California pesticide use data show that between 1991 and 2000 almost 2 billion pounds of active ingredients were applied in California alone. After a massive increase in pesticide use in the early to mid-1990's, reported use has stabilized at about 200 million pounds of active ingredients each year. This figure only includes farm use and professional pesticide use. Not included are consumer and much institutional pesticide use. Also not included in this figure are so-called 'inert' ingredients. U.S. pesticide use is about 1.2 billion pounds each year, and worldwide pesticide use is about 5 billion pounds each year. For detailed information on pesticide use in the U.S. overall and in the California, New York or Oregon pesticide use reporting systems, please see our Pesticide Use pages. Search CA Pesticide Use Search California pesticide use data for any combination of chemical, crop, or county. Includes data from 1991 through 2007. CA Crop Use Find pesticide use information on over 250 crops and sites in California for 2007. Crops are organized into the following groups: Vegetables and Melons Fruits and Nuts Field Crops Spices and Herbs Nursery Products Forests Livestock Other Agriculture Non-Agricultural CA County Use Find pesticide use information for 58 California counties for 2007. Additional Resources Links to additional information on pesticide use in California, other states, the U.S. and Europe.
1. If you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.
The big heroes of most grains’ nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins. Take heed, every grain is different and different grains offer different nutrient profiles. Yet, one thing remains constant: if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find the nutrient in better quantities in other foods. For example, 100 grams of whole wheat flour contains 44 mcg of folate; however, a 100-gram portion of lamb liver will give you 400 mcg of folate and a 100-gram portion of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658 mcg per 100-gram portion. Similarly with the B Vitamins niacin and thiamin, while a 100-gram whole wheat flour contains 30% of the RDA for niacin and 32% of the RDA for thiamin, you can find these nutrients in higher quantities in other foods – namely flaxseeds and sesame seeds. Whole grains are often touted as health foods for their fiber content, but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient-dense foods. For example: 100 grams of cooked brown rice offers up 1.8 grams of dietary fiber; by contrast, a 100-gram serving of cooked collard greens offers 2.8 grams; 100 grams of raw fireweed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber and even green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving. 2. Grains aren’t good for your gut.
Intestinal health is critical to your overall health. If you’re gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. If you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease. Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome. Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response. With your immune system excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out-of-place particles of grain, it cannot effectively fight against true threats like pathogens. 3. You’re probably gluten-intolerant.
If you’re white, there’s a good chance that you’re gluten-intolerant to some degree. Current research estimates that about 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition related to the ingestion of gluten-containing grains like wheat and barley; however, some researchers on celiac disease and gluten intolerance estimate that 30% to 40% of people of European descent are gluten-intolerant to some degree. That’s a lot of people who are regularly consuming a food that makes them sick. (And, yes, I’m one of them.) 4. Grains cause inflammation.
Due to a high starch content, grains are inflammatory foods. The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is. For example, unbleached white flour is more inflammatory than whole grain flour; however, whole grains are still moderately inflammatory foods and certainly more inflammatory than other foods like fresh vegetables and wholesome fats. Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even cancer. Unbleached white flour earns an inflammation factor of -421 or strongly inflammatory on NutritionData.com while whole wheat flour earns an inflammation factor of -247 or moderately inflammatory. Similarly, whole cooked millet earns an inflammation factor of -150 and cooked brown rice earns an inflammation factor of -143 – also moderately inflammatory. 5. Grains are fairly new on the scene.
While still a traditional food, grains are, nonetheless, the new kids on the block. Prior to the advent of agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering for their foods. They foraged for wild greens, berries, fruits and other plants. They hunted wild animals. They fished for wild fish. They didn’t plant a garden, or grow any amber waves of grain or, for that matter, drink dairy from domesticated animals since there simply wasn’t any domesticated animals. Humans survived like this from the development of the appearance of the first homo sapiens sapiens about 47,000 years ago to the advent of agriculture some 10 – 12,000 years ago. So, for the better part of human existence grains did not comprise any notable portion of the human diet. In essence, what has become the bulk of our modern diet was missing from the diet of our prehistoric ancestors. 6. Grains aren’t good for your joints.
Due to their inflammatory nature, grains – even whole grains – are linked to joint pain and arthritis. Grain’s amino acid composition mirrors that of the soft tissue in your joints. Because both synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two. So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joint – leading to pain, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and, of course, more inflammation. 7. Poorly Prepared Grains prevent mineral absorption.
When improperly prepared as they most often are, grains can inhibit vitamin and mineral absorption. Grains contain substances like phytic acid which binds up minerals and prevents proper absorption. Essentially, though your diet might be rich in iron, calcium and other vital nutrients if you eat improperly prepared grain, you’re not fully absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat. However, please note that souring, sprouting and soaking grains neutralizes phytates and renders the nutrients in grain more absorbable. 8. Grains are bad for your teeth.
Due to those high levels of phytates in grain, grain is linked to dental decay. With high levels of mineral-blocking phytic acid coupled with low mineral absorption rates and plenty of starches for bacteria to feed on, grain contributes to dental decay. Anthropological records of our pre-agricultural ancestors indicates very little to no tooth decay; however, that changed after the dawn of agriculture. Indeed, some anthropologists use the presence of tooth decay is an indicator of an agricultural society. 9. Grains aren’t good for your skin either.
Grains have a very high carbohydrate content, and while the carbohydrates in grain are complex they are still broken down into sugars nonetheless. These sugars instruct your body to produce more insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IFG-1). Elevated insulin levels lead to a cascading hormonal response and these hormones activate the sebum-producing glands in your skin – encouraging them to produce more oil. IFG-1 is also linked with the increased production of keratinocytes which also contribute to acne. 10. Eating grain makes you crave grain.
You know how the smell of bread creates a longing in you – a yearning for a slice, slathered with butter and maybe jam. Or consider a plate of cookies set in front of you – so delicious – and you can’t just have one? Foods rich in carbohydrates give you quick energy, but that energy wears off just as quickly as it came. Since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues.
Of course, if you’re not quite ready to give up grains in their entirety, take care to make sure you eat the best quality grains prepared for optimal nourishment. Choose organic grains and make sure you eat them sprouted, soaked or soured. Or go on a grain-free trial
Boulder County releases final plans for defraying bike-car tensions Working group addressed problems in the canyons By Laura Snider Camera Staff Writer Posted: 12/11/2009 06:19:40 PM MST
A cyclist rides in Lefthand Canyon in April. Boulder County's Cyclist-Motorist Working Group just released its final recommendations for increasing the safety of the roads for both bike riders and drivers -- and decreasing the tension that's grown between the two. ( CLIFF GRASSMICK ) Some of the recommended improvements
Prompted by increased tensions over the last year between bike riders and drivers in the canyons west of Boulder, the county convened a cyclist-motorist working group in August. The group got together several times over the fall to brainstorm ways to increase safety and decrease frustration on Lee Hill Drive, Olde Stage Road, James Canyon Drive and Lefthand Canyon Drive. They presented a draft of their ideas at a public meeting in November.
