Efficient Downhill Running

Downhill running can be the woe of many triathletes.
Here is an Active.com article I found about 4 keys to efficient downhill running:

http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/multisport-lab/articles/downhill-running-020712.aspx

4 Keys to Running Downhill Efficiently

By Jessi Stensland
For Active.com
Having the ability to run downhill fast does not happen by chance. The same rules of efficient running apply whether you're on the open road or a rocky trail, uphill or downhill.
In simple terms, when the foot hits the ground with a certain amount of force, the better the body is at scooping that energy back up as the foot leaves the ground and not letting it "leak out", the more efficient, fast and powerful your running can be.
When running efficiently downhill, gravity is your friend. If the body is unable to handle the momentum, it will be forced to put on the brakes to maintain control down the hill. This means a runner will miss out on the advantage of gravity, and will actually have to use some of their energy to fight the force that could be helping them downhill!
There are a few factors that come into play during efficient downhill running, both on and off-road. It's not about different mechanics or a different style of running than when on flat ground. Think about it as maintaining proper running mechanics and keeping your legs under you as long as you can at the highest speed you can handle.
In the case of extreme trail running, it is also important not only to have the leg speed, but also the coordination and quick reaction time needed to either utilize and/or avoid obstacles along the way.
To do all of this requires proper running mechanics, key muscles activated, stability through the joints and strong, elastic muscles.
1. Proper Running Mechanics
As in all running, the foundation of running efficiently downhill relies upon maintaining tall posture and a strong circular motion of the legs underneath the body. In its simplest terms, this means lifting the knees out in front, foot striking directly beneath the body and then pulling the heel back around to start again.
In general, I see many people running lower-leg dominant instead of from their hips, with minimal knee raise. This alone would greatly reduce the ability to keep up with momentum while running downhill and certainly make it necessary to put on the brakes very early on.
2. Activating the Abs and Glutes
In any type of movement, the abdominals and the glutes are important to both force production and overall control of the body. Activating and utilizing them properly within your running mechanics gives the body much greater control over the legs. It also minimizes the impact on the quadriceps and knees that so often take most of the beating during downhill running.
Having that control is pivotal to taking advantage of gravity and keeping control over the momentum, especially while avoiding obstacles when on the trail. Be sure to integrate core strength and stability work along with glute activation exercises in your training.
3. Joint Stability
Your ability to maintain stability through your spine, hips, knees and ankles during each step is crucial to controlling you body's direction and forward speed as you hit the ground. Having strong muscles surrounding the joints is key to creating this stability.
Your joint muscles can be strengthened with single- and double-leg strength and balance exercises that challenge both linear and lateral movements. Especially for extreme trail running, being able to remain stable during quick changes in direction is not only great for preventing injury, but helps with quickness and agility.
4. Elasticity
Elasticity is one of the most overlooked elements of endurance performance, and I would consider it like icing on the cake for downhill running.
"Think of your body as a pogo stick. The metal framework is analogous to your pillar and the springs are like your muscles. We want our bodies to be able to store and release energy powerfully, just like that pogo stick. It is like your body's shocks and springs." writes Mark Verstegen in the book Core Performance.
You can also think of elasticity as how fast your body is capable of changing the direction of force. In tennis it might be a lateral move to get back across the court. In running it would be how quickly you can get your foot off the ground once it hits, ideally while scooping up all the force you hit with and bringing it all with you into your next stride.
It is pivotal to being able to keep your legs under you, as mentioned earlier. You can train the body to be elastic with explosive exercises, like jumps and bounds, and specific running drills. Opt for fewer reps and make perfect form a priority.
Jessi Stensland is a professional triathlete who races all types of endurance events. She's also a video producer and an expert on the subjects of movement efficiency and true athleticism as it relates to endurance performance. Learn more about her adventures on her website, GoJessi.com.

This article originally appeared on Active.com—your source for event information, training plans, expert advice, and everything you need to connect with the sport you love.
The views expressed in this article are the opinion of the author and not necessarily the practices of USA Triathlon. Before starting any new diet or exercise program, you should check with your physician and/or coach.

Frustrations with climbing

So I did a pretty mean 50 mile / 13 hill ride on Memorial Day Monday.



I was surprising frustrated by my performace compared to the other cyclists.
Granted, I was on my 700 cc road bike (vs my 650 cc QR TT), which I hadn't ridden since Poconos 70.3 Half Ironman. And I had on my mtb spd's!

I noticed a massive gap would grow between me and the group on longer climbs. For short steep climb, I would blow past them with my mountain goat legs.

I think this article helps demystify my frustration, "Climbing Smart on Race Day" by Rich Strauss and Patrick McCrann http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Climbing-Smart-on-Race-Day?page=2

I train with hr. I am not training with power yet, as I can't afford it. Appearantly, your hr lags power by 90s, so perceived exertion via hr data will make you work too hard. At least, that is what I got out of this piece.

IMLP 112 mile ride: what to expect

Really appreciate this detailed article:
http://www.runtri.com/2010/07/ironman-lake-placid-bike-course-what-to.html

Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course: What to Expect

By Raymond Britt

The Ironman Lake Placid Bike course is one of the most beautiful, but also one of the toughest 112-mile Ironman rides you’ll ever experience. While the course features exceptional scenery and some very generous downhill sections, the course can demoralize and defeat riders on the last 10 miles of each lap. [see how IM LP bike splits compare: Ironman Bike Course Split Comparisons]

In short, you can have a great ride on the first three sections, but you’ll give it all back on your way past Whiteface Mountain to transition. So pay attention -- this is what a 5:36:12 Ironman Lake Placid bike split looks like:

Lap 1	Distance	Split	Time/mile	mph
Keene	14.0	0:34:30	0:02:28	24.3
Hasleton	15.0	0:44:00	0:02:56	20.5
Out/back	14.0	0:38:30	0:02:45	21.8
T2	13.0	0:47:00	0:03:37	16.6
	56.0	2:44:00	0:02:56	20.5
Lap 2	Distance	Split	Time/mile	mph
Keene	14.0	0:36:14	0:02:35	23.2
Hasleton	15.0	0:45:09	0:03:01	19.9
Out/back	14.0	0:41:29	0:02:58	20.2
T2	13.0	0:49:21	0:03:48	15.8
	56.0	2:52:12	0:03:05	19.5
Total	112.0	5:36:12	0:03:00	20.0

With a carefully constructed riding strategy, you can ride with strength through the roughest sections, complete the course with a solid bike split, and be ready to begin your marathon with energy to spare.

