In which I embrace my pale skin

I'm not counting on anyone noticing how pale I have been in the past two years-- but I will come out and say it. I am pale. Two years ago I would have been ashamed of this fact yet today I proudly embrace that my skin is significantly lighter than in years past.

I used to get really tan in the Spring and Summer months. Growing up in Ohio under the sweltering humid sun it seemed almost impossible to contemplate a suffocating layer or sunscreen because sweating was a dire necessity. I also used to have really bad cystic acne to my face and back that cleared quite well with some UV love. As I quickly learned, I also can get the deep brown tan on par with that of a pornstar. Just a few good days out and I was back to golden brown for summer.

To many, the tan lines of cycling and running is the embodiment of the sports. They aren't tan lines, they are "commitment lines." It is the time of year we dream about (unless you race Cross or Ski as your primary discipline...). Shed the warmers, layers, and the sponge and bucket for some liberation from the crueler elements.

Reality Check, here it comes

My father has metastatic melanoma and is actively getting treatment. My great uncle Jack died from complications of (wait for it) metastatic melanoma. My maternal uncle has had significant squamous cell carcinoma removed in the past year. Earlier this year at the age of 27, not even half the age of my father, I had a pre-cancerous area burned off my face with liquid nitrogen.  The circle of direct genetics and influence has closed in around me. I'm brown brown haired, blue/green eyed and need to embrace the fact that while I can tan rather well it is probably the closest thing to putting me in an early grave.

I took enough genetics and cancer biology in college (because the RD classes weren't keeping me busy enough?) to know my percentages. I know it's likely I have the gene that expresses the cancer proliferation so easily. I have the sun burn and sun exposure history to elevate my risk. Additionally it seems that life's idea of a cruel joke in hindsight, common sense, has evaded me until now.

As someone who strives to live an active, healthy, and life-extending lifestyle it seemed time to wise up. What also has helped my logic is that I see many folks who haven't protected their skin and they look like a piece of regurgitated fruit leather. I'm a vain person and have no shame in admitting I want to have the looks to grace Mens Health when I'm 65.

Action, move forward

First and foremost, I faithfully started wearing sunscreen that my dainty and rather sensitive skin could tolerate. I even found SPF product that I use as my daily lotion (because dry skin sucks too). I take the perfect 1oz tubes with me on my rides and reapply every 90 minutes. I haven't burned or peeled in over two years now.

Additionally, I'm wearing more clothes. I always ran around like a feral in only running shorts and shoes or had sheer/mesh sleeveless jerseys and no-show socks on while cycling. Fast forward to present day and I've learned the value of base layers for cooling and full-weave jerseys in Summer months. On long rides I wear SunSleeves-- which not only block UV but also are remarkably good at cooling the body down. I've learned that Sock Doping is a thing and can mean a pretty nice look. Afterall, It IS a sport of aesthetics...

I have an annual check-up now with a great dermatology group. If you have a family history of skin cancer your insurance will pay for this in full.

Diet wise, I haven't changed much. As a rule, I eat fairly well. Plenty of vegetation and raw and fresh-pressed fats. Sure, in the summer I get away with a bit more sugar BC I'm burning way more too-- but overall diet quality is still on par.

***No amount of diet magic can spare you a direct mutation from UV radiation no matter what the internet or best-selling author tell you.***

The takeaway 

Wear sunscreen, workout not in mid-day, wear a hat, cover up, and eat like you want to live to see the year 2100.

 Most of all, learn to enjoy the life you have for yourself, knowing that in a matter of a doctor visit or biopsy, your life could be changed forever.

Patrick. 

The stories our feet can tell

I have some pretty gnarly feet. They are strong, but certainly not pretty. I can look at my feet and think of past victories, podiums, bruises, ice baths, bursitis, ruptured tendons, broken toe bones, stress fractures, weird-ass warts, and how much Adidas shoes destroy my feet. It is undeniable there is this loose celebration for endurance athletes in the tissue breakdown and regrowth in our feet. Our feet take us to the very limits of our known abilities-- the one honest measure and true test of self, after all, is Sport. 

Our feet move us towards our goals and a deep sense of satisfaction that can last for years following. They can push us to drive people, including loved ones, out of our lives while we pursue these goals-- It is my hope that endeavors of our feet will somehow convey to these special people (or not-so-special) that when we make the choice stand next to them that they know it was a decision not easily reached. Think of the feet that have inspired thousands of other feet.

I don't think a lot of people recognize that their feet are capable of amazing things. Many find them gross (which I've always found a bit childish) or make a point to care more for their lazy comfort than relish the garish potential for black toe nails and blisters. Feet are biblical; they are symbolic of effort and struggle.

My feet are the only thing I know to stand on. 

June "race" report

How late am I posting this? Whoops, left this in draft folder!

It's always prudent to test oneself prior to target races. Many athletes will do smaller races or do simulation workouts to gauge fitness, test gear, and work on mental fitness. It's hard to imagine a sport that doesn't require some degree of "dry run".

The CBC double metric century (I rode the imperial century of 100 miles) proved to be a good test of my fitness before racing in September. Affirmation for what has been a more patient, yet structured, training schedule (read: boring lol).

The day was supposed to be a scorcher but some early AM showers and fantastic  lightening display cooled the temps down to reasonable levels despite spiking the humidity level. While I didn't start off too quick, I certainly did not waste any time getting up to a pace that was far from pedestrian. This was my first focused effort "racing" on my Tarmac and the bike performed flawlessly even if I did not.

The first thirty miles included a quick aid station and a thinning of the herd with the climb up Michigan hill and the undulating terrain outside Centralia. Further hills, much to my legs delight, rolled steadily and I had barely a bit of fatigue in the legs through mile 45...until I became LOST.

Panic? not really.
I got lost. I never get lost in a race very often however this time it sent me off course by about 5.5 miles. What was more concerning is that I had flocked in with a group of fellas that were sure we were heading in the right direction. Nope. We weren't. It wasn't until I told them the cue sheet prompted us to turn well before this time that we turned around (side note: never try and read a cue sheet whilst in a pace line..sketchy). A Fervent pace line ensued back to the point of original error, and after burning precious batches getting back on course I was met with a pretty big rough patch in the day. Miles 60 through 80 were not kind to me-- however, many of long death marches on the bike over the years have taught that keeping a steady pace and getting in calories always serves me well and I will eventually get my legs back. I swore a few times and the false flats could have made me cry but took solace in passing many people in those 20 miles. I increased the amount of calories by almost 30% in that time and kept my hydration steady to avoid cramping. Once again, I was thankful the heat had abated for the time being.

Over the bigger climbs and rollers of the day I made pretty good pace (and so-so recovery from the rough patch) to make Rochester with good time. I had even caught a coworker and friend who had started the course hours ahead of me. What made it even more special was Wendy and Nola there to give me the little boost to get back out on the bike and get back to Tumwater as fast as possible.

The next 20 miles went fairly well and I caught plenty of the OlyOrtho guys in the last ten miles. Many of tempo rides have been ridden on those final 10 miles and I left nothing remaining into the final miles of the ride.

A steady pace, good conservation of effort in the flats, and no stupid accelerations to put too much crap in my legs and I finished with a respectable 5h30minutes for the 100miles (+10) completed on the day. A total gain of 2,600ft is paltry compared to races I've done prior in Southern OH and WVa but the overall pace and effort was sustained to make an honest day of PB.

The Takeaway

My goal going into the ride was to finish within 6 hours if I was having a bad day, and ideally closer to 5hrs. I feel that with my concerted effort to not go too deep at the start, burn my matches evenly throughout, and not trying to crush the climbs I showed my form was in line for races later in the summer.

I made up a lot of time on the climbs despite not pushing into the red-- climbing is a cycling discipline, given my rather slim genetics and abnormally high max HR, that I continue to excel. When I was physically capable of mountain running my uphill game was pretty strong. While I haven't had the opportunity to put in any serious vertical training this year it IS reassuring to see that the ability to reach into my pocket and pull out good climbing results remains.

Looking Forward
I'll be looking to train to my weaknesses in the coming months. Hitting that low point after getting lost showed that my fitness could use a bit of bolstering on threshold stamina. False flats be damned. 

