Team Moose Tracks

Using a Training Journal (Sort Of)

One of the best training tools I have is my daily journal.  Well, it’s not really a journal – at least not in the conventional sense.  Let me explain.

In researching endurance bike training, I found out that many riders record how they feel, how they trained, their vital stats, and the like in a daily journal. So I decided to give it a try.  I hated it.  I really didn’t have much to say and writing in the journal felt like a note to Dear Abby that I was forced to compose every day. 

So I changed to a spreadsheet “journal”.  Instead of writing my thoughts, feelings, etc., I put them in an Excel spreadsheet.  Every day I record the miles I rode, the speed I rode them at, my heartrate during training, and so on.  I future posts, I’ll detail what I record and how I use the information.  But for now, let’s just say I highly recommend setting up something like a journal – but not exactly a journal – to track your biking progress.  It will make a world of difference in your training.

The Benefits of a Bike Computer

A key part of training is having a bike computer.  Now while this may sound a bit intimidating and expensive, it’s definitely not what you’re thinking.

A bike computer is usually a bit bigger than the face of a watch in size and probably 2-3 times as deep.  It’s mounted on the handlebar of your bike, and a wire runs down the bike’s front shaft and down one of the forks holding your front tire.  At the end of the wire is a magnet that is attached to the fork.  Another magnet is attached to a spoke on your front tire and set so it almost touches the fork magnet every time the wheel turns. 

As you ride, the wheel turns and the magnets pass each other time and time again.  This records data onto your computer and tells you things like:

·     How fast you are going at the current moment

·     Your average speed on this ride

·     The distance you’ve traveled (both on this ride and since the computer was hooked up)

·     The calories you’ve used in this trip

·     The amount of time you’ve been riding on this trip

·     Your maximum speed on this trip

Some computers will tell you more, but this is all mine tells me and it’s all I really need.

As you can imagine, this is a great training tool.  You can record the data from each ride, track it, and chart your progress. (This is what I do in my “journal”.  See my post regarding journaling.) Now that I’ve used mine for a year, I wouldn’t be without it.

You can spend a pretty penny getting one of these computers with tons of extra readings that the average cyclist doesn’t need (I’m not sure even Lance Armstrong needs some information these things provide).  The good news is that a simple computer like the one I describe above is very inexpensive.  I got mine at Wal-mart for $10. 

Try one out – you’ll love it.  And you’ll never be able to cycle without one again.  J

Eating and Drinking While Riding, Part 2

Here’s part two of my food and drink-related tips post from one of my recommended books, “900 Tips”, as well as some comments from me.  This time we’ll focus on drinking:

·     When mixing a powdered sports drink, put a less concentrated solution into the bottle(s) you’ll drink last.  Drinks always taste sweeter the longer a person rides – what seems pleasant initially can taste syrupy three hours later. (Comment: I use Gatorade.  And it’s true that there’s a fine line between too sweet and not enough sweetness.  Play around with the mixture – as well as the different flavors – to see what works best for you.)

·     Drink more than you think you need to.  If you become thirsty during a ride you’ve made a big mistake.  In hot weather you should be drinking the better part of two bottles per hour.  Why?  Dehydration is one of the primary – but most easily avoided – contributors to fatigue. (Comment: Fit your bike so it can carry at least two bottles of liquids.  When you finish one, fill it up at the first stop possible, so you’ll always have at least one bottle full.)

·     Set your watch for 10-minute intervals.  Each beep becomes a reminder to take a swig from your bottle.

·     For optimum cooling and hydration, drink plenty before a ride, not just during it.  Consume about 16 ounces of water 1 to 2 hours before departing, and another 10 to 16 ounces with about 20 minutes to go.

·     Caffeine can help your body tap the energy contained in stored fat, thereby conserving your primary muscle fuel, glycogen. Caffeine is a drug that some people don’t tolerate well, however.  It can cause nervousness, upset stomach, and increased urination that increases the risk of dehydration.  Be careful if you don’t normally drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages.

·     To prevent the “bonk” (hypoglycemia), which is marked by tiredness, irritability, dizziness, confusion, and sometimes nausea, don’t allow your blood glucose to become depleted.  Blood glucose is the sole substance that fuels the brain and central nervous system.  It’s derived from the same carbohydrate-rich foods and drinks that produce the muscle fuel glycogen.

·     Once you start bonking, immediately drink something rich in carbohydrate.  You can rebound from the bonk, but when you “hit the wall” you’re essentially done for the day.  This term describes the impact when muscle glycogen is exhausted.  Only rest and digestion of high-carbo foods can bring you back, and these things take time.

