Ballymoney Cycling Club
is voted
 
Club of the Year 2011

By Stephen Gallagher, www.formecoaching.com

We’re entering that part of the year when our focus is turning to the first race of the season. We’re all wondering how we’re going to fair against our peers after a hard winter’s training.

The excitement and contemplation always creates a great sense of anticipation at this time of year as the sign-on sheet waits to get the 2012 season kicked off.

But you may not have thought about how you will fit progressive training around your racing. You need to do this in a way that will help you get the most out of your racing while still developing specific strengths as you build towards a significant target ‘A’ event. There’s a real juggling act to be done in this regard.

So what are the variables you need to take into account?

• Current levels of fitness
• Ability to recover and how you’ve trained to improve this over winter
• What your ‘A’ event and ultimate goal’s are for the coming season
• How much you have improved your weaknesses prior to the racing season
• Illness/injury that might inhibit your racing once started
• Racing program leading up to your ‘A’ event

So often we see many riders head into the season with good legs and improved fitness from the previous year only to see that form disappear by April.

The normal excuses we hear circulating in the cycling community are that the rider is ‘burnt out’ or ‘over trained’ from the winter period and simply unable to sustain the form.  But very often this is not the case, and this loss of form is often down to less obvious factors.

That common dip in form can actually be part of a cycle of de-training once the racing season gets underway.

‘Strange’, I hear you say. Well, not really.

When we hit the racing season, we often place all our physical and mental energy into the weekend; our focus is on results in races.

Of course this is not a bad thing. But we’ve also got to keep our focus on our mid week training. We’ve got to stay focussed on continuing to work on aspects of our condition that we need to develop for those target races in the weeks and months ahead.

The de-training slump often comes from getting too much rest pre and post race, which involves greatly reduced physical training stimulus than our bodies have experienced over the winter months.

An example of this is a typical Sunday race; the lead up and subsequent recovery from those race dates. Traditionally Friday is an easy day or rest. Saturday is an easy pre race spin of a couple of hours. Sunday is a race (2-3hrs) and Monday is another rest day.

So you can see from that example that only one day is proper physical training stress (the race on Sunday). Out of that four day period in the week, one day is not a lot.

Take into account a puncture/crash or abandoning a race and you’re lowering the level of physical training stimulus or progression needed to maintain or grow your form.

Of course, there are many individual factors to be taken into account, but routine around racing is something we should all take on board.

On the flip side of this ‘juggling act’ are those riders on the opposite end of the fitness spectrum; those who are under trained or lack ‘race form’ going into the start of the season.

We often hear these riders want to race themselves fit and into form. But they need to consider a number of variables if they are going to progress and get stronger in the manner they envisage.

Your ability to recover from the weekend’s racing has a big influence on how you can train mid week and get on top of consistent structured training.

We often feel an onset of muscle fatigue 24-48hrs after a race. And this muscle fatigue is what leads us to take that extra rest day or sub standard training day. So what’s the reason for this?

Well, your body needs to repair those damaged muscles from the previous strenuous race effort. The nervous system is working to repair muscles and your cells are working overtime to rebuild damaged tissue.

The good news is that this leads to increased muscle strength and fitness. But with a lower level of fitness, your body’s ability to recover from that race effort takes longer. This in turn leads you into a position in which you are unable to train constructively as your muscles ‘heal’ from the race.

Along with the cellular and nervous system’s reaction in the days after a race effort, this strenuous weekend effort can also lead to a lowering of the immune system which can in turn result in illness/injury which will inhibit your training.

This arises not only because you are putting your body under a level of stress you have not trained for, but also because of possible poor post-race care and nutrition.

So be aware of the need to continue focussing on training once the racing gets underway. You need to keep those long-held and long-term race goals clear and make sure you’re progressing towards them rather than simply switching your focus from race day to race day once the winter training season gives way to racing.

Good luck on the roads!

Stephen

Sports Nutritionist Barry Murray -
"Critical Nutrition" Seminar!

 
Barry Murray and Stephen Gallagher.

The Audience wait in anticipation!


Stephen presents Aoife with her Cycling Ulster Award.

An Interview with Barry Murray,

What sports bars/gels and drinks do you think are best?  

I’ve spent the past few years learning about and examining practically every sports product out there on the market.  