Progress+ Relearning The Subtle Art of Suffering

(Daily) Bread Miles 

A steady diet of miles have been fed into the legs up to this point in the year. Nothing in crazy volume like years prior and more consistent and well-intentioned miles (25hr+ training weeks are things of the past...). My body feels the most capable it has in over a year and less wrecked than the past years. Sinewy and goat-like, dense yet light. When I decompressed from that 2014 season I resolved to be in the place I am now by this time-- boom, goals are sweet.  It's a spartan calendar these past two years but in a way it's a great method to consider how I want to define myself as an athlete and "career man" (versus that of a "breeder" and homesteader).

Helping my motivation is my 2015 Specialized Tarmac Expert. Murdered-out black, light, and stiffer than my 2009 TCR by a landslide. This steed climbs incredibly well, thanks in part by the sub-compact crankset with shorter cranks, and descends like it's on a rail. It's a fun and punchy ride. Never thought I would ride 152.5mm cranks but I've noticed it improve my stroke considerably. Sticking with Speedplay pedals since they've been so good to me and my buggy knees. The boys down at Old Town Bike did me good.

The training volume continues to increase and my interval sessions are getting more focused and serious. Whereas the last three months have been about feeling a little more "worked over" after my 'push efforts', I'm prepping the body for the shit-for-muscle-tomorrow leg searing intervals that bring gobs of speed. Timing is everything with this work and I'm certainly no pro at it so the plan I laid forth for the next few months is careful to avoid burning matches too early in the year. We're calling this a "transitional year" for me after all and the blocks of training load aren't without some shifting. Rigidity isn't without doom.

Helping this transition to higher intensities has been the reconnaissance of some stellar sections of road within 40 miles of my place that fit both distance, gradient, and road conditions. Convenient and easily fit into a long ride.

Evening rides in the Littlerock realm are awesome 

The Subtle Art of Suffering

To be great at anything, whether Sport or elsewhere in life, it's only proper that one learn how to suffer through some great discomfort. With sport this presents easily and early as it is truly one of the only honest measures of ourselves in Life-- but is it really that easy? There's wisdom to learn along the way. I've considered in the past how I suffered through one workout or another that should have never been done (10x1000m in 2min30sec on the track off the back of a 20 mile long run is a workout that still makes me cringe at how my achilles felt the next day). Examining my motivations to go deep out on the road they have extended beyond simple Boyhood enthusiasm. All the while adult life tries to keep me from what I once held as my temple and Sabbath.

To feel like reaching something greater within yourself requires a level of narcissism that others may never come to understand. You can push loved ones or strain friendships over this quest to feel faster. They will suffer, mostly without complaint, only hoping their sacrifices don't go unnoticed. It's not a lightbulb moment when you see this either, it's subtle. In many respects those that don't want your shit will get out of the way-- fuck the haters. Those that remain are the diamonds. The polished of those diamonds will recognize the subtly of your suffering and subsequent gratitude fornletting you explore the depths of these experiences.

Motivation in rain? Try coffee! Photo: Ted King

We can get it wrong more times than we get it right-- but when it all comes together, and you feel truly satisfied with your race, it's next to nothing. Years past I felt I had this nailed but it spiraled out of control and now a bit older and wiser I'm amazing how naive I had been. Like all the best lessons in life this was not clearly defined.

indeed, Subtle.


P.

Catching some R&R on the OR coast is awesome and needed! 

"Let's talk about these core issues"+ important side note

I already knew the core muscles were important and I've had abs since I was 15 (which is easy when you struggle to maintain healthy amounts of body fat). Back then it was about looking good for the ladies (kidding). But it hasn't been until recently I realized the importance of core and maintaining a healthy relationship with planks, lunges, and glute strengthening exercising.

The epiphany came after I was coming from a long ride back in mid-March. My body was tired and I was happy to be getting home. I looked down to make sure my pedaling was still smooth and in my horror I saw my left leg tracking odd in relation to the pedal stroke. I had a weak core. Rudimentary knowledge in exercise physiology and anatomy quickly led me to diagnose the issue and muscles effected.

You see, sometimes it takes little moments to realize how much you have missed the big picture for so long. It all made sense why my massage therapist was always working that left leg more than the right, why I always developed my knee issues on the left side, and how single-leg pedaling drills sometimes are "odd" with that left leg of mine...

So I'm back to the morning ritual that I for so long held in HS. A mix of planks, "bicycles", and glute strengthening (both posterior and lateral stability). I've also concentrated more on my shoulder mobility by doing yoga to maintain some suppleness in my often-disregarded arms. Holding a low, aerodynamic position on your bike is easy at first-- but hold it for 6+ hours and get back to me on how your shoulders and lower back feel in the morning.

The proof is in the pudding: I PR'd a very challenging route just today and suffered none of the "left leg wobbles" I had suffered before. Back in HS it was about looking good running shirtless in the Ohio track season (and the coach made me obsessive about them too) now these abs are hidden most days and work within a body covered in a cycling jersey and slathered in sunscreen.

I know, super attractive...but there's nothing more unattractive than preventable anatomical deficiencies.

------Sidenote: speaking of sunscreen...

Now more than ever (diagnosed Melanoma now runs freakishly too-close-for-comfort in my gene pool) I am concentrating on protecting my skin from hellacious sunburns and excessive UV exposure.     If you avoid the sunscreen because it's icky, smells like a whore's shaving lotion, or stings in the eyes I REALLY recommend Beyond Coastal brand and their products which I have used the past 2.5 years. I'm a paranoid hippie when it comes to putting things on my very sensitive skin so I happily say this shit works and doesn't make you want to "forget" the sunscreen before you leave home.

Building The Diesel: My Return To Normalcy

Updates: nothing is happening...and that's a good thing!

It's been slow, steady build-up since the start of the year with solid base miles and plenty of longer threshold intervals thrown in the mix as of lately to build back my usual Diesel cardiovascular engine I had lost in 2014. Averaging about 7-12hrs/wk at this point. I expect the load to go upwards of 20+hrs/wk in the coming 2 months.

I spent a weekend in Bend recently and gathered some good altitude in the legs to kickstart a good early Spring. With the weather being remarkably mild the ability to get out on the roads and come back without a shit-covered butt is a nice thing. A new position on the bike has made things substantially better as well. The days are finally getting long enough for morning or evening rides with minimal additional lighting.

More updates in the coming months but until then it's a matter of patience and consistency to return to form.

2015: A Return to Basics

   The off season is winding down and I'm starting to look further into 2015 with a sense of eagerness. I spent a week in Ohio at the end of December and hit some of the old trails from my younger years. There was enough calm to be able to thoroughly reflect on where 2014 left me.

I can summarize it in one statement: a lack of consistency and direction in 2014.

I'll touch on both elements separately.

CONSISTENCY

    My blog was wrought with injury and illness the past year. I rallied hard following each setback, but the fact I had roughly 4 major setbacks in the year made it especially hard to rally each time thereafter. Some might say "oh you're young, you'll bounce back" and I most certainly will-- yet there remains key physiological adaptations gained from consistent training. In the past 18 months I have noticed my body needing more recovery than before and I can't help but think part of this is due to setbacks creeping up on me.

   Too often I was putting mega base miles down thinking I was lacking, whereas my mediocre high-

end fitness showed its ugly face come race days. While a consistent base is vital, I need more attention to getting the kind of fitness to move out of higher placings back towards my winning ways. A good example is that I was doing repeat miles 4 wks from the Fat Ass consistently in the 5:45-6:00min/mile range and 300m repeats to sharpen the legs 14 days out from racing. My afterburners we're stoked on that day with last mile at 6:10 on soggy Oly trails and out kicking the other guy with ease. Compare to my detonation in the last hour of Maupin and lacking the threshold to hold pace on the climbs. I didn't prepare correctly and scraped a 2nd place with a hint of bitterness at my legs. I was aerobically demolished bc the body didn't know any better.

   Looking back I see the error in my ways and will avoid (crashes be damned) those mishaps with better SELF CARE. I force my body to do things that I am capable of yet should take my overall wellbeing into consideration beforehand. it's not a matter of hitting the numbers and volume, it's how you get there pre- and post- training. 

DIRECTION

   This sorta ties into consistency but I am seriously considering a coach at this point. I have done well managing my training in years past but my work life is making confused conflict in my brain for accountability. Despite the experience and education in exercise science I remain my own worst athlete to train with :)

   I revised my racing schedule no less than 4 times this past year. a coach would have had another voice in these decisions and probably told me to calm the Hell down. With racing in two disciplines (ultra running and sportive/TT endurance) and an increasing work load (I took a promotion recently) another voice of reason wouldn't hurt.

