Drug Testing for Dummies

With all the controversy surrounding drugs in sports like cycling it seems that everyone has become an expert.  But let's clarify a few misconceptions when it comes to drug testing.

1.  Drug testing is like alcohol testing.

Drink too much, drive, get breathalyzed and suddenly you are in a lot of trouble.  Performance drug testing doesn't work that way.  

Imagine going out and drinking a ton of white wine - being completely intoxicated.  You get pulled over and the police ask you if you have been drinking any RED wine.  You can honestly say No.  Drug tests test for specific drugs and if you dont have those drugs in your system or have a drug that isn't being tested for then you will not record a positive response.

2.  The drugs are in the system all the time.

Many drugs like EPO have a glow time (while it is in your system) and an efficacy time.  In the case of EPO it is in the athletes blood stream for about 3 days but the red blood cells take about 17 days to mature.  So by the time the benefit is realised the drug is out of the system and wont appear in any test.

3.  All drugs are tested for.

Virtually all drugs that are used in performance sports were never originally designed for that purpose.  EPO was created for patients with kidney failure, clenbuterol for horse asthma.  The lead time between athletes realising its advantages in their sport, WADA finding out about it, developing a test for it and getting the test approved, sanctioned and rolled out can be up to six years in which time the athletes have already moved onto another substance.

4.  Athletes can and are tested 24x7

This is technically true but is also a factor of mathematics (number of testers compared to athletes) and the nature of the tester.  These are typically public servant type people who work from 9-5, Monday to Friday which may coincidentally coincide with when the athlete just happens to be out training.

Athletes often joke that drug testing isn't a drug test - it is an intelligence test.  If you look at the most famous cases this is very much the case.

Ben Johnson - ignored the time that steroids are still in the system and kept taking Decadurabol right up to 4 weeks before the Olympics (Interestingly 7 out of the 8 finalists in the 100m sprint that Johnson was disqualified for have subsequently tested positive.

Tyler Hamilton - given someone else's blood to re-infuse into his body

Floyd Landis - Took testosterone the night after a stage and then finished in a position which meant mandatory testing.

Ironically if it wasn't for Tyler and Floyds brain fades the whole Armstrong investigation may never have occurred.

DISCLAIMER.  Under WADA it clearly states that it is the athletes sole responsibility to guarantee that the products they consume contain no banned substances.

A Fast Marathon Recovery

Let's face it Marathons (and most endurance events over 2 hours) are tough on the body. Markers of inflammation (C-Reactive Proteins), Cardiac and Muscular Stress (Creatine Kinase), Oxidation are all elevated for days or even weeks after a marathon.  The general rule of thumb for recovery is one day per mile run which means, for a marathon, 26 days.  Very few people who run marathons seem to have the patience for this type of break.

Let's digress for a moment.  One nutrition concept that is gaining a lot more popularity at the moment is the use of a fast day where no calories are consumed - only water, black tea/coffee.  The benefits of fasting have been well shown in studies.

• Reduction in Inflammation (C-Reative Proteins)
• Reduction in Cardiac Stress Marker (Creatine Kinase)
• Reduction in Oxidation Markers.

If we go back and re-read the first paragraph you will note that what has been proven to be decreased through the use of a Fast Day are exactly the same markers that are raised after the marathon.

Which means a specifically timed fast day after a marathon or Ironman can rapidly accelerate the recovery process.

It is important immediately after such an event to take in sufficient good carbs/fats to reload glycogen stores and also complete proteins for the rebuilding of muscle (this can also be supplemented with Branch Chain Amino Acids).  A study from the Australian Institute of Sport showed that glycogen storage typically peaked after 24 hours which means immediately after the marathon and the following day load up with good quality carbohydrates, fats and proteins.  A higher level of fat will increase the production of leptin (which manages the 'fullness' feeling) negating the hunger feeling on the fast day.

Even if you are not recovery from a marathon a fast day can be of benefit.

Running Fast - Slowly.

One of my biggest dilemmas with this article was the title - should you run slowly fast or should you run fast slowly.  Either way the outcome is the same.