Here's a look at a few of the final recommendations made by the group:
Place a temporary restroom facility at mile marker 11 in Lefthand Canyon to cut down on public urination and the use of facilities in Ward and Jamestown.
Install asphalt barriers by driveways to prevent runoff of dirt and gravel onto the main road.
Create paved bicycle pullouts to give cyclists a place to rest and congregate out of the stream of traffic.
Put up signs aimed at both cars and bikes to remind both parties of good etiquette. Signs might remind drivers to share the road or request that cyclists ride single file for a designated distance.
Add more bike racks in Jamestown and pullout for bicycle parking across from the fire station.
Increase patrols by sheriff's deputies on busy weekends and have some of those patrols conducted on bikes.
For more information, visit bouldercounty.org/transportation/CyclistMotoristWorkingGroup.htm.
Only a few cyclists were still cruising around town this week, most navigating the snow-packed roads with beefy mountain bike tires, head-to-toe layers and an apparent predisposition for suffering.
But next spring, when roads are dry and the skies are blue, bikers will likely be back in droves, ready to ride up Boulder County's spectacular canyons.
And when they do, the county hopes to have already implemented a host of recommendations for increasing the safety of the roads for both bike riders and drivers -- and decreasing the tension that's grown between the two.
The plan for the improvements comes from the county's Cyclist-Motorist Working Group, which just released its final recommendations. The group was created by the county's Transportation Department in August to address the increasing tension between the two groups, especially in Lefthand and James canyons.
"The goal was to find things we could do in the short term," said George Gerstle, transportation director. "We wanted to get the ideas out so we could start implementing them before the first bike season."
The working group included cyclists, drivers who frequently commute up and down the canyons, mountain residents who deal with an influx of bikes coming through their small towns in the summer, and representatives from the Sheriff's Office and the Transportation Department.
Gerstle said he wasn't sure how well such a diverse group would work together, but in the end, he was impressed by its success.
"Going into this, I was very nervous about the whole effort," he said. "But I've been very gratified by how well everyone worked together. I could tell there were times when people on all sides of the table were biting their tongues, but they did it out of respect for each other."
The final plan lists about 40 suggested improvements, which cover everything from putting up signs that remind drivers and riders of etiquette, adding restroom facilities, clearing debris off shoulders and paving pullouts where cyclists can congregate and take a break. The plan also has a heavy outreach component, which includes sheriff's deputies handing out fliers and volunteers acting as cycling ambassadors.
Working group member Patrick Griffin -- who is a canyon resident, a frequent driver and a road biker -- said he's excited to see the recommendations implemented, but he also acknowledged it will take more than just the participation of the group members to make the situation better in the canyons.
"The canyon is a beautiful place for everyone to enjoy," he said. "The volunteers in this working group want to improve the situation in the canyons. ... That is really our only motivation, whether we were cyclists, motorists, residents or all three.
"But it will be up to each and every one of us that use the canyons to reduce the tensions."
Gerstle said the county will monitor how well the changes work throughout the 2010 cycling season and call the group back together next fall if there's more work to be done.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Laura Snider at 303-473-1327 or sniderl@dailycamera.com.
In Doug’s recipe a blend of pecans, walnuts and a dash of flaxseed is warmed up with almond milk custard, mashed banana and almond butter to create a wholly satisfying hot cereal. The texture is rich and so is the flavor, especially when you add warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and a topping of fresh berries and almond milk. Just thinking about eating No-atmeal for breakfast is guaranteed to coax you out of bed in the morning.
Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside.
Whisk together eggs and almond milk (Doug uses a Blender Bottle) until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard. Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.
Stir in the nut mixture. Microwave or gently warm on the stove until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. In both cases, stir the mixture frequently as it cooks.
Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and berries on top. Add more almond milk if you want. Lick the bowl clean!
In a day and age where most of the maps on the Internet are not free, the Trek super store in San Diego offers this great page with information to some of San Diego's best rides.
NEW FROM CAPO For 2010 – Inline & Custom
Custom kit has become so popular in recent years, that many top tier brands actually sell more custom orders than they do inline kits. And where there is demand, the smart guys also offer supply, like Capo’s Super Corsa Cut bibs and jerseys that take custom kit to a level previously offered only to pro-level teams.
These in no way lessen the quality of Capo’s previous and still offered models of custom kit (like PEZ’s own kit based on the Corsa style), but for teams and clubs who want a very fitted, more aero-looking design, this could be for you.
The GS Capo “Super Corsa cut” is available in both custom and inline, and presents tighter-fitting race cut garments, and sleeker cuts, all in fully sublimateable fabrics.
The men’s inline Cima kit is based on the Super Corsa cut, and shows longer, snugger sleeves, a mesh panel under the arms and on the body sides. Sleeves are longer by 2cm, while the bodies are cut shorter, and more fitted than other ‘custom’ styles. The super smooth polyester fabric is lighter and form fitting (think skin suit), and is available for custom orders – but you gotta ask for it by name.
The GC Capo Super Corsa series bib shorts come in higher compression fabric, and stay snug around the legs with an 8cm band, sans gripper. They are cut longer, and fully sublimateable – so whether your design is awesome or ugly, you should at least feel pretty damn fast.
New for 2010 (and inline only) is the Capo Anatomic Light EIT Insert, direct from chamois kings Cytech. Being anatomic means it’s pre-shaped to curve with the body, an the seamless one piece of material that contacts yer privates should make for smooth riding on even the hardest saddles (which tend to accentuate even the slightest bumps in the groinal region). The different thicknesses of foam mean better comfort, and the anti-microbial silver ion threads reduce bacteria growth. Look for these on Capo’s inline and custom kits by early Spring.
No serious line of kit should be without their own compression sock, and Capo reports these are holding up to more than just on-bike use, as a couple of their homies wear ‘em all day long. It’s made from a blend of Merril Skinlife & lycra yarn which is anti-odor and anti-microbial.
The Men’s “Recicli” jersey is made from 100% reclaimed plastic – cut is standard cut on top, while the bibshort is made by 100% recycled Power-Lycra and uses their Anatomic Light EiT chamois with lateral back panel. The Short is also made from low water consumption lycra, which uses less water to dye it, and therefore less junk flushed back to the earth.
Men’s jersey will retail at $119.00 and the bibshorts at $159.00
The Recicli Donna is specifically cut for women, and made from the same fabric as the men’s – by their Italian supplier in Italy – which means the fit is pretty much guaranteed to fit well – very well.
Ladies’ jerseys will retail at $109.00 and the shorts at $129.00.
Ford gets props for both rejecting Government stimulus and also adding a little stim to Interbike, partnering with Serotta and showing its Transit Connect.
This thing comes in a few different build outs starting at a reasonable $20K and made in Cargo (with multiple storage options) and Van (seat 5) configurations that allow for lots of different storage combinations from team (or show off individual) race day rigs, general business haulers and the like with racks, shelves, stands etc (way more than just bike friendly) to a set up that takes the cake as the nicest mobile fit lab on the planet.
Inside this van is the single coolest product at this year's show (at least for a geek like me). SICI's new fitting / testing bike.
