GETTING THE EDGE

Getting the Edge

By Coach Dawn Elder

We all look for that extra something to give us the edge on the competition. One common way to do that is to use caffeine before or during the race. Caffeine continues to be one of the most studied and consumed ergogenic ingredients. Researchers are constantly re-designing studies to get a clear indication of how caffeine improves performance. It is important to know how caffeine actually works in our bodies as well as how it can help or harm your next race.

45-60 minutes after ingestion, the caffeine reaches peak blood levels. Once in the blood stream, caffeine causes a number of responses in the body. Caffeine is well known for it's stimulant effects on the brain, but there are a number of other physiologic effects that occur. Blood pressure, pulse rate, and stomach acid production are increased, fat stores are broken down, and fatty acids are released into the blood stream. These effects can last from a few hours to as long as 12, but within 4 days of regular use, the body develops tolerance to many of the effects of caffeine. For example, although caffeine increases blood pressure and pulse in a first time user, a regular user will not experience any significant change.



Despite considerable research in this area, the role of caffeine as a performance enhancing drug is still controversial. However, there is general agreement in a few areas:

1. Caffeine does not appear to benefit short term, high intensity exercise (eg. sprinting)
2. Caffeine can enhance performance in endurance sports.

Glycogen is the principal fuel for muscles and exhaustion occurs when it is depleted. A secondary fuel, which is much more abundant, is fat. As long as there is still glycogen available, working muscles can utilize fat. Caffeine mobilizes fat stores and encourages working muscles to use fat as a fuel. This delays the depletion of muscle glycogen and allows for a prolongation of exercise. The critical time period in glycogen sparing appears to occur during the first 15 minutes of exercise, where caffeine has been shown to decrease glycogen utilization by as much as 50%. Glycogen saved at the beginning is thus available during the later stages of exercise. Although the exact method by which caffeine does this is still unclear, caffeine caused sparing in all of the human studies where muscle glycogen levels were measured. The effect on performance, which was observed in most experimental studies, was that subjects were able to exercise longer until exhaustion occurred.

In addition to the beneficial effects on muscle, caffeine may alter the perception of how hard you are working. During testing, athletes are asked to judge their effort, which is referred to as the rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Some studies have yielded significantly lower RPE's -- less fatigue -- when the athlete used caffeine. Other studies have not found this effect. Obviously, the RPE is very subjective, and there are many things that may influence it.



Before planning all your workouts around the nearest coffee shop there are a few things to take into consideration. Caffeine may not have the same effect on everyone. Some individuals are more or less sensitive to it. Some athletes may also experience gastrointestinal discomfort or challenges with caffeine. Also, know what gels or drinks contain caffeine so that you don't unknowingly double up on the dose. Try it in training under different scenarios to know how you will respond. If you don't have any adverse effects, use it in your race nutrition plan as a safe and effective way to pursue that "something extra".


For questions or comments contact Coach Dawn Elder at dawn@trisitionarea.com

Pre-Race Nutrition

Pre- Race Nutrition
by coach Dawn Elder

Well you've done it. You have put in the training. You have read everything there is on your race. You have looked up your competitors and now the big day is here. You know what you need to consume during the race and you have heard about "carbo loading", but taking some time to become educated on the role nutrition plays in your set up for the race can make all the difference in your experience.

There are many things to consider for pre-race nutrition such as the length of your event, environmental conditions, and your specific likes and dislikes. Also, it is important to remember that every athlete is an individual and may require some adjustments to the plan. Consider the science and then make your plan accordingly.
The goal of the week before your event is to load your muscles and liver with the glycogen (stored carbohydrates) you will need for the event. The greater these stores, the greater your potential to perform well during endurance events. Gone are the days of "carbo loading" only the night before. This can lead to bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort. The "new-school" method of carbohydrate loading proves to be very effective both in laboratory settings and in the field. Studies have shown that gradually increasing the carbohydrate intake over several days improves glycogen stores and ultimately increases the times to exhaustion. Traditionally, this method is followed about 3-7 days before the event (longer if it is a longer distance race) and includes decreasing the duration of training while increasing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. One recommendation is to follow a normal intake of carbohydrates (5-7 grams per kilogram of body weight) during the first three days of the taper week. The next three days before the event, it is recommended to increase this amount to 10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. This is termed the loading phase. By virtue of the fact that your workouts will be significantly reduced during these final three days, you will naturally store up reserves of carbohydrates. This modified and better tolerated regimen results in glycogen stores equal to those provided by the "old-school" carbohydrate loading regiment but does not produce any ill effects from a high-fat or high-protein diet.

