Carbs Schmarbs

Straight from Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook.

"Some athletes eat too few carbohydrates because they believe them to be fattening.

The inaccurate advice from diet gurus of years past still lingers among dieters who fear bread as being fattening.  Carbohydrates are NOT fattening!  Excess fats are fattening - butter on bread, oil on pasta, mayonnaise in sandwiches, cheese on crackers.  Fats provide 36 calories per teaspoon, as compared to 16 for carbohydrates.   Your body burns carbohydrates and stores the fats.  Excess dietary fats are easily stored as body fat.

If you desire to be gluttonous, your better bet is to overeat pretzels (carbohydrates), rather than peanuts (fats).  You'll fuel your muscles better and the next day you'll have a high-energy workout with well carbo-loaded muscles.  But do be aware that a continuous intake of excess carbs will eventually contribute to weight gain.  When your glycogen stores are filled, the excess calories will get stored as body fat.

Rather than trying to stay away from breads and bagels and other grains, remember these points:
*  Carbohydrates are less fattening than fatty foods.
*  You need carbs to fuel your muscles.
*  You burn carbs off during hard exercise.
*  Carbohydrates are a friendly fuel; the enemy is too many fats.
*  When dieting to lose weight, you should energize with cereal, bread, pasta, and potato, but reduce your intake of the butter, margarine, and mayonnaise that often accompany them."

Things You Ask Yourself When You're Running...

And your ipod stops working.

--Why did I wear such warm weather socks?
--How is she running so fast and taking off her sweatshirt at the same time?
--Should I check my Garmin and see my pace, or is it better not to look?
--When I turn, will the wind help push me up the hill?
--Did the wind switch directions?
--Can I actually see that next mile marker?
--Hmm, did I grab water or Gatorade to wash down this GU?
--That guy's running so slow.  Why can't I catch him?
--Was that really mile 12?
--Is this the longest mile?
--Should I take a peek behind me to see if anyone's going to pass me?
--Is all this heavy breathing good for me?

--Why did I sign up for a race that starts and ends uphill?

--Did I just help that charity out?

--That was awesome.  When can I do this again?

Ethan's Run 2011.  Great neighborhood feel.  Smiling crowds with happy runners.  Mile markers dedicating the next mile to a child with heart defects.  A community coming together.  A great way to spend a Saturday in February in Arizona. 

Here's some of the children we helped along the way:

http://heartbabyscarlett.blogspot.com/2010/02/ethans-run-today.html

http://crazyskids.blogspot.com/2010/02/ethans-run-final-countdown.html

http://andersonsavenue.blogspot.com/2010/01/ethans-run

htmlhttp://andigooch.blogspot.com/2010/02/ethans-run.html

Swimming Tips From The Best

saramclarty.com

I've been perusing my notes from the lectures I attended a few years ago at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Ca.  Such good stuff.  One of the speakers was pro triathlete Sara McCarty, THE fastest swimmer on the tri circuit.  She specializes in open water swimming and how to basically leave competitors in her wake.

REMINDERS:
-- Technique comes first, then speed
-- Do one drill at a time (one drill per lap)
--Think of your swimming as smooth and pretty
  Relaxed
  High elbows
  Good hip roll
  Don't cross center line
-- Stroke Length
  Long long long!
  Reach and glide in front
  Finish at thighs
  Be a speedboat >>> not a barge)))
--Core
  Remember, swimming originates at the core

DRILLS:
6 Kick Switch - six kicks on one side, then switch to the other
Catch Up - One arm doesn't leave until it touches the tips of the other extended arm
Fingertip Drag - drag thumb up side of body and along the top of the water
Shark Drill - put kick board between legs, tap the top of the board at finish of each stroke
Swimming Blind - one swimmer per lane, closes eyes for 12 strokes

RACE DAY TIPS:
Drink water up to the start of the race
Eat a bar 1 hour before race
Take a GU 30 minutes before race
The best goggles are clear or metallic depending on lighting
Don't follow the crowd, outside is less crowded
Start at YOUR speed, maintain control, don't red line, steady pace after first buoy
Don't forget to BREATHE!!


And with that, go forth and swim.

How About it?

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at at time.

My first Half Ironman, I had a friend tell me I couldn't finish it.  He apologized later, and sent me flowers.  I went on to finish multiple Ironmans and many other HIMs (Half Ironmans).  I thought I'd always resent his comments, but they, in fact, have been the catalyst to push myself harder in life -- just to prove him wrong.  Let the doubters doubt, while you are working toward your dream, whatever it is.  

Have You Seen It?

I'm talking about Body Worlds, the worldwide exhibit of human bodies preserved in something called plastination, currently on exhibit at the Arizona Science Center.

If you want to be completely amazed at the absolute perfection and miraculous form of the human body, head over there ASAP.  The exhibit contains all forms and parts of human bodies that have been donated  to science specifically for this purpose.  

The Arizona exhibit features over 200 specimans, including full-body plastinates, individual organs both healthy and unhealthy, and cross sections of bones, brains and biceps.  

Some of my favorites include:

The Brain - From newborn size to full-grown, the skulls that protect the brain are opened to reveal blood vessels, brain matter, brain stem.  Wow.

The Full Body Exhibits - I love seeing for myself where my tibia or IT band is, and why it might get pulled so easily while exercising.  I could examine the body in 360 degrees and find the piriformis and the abductor muscles and understand their uses!

The Central Nervous System - Completely amazing.  Seeing how the nerves extend from the brain to the tips of your toes and hands helps make the idea of acupuncture so much easier to understand.  You can see why touching a nerve in your hand affects another part of your body.

The Lung - Right in front of you is a healthy lung, a smoker's lung and a coal miner's lung.  I'll just leave it at that.

If you are an athlete, a parent, a human, I highly recommend taking the time to see this exhibit.  Gunther von Hagen is the Body World's creator and he has been perfecting this plastination process since 1977.  I can't think of a better way to appreciate and understand the human body than to see his project.

And, I may just be able to get you a discounted admission coupon.  Leave a message and I'll get back to you.

Don't Be THAT Guy

Holding your line.

Following the apex of the turn.

Riding with no hands while taking off your vest.

Passing comfortably or dropping back to fall into a pace line.

Jerry and DeeAnn explain cycling etiquette

Retrieving a water bottle in a feed zone.

If you ride with a group or race your bike, these skills are essential.  But how often do you take the time to practice these skills?  Most of us jump on our bikes and ride off to meet the group so we can hammer it with the Big Dogs.

But think back to your childhood.  If you played soccer or basketball or any sport for that matter, did you fill your practice time with scrimmage games exclusively?  I'm gonna go ahead and say no.  Your team most likely practiced drills and skills and maneuvers that would make you and your team better athletes and players.

Same goes for cycling.  In 2011, take the time to perfect your cycling chest of knowledge.  Practice track stands, and skidding to a stop, and bunny hopping.  Sign up for a cycling clinic like the one Gorilla Multisport lead last weekend at Two Wheel Jones bike shop in Mesa.

The Team Takes Direction

Feel The Love

Perfecting basic cycling skills will make you a more confident cyclists.  People will want to ride next to you instead of away from you.  Become the popular one on the bike, not the one you're afraid of (you know that guy, right?).  It'll do ya good.