LOGISTICS: the GFT is logistically quite simple.  It’s less than 2h from Gainesville, which means I only need a one night hotel stay.  That, in addition to the race being a non-Ironman ™ branded race, means I’m saving a lot of money over the cost of an Ironman ™ ™ branded race.  I’ll drive down the afternoon before the race, check in, drop off my bike and gear, go eat and go to sleep.  Nice!

Weather is looking okay.  Forecast is predicting low temps around 62 and highs around 84.  The bike should be mostly pleasant and the run will probably be hot enough to present a challenge.  I’m reasonably heat acclimated and I have the necessary heat gear, so I’m not going to lose any sleep over the weather.

SWIM: the swim is a beach start, two lap (exiting the water in between laps) affair in Lake Minneola.  No alligators, hopefully.  Water temp will be around 73-75 degrees, which is perfect for a wetsuit swim.  At a cruising effort, the swim should take me about 1:20.  Even though I haven’t been swimming a lot, I’m not too concerned about the swim.  It’s just the relaxing start to a long day!

Aside: USA Triathlon recently lowered the wetsuit temperature threshold from 78 degrees F to 24 degrees C (76.1 F).  In my opinion, this is an excellent decision.  The vast majority of triathletes can keep warm in 76-78 degree water temperatures; this decision eliminates the “crutch” that the wetsuit is at those temperatures.  By doing this, USAT is making a statement toward the integrity of the sport which I wholeheartedly support.

BIKE: I’m going to be a slave to my PowerTap the whole way on the moderately hilly course.  Shooting for 135 watts of average power, 1.1 VI and about 310 TSS.  Cruising at 140 watts on the flats and capping climbing watts at 225 (just above threshold).  Cadence will be between 82-87 most of the way and HR should be in the Z1/Z2 zones most of the day.

Gear includes 50/34 cranks and a 11-28 cassette–plenty of low options for the short, steep rollers.  I’m also running an aero helmet, a 58mm front wheel and a disc cover on my PT rear for maximum speed.  Race tires and latex tubes, with plenty of flat repair options.

I’m looking at around 6.5 hours for the 112 mile course, depending on the weather, the stops I make and the extent of the hills (there are portions of the course I have not ridden before).

RUN: out of the gate, I’m going to use a run/walk strategy.  I’m going to walk the first minute of each mile, as well as every aid station.  No exceptions until I get through 20 miles.  My long runs have been inconsistent, so I am not confident I’d be able to run 26 miles continuously off the bike.

The run/walk serves two purposes: (1) to keep my core temperature under control, and (2) to keep my legs fresh for when I hit the wall in the second half of the marathon.

Running will be at my E(asy) pace.  In normal temperature conditions, that’s around 8:50, but when it gets warm, I slow down.  I plan on observing HR, RPE and pace and making a judgment call as to exactly what pace I choose.

I’ll switch into a DeSoto SkinCooler long-sleeve top for the run.  This is a garment I’ve used successfully in training–when dry, it encourages quick evaporation of sweat (which keeps you cool), and when wet, it feels awesome on the skin.  I really like this top in hot conditions.

I would be very happy to end up with 10 minute mile average pace (4:25 time).  However, predicting one’s Ironman run time is often an exercise in futility, especially when it’s hot, so we shall see.

NUTRITION: nice big dinner the night before, with extra salt.  Normal pre-race meal, with some extra salt.  I’m going to skip the caffeine at the start to ensure a calm demeanor during the swim.  Once I get settled on the bike, I’ll get started with my race nutrition–350-400 cals/hour of Infinit custom mix, with 500-1,200mg of salt per hour as needed and as the temperature rises.  No-doz pills every 3-4 hours once I get 3-4 hours into the race.

On the run, it’s lots of salt (probably 1,200-1,500mg/hour, depending on heat), plus the on-course nutrition (gels, Gatorade and salty snacks).

I’m also putting TBD delicious treats in all of my special needs bags.

The 1.2 mile swim was in the 87 degree Lake Minneola.  Blech.  Reports indicate that the swim was slightly long, but I actually had a pretty good swim, at 41 minutes and change.  Turns out I was fastest in my age group??  LOL!!?  Not bad for literally *no* swim training leading up to the race!