WHERE IS 2015 GOING??

   The resounding theme in my head as I was cruising miles at Malabar over vacation was a return to basics. I had put solid years of miles in my legs prior to 2014. While the Pacific Northwest is more competitive than the Midwest in respect to post-collegiate athletics, a return to uncomplicated training would benefit greatly in rebuilding what I have lost. I likely won't race until Summer and focus on getting my body back to par the first 6 months and enter races fresher with a possible coach in the arsenal. I have started to put my feelers out for an appropriate coach. My numbers--and more importantly my motivation to place high-- depend on it.

Pics from back home in Ohio.

See you out there.

P.

    

Introducing the Overworked Diet

I work a lot. Sometimes it's self-induced amd other times it's a casualty of my position and profession.

I could delegate other people to do the emergent issues on the weekend but oftentimes I like to know it was done right (I.e. random RN "oh I guess I never bothered to look at their TPN to see if it was running after getting off the phone with the Doc and you...").

Regardless, I'm not as self-abusive as some healthcare workers. I'd like to think all the counseling I have done and was trained to do helps me eliminate a lot of bad food choices. Below is a slightly serious yet tongue-in-cheek listing of my most successful habits.

Try to drink all your coffee before noon.-- I mean, it's a race. It's definitely better sleep (more on that later) when you do abstain from coffee after the noon hour but I also understand when you're overworked sometimes an afternoon cup is too much to turn down. Get it local, get it whole bean and grind yourself. If you're going to fry your adrenals you might as well do it having good coffee (sorry Starbucks...and the whole city of Portland).

Get a really sharp kitchen knife- besides knowing you can wield it and slice your annoying coworkers sharp knives make cooking safer, faster, and far more enjoyable. Get something >7" to get a versatile and functional knife (wit the exception of Santoku blades, which can be a bit shorter).

Love cooking at home-- nothing sucks worse than having no time to unwind at all and cooking at home can be that downtime needed. Not only that, but cooking at home as been touted to improve digestion and maintain a lower intake of salt, sugar, and processed foods. Bring into your kitchen only raw, or minimally processed ingredients, that require you to actually cook. Dropping pre-cut pineapple on a plate with some store-bought fruit dip is not cooking or holding down a decent kitchen. Man up.

Eat breakfast and don't be afraid of packing a random lunch- eating breakfast is important. Especially if you're overworked. How else are your fried nerves going to function at their most optimal? Also, piecing together you lunch from different elements or dishes is OK. I often have Italian seasoned whatever, with a curry this or that, and a ton of odd fruits and veggies in containers. 

Hydration, adequate protein, and healthy fats- the foundations of good health start with those three things. 

Master how to make the perfect toast and use good bread-- I have a love affair with toast almost every morning. It's like the perfect breakfast to me. Perfect toast involves a good bread, slathering coconut oil on it and putting a sordid nut butter on the top (non-hydrogenated of course, no plasticized arteries please).

Learn to love to grocery shop-- shop in places where you're a person not just cattle swiping bar codes. Co-ops (where all the pretty ppl shop, IMO), Famers Markets, and your smaller grocers offer a more humanistic experience than Safeway or Costco. you'll also stimulate your deep, local economy.

Learn to like Tea-- it makes you happier and prettier. I like to look good while becoming overworked. tea is rich in a lot of antioxidants that you otherwise won't find in other foods. coffee is a great boost (and delicious) but tea is like the afterburners in a long day at the office. I even started getting uber Hippie and putting chia seeds in mine.

Take your supplements- take a vitamin D, find a quality probiotic and be faithful to it. Take some fish or flax oil in your diet. Your sleep, skin, hair, arteries, immune cells, and athletic endurance will thank you.

So there is a brief list of the highlights in the Overworked Diet. Just remember: working crappy hours doesn't mean you have to feel like crap!


~P.

An argument against AntiOx supplements (and how I will lose my Hammer contract)

Besides my dismally poor ability to generate sales for Hammer Nutrition and very sparse racing season (still a 1st and 2nd though, just sayin'), this post will probably not sit well with some swearing by companies touting antioxidant benefits in their products (sorry Hammer).

A little of this is good...lets throw A LOT more in to make it ideal!

Antioxidants are effectively redox agents in the face of oxidative stress (unless you ask Dr. Randolph Howes-- who is an entertaining read on his alternate theories!). These reactions take place in all of our cells (with the exception of red blood cells and several immune-modulating cells) and especially in mitochondria-rich cells. Oh, Mitochondria-- you nasty smelting factories that give us energy. Think of antioxidant activity as the EPA coming and laying down law on the manufacturing.

If you've had high school and college chemistry you'll recall O-I-L R-I-G...which is fitting if we stay with the mitochondria-factory illustration.
"OXIDATION IS LOSS of electrons, REDUCTION IS GAIN of electrons."

When we soak up all the pesky free radicals brought on by Mitochondria-behaving-badly we quickly have a quandary: extra antioxidants become pro-oxidative. Oxidation can cause adverse molecular damages in body tissues and can slowly degrade the very self-repair systems we consider important to our bodies avoiding adverse outcomes on the cellular level and ultimately poor performance gains.

Countless studies have been done that have shown reduced endogenous antioxidants (that is, those we can make a lot ourselves without help) and synthetic vitamins and mineral cofactors actually hurt performance. it is only when we study bioactive compounds that support these processes we achieve more consistent, reproducible results showing improved or baseline results (you know, scientific theory. 

In the face of this evidence, and considering that no two individuals react exactly the same to the same stressors related to differing baseline nutritive status, it is reasonable to be suspect of sports nutrition and lifestyle supplements and the controls put into place to measure consistent, reproducible results (gee, there it is again...).

A Pharmacokinetics lesson: "ADME"

In my brief pharmacology training we are taught the essential pillars of studying and recommending efficacious pharmaceutical intervention in a patient's plan of care.

Absorption-- route of efficacy (IV, oral, transdermal).
Distribution-- which body tissues/organs is this going to be of the most benefit and which secondary sites will be affected.
Metabolism-- is the site of activation and metabolism in the liver, kidneys, cardiac tissue, collagen? In the provided form and dosage does it exert the effects we hope to achieve following cytochrome metabolism? Metabolism includes the half-life as well other factors (i.e. other cofactors or medications that have potential for interaction) that may slow/speed metabolism (steroid inhalers and vitamin D and calcium metabolism...). It's important to differentiate in vitro and human trials in these instance.
Elimination-- closely related to half-life, elimination involves looking at how the body will clear the metabolites whether it's through perspiration, urine, fecal, or reused in some way in the body.

Recognizing the ADME of antioxidants and nutrition can lead to greater understanding if used properly. Unfortunately, this is not often the case when developing a consumer product-- there is a great deal of naturalistic logic thrown in-- where gargantuan claims are made to encompass multiple disease or deficiency states in order to show some semblance of credible marketability.When we stumble down that rabbit hole people either get mixed/null results or suffer adverse effects.

Most often there are wide-ranging views on dose, frequency, and in what form because ADME isn't being followed prior to making recommendations on how to take the supplements.

----
I'm not saying antioxidants aren't a good thing at all, when the body is left smoldering they can effectively help attenuate raging inflammation (we give plenty of IV vitamins and minerals in the ICU). However, recognizing timing and efficacy are important considerations when using reduced antioxidant supplements. They certainly aren't a 24/7/365 thing to take.

Recognizing pillars of good nutrition and selecting nutrient-dense foods with minimal processing over exogenous/synthetic sources we can find fantastic results stimulating the body's natural mechanisms at healthy levels. It's not okay to consider pill-based antioxidants and cofactors before realizing the unreliable data and poorly-contructed dosage schedule for athletic performance.

The exception being those that need medical management for other ailments beyond a healthy diet.


P. 

Maupin 6hr TT & official retirement from racing (...for 2014)

I had an amazing time traveling and racing Maupin TT earlier this month. A whole new landscape (dry, rolling) really made me keen to give this race, dubbed The Ring of Fire TT, an honest go. Originally planning to do the 12 hour race the numerous hiccups in my preparation made the 6 hour a more feasible (and enjoyable) experience. Wendy and I traveled down on Friday night and stayed two nights in Hood River which is about an hour north of Maupin.
I myself prefer Hood River to Bend for that "awesome outdoorsy town" in Central Oregon.