That’s what’s presented here, in the form of a 5:36:12 bike split I rode in one of my six races at Ironman Lake Placid. I’ll break the course down into sections, describe what you can expect in each one, and provide actual splits to help guide your riding strategy.

So let’s get down to business. Here’s everything you need to know about the Ironman Lake Placid Bike course. [For reference: Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course Map]

For starters, the key thing is to break the course down into manageable sections. In each lap, there are four clearly defined segments to consider (distances are approximate):

1. From T1 to Keene: 14 miles

2. From Keene to Jay to Wilmington: 15 miles

3. The Haselton Road out-and-back: 14 miles

4. Whiteface Mountain climb to transition: 13 miles

As we go through these segments, it’s important to consider the parameters: my complete split was 5:36:12, or about 20 miles per hour overall. I covered the first 56-mile lap in 2:44:00, or 20.5 mph. I slowed on the second lap to 2:52:12, or 19.5 mph.

The data examples, e.g., noting that it takes 20 minutes to climb from miles 3 to 8, are in this context. These are my actual times; yours may well vary. So view my data as a relative benchmark. If you hope to ride a 6-hour split, for example, adjust my data to meet your expectations.

Segment 1: Transition to Keene – 14 miles

This first segment on the bike course is a mixed bag of uphills and downhills, with an emphasis on the downhill: a screaming descent to Keene. This segment is best seen as an additional four sections.

Miles 1 to 2 -- T1 to Ski Jumps. Walk your bike through the transition area and do not mount it until you cross the official line in the parking lot on the south side of Lake Placid High School.

Once you clip into the pedals, you’ll immediately roll down a steep decline from School St. to Colden Ave. You’ll be excited to start, but be very careful here. There’s a sharp left turn at the base of Colden, taking you onto Route 73. Go too fast at the start, and you’ll wind up crashing into hay bales before you’ve gone 200 meters.

As you get going on Route 73, take some time to make sure you’re set on the bike. Nutrition in place, pull up arm warmers if you’ve got them, straighten the sunglasses, just settle in. Without trying to, you’ll ride fast.

It’s less than six minutes out of town, at 21.8 mph, and then you reach the ski jumps.

Miles 3 to 7– High Peaks These miles are a series of steady, manageable ascents of 150 meters or so, overall. Don’t push the pace here. Find a steady rhythm in a good gear, and plan on riding for 18 minutes or so. This climb is actually a good thing to settle all riders down. Few feel like passing, and you shouldn’t either.

You’ll know this section is almost over when you see a sign for the Mt. Van Hovenberg Recreation Area on your right. Just ahead will be one gentler incline. Consider this segment of 5 miles as a warm-up. And not a fast one -- I finish it at an average speed of 15mph.

Miles 8 to 10 – Cascade Lakes. At about the 8-mile point, you’ll enter a two-mile section of slight rollers that pass the scenic Upper Cascade Lakes on your right.

Now’s the time to hammer a little. Let gravity work for you -- pedal hard on the slight downhill grades and you can pick up speed and start passing riders. I cover this part in 5 minutes at 24.0mph.

When you reach Lower Cascade Lake, also to your right, you, yourself, are about to cascade downhill at a frightening rate.

Miles 10 to 14 – The Screaming Descent. These are the miles you’ve been hearing about and looking forward to: the screaming descent to Keene. It’s the fastest 6 minutes you’ll ever experience on an Ironman course, and that equates to 40mph.

And I ride this part cautiously. Riders will pass you going even faster. I don’t see the risks of riding 50mph as worth saving a few seconds.

If the weather is wet and/or windy, be careful, stay under control. Accidents on this stretch could be very nasty, what with all the downward momentum.

Sometimes riders experience a shaking of the front wheel, at high speed, and it's hard to control. To avoid this, try to keep your bike stable by hugging the frame with your knees on the way down.

Be realistic in knowing that this descent will not make much of a difference in your overall bike split. If you ride it 80mph, you save only three minutes. So be safe, enjoy it, and it’s on to the next major segment.

Adding it up from the start, I cover these first 14 miles at 24.3 mph overall, without working too hard.

Segment 2: Keene to Wilmington – 15 miles

Segment 2 includes the relatively flat and fast 10 miles from Keene through Upper Jay to the adjacent town of Jay, followed by a generally uphill stretch of five miles from Jay to Wilmington.

Miles 15 to 24 -- Keene to Jay. This segment of eleven miles may be the longest, easiest stretch on the course , but you have to work a little. You can start riding at speed here, but, again, don’t hammer. We’re trying to be smart, and you need to keep yourself in check.

You’ll enjoy the scenery of rocky streams for much of your ride from Keene to the town of Jay, as the course meanders gently right and left, through dense wooded passages and wide open spaces.

Road signs will give you a sense of where you are: you’ll reach Upper Jay after about the 20 mile marker, and four more miles to Jay.

Ride these miles fast, feel free to push it a little. A little. Even while not hammering much, I ride these 10 miles to Jay at around 22 miles per hour.

Miles 25 to 29 -- Jay to Wilmington. When you enter Jay, you’ll take a hard right turn onto Route 86 toward Wilmington. From there it’s a 5 mile trip to Haselton Road. As you approach the turn, get into an easy gear, because you’ll need it for the 1-mile climb. Like the initial climb on the course, settle in here, and just spin.

Once over the top of this 1-mile climb, the next four miles are rolling and fun, but still challenging. On balance, you’ll be mostly climbing as Whiteface Mountain begins to come into view on the horizon, to your left.

I complete these 5 miles in 17 minutes, 17.6 mph. It seems slow, but others will be riding slower. You can use these miles to your advantage.

Make sure to get the most of the declines. Begin to pedal hard as you crest the hills here, and hammer on the way down. You’ll pass many riders this way. They’ll coast; you’ll pass easily without working too much harder. Make the hills work for you.