The 56 (turns out it was closer to 60) mile bike was on country roads around Clermont, with lots of rolling hills and an ascent of Sugarloaf Mountain, which isn’t really a mountain, just a 2 minute hill at around 12% grade.  I ran a 34/26 lowest gear, which was fine, but for the GFT I’ll run a 34/28 for a bit extra spinnage.  My goal was to average around 155 watts, to have a normalized power of 165-170 watts (giving me an intensity factor of 0.8-0.82), and cap my wattage at 250 on the rollers.

I started off smooth–letting the dickswingers push their 500 watts over the rollers while I capped my efforts.  I caught many of them on the downhills and flats anyway.  Miles 15-30 were filled with cramping (probably due to slamming too much nutrition after the swim), but a brief stop at an aid station stocked with ice cold water helped ease the pain.

Sadly, my race came to an abrupt end at mile 45 with a flat tire.  I tried to use Vittoria Pit Stop to plug the leak, but the hole was too big to seal.  The Pit Stop was all I was carrying, so my day was done.  I didn’t even make it to T2 before calling Lana to pick me up!

I was pissed at myself for not carrying more flat repair stuff, and also pissed because I was feeling quite fit heading into the race.  I really wanted to demonstrate I could race long course well in the heat!

So, I did what any ridiculous triathlete looking to use up some fitness would do–I took the following Tuesday off work to try the race again.  I would do my own Half Ironman, self-supported, at race pace, on the roads around Gainesville!

The plan was this: swim 2150 yards in my 25 yard apartment complex pool, and bike/run 56/13.1 on some of my bread-and-butter routes around town.  Self-supported, including all stops and doing the transitions as quickly as I could.

I started at around 6am on Tuesday.  I did the 2150 yard swim in 40’16″ with no problems.

T1 was awkward.  I got my bike stuff ready, and then realized that there wasn’t enough light for me to start riding!  So I checked my email for 15 minutes until it was safe to ride.  Oops.

My plan for the bike was to just nail it at 160 watts (just under 80% of FTP) the whole way.  The route I selected was flat.  I chose a regular cycling jersey, regular helmet and training wheels.  I carried four bottles, which is enough for me for a 3 hour ride in slightly warm temps.

I felt *very* good on the bike.  I felt strong and powerful in my newly-modified aero position.  The first two hours were quite comfortable, and the last hour was manageable.  I took periodic standing breaks and was able to hold my desired watts and cadence (87-88rpm) the whole way.  The only mistake I made was using the same 11-26 cassette I used on Sunday (normally I choose a 12-23 for the Gainseville flats)!

Ended up averaging 162 watts (166 NP) with a VI of 1.02 (can you say FLAT roads), IF of 0.79, TSS of 198 and no decoupling.  Spot on for a half Ironman bike effort.  2:55 + 1′ worth of traffic stops.  I got off the bike ready to run.

My plan for the run was to minimize carnage.  I had intentionally chosen a route that was exposed to the sun for most of the way.  Two laps of a 3.3 mile out-and-back.  The temperatures were rising steadily throughout the run, and I knew that fatigue + rising temps could mean trouble if I wasn’t careful.  I started off running 8:45 pace, which, in cooler conditions is actually my “easy” pace.  I wore a long-sleeved skin-cooler top, and carried a water bottle the whole way (refilling every two miles or so), which I used for drinking and dumping on myself.

I held this pace for 10 miles or so, then the fatigue and rising temps started to catch up with me.  My quads started to hurt and my water breaks got longer.  My last 3 miles were slower (9:30 pace), but I was able to keep running.  1:57 without the water breaks, 2:06 with the water breaks.

So, around 5:40 of s/b/r time, not including the two transitions.  Not bad, considering the heat!