The 6 hour started at NOON. Which for many reasons this was awesome:
1. I hate early race start times.
2. I like to have my mornings to get psyched up to ride.
3. Wendy and I could get a great breakfast in Hood River before driving down to Maupin
4. It wouldn't be cold.

There was one main hesitation for starting this late in the day and that was the heat in the weather forecast. The Ring of Fire certainly lived up to it's namesake!

Early Going
The starts for the TT were staggered instead of mass start, which was different than the other multi-hour TT and 12 hour races I had done in the past. While I was one of the last racers to start I enjoyed having plenty of "rabbits" ahead of me!

The course was a 27 mile loop up out, around, and back down into the town of Maupin (long enough that it wasn't boring or repetitive!). The starting climb went well, with pushing a moderate gear with steady cadence. Very quickly I picked up two of the starters right before me and by the top of the 3 mile climb I had moved up 4 slots. I felt plucky and with a bit of pop in my legs that I was worried wouldn't come out to play on race day. When my legs feel that good it's hard not to hit the gas-- but with the rising temperatures and the 6 hours of racing on my mind I held myself in reserve.
Upon coming off the climb there was a stiffening headwind and rough roads for a ways until a really great 2 mile downhill. From there it was rolling or moderate hills and a long descent into the river gorge and back into Maupin.

First lap checked off at goal pace and really nothing could have been done differently. My legs felt solid. Wendy had bottles already done up for me with Hammer Fizz  (1 tab per 20 oz bottle) and I did a quick exchange and was back out on course. Keep moving, don't stop long. You stop too long and you'll lock up. Lap 2 went well except I had a run-in with a stinging insect of sorts. Nasty little critter too, as I still have marks and occasionally itch even 10 days after the event! I lost about 5 minutes on the second lap dealing my jersey and making sure the bug was out of my kit.

Lap 3 and the heat started to really get to my legs. I swapped bottles and took in a calories. The climb out of Maupin wasn't as spirited as the other two laps, and the headwind following was a motherfucker. My TCR chattered over this rough patch of road yet again and watched my Garmin in dismay at the speed I wasn't able to achieve even with putting out pretty good numbers. Being a taller, longer, and leaner athlete I really suffer in headwinds and rough road conditions.
The heat issues continued as I tried to up the pace on the rolling sections however I felt like I was starting to settle into a slower rhythm than before and my lower quadriceps started to complain to me. I began to notice the salt rings on my body. My lips weren't feeling too kissable. I thanked God for the sunscreen that Wendy reminded me to bring.

I rolled into the race HQ with 1h12min left to race. Obviously another full lap was out of the question given my quickly retreating legs. To make matters worse, I had no idea where I was in the race standings as I had been passing 6 AND 12 hour racers all day but was never passed myself. George informed I was sitting in 2nd place. With a quick pee (almost clear piss, hell yeah) and Wendy swapping my bottles out I was off for about an hour of what was a death march back into those headwinds on rough roads. 1st place was about 20 minutes ahead of me-- so while I knew he wasn't able to be caught, I could definitely limit my losses.

Wendy followed me in my Mazda as the clock kept ticking. I rolled another 13 miles into the 4th lap for 94 miles in 6 hours. Cramping, tired, and with an astounding amount of radiating road heat lapping at my legs I threw my bike in the back of the car and climbed in the passenger seat to finish out that 4th lap.

The post-race was low key and casual-- truly a down-to-earth group of folks.  I spent a good 30 minutes on the asphalt eating overripe peaches, larabars, and trying to control my heat-induced nausea. For my efforts I scored a fresh set of Panache socks and a finisher cap from George. The food was great at the sponsored lodge restaurant.

Wendy drove us back to Hood River and the Airstream (thanks Jeff!) with me nodding off for most of the drive. A quick breakfast Sunday and damn good coffee from Hood River Coffee Company and we were off North over the Washington border and back to Olympia.

2014: Screwed up ankle, golf ball-sized tonsils, lungs, bruised ribs and road rash...oh my! 

Doesn't quite have the same ring as the whole "Lions, Tigers..." song but it definitely makes me chuckle how hard this year has been for injury and illness. January kicked it off with what was a Grade II ankle sprain followed with Viral Tonsillitis (thank you Prednisone) in June. Come around to July with the wildfires all over WA I ended up with some significant asthma exacerbation (once again, steroids you rock). Hard training, hard breathing. Capping off an eventful Summer was crashing hard on train tracks 2 weeks before racing Maupin-- only road rash and some bruised ribs from a 32mph crash and we'll call that lucky (I got a new helmet out of it-- the old one cracked!). I did however miss riding in Pullman, WA.

So I'm really looking forward to working on my overall strength again and putting back on the 15 lbs of muscle I intentionally stripped to get down to an efficient riding weight. Every year I say I'll "race heavier" but I'm a lanky puncheur at heart and excessive weight is a burden.
I'm going to work on this ankle and get my running back to par (and beyond)-- I have a lot of unfinished business on the trail. I think most of all this year has truly rekindled my love for riding my bike and the range of experiences it brings for me. The growl of carbon on road will always bring a smile to my face.

When I look back on the year I started off with a solid 1st place and finished with a 2nd place. two pretty good results bookend a difficult year physically (not to mention the emotional toll it all put on me).

I'm writing this post while cooking local bacon and a healthy pour of Cabernet.

To an extended off season and long base training season, cheers!

              Airstream trailer I found online for the weekend. Really awesome and perfect digs.

Rolling the rollers of Maupin.

My amazing one-gal support crew for the weekend. Blessed to have the support!

end of Summer climb up Mt. Ellinor sporting my Panache socks with Wendy!

July Updates (late entry!)

It's been a steady build-up period for me in July after committing myself to doing some endurance-ish riding in August and September.

What has certainly helped make this month more enjoyable is the very dry weather conditions (good for my training, bad for forest fires here in Washington) and Tour de France coverage. Thresholds are being improved, endurance building, muscles retrained...and the body is seizing these transformations relatively well.

I've focused on getting a fair amount of quality in from the start given that I had a relatively good base of fitness before making the aforementioned race goals. While I tend to be a bit more "low tech" in my riding (no HR monitor or cadence sensor, occasionally won't track elevation gain, etc.) I have strived to include the following work into my regiment.

1. long ride(s)- um duh, but one of the hardest things to learn is that a long ride doesn't mean a lolly-gagging spin for 7 hours, it means a steady quality day on the bike with maybe (maybe) several longer efforts thrown in either in climbs or a 10-15minute hammered flat section. 5-7 hrs is usually the goal for these.

2. tempo rides- 1 or 2 a week, depending on my weekday schedule and how the legs are responding. 80-180 minutes, maximum, trying to get in some quality intensity and likely over-gear work to get the muscles truly firing.

3. intervals- I hate intervals on the bike but I love what they do for raw speed. 5-10 minute efforts at 80-90% of maximum x 4-6 sets after a really good warm-up. If I'm not thrashed after this work I don't feel like it's been a good session. I do these on the trainer because that kind of work is dangerous on the roads

The rest of the time is spent on either an easy spin, rowing, or elliptical with 2 days of lifting and core in the mix. Total hours are typically ranging from 10-15 training hours/wk-- I anticipate the load to go up closer to Pullman and Maupin, but currently that tends to be a good amount of training hours given my 60 hour work weeks. I have also learned that sleep makes a world of difference.

While I have focused on my recovery using Hammer Nutrition products, I've started looking at ways to augment my performance on the bike. The two products I have found to be really beneficial on the longer rides and/or dosed on tempo rides are the Endurance Amino and Anti-Fatigue capsules. The branch-chain amino acids found in the Endurance Aminos help keep muscle catabolism down through replenishing myofibril-specific amino chains. Anti-Fatigue works by buffering ammonia using 275-550mg of Potassium Magnesium Aspartate. So far, both have worked well on keeping my legs from hitting rock-bottom even after longer, harder efforts. I pop 1 capsule of each during every hour on the bike or do a 2 capsule bolus dose prior to tempo efforts.

Coffee & TriggerPoint to keep the niggles away.

Hammer tubes keep my quiver of "muscle pills" dry, organized, and easy to pop!

Fun evening rides on gravel.