And my totals for this second segment – Keene to Jay to Haselton Road -- 14 miles, 21.6mph. Remember: the overall speed on this segment could be slower, unless you take advantage of the declines on the last few miles.

Average speed from the start through 29 miles: about 22mph. Fast, but still in control.

Arriving in Wilmington, you’ll be zooming at a fast clip toward the hard right turn onto Haselton Road. You’ll have to be careful on the turn because you’ll only have one lane; the other lane is occupied by riders coming the other way. Accidents do happen at this turn. Sit up, apply the brakes, and be careful.

Segment 3: Haselton Road Out-and-Back -- 14 miles

The next fourteen miles are, generally, a fast and fun ride. It’s also unique from the rest of the bike course, with nearly the entire distance under the share of tall trees. I remember this whole section as being the greenest part of the course. Really nice, visually.

Miles 30 to 36. This can be another fast segment. The miles are gently rolling, for the most part. Again, get the most out of the rollers by pedaling over the top and hammering down the other side.

Make gravity work for you. That’s how you’ll continue to ride faster here, and elsewhere on the course. Take the forward momentum, lock into a big gear and go. This tactic may make the difference between getting a Kona slot or not. Seriously.

The course elevation map says otherwise, but I always feel the outbound portion declines overall. At least it seems to favor speed most of the time. But things to change in the last mile before the turnaround, when you do climb about 150 meters.

You’ll know you’re approaching the turnaround as the volume of riders heading the other way will grow. It may seem like hundreds pass you on their way back, and it may feel very frustrating. Don’t let it get to you.

If you’re riding smart, you’ll probably pass one or two hundred on the second lap. Seriously. Let them crush the first lap; many of them will suffer for it on the next 56 miles. You won’t.

Miles 37 to 43. When you get to the turnaround, load up on nutrition and liquids. While heading back on the return 7 miles, you want to be fueling and preparing for the last 10 miles of the first lap.

Also, soon after you pass the 40-mile marker, you’ll have a very taxing climb, perhaps the steepest on the course. When you get there, you’ll know it. Don’t panic. Get in your easiest gear, and just pedal smoothly and consistently.

I ride the 14 mile out-and-back on Haselton Road in 38 minutes, an average speed of 22mph. I’m usually pretty consistent: 19 minutes out, 19 minutes back. Again, the difference is how I work the descents. A little extra effort pays dividends with a lot of speed.

At this point on the course, roughly 43 miles have gone by in about 2 hours, at an average speed of 21.8mph.

What was I saying earlier about Lake Placid being the toughest course? Seems pretty easy through 43 miles. That’s because . . .

Segment 4: to Whiteface Mountain and T2 – 13 miles

The large orange ‘Road Closed’ sign is marks the beginning of the end. Everything changes when you pass the orange sign. Buckle up, time to face the beast.

Mile 44. Mercifully, the first mile or so is relatively flat, giving you time to hydrate, relax, and get ready to climb.

If there’s any good news to share, it’s that the 300 meter overall elevation gain is spread out over the next 10 miles, and therefore doesn’t slam you too hard at any one place.

You will work your way upwards, but it’ll have a sort of switchback feel, without switching back. It’s more like a ½ mile incline, ¼ slight descent, and the like. Over and over.

You will see your average speed plunge. It just will. You’ll have to be mentally ready to give back a lot of the speed you had through 43 miles. But so will everyone else. And those who ride these final miles strategically will be that much closer to a great bike split.

Miles 45 to 48. You may be hardest hit in the beginning. I ride miles 45 to 48 at an average of 15mph. You just don’t want to fight it too much. It’s too early. Sit up in the saddle, get out of the aero bars, try to relax and just spin as consistently as you can.

Miles 49 to 52. Things should get better for you here. You’re still working hard, but you’ll have gotten used to the grind. I gain speed here, riding it a couple notches better, at 17mph.

Miles 53 to 56. You’ve heard about the Bears, no doubt. Baby, Mama and Papa Bear. These are the names given the final, challenging climbs to face before the lap is over. Unless time has worn away the paint, you’ll spot the name of the next Bear before you get there. You will see it because you will be looking down much of the time, at that point. You’ll be digging for everything you’ve got as you slowly spin toward the finish.

The lesson you’ve hopefully learned by now is that going uphill offers a significant opportunity to gain speed and pass people on the other side. The Bears each make you work long and hard, but when you crest the top, each time, pedal hard and hammer down the other side.

Everyone else will be gliding. You’ll want to glide. Don’t. This is easy speed, easy chances to move yourself higher in the race standings.

Still, you will be gasping for air one way or the other when you make what will be an extremely slow right turn from Route 86 onto Northwood Rd. You’ve made it at that point, really. The next mile back into town is a fast one as the adrenaline kicks in.

I ride miles 53 to 56 at an average of about 18 miles per hour. These miles are perhaps the most daunting in terms of work as well as how late in the race they hit you. But you can hit back, and you can ride well. Getting to 18.5 proves it. That’s the difference a well-constructed riding strategy can make.

You’ll know you’ve made it through one of the toughest Ironman Bike courses in the world. You’ll hear the cheer of the crowd as you near the transition area, and it will bring a smile.

Except for one thing: you’ve got to do it again.

At the end of lap 1, with 56 miles complete, I was at 2:44:00, an average of 20.5mph. A good start, but I’ve never found it easy to repeat it.

Twice the Fun: Lap 2

Lap 2 for me was twelve minutes longer, 2:56:12, averaging 19.5 mph. Shoot for that. Map a strategy for lap 2 that has you riding about 5% slower. Total for 112 miles: 5:36:12, just about 20mph.

The second lap feels relentless, especially the final 13 miles. It’s these last 13 miles that makes Ironman Lake Placid one of the toughest out there.

When you’re at 100 miles complete, and you’re climbing, you’ll know what it’s like in the Tour de France: not the least bit easy, but worth it in the end.

It’s a fantastic feeling to finish 112 miles in Lake Placid, and you’ll feel the rush of excitement as you head into T2 to drop off your bike.

If you’ve ridden well, according to your race strategy, you’ll have plenty left over to run a sub-4 marathon. Yes, you will.

Fueling for Ironman

Just a little lit review at first...

