Winning the Race: Tactical Monologue and Analysis of New Braunfels Road Race

By: Heath Blackgrove, Senior Consultant

"How do you win a bike race?" is a question I am often asked and the answer changes every race and situation but for myself the first thing I try to figure out what I have to do to win. What are my particular strengths and what do I have over the other riders I am with?  Reading the race and situation plays a big part and reading how the competitors are looking, feeling and their strengths and weaknesses and how to take advantage of them.

                                                                                                    

More often than not for me to win I have to be in a break, as bunch sprints are not my strength.  A lot of the time I will back myself sprinting in a small group, especially if everyone has been working with me.  Even if I know a better sprinter is in the group with me I will try to wear him out to make it a more even sprint.  The longer he’s working with me and more isolated the better my chances.  It’s often not so much who can put out the most numbers but who can do it at the right part of the race, the end, and the more tired a better sprinter is the more even it can be.  But nothing beats, for me, winning solo as it removes all chances of something going wrong in a sprint.

A great example of this was at the recent Tour of New Braunfels Road Race.  I was in a 4 man break (5 for a start but one rider flatted), for more than 2/3rds of the race.  With 2 riders from Elbowz Racing and no teammates from my Boneshaker Division 1 Racing Team I set about working well in the break but didn’t need to drive it as if it didn’t stay away I knew I had teammates in the bunch I could rely on. Because of this, I did no more than my share of the work as I didn’t need to be the one “driving” it.  While it was hard to hide in the cold windy conditions I did my best to eat and drink properly and do it as easy as possible when not taking my turn on the front.  Eating and drinking was vital on this particular day as the cold takes more fuel to keep the body pumping, and warm, and I wanted to keep my glycogen stores up so I had enough left for the push to the finish.

With under a third of the race to go the gap to the chasing group had come down a lot but by this stage I wanted the break to stick even though I was outnumbered.  We had all been working really well and I think we deserved the chance to race to win. Also, everyone was showing fatigue as the effort of the move began to show.  Luckily I had looked after myself pretty well and was able to up the intensity and we took time out of the chase again.

From here I turned my thoughts to what I had to do to win the race and made sure I had enough food and sugar in me for the last push.  I had faith in my sprint if it came down to it but really wanted to try to break up the group or go solo if possible, as it can be one of my strength’s in this situation and takes away the probability of a mistake or the unknown of a sprint.  It was hard to tell how good I was feeling, as by this stage we were all looking a bit tired. 

With the numbers advantage to Elbowz I was really waiting for them to attack and start the racing so I could get a gauge of what they’ve got left and possibly counter attack.  Unfortunately this attack wasn’t coming so I turned my thoughts to trying to attack at the right time.  For me this would be on an uphill when the pace would drop a bit and I was at the back so I could use a bit of the element of surprise to start a gap.  This never came either, making it clear to me they were tired. 

In the end, on a slight rise while mid group I could wait no longer and had to go with a full out attack. (I couldn’t wait any longer as if I was caught I wanted enough time to be able to try again).   With a full sprint out of the saddle, another 30sec+ full gas in the saddle the gap opened up and I was able to keep an eye my power and make sure I didn’t go too far above my lactate threshold and risk blowing up.  Thankfully this was enough, and the closer we got to the finish the better my chances and more the small gap I had meant.  If I have 10-15sec with a mile to go that’s 10-15sec+ faster the chase has to be going to catch me in a mile, which adds up to a lot of speed, unless I blow up!  While the numbers weren’t through the roof by any standards it’s often more about being able to produce the right numbers at the right time and thankfully on this day all my best numbers came when it mattered, at the end.

the race winning attack

Making the most of winter: Fat Biking

Grant Harrison, MSE. Source Endurance Senior Consultant

Winter in the midwest is tough to train in, especially the Great Lakes region where ice and snow make riding the road all but impossible. Many people turn to road and gravel riding,  or enduring the harsh elements on the roads they are used to riding in warmer months. Others take to cross country skiing, cross training at the gym or just riding the trainer indoors. These options have their limitations and benefits, but there is another option worth considering: fatbiking.