·     Your body’s balance of electrolytes is important because disruption can result in decreased performance, cramps, and heat stroke during hot-weather rides beyond two hours.  Fortunately, electrolytes are easily replenished by swigging most sports drinks (check the label) or eating fruits or vegetables.

Any thoughts/comments from others?  I’d love to hear what you all have to say.  Let me know anything I missed.

Eating and Drinking While Riding, Part 1

Not much is as important as eating and drinking the right way when going on an endurance ride.  These are so important that I considered making them sections of their own.  However, they are really a subset of bike tips, so I’ll keep them there, but you’ll see a lot of them from me.

In summary – food and drink are the sources of fuel that allow your body to run, and if you don’t eat and drink properly on an endurance ride, you’re in big trouble.  Here is part one of my food and drink-related tips post from one of my recommended books, “900 Tips”, as well as some comments from me.  This time we’ll just focus on eating:

·     If you remember only one rule about on-bike nutrition, remember this one:  Drink before you’re thirsty and eat before you’re hungry. (Comment: This is more difficult to do than you think.  The body has natural ways to let you know when you need to eat and drink (hunger and thirst), but when biking, you’re using so much energy that you have to eat and drink before your body notifies you of its needs.  This really takes some conscious effort.)

·     Never experiment with foods, drinks, or eating patterns on an important ride.  Do it during training to find out what works and what doesn’t. (Comment: You don’t want to find out that the new brand of fig bar you just bought has a laxative effect when you’re only 15 miles into a 50-mile ride.)

·     When the temperature makes full-finger gloves necessary, unwrap, slice, and repackage your snacks.  This makes it much easier to grab a bite-sized morsel while cycling.

·     The most nutritious fast foods are Chinese, Mexican, and Italian.  If chosen wisely, they can have less fat and more energy-yielding carbohydrate than other cuisine.

·     The best fuel for cycling is complex carbohydrate as found in grains, fruit, potatoes, vegetables, cereals, pasta, and bread.  As opposed to simple or refined carbohydrate like sugar, candy, and soda, the complex kind supplies vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Once digested, carbohydrate is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen.  This is the primary fuel for intense efforts such as sprinting and climbing. (Comment: While these are certainly the best cycling foods, I prefer candy, soda, and Moose Tracks ice cream!  J)

·     At least 60 percent of your total daily calories should be in the form of complex carbohydrate.  During the first 24 hours after an exhausting ride, there’s no difference in the synthesis of glycogen between complex and simple carbohydrate.  But after a day, complex carbo promotes a significantly greater amount.

·     If you ride more than two hours per day, increase your intake of complex carbo from 60 to 70 percent.

·     Nibble solid food almost continuously during long rides.  Good choices are foods high in carbohydrate that are also easy to digest, such as fruit, cookies, and bagels.  A more high-tech answer is energy bars, which come in many flavors and usually contain more than 200 calories, along with a variety of nutrients. (Comment: Don’t forget to try those energy bars before you ride.  Some of them can taste pretty nasty.)

·     On a very log ride, eat your food in this order: 1) sandwiches that contain meat or other high-fat items such as peanut butter or cream cheese; 2) fruit, cookies, jam sandwiches, energy bars, and other complex carbohydrates; 3) simple sugars in the form of carbo gels or dextrose, glucose, or fructose wafers.  This sequence will give you time-released fuel.  As the first foods are slowly being digested to supply food energy for the end of the ride, the faster-digesting second and third foods are at work.  In addition, begin sipping a sports drink right from the start to help keep blood glucose levels high.

·     When you’re eating while riding, choking is a danger.  It helps to clear your nose first so you can breathe freely as you chew.  Take small bites and don’t swallow until the food is thoroughly ground up.  This also aids digestion.

·     Make it easier to eat on the bike by cutting foods into bite-sized pieces and putting them into plastic bags.  Quarter your sandwiches.  Slice your apples.  Peel and divide your orange segments.  Dates and dried apricots are just the right size.  So are fig bars.

·     When riding in a paceline, wait until you’re at the rear to do your drinking or eating.  You won’t be a danger to the other riders if you don’t hold a straight line.

That’s it for now.  Come back in a few days and we’ll talk about how and what to drink while riding.

A (Humbling) Trip to the Bike Shop

I stopped by the bike shop the other day while I was out at lunch.  I just wanted to see what was going on, if they had any new products for summer in stock already, and if those cool $80 jerseys they have all over the place were on sale.  There’s no way I’m paying $80 for one of them.

As usual, I was greeted by a friendly member of the staff.  At least he was friendly when we started.  Over the course of the next 15 minutes, it became apparent that he thought I was the stupidest customer who had ever crossed his door.