The Transit holds loads of different gear beyond this
What do you want in the ultimate fitting rig? Well the ability to move most of the fitting points on the fly! Take note of the large crank and screw-drive mounts...
If you've been in industrial machine settings you might recognize a system like this as a widely held standard for moving heavy equipment. On this rig the system is used to micro adjust the rider's position in as smooth a fashion as possible while a rider is on board.
The saddle height is also adjustable while riding and even the saddle tilt gets the oversized screws to adjust tilt easily and quickly...
And what fit bike with shift on the fly geometry would be complete without a fully integrated CompuTrainer?
This unit comes with a swivel screen computer also built in so that fitter and rider can see the spin scan, power and efficiency changes as the geometry is tweaked.
1/2 cup slivered almonds 1/2 cup pecans 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup almond butter (although cashew, hazelnut, walnut and even pumpkin butters will work well too!) 1/4 cup coconut oil (check your local health food store)
1/4 cup almond meal (simply pulse approximately 1/4 cup of almonds until it creates a coarse flour) 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp of raw honey (although, this is really kind of optional because the egg will help hold the mixture together) 1/2 cup unsweetened whey protein powder (or 60g) 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top
Method:
Mixture Primal Energy Bar Redux: Making a Better Bar
1. On a cookie sheet, toast nuts and shredded coconut until golden brown. In order for them to cook evenly, you need to shake up the tray at least once during cooking…trust us! 2. Once toasted, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped and the mixture becomes coarsely ground (sort of the consistency of bread crumbs). 3. In a mixing bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter (about 30 seconds). Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. 4. Add vanilla extract, honey and sea salt. Mix thoroughly. 5. Fold in nut mixture, almond meal and protein powder until mixed thoroughly. 6. Add whole egg and mix thoroughly. 7. Fold in blueberries/cranberries. 8. Press mixture into an 8 by 8 loaf pan (a modification that we made to keep everything crisper and help the bars to hold together). 9. Cook in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. 10. Remove from oven, sprinkle a ¼ cup of shredded coconut on top and place under broiler until top begins to brown. 11. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut into 12 pieces/bars. 12. Enjoy or stack on wax paper/parchment and store in an airtight container.
Note: You can also add dark chocolate chips instead of the cranberries/blueberries (available at Whole Foods or health food store). If you add the chips while the mixing bowl is warm (from the coconut oil/almond butter mixture), they will melt into the mixture and you will have yourself a chocolate primal bar. Alternatively, you can just let the mix cool, then add the chips, then refrigerate the pan to get chocolate chip primal bars. The bars stick together pretty well without being cooked.
Nutrition Information:
Done Primal Energy Bar Redux: Making a Better Bar
Nutrition for 1/12 of the batch. Nutritional breakdown courtesy of FitDay.com:
Calories: 184
Fat: 15.4 grams
Carbohydrates: 6.4 grams
Protein: 7.5 grams
And, for those of you who feared they would eat the whole pan… the total nutritional breakdown for the whole darn lot!
Calories: 2,206
Fat: 184.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 77.2 grams
Protein: 90.1 grams
That’s 1659 calories from fat, 309 calories from carbs and 360 calories from protein. Or 72% fat, 14% carbs and 16% protein.
Ingredients: 2 cups unsweetened apple juice (if possible, juice your own). 1 cinnamon stick 2 large apples
Method: In a large pot, combine apple juice and cinnamon stick and bring to a low boil. Meanwhile, remove top and bottom of apple and slice crosswise to make 1/8 thick “chips.” With a slotted spatula, place apples into boiling juice and cook 4-5 minutes or until apples become near translucent. Use the spatula to remove apple slices from juice and place on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Arrange slices on a cake cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet (to catch drips!) and place racks on middle shelf in 250 degree oven. Bake 30-40 minutes until apple slices turn golden brown and are almost dry to the touch. Let cool and serve either as is, or with a light dusting of cinnamon.
'Bicycle Diaries' by David Byrne review: Former Talking Head rides and writes By Andres Viglucci McClatchy Newspapers Posted: 09/25/2009 03:44:12 PM MDT
David Byrne writes about his worldwide travels on a fold-up bike in 'Bicycle Diaries.'
For 30 years, artist and musician -- and, oh yes, former Talking Head -- David Byrne has been getting around New York, his hometown, mainly on a bicycle. Nothing fancy, mind you. Just a sturdy, upright hybrid with handlebar-moustache handlebars and a firm saddle, which is actually less tiring than the cushy kind.
When he travels, Byrne packs a folding bike in a case, and from this two-wheel perch he has investigated cities the world over, jotting down in a journal the peculiarly Byrnesian musings and observations as he pedals through bombed-out Detroit, stately and orderly Berlin or, in an especially daring foray, car-choked Istanbul.
But don't let the faux-naif persona Byrne has so ably cultivated in his work fool you. The rock star who sang about burning buildings, highways and life during wartime turns out to be an acute observer of the urban condition, a veritable rolling philosopher. The evidence is in "Bicycle Diaries," his seventh book, a breezy, loosely threaded compendium of accounts of the places he sees and the people he meets in his urban bike-wanderings.
Byrne delivers pithy indictments of the damage wrought on cities by the onslaught of the automobile and planners' blind obedience to it, even as the artist in him can't resist admiring the strange grandeur of urban ruins like Buffalo and Detroit. And he extols cities like New York that have managed to nurture neighborhoods and find space for people on bicycles.
No proselytizer by nature, Byrne has found himself increasingly taking a public role as bicycle advocate, organizing a forum in New York that surrounded talks by planners with music, video and performance art. He spoke to The Miami Herald from New York on the eve of his departure for a mostly West Coast book tour, some of the stops on which will be public forums on cycling.
"I realized that a lot of towns and a lot of people are at the point where they're just about willing to accept this idea of the bicycle as a way of getting around," he says. "It doesn't seem out of the question, where a few years ago that might just have seemed like a really strange or geeky idea to a lot of people."
Q: What changed?
A: Our cities have gone through all these cycles. We've gone through the urban renewal cycle in the '60s and '70s that really did a lot of damage to the fabric of urban life -- neighborhoods bulldozed and highways pushed through, and all that kind of stuff that really destroyed the kind of social underpinning and the kind of mom-and-pop stores and all the stuff that makes a community viable. Well, those things are kind of coming back and, as they come back, a lot of people have realized that they can have a good life in an urban situation, wherever it is, in whatever town it is. It's kind of dawning on them that that might be more fun than commuting for an hour and half every day and living isolated out in the suburbs ... A lot of cities are making a real effort, neighborhood by neighborhood, to make themselves into a place where life can be pretty good.
Q: Does it feel funny suddenly becoming Mr. Bicycle?
A: (Laughs). A little bit. I've noticed -- I might be imagining it -- but people here in New York would just see me around on a bicycle all the time and never think anything of it. But I think now there's a little bit of publicity coming out about this book and all that kind of stuff, so now it's like, 'Oh, there he is, Mr. Bicycle,' yeah. Which is a little bit embarrassing.
Q: You have said the book is not, strictly speaking, about bicycling. What's it about?