Fatbiking can be an excellent training tool for road and mountain bikers and a great way to put in training hours (dress appropriately). A unique element to fatbiking is that there is much less coasting; Resistance is increased by the larger surface area of the tires in contact with the snow, especially when tire pressures are lowered to accommodate the deeper snow. Greater resistance equates to a more constant application of force needed to keep the bike moving. Arguably one of the greatest challenges can be staying upright and moving if the bike ventures off of the packed trail and into deeper snow. Although the chances of washing out are much less compared to a mountain bike, it can be demanding to stay upright in snow deeper than 6 inches. Not only are the bikes made sluggish by the tires, but they are heavy and take more effort to maneuver. These element makes fat-bike riding a great option for endurance rides as well as an opportunity to work on bike handling skills and on-bike agility. 

With more fatbikes being produced and the sport gaining popularity, there are more and more races being held. Many fatbikers in the upper midwest are looking forward to the Fat Bike Birkie in Cable, WI on March 8th, held in conjunction with the American Birkebeiner ski races. This year’s Fat Bike Birkie is home to the U.S. National Fat Bike Championship and is part of the Great Lakes Fat Bike Series and the Wisconsin State Fat-Bike Race Series. This year the event has almost doubled in capacity, capping attendance at 500 riders; Last year’s event maxed out at  300 riders.

Smaller fatbike races are popping up all across the country. The Freewheel Frozen Frolic 2014, a three race series held in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area, is a small but well-liked first year event. The remaining two races will be held February 8th and March 1st. Also in the northern midwest is the Sweaty Yeti held at Levis Mound Trail System near Neilsville, WI on March 1st, as well as the Winona Snow Bomb in Winona, MN on February 8th. Other growing events such as the Moose Brook Fat Bike Race in Gorham, NH, as well as the Tennessee Pass Night Jam in Leadville, CO, give cyclists an opportunity to take on a new and challenging discipline.

I know what you’re thinking: It’s another bike to buy. But if you’re just looking to try it out, a basic fatbike can be purchased for less than $1,000.  As far as gear is concerned, like anything else, it’s as simple or as complicated as you make it. If you already have outdoor winter gear, you are pretty much set.

Although there are some major differences between fatbiking and road riding, fatbiking presents an opportunity to put in base miles, work on force-endurance production, and overall bike handling skills without the windchill and/or epic boredom. While maintaining motivation heading into the spring road racing season is critical, taking up fatbiking might be the solution.

Nutritional considerations to performance: Beet juice and Nitrate supplementation

 By: Grant Harrison, MS. Source Endurance Senior Consultant

When you look back at how you won your last race, you probably think about all the hard work in training that led you up to that point, how well you and your teammates read the race, or perhaps a tactically sound move that put you atop the podium. We are quick to give credit to the more tangible elements to training and racing but what about our diet? Most of us have never said, “My diet was awesome, my teammates put me in a good spot to win, and my training was effective,” right?

 

On a daily basis, the types, quantities, and qualities of foods we eat have an effect on the intensities or durations at which we are able to train and race. Most cycling and endurance sport athletes have a good understanding of how to fuel their workouts and how to be good stewards to their body through diet. That said, the importance of proper nutrition and supplementation should not be undermined as optimal performance hinges on a balanced diet and proper supplementation.  Nutritional supplements have made their way into endurance sports as we understand how many of them directly affect how well we are able perform.

Recently, an emerging body of research has looked at the effectiveness of beetroot juice and/or nitrate supplementation as a way to improve performance. As dietary nitrate supplementation has shown to reduce resting blood pressure. Dietary nitrates have also shown to increase muscle blood flow, regulation of muscular contractions, glucose uptake, and cellular respiration.

Building upon these findings, recent research has focused on how dietary nitrate supplementation may improve sub-maximal exercise, sever maximal exercise, and exercise at altitude.

During sub-maximal intensity exercise, the effects of a 6-day nitrate supplementation have shown reduced VO² (volume of oxygen consumed) when compared to a nitrate deficient placebo. What this means is that our muscles are more efficient at producing energy aerobically and therefore are able to perform more work at any given sub-maximal level of oxygen consumption. Figure 1. shows the data collected by Muggeridge, et al. (2014)

The same study had participants perform a 10-Km time trial under the same conditions as time to completion and power were measured across the placebo and nitrate supplementation groups. The results of the study showed significant differences in both power and time to completion between the two groups (Figure 2.).