It is important to remember that during the "loading phase" weight gain is common. This is because carbohydrates must bind with water. This is a good thing for endurance athletes as this also assists in making sure your cells are saturated with water for the event.

For questions or comments contact Coach Dawn Elder at dawn@trisitionarea.com

Tri-Sition Area is not affiliated with any particular coaching service nor does it support any specific method or philosophy of training

HYDRATION - It's more than just water

As the temperatures and humidity rise in South Texas, so does the need for proper hydration. Our body composition is 66% water. Fluid and electrolyte balance is a major function of homeostasis, which is our bodies ability to maintain its internal environment as it adjusts to challenges and stress. To the extent our bodies are able to adjust to these challenges the state of good health is maintained. Proper hydration is important for cellular metabolism, blood flow and therefore athletic performance.


Hydration easy to experiment with. The main issue is to make sure that you take in enough liquid to sustain your body weight during your long workouts. How you do this is simple. Weigh yourself before you head out the door for your long rides and runs. Keep track of the amount of time your workout takes you and also how much liquid you take in during your session. Then when you get home, weigh yourself again. If you have hydrated well, your finishing weight should be within a pound or two of your starting weight. Even in the longest workout, you will lose at most a pound due to fat burning. So if you lose five pounds or more during your workout, the bulk of it is due to water loss. And even a small percent loss of water as it relates to your total body weight and your performance will start to drop off.


Your maximum sweat rate is reached well below your aerobic maximum heart rate when the heat is high. This is a good thing because it enables you to start to collect a mental log of how much you need to drink to maintain your body weight without going at race pace to do it. If you find that you are good at keeping your weight up during the workouts, great! If you are coming home significantly lighter than when you start, work at upping the amount of liquid you take in during your workouts.



Having a good hydration strategy is critical to performance. A general guideline to determine how much water you should be consuming on a daily basis is to divide your body weight by half. That is the amount of water in ounces you should be consuming daily without exercise. Add another 8 to 16 ounces for every 60 minutes of exercise you do.

Cyclists are recommended to drink 24oz of fluid each hour cycling for distance events.

Runners are recommended to drink 16- 27oz of fluid each hour running for distance events.



Maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance is critical to nerve and muscle function, and as such, is a key consideration for athletes hoping to achieve their optimum athletic performance. Electrolytes are molecules capable of conducting eletrical impulses and include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride. Both muscle tissue and neurons are considered electric tissues of the body. Muscles and neurons are activated by electrolyte activity!



Research has shown that after about three hours of maximum sweating, performance begins to drop off if sodium is not taken in. On average, a person loses 350mg of sodium per hour. So after you lose about 1000mg of sodium the performance begins to drop. Keep in mind that this is VERY individual. Some people will sweat out twice this and others only half. Experiment with what you need.



Muscle contraction is dependent upon the presence of calcium (Ca2+), sodium (Na+), and potassium (K+). Without sufficient levels of these key electrolytes, muscle weakness or severe muscle contractions may occur. Adequate sodium balance is necessary for transmitting nerve impulses and proper muscle function, and even a slight depletion of this concentration can cause problems. Ultra distance running events that take place in hot, humid conditions, and have athletes competing at high intensity have conditions prime for hyponatremia (life-threatening dilution of plasma sodium levels) to develop.


Keep track of how much sodium your electrolyte drink is providing and how you feel during your workouts, especially after about three hours. Try taking in a salt tablets or other forms of salt/magnesium combination and see how your body and energy levels respond. Start conservative and build up until you find the right amount for you, especially during hot and long workouts.

