Lessons from the Colonel (My Dad)

"Kingfisher"

My dad is one of the wisest people I know. Not only is he smart, he is TOUGH! His 26 years in the US Army included service as a Special Forces officer, a tour of Vietnam, TDY in Korea and Germany, living in the Panama Canal Zone and the southeast of the USA (which is, within itself its own country, I believe). He taught me many, many lessons about consistency, giving my all, love of country, having high morals, hard work and consideration for others. He also taught me a few things that my mother did  not appreciate: how to belch, blow "snot rockets" and take a relief break while on the fishing boat. Of those three things, only one do I happen to practice from time to time but even then, very discreetly. Sorry, Mom!

When I was learning how to drive, Dad repeated over and OVER three things:

1) avoid jack rabbit starts

2) look 300' in front of you 

3) use the hood ornament as your guide

Recently on a ride I was reflecting on dear ole Dad's teachings and how they apply to cycling as well. Take a look:

1) Jack Rabbit starts

When I was just learning the basics of group cycling, one fellow used to call me "Jack Rabbit". At just about every start, be it from the beginning of a ride or from a red light, I could not wait to get the ride on so I would bolt, sometimes leaving others behind. A Jack Rabbit start uses lots of energy AND can split up the group. It can be a safety issue as well: if drivers see just one cyclist they might not expect to see others coming along and let their guard down. On the other hand, a Turtle start can be just as dangerous and frustrating to other riders as well. One who hangs back (due to skill, lethargy or pouting) can cause issues. Lesson learned: keep the group together. There is safety in numbers!

Google images

2) Look 300' in front of you

While it is difficult to do in a pace line it is imperative that the lead out rider does this. Look for cars, dogs, debris, other braking cyclists and any other potential problem. This will give you lots of heads up time to call out, signal or make a decision as to what action to take if there is a hazard ahead.When in line instead of watching the wheel (a big no-no), some cyclists like to look at the road where their front tire hits from time to time. Lesson learned: be vigilant of what is going on ahead of you.

Google images

3) Use the hood ornament as your guide

Hmmmm.... well, this one isn't a literal translation from auto driving to cycling but let's just say "hold your line", which is what Dad was trying to get me to do. The hood ornament was to be lined up with the white line on the right of the road. He would say "As long as you keep that Oldsmobile emblem following the white line, you'll be fine." No matter what, I took him seriously and with white knuckles squeezing

the steering wheel, I drove right over a 2 x 4' in the road... but I kept the emblem aligned with the white line! OOPS! Lesson learned: hold your line at all times and if there is a 2x4 in the road, point it out and maneuver around it.

Many crashes have occurred because someone- for whatever reason - left their line. This was perhaps the first thing someone told me when I began group riding. Now that I have some experience under my belt, I get concerned when riding with people who can not - or do not - hold their lines. While we have no hood ornament, we have a white line or curb to stay parallel to. Perhaps you have gotten lax in this; perhaps you need some practice on turns. Perhaps you can encourage a newbie nicely to hold their line. 

We all were beginners at one point and we owe it to the new ones in our midst to pass on what we know in a kind fashion. While these are very basic tips, they are easily forgotten as we get a little comfortable or even cocky on our rides. Ease into your starts, be aware of what's going on ahead of you at all times and hold your line. And above all: do not hit a 2 x 4'!

Do You Sabotage Your Own Training?

http://www.bikingbis.com

Can you believe what happened this week at the Tour? How on earth could someone sabotage the event as they did? Many of us sat in shock as we watched flat after flat occur: some 30 riders fell victim to a not-so-funny prank as well as quite a few team cars. Thankfully it occurred on a climb and not a descent; it could have been much worse.