How Much Fuel Do You Need During Long Rides?

By Jimmy Archer • Triathlete magazine

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Cycling nutrition is a crucial aspect of any triathlete's training and racing plan. During a race, it's not practical to eat or drink during the swim, and, for many athletes, high calorie intake during the run can lead to stomach problems, including nausea and malabsorption. Thus, the bike leg is the prime time to take on calories—and an effective nutrition strategy on the bike can set you up for a good run.

Marcus Garand, registered dietician and director of sports nutrition for NYC Triathlon Consulting Services, says, "During a race, the cycling leg offers the best opportunity to ingest solid food and fluids, bars, gels and sports drinks. Nutrition and hydration during the cycling leg sets the stage for a strong run. On the other hand, inadequate nutrition and poor hydration on the bike can lead to dehydration, cramping and GI issues."

Yet, how do you know what, when and how much to take in? While every individual will have different needs, there are a few basic guidelines triathletes can follow to help ensure they give themselves the best possible opportunity for success on race day.

In general all athletes will need:

• 16 to 32 oz. of fluid per hour
• Plus, 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour

Here is where it can get a bit tricky. According to Neal Henderson, director of sports science at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Colorado, "At intensity, it is impossible to match your [fluid and calorie] intake to your body's expenditure. The body only has a finite capacity to absorb carbohydrates; thus, you can only take in so much before the body can't absorb any more. The result of over-intake of carbs is what leads to GI distress."

Therefore, at higher intensities you will eventually reach a breaking point at which you will either have to slow down or risk bonking. One way to determine how long you can maintain a given intensity is to use a power meter in your cycling training.

Henderson states, "By using a power meter and observing the kilojoules you expend, you can get a fairly accurate measure of calories you are burning." This is due to the fact that, while cycling, there is very close to a 1:1 ratio of calories needed to kilojoules expended.

If you don't have a power meter, you will have to do a bit of trial-and-error testing during your training. But you already know you will need somewhere between 16 and 32 ounces of fluid and 30 to 60 grams of carbs, so you have a ballpark to start with.

After taking this into account, consider that the higher your intensity the higher your caloric expenditure will be. However, this is where the trial and error comes in; you can take in too much. Thus, be conservative in your intake adjustments and don't try and empty the cupboard before every ride.

Here are a few nutrition tips for racing and long training rides:

• Pack more gels and/or energy bars than you think you'll need. You may drop some or may have a craving for one over the other.
• Try/test different fuel/hydration systems during training. If a system is hard to use or unreliable, you won't use it as frequently as you should.
• Determine how much to carry and how much to get from aid stations. Depending upon what's being served on course, you will want to carry more or less food with you; however, note that most races feature well-stocked aid stations, so don't load yourself down unnecessarily.
• Know what is at the aid stations and where they are located.
• Base nutrition intake on time not on mile markers; set your watch to remind you to drink on schedule. Try to take in eight ounces every 15 minutes and close to one gel or half a bar per hour.
• Mark your bottles accordingly so you know how much you're drinking. For example, measure out eight ounces and then mark 8 oz. increments on your bottles to help keep your nutrition plan on track.
• Drink intermittently when your pace is steady.
• Practice all nutrition and hydration strategies and techniques during training.

Jimmy Archer is a pro triathlete, coach, and freelance writer. During his career Jimmy has raced at all distances and formats of triathlon, competing for the U.S.A. on four national teams and finishing top 10 at five XTERRA world championships. You can visit his website at jimmyarcher.com.

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 Some info on Osmo (http://www.slowtwitch.com/Features/Osmo_Nutrition_Test_3406.html)

Osmo Nutrition Test

Written by: Greg Kopecky
Added: Sat Feb 23 2013

The black magic of nutrition; it’s a mystical art. What should you eat? What should you drink? How much? When should I consume it?

Long gone are the days of factory-produced chocolate Powerbar logs and pouring salt and sugar packets in to water. We now have new high tech formulas, salt tablets, and people telling us to make sushi rice cakes. But among these new foods and ideas, what is best? How do we know? Dr. Stacy Sims has her own take on it: Put some numbers behind it. When in doubt, test, research, and test again.

So that’s what we did.

Dr. Sims is, for lack of a better title – a nutrition freak. She earned a BA from Purdue University, an MSc from Springfield College, and a doctorate from University of Otago. She was an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at Stanford University. If you want to get her talking, bring up thermoregulation, gastric emptying, or maximizing vasodilation and evaporative cooling (what we normal folks call ‘sweating’). On more than one occasion during our time together, I had to politely ask that she reduce her word choices from PhD… to master’s degree… an sometimes down to a 3rd grade level when I really glazed over.

You are probably familiar with Dr. Sims’ work without even realizing it. She has helped to create several existing sports nutrition products on the market, and acted as a nutrition consultant for the Garmin/Slipstream Pro Cycling Team, the USA BMX and women’s track Olympic teams, Team Tibco, Team Leopard-Trek, and many top triathletes. More recently, Dr. Sims sought to create her own nutrition company, along with two co-founders, Ben Capron (formerly of Specialized), and Paul Pillitteri. The name is simple: Osmo.


What is Osmo? To even start, you must understand that the name came from a few other words – osmosis, osmolality, and molality.

Let’s start at the beginning. First, we must understand the concept of solutes and solvents. Simply put, a solute is a substance that dissolves in a solvent. If you have a glass of water and drop in a teaspoon of sugar, the sugar is the solute and the water is the solvent. Osmosis is the movement of solvent molecules through a partially permeable membrane¹. When two areas are segregated by such a semi-permeable membrane (i.e. intestinal tissue), they want to achieve equilibrium. So what happens? The solvent travels from the area of low concentration to the area of high concentration to even things out. This process works great, and is what makes the water you drink get absorbed into your body (thanks, osmosis!).

Osmolality is similar to molality, but only takes into account solutes that contribute to a solution's osmotic pressure². Put more simply, Dr. Sims says that it’s determined by the amount of ‘active’ particles in a solution. In a sports drink, osmolality is primarily determined by the macronutrient content – carbohydrates, amino acids, and proteins – and to a lesser extent, the electrolytes and other fillers (colors, additional flavors, etc). In blood plasma, osmolality is determined by substances like sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, urea, amino acids, and glucose.