A commitment to the saddle

given the race calendar for the trail running scene being all-but-over relative to my running goals and fitness, I turned my focus towards the bike for the remainder of 2014. I decided about 3 weeks ago to go full-gas into readying myself to ride an aggressive racing timeline with crescendo at the Maupin TT series in early September. 

Prior to making the plans I was "training for fitness" only and have relished the return to a racer mentality. A closer watch to diet, strengthening, sleep, and all the other aspects of performing one's best has been something I missed.

The thing about sport is the World of experiences you can gain from it. From riding in shitstorm rain with blown legs, to seeing the inky clouds smeared like mascara across a sunset as you tap out a steady, strong cadence in Summer heat-- light years apart but each instance granting an even richer understanding of Nature, pain, and the unwillingness to stop finding more within oneself. I'm seeing striations and vasculature not seen in a year, training numbers coming back like old friends, and muscles that feel ready to work. I forgot how much I love the honing of fitness to be at the best.

I'm excited to commit to the saddle once again. It's been a few years since I raced an endurance TT but I am hoping for good training fortunes. And at least in cycling I can't twist my ankle! 

P.

with my head towards redemption

"It was a dark and stormy night..."
On 1 March 2014 I was pulled over for DUI by Washington State patrol. My BAC was .07(still under the legal limit) but I was stated by the officer to have been driving erratically (dash cam seemed to show otherwise). Despite compelling evidence to disprove, I was sentenced this week for Negligent Driving with 24 months of monitored probation. A sobering reminder that you can never be too careful in the eyes of the law. It's a punch to the gut but I leave better off than if it had been a DUI charge.

Frankly, I am just happy this is over! it's has been costly, both financially and emotionally, and I cannot fathom ever wanting to go through this process again. Between my athletic injuries, legal woes, and work issues this year has proven to be a test of attrition. Having one less thing to worry about is a Godsend.

My drinking, an evolving story
There are aspects of my past I wish I could do over. It took earlier legal issues and standing in front of judges to curb my "bad boy" tendencies and alcohol use. Doing the responsible thing hasn't always been my main obligation but it is certainly something I strive for today.
Beyond the legal and unsavory aspects of that mischief I like to also focus on how it affected my health. I'm not naturally a healthy person: I suffer from a long history of ENT infections, mixed IBD, asthma, and a true diagnosis of ADD (I was a test bunny for the first generation of Ritalin). Diet of course has tremendous effects on these things and I successfully manage many of my long-standing issues through diet and lifestyle changes. Alcohol definitely affects those things and having made a conscious decision throughout even my 20s to reduce my alcohol consumption has paid dividends in my athletic performance.

But don't take my word for it...
Don't think it makes a difference? Lets consider all of the pro athletes that shun alcohol during their entire season or just for the weeks leading up to an evident. They lose weight, maintain more muscle, sleep better, and their body recovers faster.  Bradley Wiggins, Lance Armstrong, Darcy Africa, Brendan Frazier, Matt Tegankamp...seriously, I could go on for a few more paragraphs.

As a cruel reminder to our mortality, athletes are struck with the knowledge that while we live longer than sedentary folk we also encounter certain aspects of aging far earlier. "Soft tissue" diseases, those involving organ and glandular tissues, strike those folks that aren't athletic much earlier and harder. In contrast "hard tissue" diseases, those affecting bone, ligament, and muscle, are more common in athletic folk. It's a very sobering display of the gross cell turnover and regeneration cycles that ultimately lead to our smoldering deaths. By keeping those processes in check with good diet and lifestyle habits we can ultimately live a life free of both those "soft" and "hard" tissue damages!

Biochemically, alcohol is a poison (excluding flavonoids and polyphenols from this discussion). Don't believe me? Ask your liver. If we were to take a sponge (your liver) and coat it in a thin layer of melted Crisco (alcohol) it probably wouldn't do it's job very well. It would take time and natural enzyme reactions to clear all that hydrogenated crap (alcohol) off your sponge (liver). The liver cannot be asked to perform at it's best for training, utilizing energy substrates and keeping muscle protein catabolism in check,  if it's constantly covered in Crisco. Our joints suffer untold consequences due to the inflammation and altered homeostasis from alcohol consumption. Mucles are less supple, and our fascia become 'crunchy'. Simply put, the less we drink the more we can get out of food, fuels, and training.

Bringing this full circle
Before I was called into the court room for my sentencing I was thinking about the liver and all it's wonderful enzymatic processes (seriously). I realized how much of an impact alcohol had had on my recent months as well as in my adolescent years. Furthermore, I pondered how much performance is to be gained from curbing my already very tame alcohol intake.  It was before those doors opened that I made a promise to myself to focus on redeeming the second half of this year.

So cheers to chapters behind us, what lies before us, and our potential. I raise my glass (of water) high.

disclaimer: no sponges were harmed in the writing of this post.

on which I am left smoldering

When I ran my first trail marathon and only a week later rode 220 miles in a 12 hour race my mother bought me a small stuffed Energizer bunny. I was 21 at the time. I was pulling double course-load in school, keeping a steady girlfriend, and training my arse off. Fast forward through my sixth year of college and I was pretty much still going with the throttle wide open.

Looking at present day: While I patiently waited for my left ankle to resume full strength and durability, I realized that the "down time" would be great to work on many more career-oriented tasks. Working 10-12 hour days then putting in study time on top of what I would consider "lighter" training (only 8-10hrs/wk) on the bike and rower while my injury heals up. It is now apparent that the stresses of real life are far more damaging than that of any academic savant and should be managed more carefully.

I've already admitted on this blog that I don't sleep an excessive amount--always falling on the low end of the recommended hours to get in a night. I often attributed that to my workload and my feelings of ambition and the "relentless drive forward" that has consumed me for most of my 20's to today.

ambition, it seems, got the best of me. 

I recently was befallen with a viral acute tonsillitis. Basically, I fried my immune system and made it possible for the Epstein-Barr Virus to get into my system. By tonsils were swollen, painful, exudate ridden, nasty-looking hot messes of reality hitting me in the face. I put too much on myself and suffered the consequences of undoing months of training.

I will not digress into my work-related stresses, but I can tell you that I am not happy with my main "bread winning" job. My side projects and on-call contracts are much more meaningful to me--and take up what many would consider needed down time to recharge. Changes are on the horizon and I anticipate feeling much better about my job within this year (*fingers crossed*).

One of the ways I battled this virus is obviously resting more. Easy to do when you're too wiped to even spin light gears on your bike. Humbled, frustrated, and emotionally pained are the three descriptive I would use to describe the situation. I could feel myself atrophy on a daily basis. While I was resting and on steroids I made sure my diet was locked-down tight. Nothing that could raise my inflammation. I stopped drinking (easy to do when you're on Prednisone) my glass of wine at night.

Luckily my nutrition sponsor, Hammer Nutrition has some products that help fight off viral infection and keep me feeling better than I might otherwise:

Super Antioxidant- Grape Seed Extract, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione are featured in this product. While I was skeptical of external antioxidant supplements (SOD & Glutathione are utilized in our mitochondria) I have been impressed with the results in repairing my immune system.

Tissue Rejuvenator- Turmeric, Quercetin (found in apples and onions), Yucca Root, and the highest enzyme blend in any Hammer Product make this an effective to lower overall inflammation in the body. I really enjoy this product and have used it with good result.

Additionally, I doubled my basal Vitamin D dosage and have increased the amount of omega-3s in my diet-- Overall, I focused on getting higher amounts of quality fat in my diet.

----
I am now healthy enough to start gradually resuming my normal training load and my ankle I feel has resolved enough for some steady road mileage. I will be starting with overall strength gains then returning to churning out larger mileage and steady threshold efforts for anticipation of returning to competition in the Fall after several months of consistent training.

The goals have obviously changed for the season with later-year racing on the mountains showing an appeal to me as well as some 12-hour bike racing.

Now go get some sleep.

P.

Dietary Fat: the understated, underrated, and underexplored macronutrient

In the beginning, the Lord made the Food Pyramid... 
 
   Growing up I recall the Food Guide Pyramid being everywhere in school. Little did I know at the time that it was sparkling new innovation by the USDA banked on expert work by scientists (yeah, we'll call it expert work). I remember being told that fat was something to avoid, something to minimize and that luckily (luckily?) many food manufacturers were happy to provide us with low-fat or fat free foods. How good God must have felt?

