[Sportsandrec] Fw: RBR's 01/22/09 Newsletter: More Years, More Endurance
Kathy McGillivray
kjm at usfamily.net
Fri Jan 23 00:11:46 UTC 2009
Very cool! Thanks for sending this.
Peace,
Kathy McGillivray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron & the bears" <rockthebike at usfamily.net>
To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List"
<sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 1:30 PM
Subject: [Sportsandrec] Fw: RBR's 01/22/09 Newsletter: More Years, More
Endurance
> Hi,
>
> Sorry for such a long e-mail, but I thought some of you may like this sort
> of thing. Note, that it is a free e-mail subscription and that all the
> books offered are electronic!
>
> I thought y'all might like to read about aging and endurance, the longest
> indoor cycling ride, and other fitness information that is not specific to
> cycling.
>
> As a blind tandem rider, I feel that I can relate to most of what is being
> said here. If you have questions, please feel free to ask me off list or
> to the group if you think it would be interesting.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ron & the bears
> Austin, TX----- Original Message -----
> From: RoadBikeRider
> To: rockthebike at usfamily.net
> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:18 AM
> Subject: RBR's 01/22/09 Newsletter: More Years, More Endurance
>
>
> RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
> Issue No. 377 - 01/22/09: More Years, More Endurance
> ISSN 1536-4143
>
> Produced almost every Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without
> cost or obligation to more than 62,000 roadies around the world.
>
> Click to the RoadBikeRider.com home page to read an enhanced version of
> this newsletter.
> ______________________________________
>
> Order Your "3 Feet Please" Jersey Today!
> Send A Direct Message To Motorists. It May Save Your Life.
> Free Shipping. http://www.3FeetPlease.com
> ______________________________________
>
> In This Issue
>
> 1. Weekly Dispatch: More Years, More Endurance
> 2. Cycling Shorts: Awareness Tests; Clif Bar Recall
> 3. Scott's Spin: Super Secret
> 4. Classifieds (5 new)
> 5. Coach Fred: How Can I Prevent Back Pain While Climbing?
> 6. Road Racing Roundup: Lance Calm, Collected but Not Cool
> 7. Uncle Al: Cracking Up
> 8. Try This on Your Next Ride: Get Out of a Rut
> 9. RBR eBookstore: One-Liners for "The Ride of Your Life"
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 1. WEEKLY DISPATCH
>
> ED'S NOTE: I just heard from an excited Gabe Mirkin, M.D. He often rides
> more than 200 miles a week. He's 74 years old. So the news he sent to RBR
> is vitally encouraging to him and, I suspect, will be heartening to you
> too.
>
> Here's Dr. Mirkin's message:
>
> "I have noticed that younger riders can easily pull away from me in short
> bursts, but I keep coming back on them and seem to be better able to keep
> up with their accelerations as the ride progresses.
>
> "The January 2009 issue of Exercise and Sports Sciences Reviews
> investigates the entire world's literature to show that endurance improves
> as you age. Wow!
>
> "Maximal muscle contraction force occurs when you do a single muscle
> contraction with all your might. Even though older people are not as
> strong as younger ones, many studies show that they can retain maximal
> force after many contractions far longer than younger people can.
>
> "Here's the theory and evidence to explain why aging improves endurance:
>
> "Muscles are made up of millions of individual fibers just as a rope is
> made up of many different threads. Each muscle fiber is enervated by a
> single nerve. As you age, you lose nerves throughout your body. And when
> you lose the nerve that enervates a specific muscle fiber, you also lose
> that fiber.
>
> "Muscle fibers are classified as type I endurance fibers [also called slow
> twitch] and type II strength and speed fibers [fast twitch]. With aging,
> you lose far more nerves that enervate the strength and speed fibers than
> those that enervate the endurance ones.
>
> "So, with aging, you lose strength but you retain a greater proportion of
> endurance fibers.
>
> "Muscle fatigue comes from the accumulation of waste products that occurs
> while food is converted to energy to power muscles. With the same
> percentage of their maximal muscle force, older people accumulate far
> lower levels of these end products than younger people do. Therefore, even
> though older people are relatively weaker, they can maintain their
> forceful contractions far longer and they have greater endurance.