The concept behind Osmo Active is to optimize this fluid travel inside our intestines, so we can become better hydrated (or less dehydrated). They key, according to Sims, is as simple as making the concentration of the drink lower than that of the blood. She states that blood plasma osmolality is normally in the range of 285-290mOsm (milli-osmoles), assuming you are sufficiently hydrated. As such, we want our sports drinks to be below 280mOsm.

Had enough science? The punch line of all that mumbo-jumbo can be expressed in a single number – 3.2%. If there is one big secret to Osmo, that’s it. Osmo has a 3.2% solution, or 3.2 grams of carbohydrates per 100ml solution. This is also the source of a great debate – and the key differentiator between Osmo and most other drinks. What solution is appropriate? Here is a small sample of what’s on the market:


Osmo Active – 3.2%

Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix – 4%

Gatorade (regular) – 6%

First Endurance EFS – 8%

Custom high-concentration mixes (Carbo Pro, bulk maltodextrin) – As high as you want


The higher percentage, the more ‘stuff’ is in the drink. According to Sims, most standard electrolyte drinks are in the range of about 330mOsm – significantly higher than that of our blood.

What happens if the drink is more concentrated than your blood? Dr. Sims says that you can still absorb it, but your intestines must first pull water away from your body (to dilute the solution) – so it can then be re-absorbed. This slows the whole operation, causing bloating and fluid sloshing – and reducing the amount of fluid that can be absorbed. In addition, we’re told that Osmo has a proprietary ratio of glucose to sucrose (which aid in fluid absorption), and uses sodium citrate rather than the usual sodium chloride (said to aid in fluid absorption and aerobic metabolism).


Testing

Rather than simply sending sample products to us, Osmo invited us to a formal test in Boulder, CO.

Several journalists and local athletes were scheduled for two days of testing in a hotel conference room. The protocol called for very controlled conditions:

Sunday 20 January, Please do the following:
1) 60 min spin at 50% of your max (think easy, easy recovery spin)
2) Immediately following that spin, please drink 8-10 oz non fat/ low fat chocolate milk, or OSMO Acute or Vega Recovery (If you are vegan). No other training please.
4) Record everything you eat and drink: time of day, what it was, how much (in enough detail that you can replicate each meal/snack exactly on the day before your second day of testing.)
5) Drink 0.18 oz of water per pound of body weight throughout the evening before bed.
6) SLEEP: this is important! Replicate the same bed and wake times for both testing sessions!

Monday 21 January-- NO EXERCISE UNTIL TESTING SESSION
1) Take your core temperature pill no earlier than 15 hours before testing, and no later than 6 hours before the test.
2) Eat your usual breakfast and record it per Sunday’s detail (you will have to have the exact same food and amounts on Wednesday morning).
3) Drink 0.18oz of water per pound of body weight throughout the morning.
4) NO CAFFEINE within 4 hours of testing. Please record amount and type of caffeine ingested (i.e. black drip coffee, espresso, yerba mate).
5) Consume your last bit of food 2 hours before testing (please record this as well; you will need to replicate this on Wednesday).

Tuesday 22 January:
PLEASE REPLICATE SUNDAY WITH REGARDS TO FOOD, SLEEP, AND TRAINING- 60MIN SPIN AT 50% ONLY WITH RECOVERY DRINK WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF FINISHING THE RIDE

Wednesday 23 January:
PLEASE REPLICATE MONDAY MORNING EXACTLY!


Before each test, we first had to pee on a urine test strip and weigh ourselves:

The rides started with a 15 minute warmup, then a 60 minute effort at 70% FTP, and finally a 15 minute all-out time trial.

For one trial, we were to ingest Osmo Active plus solid or semi-solid food. The second trial was liquid or gel calories of our choosing (whatever we would normally use). Fluid and calorie intake were both standardized based on body weight.

The order of the trial was randomized with a coin flip; I was Osmo first and ‘normal’ second. My solid food of choice was Honey Stinger chews (pink lemonade, to be exact).

During the test, we were asked for our perceived exertion and perceived level of thermal comfort (essentially – “How hot do you feel?”). This was also measured objectively via the core temperature pill I’d swallowed, along with a very fun tool – a thermal imaging camera. Here is a very colorful version of me during the test:

The camera allows spot measurement of temperature. The darker or more blue you are, the cooler you are.

In addition to temperature, we also recorded heart rate and power output. I happened to be in the middle of some power meter testing, so we weren’t at a loss for data:

With my first test being Osmo Active plus Honey Stinger chews, I was able to pick what I wanted for the second test. I’m a fan of EFS Liquid Shot, so that’s what I used.

Test Results

Before I really dive in to the results, I must note that I wasn’t able to follow the protocol to a T. I had another product event already scheduled in Boulder that week (Stages Power), which involved a hard effort the day before my first Osmo test. What to do? Being the scientist that she is, Stacy made the right choice – that was also the painful one. Hard ride on Sunday, and a test on Monday? Well – that means you need to do some sort of hard effort on Tuesday, so you go in to Wednesday in the same condition. My first thought was something to the effect of, “Holy cow this is going to be a hard training week…” Upon further reflection, I’m actually glad it turned out that way. Given the high training time requirement of triathlon and frequent hard workouts, this seemed more representative of what we might normally do during a stressful mid-season week.

On a subjective level, I felt roughly the same on both days. I slept the same amount and ate similar foods.

What does that all mean?


-Core temperature pill: My temperature stayed lower with Osmo

-Body weight: I lost less weight with First Endurance

-Hydration (USg): I stayed more hydrated with Osmo

-Thermal imaging of skin temperature: My skin was cooler with Osmo.


This didn’t quite make sense to me. It’s clear that my temperature was cooler with Osmo, but I was confused on the weight and hydration. How did I lose more weight with Osmo, but stay better hydrated? According to Stacy, “Cooler skin temperatures across the OSMO 15 min TT indicates greater sweat rate and evaporative cooling. Greater fluid absorption occurred as indicated by the USg hydration status (both trials started euhydrated, the OSMO trial conclude with a USg indication of euyhydration (<1 a="" body="" br="" but="" conclude="" indicating="" less="" loss.="" loss="" lqcal="" mass="" slightly="" the="" trial="" usg="" water="" whereas="" with="">
In a nutshell, I had higher fluid throughput with Osmo. I was able to absorb more fluid, maintain more blood volume, sweat more, and stay cooler.