Do you ever wonder how marathon runners can run at 3min/km pace whilst you struggle to run faster than 5mins/km ?  For most people to speed up, their strategy is to speed up their stride - their run cadence.  This is a similar logic to going faster on the bike ie pedal faster..

But cadence when running is finite so what happens when you 'max' out your cadence (the typical maximum is 200 steps per minute) and you are still no where near a marathon runners pace ?

Here is a simple exercise.

Run on a treadmill at what could be described as tempo pace.  This may be your 10km pace or what is sometimes called 'comfortable, uncomfortable' pace - a pace that is uncomfortable but you can maintain.  For me, who runs at a marathon pace of around 4:20min/km I use 16kph.

Now, running at that pace, slow down.  Before you reach for the speed control I am not asking you to change the speed on the treadmill - I am asking you to run slower at the same speed.  This sounds counter intuitive but is actually quite easy to do when you try.

So what are you actually doing ?  If your speed is the same but your cadence has slowed then one other thing must have changed.  That factor is stride length.  If you were to place a mark on the treadmill mat where the foot leaves the mat and another mark where it lands these marks would be further apart - this is stride length.

Now, lets apply so geometry to this.

Our run stride, when done properly, is a circular motion.  When a foot leaves the ground, travels in a circle and then strikes the ground (aka stride length) this path is called the circumference of the circle.  For those of you that stayed awake at high school you will recall that circumference is equal to the size at the widest part (the Diameter) multiplied by a constant called Pi.

So if we want to increase the circumference (stride length) we simply need to increase diameter ie we need to make the circle bigger.  This is achieved by controlling how high we lift the knee - simple.

Note the word 'lift' in terms of the knee.  We are not pushing off the ground as any force that moves the body upwards is a wasted force when our goal is to move forward.  One of the things I noticed when watching Sally McClelland win the Gold Medal in the 110m Hurdles at the Olympics was that she didnt jump over the hurdles - she simple appeared to lift her legs up from under her without changing the height of her upper body.  So make sure you focus on lifting the knee to increase the circle.  Your calves will tell you then next day if you have got this wrong...

Stretching, drills, plyometrics all help with improving stride length but I find the practise of running fast, slowly as described on the treadmill helps create the proprioception for doing this the best.

Or is it running slowly, fast.......

Watts the Best Cadence ?

Over the course of Lance Armstrong's Tour de France victories his chief rival was Jan Ulrich.  Lance and Jan were opposites in many ways - one of which was their cadence.

Ulrich typically pedalled at a cadence of 80 rpm whereas Armstrong pedalled at 95+ cadence - even when on long, steep climbs.

Surely 'pushing' a hard gear would generate more power than spinning in a lighter gear ?

WRONG.

Let's look at some physics.

The measure of power is a Watt and in simple terms is the rate at which work is done ie work over time

Power = Work/Time

Ok.  So what is work ?

Work is the effort (Force) to cover a particular Distance.  In other words

Work = Force x Distance

So now that we know what Work is we can plug this back into the original formula

Power = Force x Distance/Time

Now a third concept - Velocity.  This is more commonly called speed and is what all athletes are seeking but within a speeding bike there are two other speed variables - the cranks (cadence) and the wheels (Rotational Mass (which is a whole different discussion on why wheel weight isnt the most important factor in wheel speed))

So Velocity = Distance over time (as in kmh or metres per second)

Velocity = Distance/Time.

If we plug THIS back into our formula we get

Power = Force x Velocity

So in order to increase Power we can increase Force (a harder gear) OR we can increase Velocity (Cadence).

Force is limited by the fatigue factor of the fibres.  As we progress to using more Type 1 fibres our rate of fatigue increases.  But if we use the same force and increase our cadence then our wattage goes up.

Think about your car.  When you want to accelerate to over take a car do you drop down a gear and increase RPM or go to a harder gear ?

If you look at the Tour Riders you will note they actually run very easy gears with guys like Contador running a 27 tooth cog on the rear.  This allows him to maintain a higher cadence when climbing.

A second consideration is run cadence (not an issue for Ulrich..)  Typically good runners use a cadence for around 188 steps per minute which is equivalent of a 'cadence' of 94.  By using a higher cadence on the bike more closely matched to run cadence a triathlete is better able to maintain a natural body rhythm .