>
> "This exciting recent data will encourage me to train even harder."
>
> Who said birthdays are a bad thing? I hope Dr. Mirkin's example inspires
> you to keep pushing even if you're still a long way from 74.
>
> Now excuse me while I go ride some hills.
>
> Ed Pavelka
> Editor, Publisher, 62
>
> (Dr. Mirkin provides a valuable service with his free newsletter and
> hundreds of short, helpful, understandable medical articles on his website
> at http://www.drmirkin.com)
>
> Comment
> ______________________________________
>
> Insaner on a Trainer
>
> More inspiration (of a sort) came our way from RBR reader Ron Johnson, who
> read Scott's Spin in newsletter No. 375 where it called a 10-hour trainer
> ride "insane."
>
> You want insanity? Johnson asks.
>
> "Insane is Tom Seabourne's attempt at a new Guinness record in indoor
> cycling," he writes. "Tom rode 185 continuous hours [nearly 8 days], with
> just 5 minutes per hour for breaks. The entire event was videotaped and
> monitored by witnesses. Guinness is currently reviewing the tapes before
> certifying the record."
>
> Seaborne, a Texan, is a fitness buff who holds several endurance cycling
> records on the road. His impressive bio can be found on his website at
> tomseabourne.com. Seaborne is in his 50s, holds a doctorate in exercise
> science and has type 1 adult-onset diabetes.
>
> Excerpts from his vomitron epic are shown in a couple of YouTube videos.
> At 6 days he's looking surprisingly fresh at http://tinyurl.com/7ffn4o.
> But later that night it got ugly: http://tinyurl.com/6wm4m2
>
> "It says something about a man's character," Johnson writes, "when he has
> the ability to push himself to exhaustion, pick himself up, laugh about
> it, and keep on going."
>
> It might also say something about a man's sanity.
>
> Comment
> ______________________________________
>
> RBR's QUESTION of the Week
>
> So, how nuts are you?
>
> What's the most you've pedaled indoors in one day?
>
> We give you 11 ways to answer at http://www.roadbikerider.com/poll, where
> you can also find an archive of previous poll results. Please click, vote
> and come back to finish reading.
> ______________________________________
>
> Are You D Deficient?
>
> Vitamin D has been in the news a lot lately and not just for teaming with
> calcium to maintain or improve bone health. D is also said to play roles
> in fighting cancer and in athletic performance.
>
> Seeing as how the "sunshine vitamin" is in short supply right now in the
> northern hemisphere, 2 key questions are addressed in a web article by
> John Jacob Cannell, M.D., executive director of the Vitamin D Council:
>
> ---Are you vitamin D deficient?
> ---How much D should you take?
>
> According to Dr. Cannell, your answers will come from a 25-hydroxyvitamin
> D blood test, which your doctor can order, or from a DIY test you can buy
> on the internet.
>
> Until you know for sure, here's his advice:
>
> Take 3,000 IU of D per day if you weigh 80-130 pounds (36-59 kg); 4,000 IU
> if you weigh 130-170 pounds (59-77 kg); and 5,000 IU if you're 170 pounds
> or more.
>
> These amounts could be much greater than you're currently getting from
> natural or supplementary sources. For example, a daily dose of GNC's Mega
> Men multi-vitamin/mineral provides just 200 IU of D.
>
> Dr. Cannell's article is a tad thick but worth working through at
> http://tinyurl.com/7qouw9. (Thanks to RBR reader John Robert McAuley for
> sending this link.)
>
> Comment
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 2. CYCLING SHORTS
>
> ---Quick Tip: LeMond's Law. When you record rides in your training log,
> make your key entry the time you rode not how far you rode. The
> indisputable reason, according to Greg: "Twenty miles into a headwind is a
> lot different than 20 miles with a tailwind." The same holds for a ride in
> the hills vs. a ride on flat ground. For most recreational roadies, 7-10
> hours of riding per week is plenty for steady improvement -- if you have
> an intelligent training program.