What about power output? This portion of the test was unfortunately limited due to something completely unforeseen – a non-adjustable magnetic trainer. I had a top gear of 53x12, and completely spun out the trainer before hitting my required wattage. We didn’t realize this until the time trial was already in-progress. The other trainer in the room was a fluid model with higher resistance, but was being ridden by another test subject at the time.

This being the case, I simply spun as fast as I could, and used the same trainer for both tests.

The numbers are striking. With my trainer limitation and non-standard training methods, I was curious to see if the other test subjects had similar results. Was my data bad? Was I just tired for the second test? Did I simply slack off and not spin fast enough?

Let’s look at the data for the entire group of 18 participants’ power files:

I’m not confident we can say that the data as perfect, as we were at the mercy of different power meters and head units. I was personally using both a Stages Power meter and a Powertap SL+, but other subjects had various Quarq, SRM, Powertap units – along with a slew of head units. I’m not aware of how each head unit was set up, nor if each rider set the zero offset before both tests (I did). In any case – even if the data happened to be exaggerated by a technology snafu (we don’t know either way) – the results are noteworthy.

This graph shows a compilation of core temperature and wattage for both the 60min steady state and 15min TT:

Where does this leave us? Based on the test results, it appears that Osmo Active works as advertised.

There is one (large) stone left unturned, however. How do we implement this strategy for long course triathlon racing? Also – how does Osmo differ from the other similar product on the market, Skratch Labs? Can we really implement this strategy that looks so good on-paper?

I posed these questions to Dr. Sims, both during the trials and in many subsequent emails. I expressed my concerns, and asked if she would be willing to create an Ironman nutrition plan for me – but only if I could provide the key limiters:

1. Aid station frequency and product availability

2. Equipment set up (number of bottles, location of bottles, number of jersey pockets, bento boxes, etc)

3. Special needs bags

4. The general amount of fuss I’m willing to deal with


After some thought, she agreed. In part two of this article, we’ll cover the details of the plan, along with my experience with Osmo so far. Also, we’ll hit on some of the more basic concerns – taste, price, and comparison to other products.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmosis

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmolality#Osmolality

 

...part 2...

 

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Features/Osmo_Nutrition_-_Part_2_3421.html

 

Osmo Nutrition - Part 2

Written by: Greg Kopecky
Added: Thu Feb 28 2013

This is part-2 of our tech-and-review of Osmo nutrition. If you missed part one, it is located HERE.


The topic of nutrition and hydration is a complicated one. Ultimately, there are many ways to skin this cat, get to the same result, or whatever you want to call it. Of late, we’ve seen a lot of talk about moving to a lower concentration drink and eating real food. The problem – at least for long-course triathlon – is, how do we implement such a strategy? After all, aid stations don’t serve rice cakes, sandwiches, and diluted sports drink. We can carry some amount of food with us on our bikes, but I’d venture to say it’s nearly impossible to carry enough solid-food calories for a 112 mile bike ride – at least one that does NOT include any stops at the gas station to refill. Even if we can carry enough food, lugging around enough fluid would have a huge weight penalty.

I posed some of these challenges to Dr. Sims, who agreed that the answer isn’t easy. I asked her to create an Ironman-distance nutrition plan for me – one that had a specific set of limitations. As you can guess, her ‘perfect-world’ plan would include aid stations stocked with her drink, along with each participants’ favorite foods. At least for now – that’s not going to happen.

Before we dive in to the numbers and hour-by-hour plan, I want to address some issues and questions that came up from part 1 of the article. As an aside, I’m keeping my opinion out of it; I’ve had race success and failure on a variety of different nutrition plans. A lot of your questions are my questions, too. I will say that without a doubt, race nutrition has been one of my biggest struggles.


Is it ALL about osmolality?

While solution concentration is certainly a key part of the Osmo story, Stacy was very clear with me that it is not the only piece of the puzzle. More specifically, she makes an important distinction: Liquids – even those that contain calories – are not intended to be a source of calories. Huh?! Yes, you read correctly.

Dr. Sims says that Osmo contains calories simply as a by-product. It contains glucose and sucrose in a specific ratio – because this speeds fluid absorption (i.e. your body will take this solution in faster than plain water). It just so happens that there are some calories in there, too. If your brain came to a screeching halt there for a moment, don’t worry – you’re not alone.

Along these same lines, I asked about other types of sugars, namely fructose and maltodextrin. What’s the deal?

Fructose: I’ve heard fructose getting a bad rep over the past few years. We all know about high fructose corn syrup, and have slowly seen it vanish from many sports and health-related products. But what about plain ol’ fructose? This is the very long story made short, from Dr. Sims:

“Fructose (a.k.a. fruit sugar) is one of the monosaccharides (other two are glucose and galactose). It is a simple molecule and it is notorious for GI distress because first it has to be actively transported through the intestinal cell wall - then go into the hepatic portal vein to be delivered to the liver where it is then broken down into sub-parts for fuel.”

In simple terms, it requires more steps and time to break down than something like glucose. Easy enough.


Maltodextrin: This is an oligosaccharide, typically manufactured from corn (in the US, where corn is subsidized by the government), and is a very common ingredient in many modern processed foods. I’ve heard mixed reviews on its use for sports drinks; some nutritionists’ information suggests that it shouldn’t be consumed by folks with sensitive stomachs and certain food allergies. According to Dr. Sims, it is attractive on-paper, as it can be used to make a low osmolality drink mix. However, she warns that due to the large molecule size, it takes longer to break down, and tends to pull water from your body and into the intestines (the reverse of what we want).


Pass the salt, please

Aside from sugar, there is another key component to understand in a drink – electrolytes. What type, amount, and ratio are appropriate? Dr. Sims notes that Osmo is somewhat unique in that it uses sodium citrate, rather than the usual sodium chloride. She says that sodium chloride can be problematic for some people, causing GI distress in high amounts. In addition, sodium citrate is a cofactor for cellular respiration (the process of converting food in to usable energy).