Who said physics was boring.....

A Championship Mindset

Champions do not become champions when they win the event but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it.  The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.  Alan Armstrong

I have a number of people come to me with Championship goals - to compete in Age Group World Championships, to qualify for the Hawaiian Ironman, New York Marathon etc etc  But as Alan Armstrong says a championship mindset is not just something that you should have on race day.

Depending on the event there are between 1 and 5 slots available for each of the championships - in some races you may be competing against 150+ plus people for one of those places.  So a very simple question to ask is whether you are doing more or less than the other 150 people in your age group - or specifically the one to five people who could be taking your slot.

This is a Championship Mindset.

If you wake up in the morning and it is raining a question to ask is what are the other 5 people doing.  Are they getting out there and running - are they getting on the bike inside or at the gym - are they heading to the pool instead.  Or are they rolling over and going back to sleep…

Is your Championship Mindset reflected in your environment.  Is it reflected in your diet.  Are the other 3 people hitting the booze and sugars and inflammatory foods.

Is your Championship Mindset reflected in your attention to detail when it comes to equipment - is your bike maintained and clean.  As Aristotle said - "Excellence is not an act but a Habit"

It is far easier to find a reason not to do something - an excuse, than it is push yourself out the door.  A champion finds a way rather than a way out.

This is a Championship Mindset.

So when setting the goal of competing at a Championship the next question to ask yourself is whether you are one of the three that will live and train with a Championship Mindset or be a 'part time' champion.  If you are the later you may want to start preparing a list of excuses you can live with when you miss out...

Training Zones for not quite Dummies.

There are lots of attempts to explain Heart Rate Zones.  Most try and come up with a simple explanation of what your body uses for fuel but by over-simplifying the explanation this tend to create confusion and assumptions (and marketing tools for nutrition companies).

When looking at fuel systems it is best to look at 3 basic questions and then equate those to your training goals.

1.  How much of the fuel source exists

2.  How quickly is it converted to energy by the body

3.  How long does it take to reload or refill this source.

But first lets start with a basic explanation of energy production. A muscle contraction is created using 3 types of fuel - Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP), Creatine Phosphate (CP) and adenosine diphosphoribose (ADP) so at any final point in energy production these need to be produced.

These can be sourced from 4 different sources

1. ATP itself.
2. Glycogen
3. Glucose
4. Body Fat.

So going back and applying our original three questions.

ATP.

1. How much of the fuel source exists.

Not much - about 10 to 12 seconds worth

2. How quickly is it converted to energy by the body

Incredibly quickly - it's already present in the muscle

3.  How long does it take to reload or refill this source.

Around 120 seconds although it is mostly (81%) refueled within 60 seconds.

So ATP is primarily used for very short explosive outputs such as lifting weights.

Glycogen.

Glycogen is converted to ATP through a process called Glycolysis. It is stored within the body in the liver and muscles.


1.  How much of the fuel source exists

If your glycogen levels are 100% topped up you may have as much as two hours worth of Glycogen stored in the liver and muscles.  This level is rarely the case though so it is more like 1:40:00 - 1:50:00

2.  How quickly is it converted to energy by the body

Very quickly - it is already in the muscles and gets in the blood stream quickly via the liver

3.  How long does it take to reload or refill this source.

Glycogen is created from Glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis.  This can take from several hours to days.  The obvious down size if that if you run out of glycogen (commonly called bonking) it will take sometime to reload these stores.  Reloading of Glycogen is commonly what is referred to as Carbo Loading.  The levels of muscle glycogen measured after 24 hours of Carb Loading do not significantly increase if this load time is increased so extended Carb loading sessions arent really necessary and can cause a feeling of bloating.

Glucose.

Blood glucose is controlled through Insulin (lowering blood sugar) and Glucagon (raising blood sugar).  Glucose is converted to ATP through glycogenesis.  It should be noted that there are only 3 different 'natural' sugars - glucose, fructose and galactose.  Any other sugar that you ingest - eg maltodextrin, requires conversion by the body.  The maximum amount of any of these 3 sugar types that your body can convert is about 15g per 15 minute period

1.  How much of the fuel source exists

Not a lot.  In a 75kg person with normal blood sugar levels there is only about 5g of glucose in the blood.

