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News
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Jul 18, 2017
The cholesterol and calorie hypothesis are both dead – it is time to focus on the real culprit: insulin resistance
Read more →My interest was piqued when I read the title of the column, The cholesterol and calorie hypothesis are both dead – it is time to focus on the real culprit: insulin resistance, published by a pharmaceutical journal. I thought, “Great, more advice to pop pills and ignore lifestyle changes.” I was wrong. The column is an opinion-insight piece. There are a few key points from the column that are worth summarizing here: We often assume all obese people have, or will have, diabetes and that all diabetics are obese. Obesity and diabetes often correlate, but they are not always present...
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Jul 18, 2017
What is crash training? How can you use it to your advantage?
Read more →(Click on image to enlarge.) Crash training is a term that I believe has cycling roots, though I can’t trace the origin. I prefer the phrase “big-block training,” but crash training is more common. Traditionally, a big-block training week is one that is high volume, relative to the athlete’s current training schedule. Training is some 50- to 100-percent above the athlete’s normal weekly volume. Often, cycling teams will have a spring training camp to focus on riding, team building exercises (formal and informal), distribute new kits and begin to plan strategy for the season. Cycling teams intend for this big-volume...
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Jul 13, 2017
Research on the best time of day to workout and get the most bang for my buck
Read more →Q: Hey Gale – Do you know of much research out there regarding exercise and "time of day".... for instance: like is a 6-mile, 1-hour run at *5am* the equivalent benefit to the same run done at *5pm* - assuming all other variables are the same? Just wondering if you had any insight on the topic. With limited time in my day I'm always curious about what can give me the best 'bang for my buck'! – TM A: Hey TM, I am not aware of any studies that say one time of day is "best" for fitness gains. For many, morning is good because after work it is often hot...
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Jul 03, 2017
In order to safely (and legally) pass a cyclist, a Ford F150 truck MUST cross the centerline
Read more →Over the past week, several of us cycled some of the best spots in Colorado. For the most part, motorists were generous, passing us with well over 3-feet of clearance. It wasn’t until the last day, about 2 miles east of Georgetown, that a Ford F150 black pick-up truck passed us too close. I’m pretty sure the person intentionally buzzed us while we rode along the frontage road. This particular road has a limited shoulder, probably around 12 inches. Ron Kennedy happened to be running video of the incident and the fisheye lens on his camera seemed to make it...
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Jun 23, 2017
Don’t Get Fooled Again #6 – Whole wheat bread is healthier than white bread
Read more →This is our sixth installment in the Don’t Get Fooled Again series. Today, it’s bread. Here is the statement: Whole wheat bread is healthier than white bread. (True or False?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are like me, my knee-jerk answer would be “True!” After all, that’s what we’ve been told. The foundation of “healthier” was that whole wheat bread contains more fiber and has a lower glycemic index (doesn’t raise insulin as much or as fast) than white bread. In fact, white bread is one of the baseline foods to measure how much any particular food raises insulin. But…not so fast…...
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Jun 20, 2017
Don’t Get Fooled Again #5 – Athletes on a high-carb diet don’t produce ketones.
Read more →This is our fifth installment in the Don’t Get Fooled Again series. Thanks so much for the participation and discussion! I’ve had several messages letting me know the series has been fun/good. For today, it’s ketones. One of the benefits of a low-carb, high-fat diet is the production of ketones. The body can use ketones as a supply of energy, rather than relying on using so much glucose. Here is the statement: Endurance athletes following a high-carb, low-fat diet do not produce ketones. (True or False?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alan Schenkel nailed this one in the Facebook group discussion. False. Ketones are...
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Jun 16, 2017
Don’t Get Fooled Again – Vegetables are not carbohydrates.
Read more →The fourth installment in the Don’t Get Fooled Again series is a two-part statement. So you need a true or false about each statement: Vegetables are not carbohydrates. (True or False?) Bread is a carbohydrate. (True or False?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Vegetables are not carbohydrates. (True) Bread is a carbohydrate. (False) A vegetable is a plant or some part of a plant. Bread is a processed product made from grains and other ingredients. That process can be done at home or by a big manufacturer. All vegetables contain carbohydrates (carbs), because carbs are produced during the photosynthesis, or the...
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Jun 14, 2017
Best 70.3 Triathlon Training Plan, Thanks!
Read more →Hi Gale, I followed your plan as best I could for a dad of two with a tough travel schedule. I would say 80% on plan, 20% trying my best. I raced Eagleman 70.3 this weekend and finished in a respectable 5:32. I was 42nd in the 45 to 49 age group. Not bad for my first half-Ironman and second triathlon ever! My next goal is a few Olympic distance events and a sprint or two. I’m contemplating a fall 70.3. Great plan! I highly recommend it to anyone who asks. Phil Whittaker ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Phil, First -...
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Jun 13, 2017
Don’t Get Fooled Again – It is legal to use Dr. when you are not a medical doctor?
Read more →The third installment in the Don’t Get Fooled Again series is a statement about the use of the abbreviation “Dr.”: When giving advice to endurance athletes, it is legal to use the abbreviation “Dr.” before your name even when you do not have a degree that would allow you to practice as a doctor in medicine. (True or False?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ True. “Doctor” is an academic title for a person who has obtained a research doctorate or PhD degree. The ethical and accepted use of “Dr.” preceding (Name) varies depending on the country. In the USA, some states protect the...
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Jun 09, 2017
Don’t Get Fooled Again – Can the brain only use glucose?
Read more →In this second installment of the Don’t Get Fooled Again series is a statement about the brain. A statement made recently in a column written for long-distance endurance athletes: The brain is completely dependent (100%) on sugar as its main fuel. (True or False?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ False. The brain can also use ketones. In fact, as much as 70% of the brain’s energy needs can be supplied by ketones. Research has shown that ketone energy supplied to the brain is more efficient than glucose. Ketogenesis, or the production of ketones by the body, occurs in a few different scenarios. Ketones...