Some notes:

• I am happy with where my nutritional strategy is right now. With the exception of the cramping early in the Clermont race (which was a silly mistake on my part), I took in enough calories and salt to support my races.  During the self-supported race, I estimate I consumed over 7,000mg of salt in the form of approximately 32xSaltstick tablets (2 every 20′ on the bike, 1 every mile on the run), plus the salt in my Infinit mix and a bit from some Gatorade on the run.  Calorie-wise, I consumed about 1,300 calories of Infinit and 200 Gatorade calories, almost all on the bike.  These numbers seem to work for me in the heat!
• My clothing choices were satisfactory as well. During Ironman, I’m going to wear a (tight-fitting) bike jersey so I can carry additional nutrition + water.  I may choose to use arm coolers, depending on how hot it gets–they’ve worked for me in the past.  I will almost definitely choose an aero helmet–my LG rocket has vents in which I can pour water.  The long-sleeved skin cooler top on the run is a no-brainer for me.
• My swimming is actually OK, considering I have done almost ZERO swim training this summer.  The ROI for my long-course swimming doesn’t seem to be that great for me, so I’m not going to worry about it too much.  Perhaps a few longer swims before race day, and that’s it.
• I need a better flat tire strategy for GFT. Pit Stop is not enough.  Right now, my race wheels are a tubular front and a clincher rear, which is not ideal.  I need to either (a) carry full flat solutions for both wheels (which is cumbersome), or (b) find a clincher front wheel.  If anyone has a deep-section (preferably 80mm or deeper) clincher front wheel they want to lend me for GFT, I am all ears!
• I am concerned about the leg pain I experienced on the run. This is the same leg pain I experienced at Ironman Wisconsin.  In both cases, I was fit enough to run faster but I could not do so mechanically.  Perhaps I should consider a run-walk strategy at GFT to give my legs a regular break from the pounding.  Or maybe compression tights?  Yikes.

• Equipment: most likely no wetsuit.  Bike is in full race setup, including deep front and disc cover.  Gearing is 50/34 front, 11-26 rear.  No reason to go with big gears and plenty of reason to have lots of low gears!  Pro-tip: If T1 and T2 are in the same place, run the deepest wheelset you can.  Science supports this.  Also, few triathletes are well suited to standard gearing.  Switch to compact and you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
• Clothing: gonna wear my Kiwami Amphibian speedsuit for the whole thing.  It’s great on the swim, comfy on the bike and I can stuff ice in it on the run.  I really enjoy racing in this suit!  Pro-tip: wear tight clothing during a race.  You’ll look silly, but so will everyone else.  And you’ll go much faster if you ditch that flappy jersey!
• Pacing: It’s going to be hot and hilly.  So, I’m going to have to treat this race more like an Ironman.  That means cruising the swim and holding back on the bike.  Looking to do the swim at about an IF of 0.8, 80% of FTP avg power on the bike, and see what conditions are like on the run.  Pro-tip: hot conditions obviously affect the run significantly, but the bike leg is also affected more than one often realizes.  Hold back on the bike in hot weather, and drink a lot more than you would otherwise.
• Nutrition: going to have to take in much more salt and water than a race in more typical conditions.  On the bike, I’m shooting for about 1,500mg of salt (mostly from 6 Saltstick tabs), 40oz of water and 350cals (mostly from Infinit) per hour.  I may not be fast, but I’m fortunately able to stomach lots of nutrition without bloating.  On the run, I’ll keep up the salt intake, drink as much as I can and go for a few gels per hour.  Pro-tip: if you’re not peeing during a race (especially on the bike), you may want to consider drinking more.  And get enough salt!  Gatorade alone does not provide enough salt for activities lasting more than about two hours.

Now, there appears to be a study that supports this notion of drinking more water to lose weight.  I am trying to find the text to the study itself, but I’m not having any luck.  In the mean time, here are some articles describing the study.

It seems to have a reliable methodology.  All subjects were instructed to restrict their caloric intake, while the test group drank 0.5L of water before each meal and the control did not receive any special drinking instructions.

The only flaw I can detect is the relatively small sample size.  Additionally, the particular samples chosen for this study (55-75 year olds who are not physically active) causes this study to be slightly less relevant for triathletes and other endurance sport athletes, as well as younger people.

However, it’s nice to get scientific confirmation for a “hunch” that many of us have had for a while–drinking lots of water can help you lose weight!

Here’s a general guide as to which sources you can probably trust, and which sources you should take with a grain of salt.  The least trustworthy sources are at the top (with higher numbers), and the most trustworthy are at the bottom.