A: A lot of it is about cities and urban communities. Some of the chapters kind of delve more into the history of what happened in that town and how that affected the way people view one another and how they live. And in other chapters it's more about the music, and in other chapters it's more about art museums and galleries. And then there's other chapters that are more about urban design and how things got to be the way they were, and how communities either rise or fall, or become a lively community or a dead community. It's more about the stuff you think about when you're getting from place to place on a bicycle than it is about actually riding the bicycle.
Q: Do you find it hard to write, or is it as easy as, well, riding a bike?
A: I love writing. I don't claim to be great at it. Occasionally I get a good sentence off. But I love the activity. Sometimes I agonize over the editing after that, but the initial kind of outpouring stuff, if I'm feeling that I have an angle or something to say or something where in a way I'm having a conversation with myself, that's immensely pleasurable.
Q. You've written you're not a racer or sports rider, you don't use Lycra. At the risk of getting way too personal, what comes between you and your saddle then?
A: I'm just wearing regular street clothes. Pretty much all the time. In the summertime, or when it gets warm out, shorts and sandals or something like that. Stuff that I don't mind getting a little sweaty.
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Sunrise Century organizers prepare for possible conflict Officials say threats for drivers to block Boulder County cycling route taken seriously
By Heath Urie (Contact) Originally published 11:02 a.m., July 24, 2009 Updated 11:02 a.m., July 24, 2009 Alex Hearn, organizer of the Sunrise Century bike ride, at his home in Boulder.
Photo by Paul Aiken
Alex Hearn, organizer of the Sunrise Century bike ride, at his home in Boulder. The Sunrise Century route
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BOULDER, Colo. — Organizers of Saturday’s Sunrise Century bicycle ride through Boulder County say they are prepared to handle any problems along the winding mountain route, amid threats in an anonymous flier that drivers will blockade cyclists in protest.
The fliers — which started appearing in mountain communities early last month, a few days after a Boulder driver was ticketed on suspicion of endangering a cyclist on Lee Hill Road — ask residents along the route of the 100-mile annual cycling event to block the return leg of the ride.
“On July 25, in celebration of driver’s rights, many cars will use the Left Hand Canyon Road, drive slowly and many may break down unexpectedly, blocking areas to the cyclists on the return leg of the ‘Sunrise Century,’” the anonymous, one-page note reads. “Many cars and safe drivers all working together can send a message to the Statehouse to restrict cycling on our roads which are our only alternatives during family emergencies, commuting and required duties.”
Julia Wieck, a spokeswoman for the event, said more than 800 riders from 18 states have registered to participate, and have been briefed about reporting any problems along the way and trying to avoid conflict.
But organizers continue to receive “nasty e-mails” about the planned ride, Wieck said.
“People don’t have specifics, just a lot of anger,” she said.
The route begins at 6:30 a.m. at Boulder’s Stazio Ball Fields, 2445 Stazio Drive, and moves through Niwot and Hygiene before looping around Lyons, the St. Vrain Canyon, the Peak to Peak Highway, Ward, Left Hand Canyon, Nelson Road and finally down 63rd Street back to the ball fields.
The fliers call for the disruption efforts to center along Left Hand Canyon Drive near Nelson Road.
Wieck said the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have deputies stationed throughout the course, and seven aid stations will take reports of any roadside conflicts and report them to law enforcement.
Officials at the Colorado State Patrol have said that drivers ought to think twice before trying to block the riders, because it's illegal and dangerous.
Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said he plans to have nine deputies stationed along the route, in addition to the four state troopers.
He said he doesn't expect any problems, though.
"I’m not sure it has that much support, actually," Pelle said of the flier's call to action.
Wieck said the threats and tensions among cyclist, drivers and mountain residents has overshadowed the good in the event — which will donate a portion of its proceeds to the Mile High Youth Corps, The Cottonwood Institute and Engineers Without Borders.
For more information about the Sunrise Century ride, visit www.bikerpelli.com
S.D. drivers among angriest San Diego is the 10th least-courteous city among the nation's 25 largest metro areas, according to a new road rage survey. No. 1: New York.
French national police have summoned Landis and his longtime coach, San Diego physician Arnie Baker, to answer questions in connection with the illicit access of the computer system of the French laboratory that tested Landis' samples from the Tour. Neither attended a May 5 court appearance, according to media reports, and now the head of France's anti-doping agency is calling for international authorities to get involved.
“If it is the only way for Floyd Landis and Arnie Baker to explain themselves,” AFLD president Pierre Bordry was quoted in French by Le Monde newspaper, “I won't hesitate to demand the judge issue an international arrest warrant.”
Baker, an icon in the local cycling community, did not return phone or e-mail messages. Landis, who lives in Idyllwild, was unavailable for comment.
Bordry reported in late 2006 that the computer system at the LNDD lab outside Paris had been breached and several sensitive documents pirated. The documents, which indicated the French lab had corrected mistakes in other doping cases, turned up in fraudulent e-mails sent from the lab's e-mail server to various anti-doping agencies and journalists.
Baker also included some of the documents in “The Wiki defense,” a series of Power Point presentations at bike shops and ultimately an online book he authored to vouch for Landis' innocence.
But French authorities became suspicious when one of the recipients of the stolen documents, Montreal anti-doping lab director Christiane Ayotte, conducted a history search on the file – a copy of which she provided to the Union-Tribune. The previous user is listed as “Arnie.”
Detectives in a special information technology crime division, according to French media, tracked the LNDD incident to Kargas Consultants. In the process of the investigation, they also discovered that Kargas was behind hacking into the computer of an executive from Greenpeace, allegedly on behalf of a French nuclear energy company.
The man accused of gaining unauthorized access to the French lab's computer, Alain Quiros, reportedly said he was paid 2,000 Euros (about $2,800) by Kargas, but it remains unclear whether there is direct evidence that Baker or anyone else in the Landis camp commissioned the job. Le Monde wrote that detectives linked Baker through an IP (Internet Protocol) address.
The Le Monde story also said Baker wrote a letter in response to the police summons, asking a series of questions about the French legal process but not indicating when or if he might appear.
Landis, 33, is part of the OUCH cycling team that is competing in North American races this season. He is not expected to race in France.
RECALL: Norco, Trek, Cannondale Bikes SportsOneSource Media Posted: 5/19/2009 Three bike manufacturers - Norco, Trek, Cannondale - have issued voluntary recalls of their products in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Norco Bicycle Frames The recalled frames were sold at various bicycle distributors nationwide from September 2006 through February 2009 for between $2,000 and $7,000.
The bicycle frame can crack and separate, causing a rider to fall from the bicycle and suffer injuries. Norco has received one report of a rider who fractured their collar bone after falling from the bicycle.
The recalled bicycle frames include the following model year and model names: 2007 Team DH, 2008 Team DH, Aline Park, Aline, Atomik, Shore 1,2,3, 2009 Atomik (without gussets). All colors are included in the recall and the model name is printed on a decal on the top tube of each frame/bike.
Trek
About 16,000 bicycles with JD suspension forks were imported by Trek Bicycle Corp., of Waterloo, WI, and sold at Trek bicycle dealers nationwide from August 2008 through April 2009 for between $640 and $940.