My conclusion is this: they supply nothing that you can’t get from natural foods.  

Let me give you a few examples:



Sports Gel = water + sugar + some salts 

Natural Food Version = water + honey + pinch of salt

Sports Bar = sugar + flour/oats + vegetable oils + sweeteners + artificial crap 

Natural Food Version = oats + honey + peanut butter 

Sports Drink = water + sugar + salts + sweeteners + artificial crap 

Natural Food Version = water + fruit juice + sea salt 

What’s the best recovery meal/snack with 5 mins prep?
 

This all depends on the duration/intensity of the ride. A 1hr easy spin does not require any specific recovery. However, a hard 3hr ride will have caused glycogen depletion, protein degradation and immune suppression. In addition to this, the physiological stress endured will have triggered adaptations to occur which is how the body essentially gets fitter.
The recovery needed after this type of session is protein and HighGI carbohydrates. The protein and carbohydrate sources need to be easily digested and quickly absorbed. The amounts then need to be based on the individual’s weight, as an 80Kg person will need more than a 50Kg person.
The type of protein I recommend would be Whey due to its amino acid profile and biological value. Basically this means that it has all the necessary bits and pieces to help the muscle repair and adapt as well as being easily digestible. The type of carbohydrate I would recommend would be fruits, dried fruit, fruit juices, honeys, jam or even plain glucose/dextrose powder. This is the one time where quick sugars are actually beneficial for the body and help to rapidly replenish glycogen depletion as well as raising insulin which is necessary for recovery. Fruits are probably the best recommendation since they are a natural food and are nutrient dense as well as having a combination of glucose and fructose which aids rates of absorption.
For more info see my articles on Recovery and Protein Shakes on my site here www.optimumnutrition4sport.com 

NOTICE to ALL MEMBERS....
This months Club meeting is aSPECIAL EVENT...!Tuesday 7th Feb

Ballymoney Cycling Club are hosting a seminar by 
Performance Nutritionist 
Barry Murray 

"Discover the Tips and Tricks that the Professional's have kept SECRET for far too long!" 

Barry is Forme Coaching's Performance Nutritionist, and he will be giving of his time (for FREE) to take committed cyclists, triathletes and sports people located around North Antrim and the North Coast area, recreational or competitive, he will walk them through the areas of nutrition critical to their performance!

Barry specialises in sports and performance related nutrition with the aim to combine research, science and common sense to enhance performance and general health when training. Having worked with Steve Cummings (Team SKY), Dean Downing (Rapha Condor SHARP) and the BMC team Barry is well positioned to provide proof of his success in the solutions and advice he offers triathletes, cyclists and sportspeople alike.

Often nutrition is overlooked. We all know it's important, but how important?  Barry takes us through the significant factors influencing our bodies by what we eat, timing of eating and the role food plays in reaching goals.

Steve Cummins - Team Sky

next Tuesday 7th Feb (7.30pm sharp) at the
Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre - Conservatory!

November 2011 Seminars in Belfast 
"If you want to IMPROVE your cycling performance in 2012 ...
Your date to begin is Thursday 10th November!

"START enjoying positive results in a matter of days!

"Have the courage to admit you get your winter training wrong."
Stop hiding behind the same old excuses?

Discover winter training on the bike, the PROPER way,
Hear how the Pros prepare with
 Stephen Gallagher

Click on the logo above for more details.

Do it NOW....Limited places left...!



Click on Forme Coaching above to register

FORME COACHING -  BELFAST SEMINAR’s    

Midtown Business Centre, 25 Talbot Street (near Saint Anne’s Cathedral) 

18:00-21:00
Thurs 10 November      Winter Training on the Bike...the right way       £15
 
   Stephen Gallagher, Pro Rider 

Dr David Bailey - Sports Physiologist will provide structured advice on specific pre-season/winter training  which includes training periodisation that will accommodate all aspects of cycling, triathlon, sportif and time trialling. David worked alongside the British Cycling team during their preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games where the team won 14 Olympic medals including 8 golds. He has worked with athletes from British Swimming, Canoeing, Orienteering, Squash, Rugby and UK Athletics. Most recently David provided scientific support to the British Triathlon team working closely with multiple World Cup winners and ITU World Champions.  Included in this seminar will be the opportunity to put to David and Stephen any questions you feel you would like answered in your goal to increase and enhance your performance. 