I admit: 1) that I like to ask “what about this” questions and 2) don’t know as much about cycling as Lance Armstrong, but I don’t think my questions were THAT dumb.

Anyway, it all culminated when I told him I was planning on riding a century (which he doubted very much I could do based on the look on his face) on a hybrid bike (which he doubted very much I could do based on what he said – something like “you could never do that” – or something similar).

So that seals it – I’m riding the century on my hybrid bike. Probably.  We’ll see how training goes this spring, then if I need to I’ll get new (thinner) tires that should help me out when riding 100 miles.  But I hope it doesn’t come to that since I’ll have to face “him” again, and risk not only my wallet, but my pride as well.  What I do for cycling!!! J 

Updated Website for The Sparrow’s Nest

For those of you who haven’t checked lately, The Sparrow’s Nest has been updating its website – and it looks good!  (They even have a cute sparrow logo on the site now.)  Check it out here.

The Meaning of "Moose Tracks"

The most asked question about Moose Tracks is “what does the name mean?”  Ha, wouldn’t you like to know!!!???  Well, now you will.  Here’s the answer:

Like many brands, Moose Tracks is not meant to be a description of the product.  Just like "Tide" is a brand that doesn't describe that the product is detergent or "Snickers" doesn't describe a candy bar, Moose Tracks isn't meant to describe the product it represents.  It's simply a brand name.

How was that name created?  It was developed as a cute, quirky, fun name that would generate curiosity and interest in the product.  This was then translated into the logo that includes both the moose (head) as well as the tracks (footprints) of the moose.

That’s the official story – and the truth.  However, my favorite interpretation of Moose Tracks was found on a random website.  It described Moose Tracks as “vanilla-flavored ice cream that looks like hoof prints in the snow”.  I think it’s a rather inspiring (though incorrect) explanation of the name.

Tips for Riding an Endurance Event

Since Team Moose Tracks is doing a century ride, I thought I’d list these tips from “900 Tips” (see book in my biking resources list – it’s a great one), along with a few comments from me.

To maximize endurance during a long ride such as a century, follow these guidelines:

--    Divide the ride into segments, and have a strategy for each.  For example, instead of thinking that you have 100 miles to ride, think of a century as four 25-milers.  Ride each at a pace you know you can handle.

--    Make sure your bike is properly geared for the course.

--    Wear shorts with a padded liner and gloves to prevent raw spots and blisters.  Also wear sunglasses to protect eyes and reduce fatigue from glare.  A helmet is mandatory. (Comment: I’ll certainly have a future post on the importance of these items, but just let me say for now, the padded pants are mandatory.)

--    During the three days before the ride, consume carbohydrate-rich meals (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, cereal, grains, vegetables, fruits) and plenty of liquids.

--    During the ride, eat before you feel hungry.  Good choices are bananas, dried fruit, dates, cookies, bagels, and commercial energy bars and gels. (Comments: Did someone say cookies?  Now we’re talkin’!!!!)

--    Eat steadily but lightly.  Stuff your pockets at rest stops, not your stomach.

--    Drink before you’re thirsty.  Consume at least two bottles of fluids per hour on a warm day. (Comment: I prefer water and Gatorade.  The best way to buy Gatorade is to get it in the big, powered drums (very inexpensive) and mix it yourself to your desired strength.)

--    Vary your riding position.  Move your hands regularly and stand for one minute in every 20 to relieve saddle pressure. (Comment: I do this even when training on the indoor rack.  It helps tremendously.)

--    Stretch.  Do slow neck rolls and shoulder shrugs to ward off upper-body stiffness.  Stand, coast, and move your hips forward to stretch legs and loosen back.

--    If fatigue sets in, don’t dwell on the remaining miles.  Instead, concentrate on form, pedaling efficiency, and drinking and eating.  Rest if necessary, but don’t stay off the bike for more than 10 minutes or your muscles may stiffen.

And Now, a Word from Our Sponsor

Ice cream!  What’s not to love?  All that vanilla, all that fudge, all those peanut butter cups.  Ahhhhh!

Moose Tracks is not only our sponsor, but the best-tasting ice cream I’ve ever had.  I liked it so much, I joined the company!  To find out more about Moose Tracks (and its different varieties) as well as the other flavors made by Denali Flavors (hint: Bear Foot Brownie is the next Moose Tracks), visit their website.  Just be careful.  Pre-lunch visits can result in massive ice cream consumption.

Contact Information

Hello!  I'd love to hear from you.  Drop me a line at captain@teammoosetracks.com.