The recalled bicycle's fork can lose alignment causing the front wheel to turn unexpectedly. This can cause the rider to lose control of the bicycle and crash. There have been four reports of misaligned forks. No injuries have been reported.
The recall involves model year 2009 Trek 7300, 7300WSD, and 7500 bicycles. The model name is printed on the bicycle's frame. The bicycles have a suspension fork with the words "Bontrager SPA" printed on them.
Consumers should stop riding the recalled bicycles immediately and contact their dealer to arrange for a free repair.
Cannondale
About 1,500 bicycles with JD suspension forks were imported by Cannondale Bicycle Corp. and sold at Cannondale bicycle dealers from February 2009 through April 2009 for between $600 and $800. The recalled bicycle's fork can lose alignment causing the front wheel to turn unexpectedly. This can cause the rider to lose control of the bicycle and crash. There have been no reported injuries.
The recall involves model year 2008 Cannondale Adventure 2, Adventure 3, Adventure 2 Feminine and Adventure 3 Feminine bicycles. The model name is printed on the bicycle's frame. The bicycles have a suspension fork with the words "cannondale AT35 adventure trail" printed on them. Bicycles equipped with the Rock Shox i-ride fork are not included in the recall.
Consumers should stop riding the recalled bicycles immediately and contact their dealer to arrange for a free repair.
Ritter in Springs today to sign bill protecting rights of cyclists Comments 47 | Recommend 6 May 11, 2009 - 10:03 AM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gov. Bill Ritter plans to sign a bill here today aimed at protecting the rights of cyclists.
The measure (Senate Bill 148) requires that drivers give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing or risk a $110 ticket.
Anyone who throws an object at a cyclist could be charged with a class 2 misdemeanor. That carries a fine of between $250 and $1,000 and a possible sentence of three to 12 months in jail.
The bill was sponsored by a bipartisan pair of avid cyclists - Republican Sen. Greg Brophy and Democratic Rep. Mike Merrifield. It will take effect Aug. 5.
The governor plans to sign the bill along with six others at Penrose Library.
Among the bills:
SB 148 (Brophy/Merrifield), Bicycle Safety Bill SB 110 (Morse/Levy), Civil Rights Commission HB 1058 (Morse/Marostica), Abandoned Military Remains HB 1250 (Merrifield/Penry), Federal Money to Counties for School Districts HB 1290 (Nikkel & Apuan/Harvey), Student Financial Aid National Guard HB 1313 (Merrifield/Bacon), Expand Higher Ed Civic Engagement HB 1334 (McCann & Apuan/Newell), Aggregate Two Theft Offenses
Physical Fitness Bill Introduced in Congress SportsOneSource Media Posted: 4/29/2009
According to the SGMA, Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) has introduced the Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2009 (PHIT) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Zach Wamp (R-TN) joined Kind in sponsoring the PHIT Bill. ADVERTISEMENT The SGB Question The PHIT Act would change current federal tax law to allow for the deduction or use of pre-tax dollars to cover expenses related to sports, fitness and other physical activities. Americans could invest up to $2,000 annually to pay for physical activities by investing money in existing pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Medical Savings Accounts (MSA) and/or medical reimbursement arrangements. PHIT would only expand the expenses eligible for reimbursement to include physical activity costs as a form of prevention; PHIT would not increase contribution limits to these accounts. Once an individual or family spends 7.5% of their income on qualified medical expenses, they could deduct physical activity expenses directly.
“SGMA has been supporting this bill in recent years and we are delighted to see that Representative Ron Kind is leading the effort on this legislation,” said Bill Sells, SGMA VP of government relations. “For the consumer, it reduces expenses associated with exercise, fitness and sports participation through the use of funds in pre-tax accounts. By encouraging more physical activity via financial incentives, we will improve health, reduce medical costs and lower absenteeism at school and in the workplace. PHIT has the potential to make a big difference in people’s lives, the economy and health care spending.” “Regular physical activity is the best preventive medicine we can prescribe,” said Kind, a member of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. “This bill will give people the incentive they need to get active – to participate in that exercise class, join an intramural sports team, or sign up for a gym membership.”
With Kind, Blumenauer and Brady all serving on the tax-writing Ways & Means Committee, the prospects for PHIT are improved. Health care reform is a top priority in Washington and PHIT is consistent with reducing health costs – a primary objective of reform efforts.
One of the main reasons PHIT is getting attention on Capitol Hill is due to the Congressional support generated by physical activity advocates last month during SGMA’s National Health Through Fitness Day (NHTF). On NHTF Day, a delegation of well known athletes, sporting goods and fitness manufacturers, sports retailers, concerned citizens, physical educators and association leaders met with Members of the U.S. House and Senate to encourage passage of two legislative initiatives that will help Americans (of all ages) become more physically active and healthy. In addition to PHIT, the sports industry also promoted higher funding for quality physical education through the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP). PEP provides grants to school districts and community based organizations for innovative physical education and activity methods. Since 2001, PEP has provided close to $600 million for equipment purchases and P.E. training.
“Both pieces of legislation are important,” said Sells. “Basically, PEP provides support to school-age children while PHIT will provide financial incentives for all Americans to lead more active and healthy lives.”
RECALL: Under Amour Protective Cups SportsOneSource Media Posted: 4/29/2009 Under Armour, Inc., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission, has issued a recall for 211,00 protective athletic cups, which the company said can break if hit-thus posing an injurt threat to the wearer.
The company has received five reports of the cups breaking, including an injury that involved cuts and bruising. The recall involves all cups with that have the Under Armour logo, including adult, teen and youth sizes. The cups in question were sold individually and as part of a set with compression, slider or jock shorts. Consumers should immediately stop using the cup and contact Under Armour for a $20 voucher for use online or at any Under Armour specialty or outlet store.
BOULDER, Colo. — A bill that clarifies cyclists' rights and seeks to better protect them from aggressive drivers has been approved by the Colorado Legislature and is headed to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk for a final decision.
But Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle says the bill "goes too far" and warns that there could be trouble if Ritter gives the bill the go-ahead.
Senate Bill 148, also known as the Bicycle Safety Bill, would make major changes to how drivers and cyclists share the road. It passed both the state House and Senate on Monday, tallying final votes of 57-7 and 29-6, respectively.
Provisions of the bill would require drivers to give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing, allow vehicles to cross double-yellow lines to pass riders safely and allow cyclists to ride two abreast as long as they don't impede the normal flow of traffic.
But while bicycle advocates are celebrating the victory and anticipating a final approval by the governor, the Boulder County sheriff said Tuesday that the law would make cyclists virtually immune to prosecution.
"It will be very difficult or impossible to enforce anything against the cyclists," Pelle said.
He said language that allows cyclists to ride in the middle of mountain roads or two-abreast, for example, could lead to increased conflict between riders and drivers.
"There's really nothing now that requires them (cyclists) to yield or move over," Pelle said. "This bill gives them full access to the road."
On the county's open highways, he said, cyclists would not be required to use the special shoulders added specifically to separate riders from traffic.