Another study conducted by Kelly, J., Vanhatalo, A., Wilkerson, D., Wylie, L., and Jones, A., (2013), also analyzed the effects of nitrate supplementation on four different severe-intensity exercise bouts all to exhaustion. Three of the four exercise bouts elicited a significant difference between the nitrate supplementation group and the placebo group (figure 3.) with the most intense exercise bout not showing statistical significance though an improvement was observed for the nitrate supplement group.

The results from these studies should give athletes a solid reason to investigate the performance benefits of beetroot juice and/or nitrate supplementation. Like any other product, the consumer should seek out a product that works best for them with the least amount of drawbacks. Given the apparent scientific consensus that beetroot juice and nitrate supplements lead to increases in performance, it would be expected that many endurance athletes will use dietary nitrate products not only in acute doses, but as a regular staple to improve overall health and effectiveness of training. Finally, Muggeridge, D., et al (2014), propose that NO^- production as a direct consequence of dietary nitrate supplementation may offset the

reduction in NO^- during hypoxia and minimize the negative consequences on exercise performance at altitude. Muggeridge also contends that individuals living in low altitude locations would seek the most benefit from supplementing as NO^- levels tend to be elevated in high-altitude dwellers.

As many products exist on the market for this supplement, Source Endurance client Chris Lowry of La Crosse, WI has been enjoying the benefits of beetroot in its organic form. Lowry incorporates an amino acid blend with raw organic juiced beets and other fruits before and after his workouts.

Cermak, N., Gibala, M., & Van Loon, L., (2012). Nitrate Supplementation's Improvement of 10-km time-trial performance in trained cyclists. International Journal Of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, 22(1), 64-71.

Kelly, J., Vanhatalo, A., Wilkerson, D. P., Wylie, L. J., & Jones, A. M. (2013). Effects of nitrate on the power-duration relationship for severe-intensity exercise. Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, 45(9), 1798-1806.

Larsen F., Ekblom B., Sahlin K., Lundberg J., Weitzberg E. (2006) Effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure in healthy volunteers.The New England Journal of Medicine, 355:2792–3.

Muggeridge, D., F. Howe, C., Spendiff, O., Pedlar, C., James, P., & Easton, C., (2014). A single dose of beetroot juice enhances cycling performance in simulated altitude. Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, 46(1), 143-150.

Stamler JS, Meissner G. (2001) Physiology of nitric oxide in skeletal

muscle. Physiology Review. 81:209–37.

Webb A., Patel N., Loukogeorgakis S., et al. (2008) Acute blood pressure

lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary

nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite. Hypertension, 51:784–90.

Compression Garments: The Verdict

By: John Hobbs, MS. Source Endurance Senior Consultant

While most of the data indicate that the use of compression garments does not provide an advantage, there are a handful that do show possible benefits.  It is important, however, to tease out the possible causes and evaluate the efficacy of the items.

                For instance, Bringard, Perrey and Reaburn (2006) found that running economy may be improved with the use of compression stocking during exercise.  However, this study was done with athletes running at 80% of VO2max with no performance measurements.  Additionally, the cause for the change in economy could not be attributed to a specific mechanism. 

                Another example are the decreased levels of creatine kinase that have been reported with the use of compression garments (Dufield and Portas 2007).  What exactly does this mean?  Basically, creatine kinase is an enzyme only found inside cells.  When a muscle becomes damaged, some of the contents are released in to the blood.  As a result, levels of enzymes normally found in the cells increases in the circulation.  Creatine kinase measurements are often used to help diagnose a heart attack.  When the heart muscle is damaged, the levels of the enzyme specific to cardiac muscle spike.  The same principal applies to muscle damaged with exercise.  In the cited study, the cricket players wore the garments during and after exercise.  As a result, it cannot be distinguished if the decreased creatine kinase levels is a result of improved blood flow, and therefore clearance of the enzyme, or a decrease in muscle damage through some other mechanism, preventing a possible increase from even occurring.  Additionally, the difference in enzyme levels is not consistently seen when compression garments are implemented (Jakeman, Byrne, & Eston 2010; Duffield et al, 2008; Duffield, Cannon, & King, 2010).  This, coupled with the fact that no differences in lactic acid and muscle pH at various time periods after exercise (Duffield et al., 2008) indicate that the use of compression stockings does not alter circulation to provide a recovery benefit.

