides out the window and will hammer pavement to meet his HR target if he needs to. Intervals up the fingers is another one of his tricks. ;-)
Matt,
Hammer has been a great company and gives our fca-e team a discount too. I can see what you mean about having to "work" for that extra 5%, though, when you get 15% for being on their team. I'll need to experiment with various mixtures, but that cranberry mixture sounds excellent!!
Chris
Hey Chris,
That hypoglycemic feeling you got is a familiar thing for me too. Try the Perpetuem to keep steady nutrients in your body. Look at what you are eating pre-ride too. If I overload on bad carbs before the ride, I don't do too well.
Jeni
Jeni,
Thanks. I'm planning on trying the Perpetuem this weekend, so I think I have an overall better fueling plan.
Have fun at your Solvang Double!!
Chris
Post a Comment
<< Home