"Under the old statutes, if a bicycle lane or bicycle path was provided, cyclists were required to use it -- and now they're not" if the bill passes, Pelle said. "Boulder County spent million to build bike lanes."
He said he hopes that most riders will continue to use the designated lanes as a matter of safety.
"There has to be accountability and common sense on both the drivers' and the cyclists' part," he said.
While cyclists should be given a three-foot-wide berth while passing, as the bill would require, the rest of the proposed law gives cyclists "carte blanche," he said.
The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, said Pelle's concerns are unfounded.
"You can ride two-abreast as long as you're not impeding the normal flow of traffic," Brophy said. "It goes to show we need to educate law-enforcement officers along the lines of what the cycling statues say and don't say."
Donald Cicchillo, president of the Boulder Cycling Club, said he thinks most riders will use common sense and not take advantage of the law.
"The reality is that it's safer to be over on the right in the bike lane," Cicchillo said. "I don't think it's going to cause people to be less courteous."
Dan Grunig, executive director of Bicycle Colorado, called the statehouse approval "a victory for everyone who wants safer roads in Colorado."
"It's been a long time coming," Grunig said. "It gives real clear guidance" about how drivers are to treat cyclists on the roads.
Grunig said the governor, himself an avid cyclist, is expected to sign off on the bill. If he does, the law would likely be signed during a June 7 ceremony and would go into effect Aug. 4.
A spokesperson for the governor's office did not return a phone call Tuesday.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Heath Urie about this story at (303) 473-1328 or urieh@dailycamera.com.
After a two-year hiatus, Litespeed's TT bike is back and looks sharper than ever. By Robbie Stout Posted Mar. 13, 2009 Article Extras
* Photos
Blade Re-Sharpened: The new Blade has super high-profile frame tubes. Blade Re-Sharpened: The new Blade has super high-profile frame tubes. Photo: Robbie Stout
Re-introduced in September 2008, after a two year hiatus, the Litespeed Blade is a bike with a storied history. The signature titanium airfoil tube shape was created by accident in the early 1990s and brought to widespread prominence when Lance Armstrong used one (disguised as a Trek) in the 1999 Tour de France. Ten years after that historic ride, Litespeed is wielding a totally new Blade, and we had a chance to check out one of the first bikes to leave the test lab. Sharpening the Blade
I drove to Moab, Utah, a month ago for a training camp with Chip Chilson of Aspen Sport Performance. The Litespeed Blade ridden by Chilson is the first to be released outside of the company. Litespeed engineer Brad DeVaney met Chilson a few years ago at an Interbike dinner and felt that he would be a good candidate to test the prototype Blade. Blade Re-Sharpened: The new Blade has downtube cable routing and an under-stay rear brake. Blade Re-Sharpened: The new Blade has downtube cable routing and an under-stay rear brake. Photo: Robbie Stout
Though the geometry on Chilson's Blade is custom, it gave DeVaney a chance to test the capabilities of the manufacturing process. "We're also creating tools and fixtures to build the bike while we build the bike," said DeVaney. The process used to create the dramatic titanium tube shapes requires innovative methods and tools that didn't exist until the design of the Blade was created. Advertisement
More than ever, the storied Litespeed time trial bike lives up to its name. This new Blade has drastically flatter tubes that taper off into a sharp edge. Using 3/2.5 titanium, a more malleable alloy branded “T1,” Litespeed is able to achieve the ultra-narrow tube profiles for the Blade. A front view of the Blade shows the efforts that were made — the frame has a broad side profile and minimal frontal area. The seat tube similarly takes an extreme approach to aerodynamics and to match the effort, Litespeed created a bladed seatpost. Finally, the top tube is triangle-shaped, flat on top and pointed on the bottom, providing added lateral stiffness with minimal side and frontal exposure. Blade Re-Sharpened: The downtube is left open at the bottom. Blade Re-Sharpened: The downtube is left open at the bottom. Photo: Robbie Stout
The wing-like downtube also functions as a conduit for internal routing of the rear brake and derailleur cables. Cables enter near the headtube and exit the open-ended downtube at the bottom bracket junction. As on a growing number of time trial bikes, the rear brake is mounted to the chainstay bridge for maximum aerodynamics.
To complete the package, Litespeed designed a matching titanium aero fork. As a gesture to the stealthy aesthetics of the frame, the logo is printed in black and placed on the inside of the fork, keeping the visible side uncluttered. Blade Re-Sharpened: The bike is almost two-dimensional. Blade Re-Sharpened: The bike is almost two-dimensional. Photo: Robbie Stout
Component Highlights of Chilson's bike:
* Wheels: ZIPP 1080 Tubular Rear and 808 Front * Handlebar: Zipp VukaAero * Stem: Look Ergostem * Drivetrain: Wireless SRM FSA K-Force Light with ceramic bearings * Saddle: ISM Adamo Racing
A slice through time: the history of the Blade
In this era of carbon fiber, a material permitting almost any frame shape imaginable, a titanium time trial bike radically bucks the trend. But the Blade has a legendary history that lends credibility to this latest iteration.
In 1992, DeVaney was shaping a large titanium tube that was meant for a tandem. Just as he had it heated and under pressure from the press, the tube cracked. "Once a tube is cracked, it's garbage," recalled DeVaney, "Therefore in my frustration, anger, embarrassment, I completely squished the cracked tube as I bottomed the press faces together." At that moment a second crack and pop were heard. When the press was raised, to DeVaney's surprise, there lay two perfectly symmetrical, slightly ovalized halves of a tube. "I was off the hook by having mistakenly formed the first Blade tube halves," he said, "I dressed the edges and had the two parts welded into a tube immediately." Blade Re-Sharpened: Notice the shape of the top tube and the narrow profile. Blade Re-Sharpened: Notice the shape of the top tube and the narrow profile. Photo: Robbie Stout
After the initial discovery, Litespeed developed a more consistent, cost-effective process of manufacturing tubes for the Blade. After four years of research and development the Blade was first brought to production in 1995, said Litespeed's Chris Brown.
DeVaney then worked with Steve Hegg and Lance Armstrong in 1996 on building the best available time trial bike. Hegg won his third elite U.S. national time trial championship and Armstrong won the final time trial (and overall) at the Tour DuPont in 1996 on a Blade. Blade Re-Sharpened: That's no Trek under that paint. Blade Re-Sharpened: That's no Trek under that paint. Photo: Graham Watson
In 1998, Armstrong called DeVaney seeking a UCI-legal time trial bike for the 1999 Tour de France. He went on to race the prologue and time trial on a Blade, painted blue with Trek decals.
Not only did Armstrong famously ride a Blade, the RLX Polo Sport triathlon team used the Blade in 2002 and 2003, as did the Lotto-Adecco team at the 2002 Tour de France. Carving a new niche
Now after 14 years and 12 generations of the Blade, Litespeed has once again designed a time trial bike unlike any other on the market.
Even though Chilson’s frame is a prototype, the design is virtually complete. “It’s down to aesthetics,” says DeVaney, “When a bike is at that segment of the market you just don’t make any compromises.” By “aesthetics,” he means the slightest details of joints and welds, not so much the shape of the main tubes.