10.  Product reviews from a website that is also selling the product. Obviously they want to frame the product in a positive light so more people will buy it.  Get your information elsewhere.

9.  A triathlon magazine. Even if the advice is from a columnist, magazines are in the business of making money as well.  It’s rare that you see a negative product review in a triathlon magazine.

8.  A source that claims it’s a scientific “study,” without providing a link to the study, a description of the study protocols or any other documentation about the study. It’s easy to manipulate data to “prove” something about a product, especially if they don’t provide any information about how the study was created.  Look for documentation before buying into any claims of “scientific improvement,” and beware of the placebo effect!

7.  Internet forums. Many knowledgeable people frequent the popular triathlon internet forums.  Many MORE idiots post on the same forums, offering misinformation, personal anecdotes and trolling that is not at all helpful.  If you’re looking for information on internet forums, be ready to identify and wade through huge steaming piles of bullshit to get accurate information.

6.  Testimony from a famous superstar athlete. This athlete may be getting paid to say what s/he’s saying.  Besides, how relevant are the training habits of a pro triathlete (who can run 6 minute miles in his sleep) to you (who ran a 6 minute mile once, like 17 years ago in college)?

5.  Traditional wisdom in the sport. Though certain fundamentals have withstood the test of time, as our knowledge of sports science improves, others are not.  Take anything to which the “traditional” or “fundamental” label is applied with a grain of salt.

4.  Your training partners. The plural of anecdote is not data.  Though they may have some relevant information on local training, race strategy and where best to pick up the hot runner babes, their knowledge of triathlon is necessarily incomplete.  Take heed of their advice, but don’t act on their advice alone.

3 (T).  Your personal experience. In the end, you do know your body best.  You’re learning more every day about the types of stress you can apply in training, what equipment choices work best for you, what foods you respond to, and more.  However, still keep an open mind–you may find out you’ve been doing something wrong all along, or a new scientific development may come along and suggest a change of habit.

3 (T).  Your coach. Depending on your coach’s knowledge and the intimacy of the relationship you have with him or her, you may consider this a better or worse source than your personal experience.  So I’ll call it a tie.  A knowledgeable coach not only knows what you best respond to, but is also on top of the latest scientific developments in the sport.  S/he is a great source of information, second only to (and you may have guessed this)…

1.  A double blind, controlled, peer-reviewed, published, well-documented scientific study conducted over a large sample size and funded by independent sources who do not have a conflict of interest. These are the primary sources upon which all accurate sports knowledge is based.  The only flaw–there are so few studies that fit this bill that we’re left making up stuff as we go along and calling it “sports science!”

We’re kicking off the 2010 season here at the Pointy Helmet Coaching blog with a series of “Top 10″ posts. First up is a topic that comes up often in triathlon, whether you’re a beginner or veteran. Our sport attracts all kinds of people who say all kinds of silly things. Here is my Top 10 list of the silliest things that triathletes say!

10.  ”I need as light a bike as possible, because having lightweight equipment is very important.” Unless you’re climbing very steep grades, the weight of your equipment doesn’t really matter in triathlon.  Especially here in pancake-flat Florida, you’re much better served getting equipment that is as *aerodynamic* as possible, such as an aero helmet, deep section wheels and a skintight race suit.  Losing weight off your body always helps, but going from a 21 pound bike to a 19 pound bike will actually not gain you very much time in a steady-state cycling effort.

9.  ”I need to carry all of my nutrition with me during my race.” This depends on the distance you’re racing, but usually this is not necessary.

For triathlons with total duration under 90 minutes, you don’t need any nutrition (except for some water, probably in the form of a single bike bottle) unless it’s very hot or humid.

For races that are 90 minutes-3 hours, you can consider taking in some nutrition if you want, but you can usually get this from the on-course aid stations.

For Half Ironman races and longer, the course will almost certainly have well-stocked aid stations on the bike and run, so all you need to do is carry what you need to get from one aid station to the next.

That means rarely do you need more than 2 bike bottles, huge quantities of gels in your Bento Box, or that cumbersome Fuel Belt on the run.  Carrying less stuff = a more streamlined bike/run = a faster race.