Somewhat similar to the calorie content of Osmo, the sodium content is not intended to replace lost sodium – it is simply there to improve the absorption of the fluid. Dr. Sims argues that we ought to load up on sodium in the days leading up to a race; if we do that, large amounts of supplemental sodium should not be necessary during the event. As an aside, I find that somewhat funny, as a 24oz bottle of Osmo contains 480mg sodium – MUCH more than many off-the-shelf sports drinks.



Ironman Plan

If you’re like me, science class was hard to sit through. After all of the in-depth mumbo-jumbo, I wanted to learn some actual application.

In the past, I’ve always made a spreadsheet for every long-course race, detailing my hourly intake of fluid, calories, and electrolytes – for both the bike and run. I try to include enough wiggle room for race-day adjustment of temperature (i.e. if the day turns out to be hotter or colder than expected). I will follow the same outline here, minus the electrolytes. Why? According to Dr. Sims, the importance of excess sodium is greatly over-stated, and there is no definitive evidence that it wards off cramping. She argues that calcium intake is much more important, along with the ratio of total electrolytes we take in. In fact, she recommends taking peppermint Tums during the race – they are rich in calcium, act as a buffer, and the peppermint is supposed to settle your stomach.


I provided Stacy with the following limitations:

1. I can start the bike and run with Osmo, but I will NOT refill bottles (i.e. carry individual packages to mix with water on-course).

2. Begin the ride with two Specialized Purist 26 oz bottles on the frame, and two more in Special Needs. I’ve tried every hydration system under the sun, and always find myself going back to two bottles on the frame. It simply works for me. As a result, total potential Osmo for the bike = 104oz.

3. The real food must be reasonable. I can live with a bento box (gasp!), but I refuse to carry 10lbs of food that requires constant unwrapping and maintenance.

4. My normal two-piece race jersey has two pockets available, but I’d like to minimize their use.

5. I am willing to carry a hand bottle to start the run, and can get a new one at Special Needs, but again – no refilling along the way at aid stations. Total Osmo for run = 40 oz.


Here are the stats (fluid and food ranges provided by Dr. Sims):

Male, 77kg / 170lb

FLUID (BIKE AND RUN): 10ml/kg – 15ml/kg per hour
For me: 770 – 1155ml per hour (26 – 39 oz)

FOOD CALORIES (BIKE): 3.5 – 4 calories (kcal) per kg per hour
For me: 270 – 308 kcal per hour

FOOD CALORIES (RUN): 3 – 3.5 kcal per kg per hour
For me: 231 – 270 kcal per hour


TOTAL BIKE KCAL: 270–308 from food + 114–175 from Osmo = 384 to 483kcal per hour

TOTAL RUN KCAL: 231–270 from food + 114–175 from Osmo = 345 to 445kcal per hour



The Plan:

On paper, it looks doable. Note that the inclusion of EFS Liquid Shot was my doing; Stacy would have recommended going the route of 100% solid or semi-solid food. I chose to do this for easy-of-carry, and ultimately to take away some chewing work.

As far as the hour-by-hour schedule, I always build flexibility in to this. Special Needs isn’t at exactly, mile 56 and 13 on every course. Sometimes you are going slower than expected; sometimes faster. On race day, I keep a mental tally of how I’m doing on the schedule. For example, if I’m not 50% done with my total bike intake by mile 56, I know that I have some catching up to do (but the idea of the schedule is to avoid this entirely).

Is this the exact schedule I’ll follow? I’m not sure. That’s why we test in training. Maybe I’ll vary the food type more; I chose what I did based on current preference and keeping the math easy. Maybe the order-of-intake will be slightly different. The idea is to think of as many caveats as possible ahead of time, so we’re prepared for the worst on race day.

I agreed to experiment with this plan for the season, but with no guarantees of a positive review later-on. Of course, my hope is that it does work out great – but real-world testing will tell the real tale.

Taste, Price, and Competition

How does Osmo Active taste? While this is always subjective, I like the taste. It is mild – especially considering how high the electrolyte content is. It isn’t something that I’d likely drink just sitting around, but during a hard workout, it is very palatable. I’ve tried both the orange and blackberry flavors, and like them both.

While we didn’t discuss the Preload and Acute Recovery products in-depth, they seem to have gotten mixed reviews on taste. The folks at Osmo recognized this, and reformulated both products at the beginning of the year. I have been using the revised Acute Recovery, but never tried the original. To me, I put it near the top-of-the-heap for powdered recovery drinks. It’s no chocolate milk (which I don’t drink due to the lactose content), but it’s much better than some of the other recovery drinks I’ve tried. I have not tried the new Preload yet, as it wasn’t ready in time for this article.

As you can see, Osmo recommends mixing Acute Recovery with water or almond milk. Being the non-conformist that I am, I’ve been illegally mixing with coconut milk.

The price of Osmo is – to me – the only argument I can find against it. A canister containing twenty 16-ounce servings will run you $20. That’s the same price as an equal serving of Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix.

Speaking of Skratch (a product I like), more than one person has asked whether Osmo is the same thing. If you read the early reviews of Skratch product, you’ll see that Dr. Sims was involved in its development. Is this simply her own branded version of it? If not, what are the differences? At first glance, the nutrition label reveals that Osmo has a higher amount of sodium and potassium per serving. Take it for what you will, but Dr. Sims was not willing to comment directly on the topic. Rather, she sent me a list of what she considers to be the least-known value-adds of Osmo:

“Osmo uses a unique ratio of glucose-to-sucrose, based on controlled testing for GI distress. We use organic fruit - ironically there can be 'fillers' of maltodextrin and silicon dioxide in organic fruit as flow agents; I refused to use this kind of fruit, so we sourced organic dried fruit powder with no fillers or flow agents, and the farm is fair-trade for those powders, so we cannot source directly in the USA.

All the minerals and vitamins are pharmaceutical grade and GMO-gluten free (again, the vitamins can be plated to fructose that isn't guaranteed to be GF or GMO free). We also use non-'bone-char' sugar – yes, almost all the sugar in the USA is whitened/bleached by the charred bones of animals; we use Glory Bee sugar that is charcoal filtered with charred wood.”