Due in part to the high price tag of the new Blade, upwards of $10,000, DeVaney expects that a good percentage of these bikes will be made with custom geometry — Litespeed has the capacity to make every Blade fit like a glove.
I sure am glad I'm not doing this workout tonight with the boys. This is the exact email I sent them:
Hope you are psyched cuz tonight's gonna be off da hook.
Everyone's zones increased based on the files I received from last week, including the power profile test if you sent me one.
There is one caveat in that if you are feeling tired, we will modify (especially in Orion's case).
However, tonight's workout is going to challenge you to the next level...meaning, remember the flow we spoke about last week where the first workout was kind of an opener but was perhaps too conservative, the second one was tough and the last one felt easier. Well, my bet is that this one will be tough again.
So gear up mentally because I'm sure physically you've already done all the right stuff.
Now, don't get hung up on the primary digits of your zones. Just round up or down as appropriate (example: Mike's will target 355 or 360 watts for the first 5min workout, Orion 420, Stan 350 and so on).
We are 3 weeks into our HyperPower Protocol and everyone is doing great. Some are feeling a bit fatigued and others are thriving under the workload.
Last week's session was a fun one in that our guest coach, Hunter Allen, added an element of support and inspiration to help us through the grueling 3rd week workout.
I don't know if it was Hunter's presence, the added fitness or perhaps a little bit of both, but all four athletes commented that last week's workout felt easier than the previous week's protocol (number 2). Since I did not reduce the workload nor their target power zones, it must be the combination of gained fitness and Hunter's presence that added that extra OOMPH the boys needed.
Last week ended with a scheduling of the second Power Profile Test, which the athletes performed before our very first session to establish a baseline of their fitness. This very same test will be performed again at the end of the HPP to measure the fitness gained during this 6-week protocol. Take a peak at the PPT and see what entails this test.
Only two of the four athletes had the opportunity to perform this test and their results are posted on the published spreadsheet we use through Google. Take a look at each athlete's numbers by clicking on their name in the tabs on the bottom of the spreadsheet.
One athlete, Orion Berryman, participated in what turned out to be an epic road race with regards to the conditions: snow, wind and cold hammered the racers at this year's Boulevard Road Race in San Diego East County.
Orion did well just to hang in there with the conditions, let alone taking 26th in the Pro 1-2 race, a race in which 2/3 of the field dropped out. From a coaching perspective, Orion is sure to pay for that race for a few days and so I will modify his Wednesday training with either lower power zone targets or have him do only 1/2 the number of intervals by taking twice the rest.
A quick look at Orion's performance management chart reveals several interesting things.
1. His Chronic Training Load (CTL) is heading in the right direction. CTL has long-term effects and measures the accumulation of long-term training. Is Orion training effectively to peak at a later date? The answer is YES. The trick is to make sure CTL doesn't rise too aggressively and that he backs off in time to peak for his season's top event(s).
2. His Acute Training Load (ATL) shows a more erratic pattern but this is to be expected as athletes mix high-intensity days of training with easy recovery days during the week. What is important to note is the deep trough before the sudden peak towards the right side of the graph. This says that Orion took it easy the day before Boulevard and that it was a hard race for him. The astute observer will notice that the ATL for the Boulevard race is not as high as the first HPP session or the few workouts after that. The answer is that while the first HPP was certainly hard, because of missing data prior to the first HPP the algorithms used to measure ATL and CTL will measure the physiological impact of the first workout against no workouts. In other words, the software assume Orion suddenly put away his potato chips, wiped his hands on his T-shirt and jumped on his bike to do a massive workout. And, we know that while he may have wiped his hands on his T-shirt, Orion is certainly favors spicy tortilla chips to potato chips.
3. Because of the longer interval requirements associated with a road race, I would expect to see power numbers for longer than 5min intervals to head up. And, we certainly see this happen in 5, 10 and 15min power graphs. And we see a drop in all the less than 5min power zones, including 2min, 1min and 15sec power...the same 15sec power that we have been hammering on during the HPP. Oh, Orion...how could you? Nah! This to be expected because in reality, we don't expect to see too many all out 15sec bursts and the road race, especially Boulevard, is mostly about sustained effort. So, in a sense, one could say that Orion was perhaps not doing the right kind of training for Boulevard, which is okay because it is very tough to train effectively for that race the first year out. I my opinion, it takes one year to learn the course and one year to train for it effectively.
4. Last, and perhaps most importantly, Orion's Training Stress Balance (TSB) is headed in the right direction, up, which indicates that there is a high probability that he would have had good legs for the race last weekend. TSB, oversimplified, is a measure of how good you can expect to feel for a particular ride, whether it is training or racing. TSB is a function of work and recovery, the two "duh" variables needed to gain performance in athletics. A positive TSB number means there is a greater chance of the athletes being ready for a good performance. A negative TSB means the opposite.
Per the previous post, I would like to remind you that a thorough analysis of our week-day sessions is perhaps not as advantageous as the analysis of the three Power Profile Tests (PPT) that the athletes perform before we start the HyperPower Protocol (HPP) to establish a baseline of their fitness, at the half-way point to determine how they are reacting to the HPP and at the end of the protocol to determine fitness gains from this 6-week program.
By keeping the PPT the same, we can use performance in it to determine the effectiveness of the HPP for this sample of athletes. By keeping it the same, I mean to try and duplicate as much of the physiological and environment variables present during the times they performed the first PPT....within reason. Having said all of this, in this post I will walk through some of the basic things I do when I look at a power file from a HPP session. Some of these were covered in a previous post and you should refer to it for reference. And CyclingPeaks does a fine job of introducing you to the basic elements of power-file analysis here.
For this post, I will look at Mike Ash's file from our second HPP session on Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at B&L Bike and Sport in Solana Beach.
After bringing up Mike's file for the session, the first thing I do is to look at the Summary of the workout either in the journal or graph view of Mike's file.
I am interested in a few numbers from this data by doing down the list:
1. The duration of the workout is useful, adding further context into how hard this ride was for Mike when combined with the other data such as energy expenditure (presented in KJs of work) and the Training Stress Score (TSS) and Intensity Factors. I invite you to visit CyclinePeaks to learn more about what goes into and how TSS, IF and Normalized Power are calculated and why they are useful and more about TSS and IF below. But for now, I just want to see how long Mike rode, in this case 90 minutes total time.
2. Next is the measure of the real work Mike performed during this ride. I say real work because a power meter measures actual force applied to propelling a rider forward, which is one of its advantages over other meters such as heart rate monitors that measure physiological changes, in this case to your heart and other body parts attached to it: where a heart rate monitor measures changes to your heart and power meter also measures how much work you are doing to move forward. With a heart rate monitor you can fool your coach if you, for example, ride at 10mph and hold your breath so that your HR goes up. With a power meter, no such luck! We, coaches, love power meters!!! In Mike's case, we can say (for simplicity sake) that he performed a 827kj ride.