2.  How quickly is it converted to energy by the body

Very quickly - the issue is actually how quickly your body can convert ingested carbs into blood sugar

3.  How long does it take to reload or refill this source.

See comment above - you can reload about 60g an hour which is only about 270 calories worth..

Body Fat

Body Fat is converted to ATP through a process called Lipogenesis.  Body fat is also by far the most abundant fuel supply in the body.

1.  How much of the fuel source exists

A LOT.  1g of fat realises 9 calories.  And incredibly lean Tour De France still has 60(kg) x 0.06(BF) x 9000 (calories per gram) = 32,400 calories. which is enough for 32 hours of hard riding.

2.  How quickly is it converted to energy by the body

Not very quickly

3.  How long does it take to reload or refill this source.

Given the volume in even a lean athlete this isnt really an issue.

For those that like pictures..

So your body burns fuel based on most to least abundant (fat to stored ATP) balanced by the rate at which it can be converted.  This is governed by exertion levels which are measured, as a correlation, by heart rate. Your body, at low levels of exertion, uses Body Fat. As energy requirements (exertion) increases your body switches to blood sugar and then, as requirements increase, glycogen.

Most diagrams show this as a  stacked bar with clear lines between the zones but it doesnt quite work that way.  It is more like

There are two very important take aways from this graph

1.  Your body, even when burning fat, needs a small amount of carbohydrates.  Think of an internal combustion engine - it primarily runs on petrol but still needs a spark for consumption.


2.  At the highest level of exertion your body is using Glycogen which is limited (around 1-2 hours) and takes an extended time to refuel so any form of exercise that extends greater than 1:45:00 (Marathon, Olympic - Ironman Triathlon) CANNOT use glycogen as the primary fuel source.  Of course the flip side is that for shorter events like a Half Marathon or Sprint Distance Triathlon you CAN use glycogen as your fuel source

BTW - The issue with heart rate is that it is an approximation of what fuel source is being used.  The actual percentages can be determined using an exercise metabolic test which involves a mask over the face to measure the amount of oxygen being consumed but also what the 'exhaust' products are.  Each fuel source creates different bi-products so measuring these can determine

a) what fuel source is being used - Fat, Glucose, Glycogen.

b) what amount in calories is being burnt.  In other words - fuel consumption..

Autovation and Discipline

This morning the alarm went off at 5am.  I listened and heard the sound of steady rain outside.  I also had a REALLY busy day ahead with lots to do.  A perfect combination of excuses.

So I put on my cycling gear and went out riding with four other people who got up at the same time and who had the same busy days.

Some would say this is a sign of motivation.  I would say it is a sign of AUTOVATION.  The term 'auto' comes from the greek meaning 'self' or 'ones own'.  By the way - you probably wont find Autovation in the dictionary, I made it up but it makes a lot more sense to me..

The point is that motivation is not something that others provide you.  Motivation (or autovation) is something that needs to come from within - a desire to meet or achieves ones goals.

It is not the coaches job to provide motivation.  The coach brings the skills, science and experiences to combine with the athletes Autovation to help them rapidly achieve their goals - to give the person options and alternatives when things such as injuries or 'life' gets in the way. The coach provides accountability but if the person doesnt want to do it there isnt much the coach can do.

An athlete with no motivation finds excuses.  An athlete with autovation finds a way.

It's Raining and Dangerous        -      Get on the trainer
The pool is closed                      -      Get in the gym
I have a bad ankle/achilles         -      Get in the pool or do some core.

I often hear the term Discipline but what does that mean ?  Is a person that gets home at 7:30 every night to watch (insert favorite reality show here) any more disciplined than someone that leaves work to get to the pool at 7:30 ?  Not really.  The difference is in the choices they make and the autovation they have.

If you dont have autovation to train or achieve a physical goal that is OK - not everyone does.  How many people join gyms in the first week of the year and then stop going ?

Being fit and healthy and comfortable in your clothes is over rated anyway ;)

Tomorrow - set the alarm for 5 minutes earlier. Then when it goes off ask yourself WHY are your doing this, what is your goal and why you want to achieve it.