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Post by graham l LOOK on Jun 5, 2013 9:28:28 GMT
Did quite well at the crystals last night. Just wanted to share with you what i found has helped me.
In his book "Race to the pole", the Arctic explorer Sir Ranulph Feinnes described his need for a high calorific diet to fuel his incredibly arduous journey.
This got me thinking. Crystal palace criterium is not as long a distance but is possibly more physically intense. i wondered if i could learn something from this great man's struggle through the ice.
He describes how he ate butter almost exclusively for the whole duration, providing maximum energy. Since january i have radically increased my butter intake. Before the day of the race sometimes consuming as much as a whole block. I also remember David Jones mentioning something about one legged cycling in training. I always find that at the end of every race my legs feel quite tired. i wondered if could apply some of Davids wisdom to this problem. Obviously cycling round palace with one leg could be be a bit unstable, but i found another way. For each lap i alternate which leg does the work. Letting the resting leg "follow," while the leading leg takes the strain. Both feet clipped into the pedals, for the duration of every lap each leg has a welcome rest keeping it fresh for its approaching "working lap." Really got the hang of this technique last night and it made things a lot easier.
Got to say knew i was having a good race as i did look at my bike computer and my altitude was consistently good for the whole time. Delighted to have 2nd place at palace. Thanks for everyones encouragement and smiles. Great club, great race.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2013 13:08:35 GMT
Wise words, but I'm ashamed to say that last night I made the fatal error of letting BOTH legs have a lap out simultaneously and I found myself riding solo, the front group 50m ahead. By the time I telegraphed the engine room it was too late, and despite briefly employing both legs, and both arms, and part of my forehead, I didn't regain contact.
I'll try butter next week.
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Post by graham l LOOK on Jun 5, 2013 13:59:13 GMT
Sorry forgot to say that i might have been the only person to witnesse andy browns skin suit [with him inside] disappearing at miraculous speeds down the hill towards his palace win number 2. Congratulations sir. you make attacks look so easy.
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Post by AlanStrang on Jun 9, 2013 19:49:22 GMT
I was a bit dubious about this butter regime but I did a bit of research and found plenty of reports from trusted sources, including pro-riders, that there was genuine evidence to support this. So, I decided to give it a go today. 6 of us did a 100 miles heading into the Surrey Hills. Two hours before we set off I ate 3/4s of a block of unsalted Lurpak (I was supposed to eat the entire 250g but my stomach churned a bit). Half way into the ride I topped up with a couple of Country Life single serving portions (which fitted nicely in the pockets) and didn't eat anything else all ride. What I noticed was that post ride my legs felt great - no cramp, no stiffness. I'm going to give it another go but I think I'm convinced.
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Post by jonathanmaher on Jun 9, 2013 19:56:00 GMT
I'm struggling to determine if this thread is some kind of joke or not..
Al, Graham - I can't believe it's butter?
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Post by graham l LOOK on Jun 9, 2013 21:11:30 GMT
Glad that Lurpack is helping your cycling Alan. I've always found it great for leg cramp too.
Bradley Wiggins has been very vocal about his dietary elimination of sugar and wheat, but not fat, no not fat, [not fat].
Dr Miller's Washington University lecture 'Enjoy eating saturated fats' and Dr Lustig's lecture 'Sugar the bitter truth' [see from 0.0905 mins onwards for particular pertinent sections] can both be found on You Tube and are very useful.
I've also found that when I study the water bottles of Bradley Wiggins I can see clearly that the substance within is moving far too slowly to be water based. I think we can be quite certain that it will be some form of butter based beverage.
I also wonder if Sky chose to use predominately black lycra outfits to prevent the grease stains from appearing too blatant.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2013 23:06:29 GMT
Three words I never thought I see together......butter based beverage.
I did think of this thread on my commute and wretched at the thought of it.
Weirdos. I think I'll go join a tri club.
...pointing the figure at my mobile device for any typos.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2013 23:35:18 GMT
Apparently you're supposed to mix the butter into your coffee. Sounds distrusting to me but I guess some people are prepared to go to greater lengths than others to climb the greasy pole of success.
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Post by Carl Ferri on Jun 10, 2013 5:34:39 GMT
Three words I never thought I see together......butter based beverage. I did think of this thread on my commute and wretched at the thought of it. I think I'll go join a tri club. ...pointing the figure at my mobile device for any typos.
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Post by Carl Ferri on Jun 10, 2013 5:37:21 GMT
" I think i'll go join a tri club" I've just wretched over my breakfast
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Post by AlanStrang on Jun 10, 2013 9:41:57 GMT
Mark - it's funny you mention butter based beverages. As Graham alludes a number in the pro peloton have switched to this from glucose based hydration. Dr Allen Lim has studied the amazing abilities of Tibetan monks (high pain threshold, able to jump higher than normal humans etc) and believes that their intake of po cha or Tibetan tea is a major factor. It's thought that whilst most of Team Sky went on the usual training camps to Tenerife over winter, Chris Froome was learning the ways of the Lion's Roar and training on po cha. If it works for him...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2013 10:06:43 GMT
The other advantage butter has over carbs is that it eliminates the retching and puking which many of the above members seem to be suffering from.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2013 10:23:42 GMT
Until Easter I had been using dry chain wax and my chain siezed up after a heavy shower. Luckily, I had not consumed the whole pack of Country Life at that point of the ride and I was able to smear some butter onto the chain. It does work amazingly well as a chain lubricant.
At the end of a ride, I simply clean off the butter on the chain by wrapping a slice of bread around it and spinning the cranks. The mix of road salt and butter makes a great sandwich too.
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Post by David Joss Buckley on Jun 10, 2013 10:42:22 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2013 12:44:57 GMT
I'm the last one really to poke fun at anyone's food experiments to boost performance. I'd encourage it. I've plenty of form on that front myself back when I was actually in a tri club (so 1990s) taking on some quirky and restrictive feeding regimes which had pretty good results. It's the thought of downing the butter that's making me wretch, not the lemon flavoured water in my bottle or the peanut butter wrap, nuts & dried fruit squirrelled away in my pocket. That's been my on the bike training sustenance since Oct to specifically avoid sports energy products. I'd highly recommend the real food route. I haven't had the time to experiment with race suitable natural food but it's on the to do list. So I'm still gelling /sports drinking it. All recipes welcome.
Nor am I challenging the science of saturated fats’ impact on performance. It's just butter wouldn't be my choice. I'm always up for trying stuff (legal) and my choice of saturated fat would be coconut milk. I reckon I could mix up some tasty infusion. And it’s vegan...my latest (8 mth) performance boosting restrictive feeding regime experiment. The things people do ey! Guilty as charged.
If I get round to trying the coconut milk I’ll post back up.
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