18:00-20:00
Thurs 17 November    Winter Training Nutrition for the Endurance Athlete         £10
 

                                         Barry Murray, Sports Nutritionist 

Barry will go through everything you need to know about nutrition during the winter “mileage” months. This is a phase of the season where you can use nutrition to significantly improve your endurance and aerobic base. It is also a time of the year where illness can set you back so preventing infection is very important. Managing your weight can also become an issue and knowing how to control this during the “comfort” eating months is crucial. Barry will cover all this and more including: how to periodise your nutrition, how to improve endurance adaptations, how to boost your immunity and treat illness he will also provide some tricks, tips and strategies to keep you lean during the winter months. 

18:00-20:00                             
Wed 30 November    Pro’s Meet the Public      £20

Venue to be Confirmed

   Ronan McLaughlin – An Post, Dan Lloyd – Garmin Cervélo, Philip Deignan – Radioshack

The professionals come to town.  This is an opportunity to ask the questions you have always wanted to.  Lloyd, Deignan and McLaughlin give of their time for you to meet, ask questions and get advice  from all ends of the spectrum of pro cycling.  Lloyd with his experience and years of working his way through the pro ranks, unlike most British pros who went through Academy system, he did it old school.  Deignan on his new role and stage race leader on his new team in 2012 and talking about his pro tour victories.  Ronan will be giving his experiences as he breaks into the top flight of pro racing and his journey from amateur racing on the continent to being one of the most exciting stage race prospects Ireland has seen in recent years, he talks about is aggressive style and his top placings on the European pro circuit! 

Meet the Pro's in Scotland

Ronan McLaughlin, Dan Lloyd and Philip Deignan are coming to Belfast on 30th Nov

Forme Coaching clients receive £5 reduction for seminars.

If you have any cyclist friends in Scotland and England tell them to keep an eye out as we hit Scotland on 23 November and England the 7 December. 

Forme Coaching Launch Thursday 13 October followed by

Total Performance Seminar (free) on Friday 14 October

The Forme Coaching team would like to invite you to celebrate the launch of their business on Thursday 13 October at 6.30pm – 9.00pm at the Midtown Business Centre, Belfast.

The evening will include the opportunity to meet the sports professionals and coaches who have worked with professional cycling teams and riders such as Garmin-Cervelo, Radioshack, Team Sky and the British National Track Team and the British Triathlon Team.  The sports professionals will be taking a few moments each to explain further how they can help cyclists improve on the bike.

Also in attendance will be pro riders from teams such as An Post and Team Raleigh.

This event requires RSVP by Monday 10 October due to limited numbers.  To confirm your attendance please contact info@formecoaching.com
   

Total Performance Seminar (free) – Friday 14 October, 15:30-18:30

Would you like to gain more knowledge on what else you can do to help improve your training and performance on the bike?  It isn’t all about jumping on your bike or turbo...although clearly that is important!  What you eat, how you measure your performance, how you motivate yourself in training and building a knowledge base of the in’s and out’s of effective winter training...all have an impact. 

Forme Coaching sports professionals will be taking us through the following:

Sports Diet and Nutrition – Barry will cover modern nutrition for performance and health, the key principles
 of nutrition that govern your health, the myths about sports nutrition debunked, what you really need to
 know and what they don't tell you, how nutrition can improve endurance performance.

Performance Assessment – Tom Kirk and Stephen will be using power profiles from riders during the 2008 FBD Insurance Ras – Winner (Stephen), mid pack and out the back.  Tom will illustrate the difference between each including a look at their sports nutrition during the Ras. 

Sports Psychology – Mike Garth takes you on a journey inside your head and helps relate how your thinking can impact on your performance.  Ever one week won a race and been flying then the next be no where?  Mike helps us understand the role the head can play in this.

Winter Training on Limited Time – Stephen and Dan will be talking about how to put into practice your goals for the new season, expelling myths around winter training, alternatives for the limited time athlete, measuring progress and staying healthy and injury free in winter months.  

If you are interested attending the Total Performance Seminar at the Midtown Business Centre please contact info@formecoaching.com  Numbers are limited therefore it is important to get your place booked if interested in attending.