There you go! Refining the liquid amount and sodium amount of intake you will need can answer a lot of questions about what to do during a race.

Happy Training!

For questions or comments contact Coach Dawn Elder at dawn@trisitionarea.com

Tri-Sition Area is not affiliated with any particular coaching service nor does it support any specific method or philosophy of training

The story of a little Micro-Nutrient called Iron
by coach Dawn Elder



Some of the littlest things pack the biggest punch. While we have many "micro- nutrients" in our diets, Iron is one that can make all the difference for an endurance athlete. Iron transports oxygen, aids in Thyroid function ( all the buzz these days), helps immune function and the formation of red blood cells. Hard training stimulates the number of red blood cells increasing the need for Iron. One red blood cell contains 250 million hemoglobin molecules, one hemoglobin molecule can transport 4 oxygen molecules which means that one blood cell can transport one billion oxygen molecules. When your legs are screaming, know that those little red blood cells are coming to your aid. However, we need iron stores to improve the oxygen carrying capacity of the hemoglobin. Female athlete can lose 2.2 iron milligrams a day and male endurance athletes can lose 1.7 milligrams a day. The western diet only contains 10-35% of the Iron recommendation. If we aren't absorbing iron from food and we are losing a fair amount, it is easy to become deficient. Signs of Iron deficiency are feeling weak or tired, decreased work/school performance, difficulty maintaining body temperature and decreased immune function. While it isn't wise to just start supplementing, it is prudent to eat an Iron rich diet especially in high training periods as well as get periodically tested for Iron levels. Most of the time, we can get the best Iron from our diets. Meat, fish, poultry, broccoli, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, potatoes, green and red bell peppers are some examples of Iron absorption promoters. Calcium, coffee, tea, spinach, chard, rhubarb, bran and soy products can be iron absorption inhibitors. It is important to note that when a training load goes up the ferritin or blood iron stores goes down. It takes a 6-8 week time frame to build up depleted stores so looking ahead to increased volume and intensity is a good time remember those Iron stores to keep you moving through your training. As always, consult with a physician if you believe you need to be tested or supplement.

Happy Training!

For questions or comments contact Coach Dawn Elder at dawn@trisitionarea.com

Tri-Sition Area is not affiliated with any particular coaching service nor does it support any specific method or philosophy of training

Hydration on the Bike

By Mary Jo Pugh

If you're doing a triathlon--especially a longer race--your hydration system can be your life line. There are so many options...which is the best? Traditional bottles on the bike frame? Bottle between the aero bars with a long straw? Traditional bottle in fancy new holder between the aero bars? Bottles in back of your seat? A reservoir behind the seat or on the bike frame with a straw so you can drink on the fly? I have tried almost every one of these options and through these experiences I've found that a couple of factors are important for your decision.

Are you physically coordinated as you ride? I am not. Therefore the traditional bottle on the bike frames not a good choice for me. For those with good hand-eye coordination, these are great options. There is a new system where you can store a traditional bottle between the aero bars. I haven't tried this one. It looks easier to use than the bottle on the down tube, but not as versatile as the rear mounted bottle system by X-lab (although there are other similar products). I really like the seat mounted unit because you can accommodate two bottles, and store tools and tubes...all in an aero set up.

One limitation of these traditional bottle systems though, is that they a little more difficult to use on a longer race...unless you dump bottles and pick new ones up at the aid station. In my quest to find the perfect 70.3 hydration system I tried a couple of reasonable alternatives. The first was a Profile Design single bottle system that sits between the aerobar with a straw that comes up to your mouth, making easy access to your drink. While it did the job, I didn't do a good job of securing it, so it rattled a lot on the chip seal. Next, I got a two reservoir Profile Design bottle...that was really nice because you could have water in one part of the bottle and Perpetuem or something like that in the other. But again, the rough road made the second reservoir move...before you know it, the second reservoir was 2 inches out of the system.