Merriam-Webster defines sabotage in the following way: "an act or process tending to hamper or hurt." Who would ever intentionally sabotage their training? It happens every day, like it or not. The culprit may surprise you: it is the person inside your very own skin. Here are some ways that we inadvertently sabotage our own progress as cyclists:

• Not recovering properly
• Not fueling our bodies with high octane sources
• Negative Self-talk 

Recovery
Complete and proper recovery are vital to your training program in any sport. While we all "know" this, how many of us truly practice it? Perhaps it is time for a short refresher course. http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/How_to_Tell_When_You_re_Over-Reaching_or_Over-Training.htm

The Right Fuel

When I realized that I could be an competitive athlete in my 40's, I decided to change my eating habits and see how it affected my performance. The results: a night and day difference from how I ate and trained as a teen / college age kid! There have been very few training rides where I "just didn't have it in the tank". While I don't partake in supplements and magic endurance products, I do eat whole, real foods. A whole wheat mini bagel and a small zip lock bag of raisins fuel me for rides that are up to 2-3 hours in length. It may not be for everybody, but it is what works for me. Post-ride fueling usually consists of a good ole PB&J with a glass of milk (chocolate is best!). Juicing has become a part of my daily nutrition plan and a nice, cold fruit & spinach smoothie is a great mid-afternoon snack. Daily I pack in 8-10 servings of fresh fruits and veggies. Each of us has to find what works best in our bodies and the purest foods are whole foods. http://www.livestrong.com/article/194068-whole-food-diet-for-athletes/

Negative Self-Talk

Just as certain as "we are what we eat", we are also "what we think." A sure-fire way to damage your training is to think or speak negatively about yourself. Self-efficacy is the belief that we can accomplish what we set out to do. We can talk ourselves right out of just about anything with the words we tell ourselves: I hate hills. I can't climb. Sprinting is not my thing. I have bird legs."  Sometimes we verbalize these statements to draw a compliment out of someone. Sometimes we truly believe it. Each of the time that we do it, however, it is making an imprint on your brain and you start to believe it. It's time to change your thinking and your actions will follow. Imagine what will happen when you tell yourself, "I can do this!" or "I'm getting stronger" or "It's just a hill". You think it, then believe it, then act on it. It's how our minds work!

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sportspsychology/a/Positive-Self-Talk-And-Sports-Performance.htm

  
Hopefully there will be no copy cat pranks like the tacky one that occurred in Sunday's stage of the Tour. Hopefully as well you will not jeopardize your own future in the sport by partaking in the unintentional habits that were discussed today. Perhaps you can evaluate the recovery methods you employ as well as the fuel sources - nutritional and mental -that you use on a daily basis. We can step up our game easily by making adjustments in these three areas. Ride on!

Girl Talk: The Soft Tissue Issue

Princesses - All of Us!( Google image)

Gentlemen: You are hereby excused from reading any further in this week's post. This one is for the girls. Check back next week for some tips on a topic that is more applicable to you. If you are still reading this, you are obviously looking for something. In this case, I have selected just for your entertainment.  Caution: Can cause mental despair. http://www.buzzfeed.com/sarahs28/mandex-1yzj 

Scoot on now. 

Ladies: I think it is just us now. Let's begin.

When I bought my first pair of bike shorts, the kind young gentleman at the shop blushed as he told me, "Um, when you wear these bike shorts, uh.... you should not....um..... well, make sure you do not wear underwear with them."  I boldly asked , "How come?" without putting an ounce of thought into it. As a Mom and former nursing student, topics of body parts generally don't embarrass me too much. It was all he could do to whisper something like"the soft tissue can be damaged." Poor fella. I didn't have the guts to implore him more so I accepted his reply and headed home to try out my new bike and shorts. It didn't take long for me to figure out what he meant, even though I followed his undergarment advice. 

A sweet, southern girlfriend of mine will call out every so often during a ride, "OH! My Princess Parts are hurting!" If you have been in a saddle more than 20 minutes you know exactly what she is talking about. Call it the perineum, Princess Parts, "soft tissue".... it's all the same. It's inevitable that we are going to feel some discomfort when we ride but let's see how we can lessen it.

Preserving Your Princess Parts

1) Proper Sit and Proper Fit

Be sure your bike is property fitted to your body and that you have a good seat. If your reach is too far out in front, seat is too hard or too soft or your handlebars too low, you will put a much greater amount of weight on your sensitive areas. This can lead to numbness, pinched nerves and reduced blood supply which, in turn, can lead to loss of nerve damage. Your ischial tuberosities ("sits bones") were designed to take the weight; your Princess Parts were not. How your bones rest on the saddle will make a huge difference in your posture and subsequently your comfort. Adjust your tush while in the saddle and stand every few minutes for 30 pedal strokes or so to reintroduce blood flow to vital tissues.