                Another more commonly reported benefit of wearing compression garments is a decreased perceived muscle soreness (Dufield & Portas 2007; Jakeman, Byrne, & Eston 2010; Pruscino, Halson, & Hargreaves 2013; Ali, Cane & Snow 2008).  This has several implications.  First, the mechanism by which delayed onset muscle soreness occurs can cause a decrease in muscle force generation for up to two weeks.  This can have effects on future performance if events are scheduled close together as well as the ability to perform workouts if maximal efforts are required.  Jakemen, Byrne, and Eston (2010) added evidence to this recovery benefit with data showing that exercise performance benefited with compression garments worn in recovery.  It must be noted, however, the study participants were active, exercising three times a week, but not well trained athletes.  This leads to questioning if the gain was seen due to the training status, especially when coupled with the other cited studies that found  decreased muscle soreness as the only benefit.  Additionally, Dufield, Cannon, and King (2010) found that there were no differences in muscle twitch properties when the garments are worn for recovery, essentially showing that while the individual feels less sore, there is actually no change in performance .  With this however, these still is a benefit if perceived soreness is decreased.  Psychologically, an athlete may be better off.  For instance, a stage racer may be more aggressive or have better planning in pre-race preparation if they are less sore.  Additionally, the motivation to complete hard workouts can lack at times, especially with fatigue. Increased muscle soreness may affect adherence to an athlete’s training plan.  While, this benefit is not physiological or directly related to performance, it is still a benefit.

                The extent to which these garments have been evaluated is well beyond the scope of these articles.  Additional studies showing possible benefits have been published along with data further discounting the efficacy of compression garments in endurance athletes.  Understanding the physiological mechanism of action as well as the population the compression stockings were originally applied to can assist a person in understanding why the use of the garments likely does not provide a benefit to healthy athletes.

Ali, A., Caine, M., & Snow, B. (2007).  Graduated compression stockings: Physiological and perceptual responses during and after exercise. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(4): 413 – 419

Bringard, A., Perrey, S., & Belluye, N. (2006).  Aerobic energy cost and sensation responses during submaximal running exercise –positive effects of wearing compression tights.  Int J Sports Med 2006; 27: 373–378

Duffield, R., Cannon, J., King, M. (2010).  The effects of compression garments on recovery of muscle performance following high-intensity sprint and plyometric exercise.  Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 13 (2010) 136–140

Duffield, R., Edge, J., Merrells, R., Hawke, E., Barnes, M., Simcock, D., & Gill, N. (2008).  The Effects of Compression Garments on Intermittent Exercise Performance and Recovery on Consecutive Days.  International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2008, 3, 454-468

Duffield, R., Portlus, M. (2007).  Comparison of three types of full-body compression garmentson throwing and repeat-sprint performance in cricket players.  Br J Sports Med 2007;41:409–414. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2006.033753

Jakeman, J., Byrne, C., & Eston, R. (2010).  Lower limb compression garment improves recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage in young, active females.  European Journal of Applied Physiology, 109, Issue 6, pp 1137-1144

Montgomery, P., Pyne, D., Hopkins, W., Dorman, J., Cook, K., & Minahan, C. (2008).  The effect of recovery strategies on physical performance and cumulative fatigue in competitive basketball.  Journal of Sports Sciences, September 2008; 26(11): 1135–1145

Pruscino, C., Halson, S.,  & Hargreaves, M.  (2013). Effects of compression garments on recovery following intermittent exercise.  Eur J Appl Physiol (2013) 113:1585–1596 DOI 10.1007/s00421-012-2576-5

Scanlan, A., Dascombe, B.,  Reaburn, P.,  & Osborne, M. (2008). The Effects of Wearing Lower-Body Compression Garments During Endurance Cycling.  International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2008, 3, 424-438

Sperlich, B., Haegele, M., Achtzehn, S., Linville, J., Holmberg, H., & Mester, J. (2010).  Different types of compression clothing do not increase sub-maximal and maximal endurance performance in well-trained athletes.  Journal of Sports Sciences, 28, Issue 6, 2010