For more advanced riders, I often prescribe a work ride followed by specific intervals once that work has been performed. Such as: go on a long group ride to burn 3,000kj then do 3X10min intervals at 90% of your LT with 10min recovery in between. For Mike, averaging his number to about 415kj/hr, we can determine that overall this ride appears to be moderately paced. In other words, if the analysis were to stop right here (90min ride and 827kj of work), I would think Mike was out on a moderately paced endurance ride with his friends talking pretty much the entire time. However, the analysis is not yet done and we press on.
3. Next are the TSS and IF scores briefly mentioned in #1 above. If you want to geek about TSS, IF, Performance Management and more, feel free to visit this document written by Andy Coggan, Ph.D. But for the rest of us, to put it briefly, TSS represents a calculated number that takes into account the duration and intensity of a workout to arrive at one, single score of the overall training load and physiological stress created by that session. For example, a TSS score of 100 with an IF of 1.0, correlates with one hour of effort at your lactate threshold, or a one hour honest-effort Time Trial!
This is where it starts to get interesting. For Mike, a TSS score of about 130 and IF of 0.93 means that he was not putting around and that he actually did some good work during this workout. This TSS score means that he may feel some residue fatigue in his legs the day after, which is valuable information in planning the rest of his rides for the week and the IF score tells me that he kept the effort level honest. Now I want to discern the quality of work that Mike has actually done and to answer this question I refer to the rest of the numbers.
4. I look at Mike’s Normalized Power next and just make a note of it, again in context with the other numbers. His normalized power of 215 watts for this ride is close to the Functional Threshold Power that we assumed for Mike, 250 watts, even though we know from prior lab work that his true Lactate Threshold is somewhere around 300 depending on the season. We purposefully underestimated FTP numbers for all athletes for the first few weeks so that we would get to know one another better and give them the opportunity to ease into the HPP. Okay, so with this number I now know that Mike for sure did not putt around during this workout and that perhaps he performed intense bouts of work followed by intense bouts of recovery, which is right in line with one of the primary goals of HPP: lots of short burst intensity and recovery.
5. I also look at the total distance. In this case, Mike covered the equivalent of 20 miles in about two hours. This is an honest ride on the road, especially given all the easy recovery spinning we did! Good to know…again, in context with the other data.
6. Last, I also look at average, min and max numbers for power and heart rate, although I do not give too much weight to these numbers because there is a ceiling to the max power Mike puts out under the controlled intervals of the HPP. I also look at his heart rate briefly to gauge what the physiological cost on his body was like during the workout…a higher than normal HR means that he was really working and that perhaps he was tired or fighting something. This is why it is a good idea to know and track your morning heart rate frequently…a significant swing up could mean you are fighting something and should adjust your training accordingly. In Mike’s case, I am interested in the max watts number in relation to the normalized and average power. The greater this gap, the better I like it in regards to the HPP. If his were an actual road ride or race, his max power would be a lot higher…and I know this because I have seen him hit and hold 1500-1700 watts consistently during hard rides and races. Power and heart rate numbers are within norm and so we move on.
With all of these numbers noted and properly stored in my brain, I now turn to the graph. Again, you may want to refer to the previous blog post in which I analyzed Stan’s file.
I toggle the view the entire graph, smooth it to 10% and draw a horizontal power line across Mike's approximate FTP at about 250 watts: this line will help me visually determine how many times Mike went over his estimated zone. You may also want to toggle some of the other numbers such as speed and cadence to view a cleaner graph.
I then go back to the Stacked Graph view to dissect Mike's ride more closely, following the graphs as I remember the workout.
One of the most valuable variables in a coaching-athlete relationship is the knowledge coaches gain of their athletes through time. I have worked with Mike for a number of years now and know, pretty much, what type of athlete he is. I know, for example, that Mike is an enthusiastic, energetic guy and likes to push himself and to go above what is prescribed for him. Normally, in training, this can be advantageous...unless it backfires. And, in this session, Mike's enthusiastic and energetic to make the most of his workout backfired on him. In addition to coming to the workout a bit tired, Mike pushed himself way above his prescribed numbers as evident in this graph. The circles areas are times when Mike pushed himself, perhaps not to his limit, but enough that he paid for it later on in the workout: notice the absence of consistency in the final set of intervals, especially around an hour and 15 minutes. The highlighted section is the longest interval during the workout: 25 minutes at 150% of his FTP.
Well, believe it or not that is it! Coaching is about utilizing tools and science to combine with quite a bit of art and experience to formulate a program that will help an athlete achieve his/her goals with the least amount of effort and quickest possible time.
Having knowledge of Mike's abilities combined with this data I know that physiologically he will be a bit fatigued for the next couple of days. I also know that Mike is a bit stressed at work and that perhaps the stress will interfere with his recovery. I also know Mike to be resilient and know he will keep at it until things turn around. My coaching suggestions for Mike of the coming days are to: 1. Keep your rides relatively short and at no harder than endurance level. 2. Learn from last Wednesday's physiological tax and come to the next workout with a plan to avoid the mistakes of the previous session. 3. Learning from these mistakes will keep him from beating himself up mentally. 4. Mike spends the weekends with his family and does not get the opportunity to ride. Get in a couple of 90-120min rides over the coming two days, perhaps ride to and from work, to enjoy your weekend with your family.
I wish you success with your training and thanks for following our HyperPower Protocol.
In effect! Showing of a few really good sport oriented movies, ending with the feature presenation of the classic cycling move, Breaking Away. Goin on now...today...at the La Paloma in Encinitas.
I kept their target power zones on the conservative side for this first workout but it was still challenging for them and they did well to adapt to the unknown. They have all sent me their power files and I have completed some high-level analysis using CyclingPeaks Software.I used Stan’s file as an example to show how I go about analyzing a power file in the last post.I will continue to rotate through each athlete by rotating through their files for all future posts.You can see Stan’s analysis at this link: http://raceplan.ning.com/profiles/blogs/some-initial-analysis-of
Based on the feedback I have received so far, I feel the need to say something about the value of analysis of these session power files.Here is the story, told as clearly as I can.The real value of analysis in power files for the HPP comes from not the Wednesday interval workout, but from the Power Profile Test (PPT) benchmark workouts that each athlete will perform before we start training, at the halfway point and again at the end of the protocol in six weeks.
1.The baseline: The PPT will establish the baseline of fitness: how fit is the athlete right now using a series of challenging intervals.
2.The halfway marker: The PPT is performed again at the halfway point to gauge how the athlete is responding.The main question I will look to answer is whether each athlete’s power zones are on target, too high or too low, and by how much?
3.The final goal: The PPT is once again completed at the end of the protocol to help measure gains made from before we embarked on the protocol as well as at the halfway point.
For the second workout, since I started each athlete conservatively, we can afford to increase their target power zones by between 15-20 percent!
Our second Wednesday workout will consist of the following:
·Warm up: 10min general spin
·Openers:
o2min all out, 2min recovery
o3X 30sec all out, 30 sec recovery
o2min spin
o3X 1min @ LT, 1min recovery
o5min spin
·Main set #1: 5min worth of 15sec on/off @ 150% LT
·Rest
·Main set #2: 25min worth of 15sec on/off @ 100%-125% LT
·Rest
·Main set #3: 7.5min worth of 15sec on/off at 200% LT
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