2) Chamois Cream and Thought Out Seam

 Just think about what your parts are doing with every pedal rotation: grinding right into the saddle. Ouch! Reduce the friction with some good chamois cream. There is no shortage of product on the market from Udder Butter, Buttr Cream, Bag Balm to name a few. Some have a little extra ZAP to them (menthol?!) which is surely made for the guys' sick sense of pleasure, so read labels and make sure you don't pick any of it up or rub it on. If you do, you might add just a bit of, shall we say 'heat' to an area that is already warm enough! Also invest in GOOD cycling shorts. Don't go for the $25 pair. Proper padding that wicks away moisture and seamless chamois pads are going to work best for your long-term comfort. Pay the extra to protect your specialness.

3) Shorts Care without Despair

Wash your shorts after every single ride - even if you wore them for just a few minutes before something interrupted your ride and cut it short. Yeast infections, thrush or urinary tract infections can arise from these skin tight spandex cling-ons that we squeeze into several times a week. Be sure to immediately get out of the shorts once your ride is over.  Bacteria thrive in the environment that cycling generates so let's not contribute to potential problems by lounging around and visiting while in sweaty and stinky shorts. Wash them inside out in warm water and hang to dry so that they last longer. 

There are several ways that you can protect and preserve your tender tissues. You will thank yourself on the ride and in other important times in your life when they are put to proper use. Cycling is intended for enjoyment, fitness, social growth and overall good health. Let's not damage our "girlness" needlessly! Be sure your bike fit is spot on, you protect your princess parts and that you care properly for the apparel that makes you look so good on the road.

Google Images

Sources:

http://www.womenscycling.ca/blog/bicycle-fit/saddle-discomfort%E2%80%94solutions-for-women-cyclists/

http://www.womenscycling.ca/newsletter-august-september-06.htm

http://www.womenscycling.ca/blog/health-tips/cycling-genital-problems/

http://www.australiancyclist.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=2276

To Burn or Not to Burn... That is the Question

Google images

When it comes to sunscreen options our brains can spin as quickly as our wheels do on a descent. Since we are in the throes of summer, let's take a quick look at what we can do to help us attain one of our ultimate goals of cycling: to live long, healthy lives.

With all of the sun protection products on the shelves, how do you know which products really work? Do some of them really cause cancer themselves? Do they keep your skin from sweating? Is it worth the risk at all? It depends on who you ask. The Environmental Working Group ( EWG) is a non-profit watchdog group that specializes in research and advocacy but is also controversial. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Working_Group. In one of their most recent studies, they claim that of over 500 products that they tested, only 8% of them provided what was boasted on the label.

GOOD ingredients to look for: 

• ecamsule
• avobenzone
• titanium dioxide
• sulisobenzone
• zinc oxide

BAD ingredients to avoid: 

• Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), including octyl-dimethyl PABA
• Benzophenones, especially benzophenone-3
• Cinnamates, namely octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
• Homosalate
• 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)

These ingredients are believed to be harmful, toxic and harmful: absorbed by skin - toxic or can cause hormonal disruption. http://www.peakhealthadvocate.com/3667/choose-natural-sunscreen-to-avoid-harmful-sunscreen-ingredients/ 

Cutting other risk factors:

• Plan your rides to be outside of the hours of 10am-4pm
• Put on sunscreen 30 minutes prior to riding while still indoors
• Wear sun sleeves
• Read labels and choose sunscreen that is broad spectrum
• Do some research of your own and find natural, mineral-based sunscreens that are not absorbed into the skin.

 

How tragic it would be to spend countless hours on the bike with the motivation of improving our health only to find out that our lives could be shortened because of skin cancer contracted during that time! At the risk of sounding like an alarmist, these are things to consider. Be sure the skin protection you are using is being applied correctly to provide the most possible protection. Don't be fooled by claims of an SPF number higher than 50, as studies have shown that they are no more effective than 50 SPF. Be smart. Be prepared and be protected. Ride on!

WebMD.com - Melanoma

WebMD.com - Basal cell carcinoma

  

Sources:

http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/top-sun-safety-tips/

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/news/20100524/group-calls-some-sunscreens-snake-oil