8.  ”My bike is broken; I’ll just have my Local Bike Shop (LBS) fix it.” While sometimes it’s necessary to take your bike into the shop, the majority of bicycle maintenance and repairs can be completed by you, with some knowledge and practice.  I’ll be doing a separate article on this topic in the near future, but you should certainly be able to change your flat tires, clean your bike, adjust the shifting and replace certain parts without having to drop your bike off at your LBS.

7.  ”Doing these squats will help my bike strength.” Cycling is an endurance event.  Even if you’re pushing hard, you’re still doing 90+ “reps” per minute (i.e. each pedal stroke) at a relatively low “weight.”  Any strength training you do should be as specific as possible to your athletic needs, which for most triathletes means a focus on functional strength and injury prevention  High-weight, low-rep squats just don’t fit into that plan for triathletes.  Go ride instead!

6.  ”I can do that flying mount/dismount on race day, even though I’ve never tried it before!” The flying mount is when, exiting T1, you jump on your bike in one swift motion.  The flying dismount is when, approaching T2, you jump off your bike and hit the ground running, literally.  For both maneuvers, your shoes remain clipped to the pedals the whole time.  Both are difficult to do (the mount is harder than the dismount), and unless you practiced before the race, you shouldn’t do the flying mount or dismount.  Too many triathletes have injured themselves (or others) by attempting the flying maneuvers without having mastered them in practice.  You only save a few seconds with each, and if you screw them up you risk injury.  Don’t do these unless you’ve practiced them.

5.  ”Aero helmets look silly.  I won’t be wearing one.” Rubbish!  Pointy Helmets, in terms of “dollars spent per second of time saved” are one of the most efficient ways to spend your equipment budget.  Only aerobars and a skintight suit are more cost-effective.  Once you’ve decided you’re serious about triathlon, go get your aero helmet.  Get one of the ones with the long tail that covers your ears–there are several models on the market that cost between $100 and $200.

4.  ”I’m going to pump my tires to 160psi, that will make me faster!” The notion that higher tire pressure is always better is one of the most common (but easily correctable) misconceptions among cyclists and triathletes.

The reason we use pneumatic tires (i.e. tires with a layer of pressurized air between the tire and the wheel proper) is because the road surface we ride on isn’t perfectly smooth.  The layer of pressurized air absorbs the minor imperfections in the road surface, allowing the wheel to glide along efficiently.  Obviously, if there’s not enough air in the tire, the tire will deform too much, causing increased rolling resistance.  However, if there’s too much air in the tires, the wheel will “bounce” over the imperfections in the road surface, wasting energy with each bounce!

The goal is to put enough air in the tires to minimize tire deformation, but not so much that the wheel bounces around.  For most riders, assuming 20-23mm tire width, this pressure is between 100-125 psi.  Less for smaller riders and rider tires, more for larger riders and narrower tires.

3.  ”You don’t need to buy all that aero equipment.  Just go train more!” This is a false dichotomy.  The amount of training you do is completely independent of the amount of money you spend on equipment.  Spend as much on equipment as your budget can afford, while also training as much as your schedule can allow.  It’s really that simple!

2.  ”I don’t deserve to buy all of that go-fast equipment.” This is the second cousin once removed of #3.  It implies that you’re not fast enough for the aero equipment to make a difference.  The reality is that aero equipment works at all speeds, and in fact will save you *more* raw time at slower speeds!  If it makes you happy to buy that set of aero wheels, then by all means go for it, even if you ride the bike leg of a sprint triathlon at 14mph!

1.  ”People will make fun of me if I show up at my first triathlon with a mountain bike.” False.  We were all new to triathlon at some point.  Doing your first triathlon on whatever bike you already have isn’t embarrassing, it’s a smart financial decision.  If you buy a fancy bike, and then decide after your first race that triathlon isn’t for you, then you’ve just lost a bunch of money.