More recently I purchased a Speed-Fill system, which is my favorite of all. This mounts on the down tube, has an insulated straw which goes through the aerobars right where you want it. There is even a neoprene case for the bottle to keep your drink cooler. It's super easy to fill on the fly--even for someone like me that isn't super coordinated. And it's easy to keep clean. Although it's best to keep just water in this.

So...as you're looking for your bike hydration system keep in mind your dexterity and coordination, distance of rides or races, and maintenance of the system. Like me, you might have more than one option that you mix and match to fit the context of your workout or race.

Ride safe and stay hydrated!

The REAL Way to Recover

You have just finished your long ride and are feeling a bit sore and wondering how tomorrow's long run is going to go. So what do you do? Most of us have developed the habit of taking a few anti inflammatories before going to bed. What if there was a more natural way to keep the inflammation at bay while maximizing your health benefits.

Reserveratrol, found in grapes, dark berries and red wine has been marketed as having anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti aging properties. Researchers have also found that essential oils from thyme, clove, rose and fennel can suppress inflammatory enzymes, in a role very close to that played by Reserveratrol. Researchers have been able to isolate the exact enzyme that is responsible.

A recent study by Oregon Health and Sciences University revealed that runners

who drank cherry juice twice a day for seven days prior to and on the day

of a long-distance relay had significantly less muscle pain following the race.



Unique antioxidants are responsible for cherries' deep red

color...and for the fruit's anti-inflammatory benefits. Researchers suggest

cherries may work like common pain medications used by athletes to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.



So as you go on with your training, add some dark grapes and red cherries to add to your daily nutrition routine. Try adding some dried cherries to a trail mix that you take with you on your long ride. Sip on some cherry juice as you go thought the day .

Again, the more natural the food we put into our bodies the quicker we get to experience the benefits. Learn to be respectful of the power inherent within nature's own abilities to make us well and whole.

Happy Training!

For questions or comments contact Coach Dawn Elder at dawn@trisitionarea.com

Tri-Sition Area is not affiliated with any particular coaching service nor does it support any specific method or philosophy

Product Review - Guru

By Wes Anderson

This past fall I was looking to upgrade my bike. As a bike fitter I know choosing the correct frame can make or break your position. In the past I’ve found myself usually between a 52 or 54 cm bike and as a result had to make compromises to get into the correct position. After researching the company GURU I jumped at the chance to work with them to build my dream bike. Below I detail how the process works. First schedule a fit with Trisition Area. They’ll take key measurements, check flexibility, and help identify any special needs you may have for your particular frame. Once the fit session is done make sure to get online (www.gurubikes.com) and choose the frame type and colors you would like, you can actually build the paint and design scheme on Guru’s website. I chose the CR.901 in a beautiful black and orange. Once you’ve decided on the details Trisition Area will send in your packet to guru to get the frame drawn. Guru then uses a set of algorithms that, when loaded up with an individual cyclist's measurement data, produces an effective starting-point for an optimal bike design. Qualitative measures such as riding style, competitive goals and injury history are then used to refine the frame design in order to perfect its performance attributes. Within the next week you should have blue prints of your future bike frame. I reviewed my blue prints and made a few tweaks based on personal preferences. You’ll have the same option and can work with Trisition Area if you need any guidance here. Once you have approved the blue prints GURU goes into fabrication mode. It’s about a six-week process once the order has been placed before you’ll have your frame but it is well worth the wait. Guru offers several packages that you can choose from to build your frame into a complete bike or you can do as I did and work with Trisition Area to hand select the specs you want. This is a wonderful option Trisition Area offers as it lets you hand select things like saddles and aero bars that are very individual. I have to say I’ve been on my bike for two solid months of riding and love her more and more every day. The frame is super stiff with an extra large chain stay/bottom bracket area, this means great power transfer. The bike has a little bit more trail than my last frame that makes for smooth handling. But most importantly it fits great. I have a standard size stem without a ton of headset spacers and without a saddle that is pushed all the way forward or back to make my bike fit correctly. It is a very smooth bike that feels like an extension of my body. I highly recommend the frame. For more details on the fit process or the frame in general please feel free to email me at wes@trisitionarea.com. Thanks and enjoy the ride.