Solid Food Soup

To close, I want to address the many questions about solid food interaction with liquid. On the surface, it seems to make sense that everything is going to mix together in our stomachs into a ‘soup’ of sorts. Does drink osmolality go out the window once you take a bite of that gas station apple pie?

Because I’m not a scientist, I’m going to quote Dr. Sims on this one (don’t blame the messenger – you asked for it).

“I get this question a lot! There is a rate limiting effect of macronutrients getting into the gut… again, osmolality isn't the gold standard of gastric emptying or fluid absorption, it is the composition of the fluid (primarily the carbohydrates). The body isn't linear and digestion is an interesting process.

Basically, the rate of gastric emptying is regulated such that isoenergtic amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, or fats are delivered to into the small intestines - the MOA of the body's ability to detect as yet unmetabolized energy from a variety of sources is still not understood, but it isn't the osmolality of the chyme (mixed up food and fluid) or the broken down meal nutrients that regulate the transfer of the mixed macronutrients into the intestines. What this does, in a physiological sense, is ensure a constant rate of energy delivery to the small intestines.

Fluid composition comes into play separate from the food ingested. Volume ingested and solutions with a carbohydrate concentration of ~3% or less (comprised of physiological relevant sugars sucrose and glucose) with sodium, rapidly exit the stomach into the intestines. The theory here is water absorption is a quicker action than macronutrients, thus fluid out perpetuates water absorption to aid in digestion/blood circulation/metabolic waste.

Digestion is complicated but the body does a really good job of "titrating" energy so that everything isn't dumped in to the intestines all at once. There are feedback receptors sensitive to carbohydrate, fat, protein, sodium, potassium etc... to allow small amounts of macronutrients to exit the stomach into the intestines little-by-little (to try to keep a steady stream of energy going). Fluid is different; absorption starts in the stomach and quickly leaves to the small intestines where 95% of water exchange takes place. When you mix food and fluid, the fluid still exits faster than the macronutrients (especially if it’s a solution of glucose+sodium). The 'soup' in the stomach isn't really a 'soup', more like hearty stew over a colander - some of it runs out quickly, other of it is caught until it gets mushed up and pushed through the holes.”

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http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2013/05/on-course-ironman-nutrition-by-bonk-breaker.aspx#axzz2VHB4Urop

Throw Me a Bar: A Guide to On-Course Nutrition

Athletes take advantage of on-course nutrition at IRONMAN Texas/Photo by Nils Nilsen

Racing IRONMAN has been compared to a rolling buffet. Here’s how to maximize your on-course options.

By Becky Simon, Bonk Breaker Registered Dietitian

A nutrition plan is just as essential to your race as having a plan that addresses pacing, exertion and your overall goals. Consistent fueling and hydrating is the backbone of training and racing. “You need calories, and lots of them. Bottom line, you can't do an IRONMAN on electrolytes and water,” explains professional athlete and world champion Mirinda “Rinny” Carfrae.

Unfortunately, there is no universal plan that works for every athlete. Moreover, there is no one plan that always works every time. The key to nailing nutrition is to train your body to tolerate your chosen fuel source, to fuel often and consistently and most of all, maintain your flexibility. “You hope that plan A works, but you need a plan B and even C,” Carfrae says. “A race can be won or lost based on your nutrition plan so you need to put it to the test and be ready to shift it as needed.”

There is no cookie-cutter solution to your race-day nutrition needs, but the guidelines below will support you in building your nutrition plan.

Fueling choices: What’s on the menu?

Choosing a combination of carbohydrates, such as combining glucose and fructose, increases carbohydrate oxidation rates by 20 to 50 percent. Translation: more fuel to your muscles and less sitting in your gut, which can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

During training, build up your calorie intake until you find a range that works for you, and with a good mix of solid and liquid calories. Athletes need to find a balance of carrying fuel, stashing fuel in their special needs bag and relying on on-course nutrition. Training with on-course nutrition options is key, so you won’t shock your system come race day. For example, if you prefer to carry your nutrition with you, but happen to drop a Bonk Breaker Energy bar while adjusting your sunglasses, you can stick to your plan by picking up another bar at the next aid stations.

As Carfrae explained, you need a plan B and C in case plan A breaks down. Know what’s on course and train with it, whether you're planning to depend on it or use it as a back-up plan.

Show me the numbers: How much is enough?

Going into exercise, your body can store an average of 2,000 carbohydrate calories in the form of muscle and liver glycogen and glucose in your bloodstream. After about 60 to 90 minutes you burn through your carbohydrate stores and your body requires consistent fueling to avoid the dreaded “bonk.”

Top off your glycogen stores with 200 to 300 calories, 30 to 60 minutes before exercise. Eat a carbohydrate-rich snack that's easy on your stomach and that you’ve used in training. Some pre-exercise snacks ideas include toast with nut butter, a Bonk Breaker bar, a banana and yogurt or oatmeal with milk.

Your fueling needs increase as the duration of exercise exceeds two to three hours. For 70.3 and IRONMAN athletes, aim to consume 45 to 90 grams of carbohydrate (which comes out to 180 to 360 calories) per hour. During exercise, your body will oxidize about one carbohydrate gram per minute, even when large amounts of carbohydrates are ingested.

Timing: When should you fuel?

The trick is avoiding the bonk long before it happens. You may not feel hungry, but you still need to fuel. You can manage your carbohydrate load by fueling consistently and often.

Some athletes find fueling every 15 to 20 minutes is helpful, while others focus on consuming “x” amount of fuel by a specific time period or distance of the race. Research has found that cycling provides the best opportunity to ingest larger amounts of fluid and fuel, specifically solid nutrition. “I like to ‘front load’ my nutrition on the bike with solid calories. Bonk Breakers really settle my stomach and give me lasting fuel throughout the day,” says professional triathlete Beth Walsh.

Training doesn’t stop when your workout is done, so don’t forget to refuel immediately after exercise and maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

This article is sponsored by Bonk Breaker, the official energy bar of U.S. IRONMAN events. To find out more about the elite athletes behind the real-food bars, or to purchase bars, go to bonkbreaker.com.

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2013/05/on-course-ironman-nutrition-by-bonk-breaker.aspx#ixzz2VHBBJ5Ja