Besides, most triathletes at your first race will be too absorbed in themselves to even notice you.  Of the 10% that do notice you:

• 30% will smile, and/or offer words of encouragement to you.  Most triathletes recognize that it’s in everyone’s best interest to maintain a positive environment at these races, to encourage triathletes to keep racing.
• 65% will notice you, feel positive toward you, but not say anything.  I fall into this category.  I privately say to myself, “oh cool, a new triathlete–I hope she has a good time today!” but I decide to say nothing because I’m awkward and would probably end up accidentally saying something stupid.
• 5% will make a face at you or say something stupid.  However, these are the sort of people that you’d ignore under normal circumstances–they’re just douchebags.  Take pride in the fact that you’re a better person than them (and you’re probably faster than them)!

So, about 0.5% of triathletes will treat you negatively for bringing a MTB to your first race.  These people are assholes anyway.  The remaining 99.5% will either do nothing or give you positive encouragement.  Ride your mountain bike with pride!

However, it is possible to get in some decent run training during the Gainesville summers. Here are some tips:

1. Run early in the morning.  Before the sun comes up, the temperature is usually below 75, and if you finish before 10am you’re likely avoiding the 90 degree temperatures for which Gainesville summers are famous.  It’s very humid, and you’ll be sweating buckets, but you can get in a pretty good workout if you get up super-early and finish up before you head to class or work in the morning.
2. Take frequent breaks.  You won’t be able to do your long runs without breaks, as you’ll simply overheat if the heat index is in the 90s.
3. Drink plenty of water.  I suggest that you find a loop course with a water fountain to do your summer runs.  That way, you can have regular opportunities to drink and not get dehydrated.  The city park at 34th st and 8th ave is where I do all my runs here in town, it’s a 1.5 mile loop with *three* different water fountains on the loop!
4. Run in the shade.  If the other side of the street has tree cover, cross and run over there.  Running early in the morning has the hidden advantage of having more shade opportunities, with the longer shadows created by the shallow angle of the sun.
5. Don’t do speed work.  Your body will probably get too stressed from the hard intervals, unless you’re thoroughly acclimatized to such intervals.  Strides and anaerobic endurance intervals are probably OK (as they incorporate long recovery periods), but muscular endurance intervals are usually a bad idea once it gets really hot.
6. Ignore your heart rate, if you use an HRM.  Your HR will be much higher than normal at a given speed.  Focus on your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) instead.
7. Ignore your pace.  You will be much slower than you normally are at a given effort.  Again, measure your effort based on your RPE.
8. Wear as little clothing as possible.  With few exceptions (see tip #9), clothing gets in the way of your body’s cooling system.  Men, that means bare chests (YOU’RE WELCOME, LADIES) and a small pair of running shorts.  Women, that means sports bras  and *maybe* a singlet over it if modesty calls for it, but a covered midriff is especially bad for your core temperature.
9. If the sun is out and you’re going to be running for more than 45 minutes, consider wearing a long-sleeved white cooling shirt.  Several manufacturers make these (I bought a L/S cycling jersey from Performance for $35 that does this).  The long-sleeves and full coverage will protect you from the sun’s harsh rays better than sunscreen (which can wear down and get sweated off).  If you can keep the shirt wet with water, it may even keep you *cooler* than wearing no shirt!
10. Wear a hat or visor.  This keeps the sun off of your face, and helps to manage the sweat around your eyes.  On really hot days, the hat actually works better because you can pour water and ice in it and keep your head slightly cooler.
11. On long runs, supplement your salt intake a bit more than normal.  You’re sweating more, so you may need to increase the amount of salt you consume on your long runs.  Don’t worry about this if you’re running for less than 2 hours, though.
12. Don’t be afraid of the treadmill.  It’s a perfectly valid alternative to running outside in the heat, especially if you’re doing a short, intense workout with lots of short intervals that otherwise would be hard to accomplish outside.

So, when running in the heat, just remember to take it easy, drink a lot, wear the right clothes and not to concern yourself with trying to be Speedy McRacehorse.  You won’t be fast this summer, but you’ll be ready to go fast for your fall and winter races!

Note: it’s probably a bad idea for anyone who exercises for more than 3-4 hours/week to do a low carb diet.  More than this and your body starts to require carbohydrates for fuel.  So, don’t go gung-ho for lo-carb if you’re seriously training for triathlons or another endurance sport event.