   Fast forward 20-some years and the field of nutrition has advanced and matured. I became part of it!  We realize the fallacy of that initial research and have reexamined what was once thought obscure notions that maybe it's not about avoiding dietary fat-- it's a lesson in quality, quantity, and knowing why it's important for you! Dietary fat is so important that I wanted to write a lengthy, long-winded blog about it! lucky you :)

Lets Define 'Fat'

   Fats, or lipids, are long chains of hydrocarbons that are composed of a hydrophobic 'tail'. Biochemically, they are volatile in the body and require extra care by the body in digestion, transport across your intestinal wall, and in their many body uses often requiring transport protein or adjunct stability ion groups.
   Lipids are found in damn near every cell in your body. Cell walls are composed of phospholipids, transport proteins utilize their abilities, the brain is constructed with them, and the body loves using and/or storing them for later use! Almost all natural unprocessed foods contain some fraction of lipids. They are very much essential for life.

Lets Embrace Fat

   If you were take a look back at the last 120 years you might think Humans were a bit crazy. We went to the moon, which was awesome, but we also did something odd to our food: we made it less like food and more resembling industrial chemicals.
   Professional groups have called certain areas of the world with the highest number of old people "Blue Zones." What these groups share in common are that they behave much like people did 120 years ago. They stress less, move more, and eat a very unadulterated diet that can be high in natural fats.
   In a significant amount of micronutrient metabolism fat plays a major role. When we examine the naturally-occurring sources of these said micronutrients we find them in foods naturally high in dietary fat. This is especially true of what I call the "structural vitamins": A,D,K,E.
A lot of bad publicity was given to dietary fat bc it was high in calories...Duh, fat is 9kcal/gm vs Carbs and Protein contributing 4kcal/gm. To me this is a weak way of justifying personal projection on public policy.
   The fact remains that dietary fat and cholesterol intake holds only a 10% effect on your serum triglycerides and lipoproteins. Sure, there are some genetic abnormality folks out there (dead by 40 with total heart blockage, etc.) but it truly is the exception the rule. Physical inactivity, stress (life or trauma), excessive refined carbohydrates, and alcohol still hold more clout on harming your heart than fat ever will.

But what's fat have to do with athletic performance?
 
   In the act of endurance exercise the rate of fat burning is dependent on intensity, training adaptations, and ergonomics (I.e. running/cycling  with good form). When it comes to fueling activity fat can play a role as a substrate-- yet these products are still quite in their infancy and utilize medium chain triglycerides (more on that later).

   Rather, we utilize carbohydrates and (to an extent) amino acids for fuel substrates when not burning fatty acids. Add to this equation the timing and dose-dependence in fueling and this post could get out of hand.

Where fat makes a difference

    Fats, and more specifically lipids, could be considered the universal medium by all which all life, in any explicit complexity, function. That considered, dietary fat intake should be judicious in it's quality and quantity. I'm going to come out and say this:  It is my expressive agenda to increase the amount of healthy fats in everyone's diet (barring known fat digestion issues) and lower the total carbohydrate content. Your personal biochemistry would thank you.

   Like stated above, dietary fat has minimal adverse effect on your cardiac risk. While some cancers have been linked to things like saturated fats it calls into question the source by which those saturates were consumed. A profound example includes The China Study which questioned the cancer risk brought on by animal protein and saturated fat-- but a closer look shows that the sourcing of said protein was less-than-ideal commercial agriculture sources (not also ignoring some other innate flaws in the research). We now know that more optimal choices for meats and dairy (see below) don't exert these same effects.

   I have outlined my formal thoughts on how to make fat work best for athletes and non-athletes alike:

1.include fat into every meal of the day-
  Focusing on including enough fat in your meals helps with palatable food, nutrient absorption, and satiety. There is also significant evidence to suggest consuming fat favorably affects your mood and hormones!  Pregnant ladies take note!

2. focus on getting your saturated fats from organic, grass-fed animal sources or tropical plant fats-   
    Don't let saturated fats and full-fat foods scare you! There is plenty of benefits and more and more research is coming out about these benefits (lower risk of diabetes, higher insulin sensitivity...).
ideally, you would be consuming organic, grass-fed meats and dairies-- you can literally see the difference in these foods vs. commercial-production product. As an added bonus, the more natural pasturing methods (read: as food should be made) makes these foods higher higher in the omega fats and many of the fat-soluble vitamins (yellow fat on your cuts d/t the beta-carotene content vs nasty white fats on commercial cuts).
   In addition, tropical plant fats are a great way to include more saturated fats in the diet. These are composed of more the medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), having the hydrocarbon tail of only 10-16 vs the longer-chained unsaturates. MCT have indicated benefits to your immune health and skin.
   I will divulge that you can buy MCT oil on shelves that keeps it liquid by removal of the lauric fatty acid-- a nice convenience! Except the lauric acids are indicated to have some of the most healthful benefits of consuming tropical plant fats plus, the melting point is 76-78 degrees Fahrenheit...you literally look at it and it melts which makes it great for avoiding high-heat browning of foods (which you're doing already, right?).

3. eat your cold water fish a few times/wk or take a quality supplement-
   If you live under a rock you probably haven't heard of Omega-3 fatty acid. I mean, even Douche Doctor Oz talks about them. The hype is real though, and while not a panacea for all human ills, it would be wise to include enough to improve your health. Omega-3s are great for attenuating inflammation in the body and are vital in proper cell signaling.
   One thing I stress is not skimping on your supplement if that's the route you take and "buy-up" on your fish. You will thank yourself (and me?). Focus on getting a supplement with both EPA and DHA included and take it religiously--almost like the Pill every day.

4. don't forget the plants! 
   Plants are rich in the polyunsaturated fats including monounsaturated fats. Omega-6 fatty acids are very favorable for health when in balance with our omega-3 intake. Over consumption leads to an increase in pro-inflammatory intracellular cascades.An important consideration in athletes who want to look to improve recovery!
   Now before you go all crazy on me you should know that some of the healthiest dietary patterns had high intakes of Omega-6 (all that Blue Zone stuff from before). What matters is consuming them in nuts, seeds, and fruits/vegetables. Corn/Soy oil, and commercially-raised meats and dairy don't count on the list of approved sources. Flax, Chia, Walnuts, and the Algal forms of omega-3 are rich in the ALA form of these fatty acids. While more work has shown that EPA/DHA (animal sources) are more effective in limiting inflammation, the ALA (plant sources) can be intraconverted to the EPA/DHA by attrition of serum levels of the latter and there are many proven secondary benefits of the ALA form (skin, nails, retinal cells).

5. consume your fats in the-most-raw-possible form, with minimal exposure to environmental stress-
   Like I said before, lipids are volatile in the body. If that wasn't stressful enough (stress kills too, ya know) the environment by which we store, process, and consume them greatly affects their amazing benefits. Plant oils you find on the supermarket shelf have likely been refined to almost-nothing in terms of health benefits. You're only pouring out liquid calories on that salad or saucepan.
   Instead, source from a local shop and get first-press oils. It's spendier, but you seriously use less because the flavor is so much more profound (oh, that phenol content). Stored in a dark or opaque container pressed oils stay away from the damage of UV light (remember those supermarket oil in clear jars under lights? yeah, double negative!).
   Add fats to food after it's done cooking instead of subjecting it the oxidative effects of heat. Learn to love Avocado and eat them almost every damn day on anything that doesn't gross you out.
---

"But I'm all low-carb'n it, so this doesn't matter anyway because I eat protein all day long..."
   That's where you're wrong! and most likely we could call your dietary pattern "high-fat, low-carb" vs high-protein assuming you are in fact following an applicable low-carb diet. Surprise! Your lipid mechanics are actually a bit different because of the absence of substantial carb (glucose) in that body of yours.

(I smell another digressive post brewing...)

   I hope this post was concise and not too nerdy.  Notice I didn't give you specific numbers or percentages of how much to consume , quite simply, it would all be conjecture because everyone is different! Often, numbers are really only interpretive medium. By focusing on getting all your fats from natural methods, storing them properly, and eating fats in their most-raw-possible form you're already making substantial in roads to your health and athletic performance.