Low carb diets, for the most part, operate on two basic principles:

1. Eating fewer carbs forces your body to metabolize fat as an energy source.  This process allows for weight to be lost in a slightly more efficient manner.
2. Eating more protein and fat (and, to a certain degree, dietary fiber) helps you to get “full” faster.

In the initial phase of the diet (called “induction” in the Atkins Diet), the dieter cuts virtually all carbohydrates from his or her diet.  He or she is limited to just 20g/day of carbs, all of which come from leafy vegetables and a small amount of cheese.  No bread, no sugar, no starch.  In fact, the dieter will mostly be eating animal products (steak, fish, chicken, eggs, etc) with some vegetables also.

After this phase, the dieter gradually re-introduces certain carbohydrates back into his or her diet.  First to be re-introduced are certain vegetables such as carrots, followed by things like nuts, certain fruits and eventually certain grain products on a limited basis.  Weight loss will be slowed and diet will stabilize as well.

I’ve found that the greatest amount of focus is placed on the initial induction phase.  While this is understandable, as it’s the most drastic of the phases of the diet, it’s a misnomer to associate low carb diets entirely with the induction phase.

In reality, after the first two weeks and the gradual re-introduction of more “normal” foods into one’s diet, the food choices of a low carb dieter are really quite good: lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, certain dairy products and whole grains, and minimal starches/sweets.  This is a diet that anyone can sustain and enjoy indefinitely.

Again, serious athletes require larger quantities of carbohydrates to fuel their workouts.  However, if you’re not seriously training for an endurance sport event (such as a triathlon), a low carb diet is a relatively easy and sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off.

In warm weather, especially when it’s combined with high humidity (like we have regularly here in Gainesville), your body does two things that lead to problems:

1. Your core temperature goes up, because your body can’t remove heat as efficiently,
2. You sweat more, especially when it’s humid.

Therefore, the two most obvious things you can do when going for a ride in hot weather would be (1) to wear clothes that don’t hold in the heat, and (2) drink more.  Other than that, you should also:

1. Supplement your nutrition with more salt.  You need to replace the salt lost through your sweat in order to perform optimally.  If you only drink water on long rides, you may end up cramping due to a lack of salt.
2. Consider wearing clothes specifically designed for super-heat conditions.  Some athletes find that LONG-sleeved jerseys, designed specifically to wick sweat and shield your skin from the sun, are cooler and more comfortable than light summer short-sleeved jerseys.  Try it for yourself, though.
3. Put on plenty of sunscreen.  The sun is very strong here in Gainesville at this time of year.  It’s easy to get burned and ruin your week.
4. Stop more frequently, to allow your body’s core temperature to have a chance to drop for a few minutes.  On group rides where you can’t always stop when you want to, use your time at the back of the bunch to soft-pedal and reduce your temperature, if possible.
5. Be careful about the nutrition you intake.  Sometimes, food that works in cooler weather gives you an upset stomach in warmer weather.  Do some experimentation to figure this one out.

Stay cool!

Nutrition choices are quite personal–what works for someone may not for someone else. That said, here’s what works for me for a ride of approximately 6 hours:

• Before the ride: normal breakfast, perhaps with a little extra carbohydrate.  200mg caffeine in the form of a No-Doz pill as well.
• During the ride:  1800 calories of a custom blended Infinit drink mix with approximately 400g carbs, 3,000mg sodium, 25g protein, 300mg caffeine.  I’ll also consume a few gel packets for an additional 2-300 calories (mostly from carbs) and another 200mg caffeine pill.  Of course, water as needed depending on the weather conditions.  I’ll consume as much as 30oz/hour (if it’s hot and humid) and as little as 10oz/hour if it’s cool and rainy.
• After the ride:  a quick drink with some protein and carbs immediately when I get home.  Usually this is a protein shake mixed with milk and some sugar.  After a shower and some stretching, I have a normal post-ride meal with good carbs, protein and maybe some fats.  I also concentrate on drinking a lot of water throughout the rest of the day, and minimizing the inevitable caffeine crash that occurs a few hours after the ride.

Of course, your mileage may vary.  But, that’s what works for me.  Remember, on longer workouts simply drinking water won’t cut it.  You have to fuel properly before, during and after the ride if you want to maximize your training performance.