Reflections

The day starts off with sun, albeit amongst quite chilly air. The forecast is a mixed bag and 30 minutes in to my ride I have already met cold sprinkle rain twice--intermixed with that sunshine I was looking forward to soaking in. I'm riding in my most dapper of all-black kit and my bike is perfectly clean and lubed. Everything is perfect except the nagging inner calmness that has eluded me for some time. Impending calamity it seems is a constant companion.
Within myself, I am meant for greater.

Despite the gusty winds there is a calmness about the day. A swell of flora and fauna are moving in slow motion around me and yet, the sunny shine of fresh showers have made everything shimmer and the road is ablaze.
Uninhibited. Vibrant, Verdant.

These roads are familiar; my gearing choices routine. I shift through gearing effortlessly, my pedal stroke supple despite lingering fatigue from Sunday's long ride efforts. My breathing is even and unlabored. Today is not a day to test my mettle but a day to stop and smell the roses. Yet with the showers and warm sun I only smell my sunscreen.
I see the vision splendid,
the sun implies lasting glory.

Metronomic pedaling, and the roughened country roads ripple up through my shoulders. I keep a steady posture; strong and unwavering. I hold my position perfectly and continue on through the rolling hillsides. The rolling, growling din of carbon and rubber on tarmac spurs me onward. A rhythmic, lulling symphony as the miles tick by.
I roll with this road ahead,
keeping myself strong against it's imperfections.

I've come back on my tepid-paced loop within a few miles of home and it's all been through me head: the highs, lows, mistakes, passion, heartbreak, and doubts of the past year. I've come out stronger, wiser...with more resolve.
I felt sincere joy and passion. I experienced bitter disappointment and anger. I went through things I never imagined I would have to experience. I picked up the pieces.
I'm stronger than I realize. 
I'm better than I thought I was.

This tailwind is a pleasantry as I shift down into harder gearing. I want to test my legs. The thinking part of this ride is done. Men of action finish the day strong.
I fold myself into the drops, tighten my stomach, tuck the elbows, and flatten my back and shoulders. I am slipping through the wind faster and faster-- my pedal stroke is churning, injecting more and more speed into my own slipstream as I stay tucked for a fast approach.
No matter what, I am ready.

The road pitches up and I jump from the saddle, straining with the initial effort. I rock the bike ever-so-slightly side to side as my legs hurl me up the climb.  
Click, click, click...faster.

I throw my bike into a drag race with itself. I've lost track of my heart rate but know it's well North of 180. The mouth is getting dry. The sun is across my level shoulders and warming my calves.
With the final 150m I see the crest of the climb and I give a final dig. I muscle through with everything I have in my legs. I keep low in the drops and attack myself from within. I know no competition greater than that.
It's moments like this that make you lose track of everything-- time, surroundings, pain. I attack the past year with this climb-- these last two hours of meditative thought spent on the road have hit their crescendo. I lay to rest all my demons, all the unsettling thoughts. I won't dwell on last year.  It's done and over.
I attack the road ahead.
a gradient unwavering.

The road levels out, and I'm left gasping and resolved. One of my best times up the climb. My face is (likely) none too pretty and my shoulders are rolled over from the strain of the effort. The lungs are seared and my body is punished. My mouth is gaped. A Hoover vacuum starving for air.
I gently spin the final mile home.
 --
I feel the release that had been eluding me.
 

Crosstraining: Do it. Love it.

Many competitive athletes fall into their niche activity and (usually) never deviate throughout their training. Swimmers swim, Runners run, and Cyclist push pedals. We have our disciplines and we do what we love training block after block, race after race.

When an athlete is beset with injury (as I myself currently endure) the emphasis shifts to finding activities that don't aggravate the injury yet provide a cardiovascular/neuromuscular stimulus. "Crosstraining", as it is commonly called, is a vital part of coming back stronger from injury and staving off injuries before they hit.

I take issue with the very word of Crosstraining...Cross-training. I'll start with why: When I was in HS I ran. I ran a lot and go injured a lot. I started using cycling in the summer months as a way to keep overall training volume up while also building the steady mileage base needed for the competitive Fall XC season. I called it crosstraining on all those Runner's World training logs (I have STACKS somewhere back home).

It wasn't until college when I kept getting really injured from running too much volume, intensity, and with little regard for recovery that I finally answered the Clue Phone that had been ringing. Crosstraining, if incorporated into regular training, can make me a better athlete all around and my running will succeed bc I will be fitter overall. I now approach crosstraining as what it is...training!

The following are the activities are particularly enjoy as a regular part of my weekly training. I offer no advice on how to train in these disciplines, I only stress to find experts in whatever other training activities you wish to take up. Obviously with my ankle injury these activities have had significant volume increases with the void of trail/mtn running left out. Slow and steady progress on the injury front...

Cycling-- first and foremost, cycling has always been my second love from running. The fact is that riding your bike really fast for a long time is one of the hardest sports on the planet. When my cycling volume and quality is high, I come out of the longer arduous runs with more snap in my legs. Strength gains in my glutes, hamstrings, and quads all equate to making breakfast out of hills.
It's also one of the sports that appeals to an aesthetic scope of mine.

Kettlebell- I stopped doing Olympic barbell lifts after I quit doing CRASH-B racing and started with Kettlebell training. The results have been amazing. Explosive movements, with a more comfortable weight, and higher repetitions mean I condition my muscles to take a pounding on the trail and get comparable strength gains as standard compound iron weight lifts.
Caveat: don't go get a KB and swing and snatch away without proper instruction. I had an amazing coach back in Ohio that taught me the competition swings and proper form. He was certified in Kettlebell-- not a crossfit wannabe giving out KB swing advise (THAT'S a whole other topic to discuss...).

Rowing--I started rowing in college on my own and briefly on a club team. My main motivation was fitness built while (surprise) going through an Achilles injury. I recently acquired a Concept2 indoor rower and have been slowly ramping up my workload and adding some quality.
Rowing is another sport where your form is crucial to avoid injury. My research advisor in college was a Div II varsity rower-- many mornings at the Eastern rec talking the intercellular signaling in myofibril and giving me tough talk on how to get my rowing improved. I really recommend getting a coach to help hone your form. Again, don't get advice from the Crossfit folks (OMG can they even spell 'form'?).
One downside I have found with rowing is that my muscle mass gains are significant compared to say, cycling Some may not find this a problem, but hills don't get any less steep and gravity sucks proportionately to how much you weigh. An upside is that my overall leg power improves--already I have seen significant gains in the short time I've been back to it!

Yoga-I do yoga once a week for about 45 minutes. I hate it. It's good for my spine/hip flexors and always feel better after. I will keep doing it.
I am by far nowhere an expert and I fall over a lot. I try not to let anyone see me doing it.

Core Work- you should all be doing this anyway. suck it up, get on the floor, and start some planks.

A Few More Thoughts

Don't try to equate your crosstraining to your primary sport. It is NOT THE SAME physiologic adaptation but you can reap the benefits of maintain muscle mass, cardiac fitness, and the physique that makes Her want to look your direction. Focus on getting more stamina at reasonable intensity then progress from there. Ask experts (or get the legit training books) if you like the activity or think you should keep it around.

For myself, the activities outside of running comprise 40-60% of my weekly training load. It ebbs and flows based on training goals, racing schedule, and my own selfish wants. "To each, their own" applies here.

In short, I don't just show up to an ultra race ready to run...I show up knowing my TOTAL fitness is where it needs to be to tackle this ultra. How we put those fitness puzzle pieces are up to the individual.



                                                                                                                               -P.

On Injury & Inflammation, Part II: Basic steps to keep inflammation working for you

The inflammation from training isn't necessarily a bad thing..to a point. Heavy training blocks and/or workouts often result in compounded residual muscle fatigue leading to recovery and further adaptation. What matters is keeping inflammation in check and keeping us training at a higher level and avoiding injury. giving your body the building blocks it needs and pushing the biochemical cascades of recovery always in your favor can keep training at a level otherwise impossible to maintain.
Sifting through all the hype that can easily stump folks, here are my top picks for keeping inflammation at productive, health levels:

1. Diet- I will not stress this enough. Crap in, Crap out. There are numerous ways to fuel the body and frankly there is no "truly right way" to go about it. One thing I can stress is making sure to get quality fruits and vegetables (organic), consuming good amounts of raw, unadulterated dietary fat, and focusing on consistently meeting your protein needs for muscle/tissue repair. Sugar, hydrogenated fats, and foods out of boxes are NOT your friend.

[That is brief private diet counseling in two sentences :)]

2. Massage- I see a massage therapist twice a month to get the aches out. It's an investment in my body that I feel has kept me free from getting a constant crop of aches and pains. It also has improved my blood pressure (stress hypertension).

3. Trigger Point/Foam Rolling- I got my first foam roller when I was in High School. The industry was just taking off, but I knew at that point foam rolling would be something I always stayed with. These days I use the TriggerPoint product line to keep my muscles in check between massages. These have been instrumental in my recovery from the ankle injury.

4. Sleep- I'm guilty of not getting enough. I do try, but being a workaholic and holding down a lot of professional projects does have drawbacks on my sleep. Shooting  for 7-8 hrs of sleep is ideal. I fall in the 6-7 hrs range myself.

5. Supplements- for the average American, I don't recommend a whole lot of supplementation outside of Vitamin D and Probiotic. Athletes however should embrace additional supplements as a way to boost recovery and speed along to adaptation faster. The key is nutrient timing and learning what you're needing to get the results you want!
    Supplements that I recommend:
Protein powders-- they're convenient, rapidly digested, and versatile. If following exercise they can be paired with carbohydrates to yield greater muscle adaptation. A great product to consider is Recoverite from Hammer-- it has garnered countless rave reviews and plenty of my own acquaintances enjoy the products with good result. With my dairy allergy I use their Vegan Protein powders

Branch-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)-- while found in some protein powders, these are often found in exclusive product lines.  Branch Chains are glucogenic, meaning they are readily utilized by the body in tissue maintenance because they metabolize much more like glucose. The BCAA travel in metabolic pathways that are exclusive of other amino acids, and yield gains in muscle tissue greater than protein doses with far less branch chain amino acid content but of equal volume.

Digestive Enzymes-In the late 70s and through the 80s the East Germany national teams used a great deal of systemic digestive enzymes for boosting recovery and one only has to look at the medal counts around that time to see their credit. Digestive Enzymes allow the body to 'switch' the immune cells in the body that are involved in the unspecific, or innate, inflammatory response to tame excessive inflammation. The enzymes have been used in place of non-steroidal drugs with good success and a certain Dr. Rodriguez of New York has given them credit for cancer treatment.
With my ankle injury I used Hammer Tissue Rejuvenator for limiting excessive inflammation in the joints and muscle tissues. The product includes a whole host of additional complementary anti-inflammatory and joint-building ingredients like Turmeric, Burdock, and Glucosamine. I recommend the product for daily or periodic use in heavy training blocks
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training is a volatile process-- it involves the body's combustion of energy-yielding substrates while being put under a  complex metabolic thicket of physiological adaptations, only to do the thankless job of putting our bodies back together after the fact. The urgent need to create inflammation for handling this task should be understood as favorable and the process of recovery taken with patience and diligence.  Delivering the necessary substrates needed for the body to recover is the second-most important thing an athlete can do to improve (the first going out and training!)


"I don't believe in over-training, there's only under-recovery."

~Floyd Landis

How much? How soon before or after? How often? Nutrient Timing is KEY. stay tuned for future blog posts! 

On Injury & Inflammation, Part I: the good, the bad...and a badly sprained ankle.

We all hear about how inflammation is bad stuff. In a way, some people see all inflammation as a bad thing,  but providing we give ourselves proper time for recovery and adaptation there are instances where inflammation is the right thing to push our fitness to the next level. Other times inflammation results in acute injuries and overtraining.
Recently, I dealt with the frustration of a bad sprain in my ankle (not appropriate inflammation!). "Oh Patrick, we ALL get them. Shake it off." Unfortunately, this was my first ankle sprain EVER. I'm not known for the most stable feet on the trail, but I'm certainly known for the most durable ankles. I was horrified with the swelling, bruising, and aching pain that developed from the trauma. The blessing is that I was able to get off my feet and control the swelling and inflammation through ice, elevation, fluids, and plenty of anti-inflammatory foods/supplements. I had a pretty tough time with several of the ankle tendons and saw PT for rehab who diagnosed it with a class II mid-ankle sprain.

An introduction to inflammation: Welcome to my world
I deal with inflammation on a daily basis whether it is through seeing a patient with systemic body infections in the ICU or my aching muscles/tendons that are feeling the strain of training load. In medicine, we try to limit the damage done by the inflammation brought on by disease process and/or trauma. Whereas in sport, we focus on creating inflammation (workout) -- but not too much--and the ability to adapt from those stresses (recovery.

How inflammation develops in the athlete
The very event of "working out" generates inflammation in the body. The movement of substrate, fluid shifts, and blood gases create a volatile environment in which our body is perfectly adapted to deal with. Yes, that's right: exercise is natural. Back before we all worked behind desks or machines,  many people called it manual labor or daily farm chores. But one should never be afraid of exercise doing them harm!
The element of work is quickly followed with the period of recovery and subsequent adaptation-- substrates from food, hydration, and intracellular mechanisms (the details of which are for a different post!). Work followed by rest; we adapt from the stresses on our body. In the case of an athlete this adaptation means performance gains.

How inflammation can hurt us
There must be a time of recovery from the stresses of training. Adaptation is only after the body is ready for more work. Increasing volume, intensity, or having a change in the kind of activity (including spraining your ankle, doh) too quickly means the stress mounts up faster than the body can adapt. In the athlete this detrimental event can be seen as a drop in performance (HR, watts, pace, etc.) or outright injury.


So how do we keep inflammation in check and use it to our benefit? check out Part Two

It's HAMMER Time!

I am proud to be announcing Hammer Nutrition as a sponsor for this 2014 racing season! I first started using Hammer products back in high school right before XC or track practice by getting a gel in the belly to "top off the tank" for the workout ahead. Since that time I have used Hammer Nutrition products with immense satisfaction so this opportunity is quite an honor.

Why I Love Them
Hammer is a company that doesn't just rest on the laurels of it's athletes to promote an image-- instead it maintains an ongoing product development process and INFORMS the athlete about how to not only properly use the products but also WHY their products are leading the sports nutrition industry. As a Registered Dietitian and competitive athlete I found it really refreshing a company could take this approach and be so gosh darn successful! It proved to me time and time again that athletes want to know the products they're putting in their bodies.

A range of products that cover the entire spectrum of an Athlete's life and needs.
The most striking thing about Hammer is that they offer the largest and broadest arsenal of products to meet the ever-changing physiological needs of an athlete. It's not just offering a zillion variations of the same gummy candies disguised as fuel-- these are products with an emphasis on delivering the kinds of energy-yielding macronutrients and micronutrients needed to keep racing or training at a high level while recovering with gusto.
As a healthcare professional who works consistently 50-60 hour weeks with occasional weekend hours I especially love how Hammer Nutrition has emphasized recovery in their product lines-- an element to training that many athletes forget! Diverse proteins, carbohydrates, coenzyme/vitamin, digestive enzymes, spices, and herbs are utilized to deliver a more complete recovery process coupled with adequate and appropriate diet.

So it's a bunch of refined junk? You're a hypocrite! False.
Anyone who has listened to my talks or had any interaction as my client will know that I prefer unrefined, local, organic foods any day. But as Steve Born, the guru of development at Hammer stated rather precisely, the diet of an athlete can benefit from specific nutrient supplementation-- it's simply a matter on timing those nutrients and recognizing that nutrient need varies based on workout, intensity, training/racing goals, and time of year. On many occasions, Hammer products are actually less processed than what you might find in your local deli that a considered "real food" or even wholesome.

These are products I can stand by through my own experience and professional opinion.
I wouldn't use something that I thought was crap, Period. I'm not bullshitting or even making money off of using Hammer products. I've tried pretty much all the brands on the market and I stand by Hammer products because:

• They digest easier and gentler than many other products on the market.
• Hammer doesn't add extra coloring or flavoring to products just to make it look more appealing or try and convince you it's more palatable simply on sight/smell/taste.
• They don't use gluten derivative so it's friendly to a lot of people with stomach and gastrointestional issues against grains.
• Many of their products are vegan or vegetarian-friendly. As someone who is allergic to egg and dairy this especially nice!
• They use cutting edge science to develop supplements that are effective in maintaining performance.
  

So again, I am happy to announce the support of Hammer Nutrition and look forward to a year of training, racing, and new adventures.

As the year goes along I will be providing comprehensive reviews of some highlight products I use in my fueling and recovery.