>
> ---Product recall: Clif Bar is recalling 14 products sold in the U.S. and
> 4 in Canada because they contain peanut butter from the Peanut Corporation
> of America. PCA is being investigated as the source of a recent salmonella
> outbreak. Affected products include various Clif Bars, Clif Builder's
> Bars, Clif MOJO bars, Clif Kid Organic ZBaRs and Luna Bars. Specific info
> is on the company's website at http://www.clifbar.com/voluntary-recall
>
> ---Have you seen the classic awareness test at
> http://www.dothetest.co.uk/basketball.html? It's short, fun and
> enlightening. And it has spawned 3 similar tests on behalf of cycling
> safety from Transport for London. The key message: "It's easy to miss
> something you're not looking for. On a busy road this could be fatal. Look
> out for cyclists." See the 3 tests at http://tinyurl.com/64vhsd,
> http://tinyurl.com/5cxj52 and http://tinyurl.com/8kxmqc. (Thanks to John
> Price, webmaster of North Carolina's Gaston County Cyclists.)
>
> ---Powerful pepper! We're hearing about a new product -- Kimber
> PepperBlaster -- for getting real tough with dogs or anything else that
> breathes air and threatens you on a ride. The mailorder company
> competitivecyclist.com sells PepperBlaster for $40 and promotes it with a
> no-holds-barred sales pitch at http://tinyurl.com/7bm9pu. Excerpt: "Stuff
> like Halt! is a marshmallow gun by comparison ... Unlike typical pepper
> spray, PepperBlaster isn't aerosolized. Rather, each unit contains two
> cylinders with powerful concentrations of near-pharmaceutical grade
> oleoresin capsicum (OC) -- a devastatingly effective irritant. Each
> cylinder is driven by a pyrotechnic charge and a piston, and the solution
> travels at 90 mph, giving it enough energy to wrap around glasses or a
> face mask." Or, it would seem, to penetrate a dog from its wet little nose
> to the tip of its furry tail.
>
> ---In newsletter No. 375 we mentioned Scotchlite 680 reflective vinyl for
> making a bike highly visible in headlights. We noted that a kit made
> expressly for bicycles may become available. RBR reader Rita Joachim
> tipped us off to similar tape and other reflective products sold at
> http://www.lightweights.org. Says Rita, "We put it on our spokes and
> pedals last winter. It's reflectacular! Inexpensive and light as well as
> very effective. When headlights hit it, whoa Nellie -- it really lights
> up. It's a great product and pretty inconspicuous in daylight, although
> some roadies might object to the permanence of its installation."
>
> ---Premium Site member John David would like your help with a book he's
> researching on epic races in North America. Says David, "I am looking
> primarily for races open to citizens (although pros may enter) in the
> point-to-point or large loop format, timed, usually 30 miles or greater,
> on road or off road. Single-day events, annual hill climbs or stage races
> would all fit the bill." E-mail your favorite to him at
> e-jdavid at rogers.com
>
> ---New on the RBR website: We review a new version of the Topeak Allay
> saddle with an inflatable bladder and seatpost-mounted pump. Is air
> cushioning the key to saddle comfort and safety? Read our impressions at
> http://www.roadbikerider.com/producttests.htm
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 3. SCOTT'S SPIN
>
> Super Secret
>
> While reading a review on Slate.com of the cult running novel "Once a
> Runner" by John L. Parker Jr., I spotted a line about "The Secret" of how
> you become a real runner.
>
> "But it turns out that The Secret is that there is no secret," reviewer
> Marc Tracy writes. "The runner must pound the mileage, as we say. It's a
> grueling, tedious, insane lifestyle."
>
> Yikes. Is that true of cycling? Short answer: Yup. Long answer: See short
> answer.
>
> But wait, you say. What about all those magazine articles that tell you
> how to "Get Blazing Fast in 6 Short Weeks"?
>
> Sorry, but the folks who wrote those aren't telling the whole truth. I
> should know. I churned out my share of them in a previous life.
>
> Granted, some reasonably structured training will help you improve in the
> short run. But the sad truth is that real fitness gains take years. You
> have to change your body on a cellular level, and your cells would much
> rather sit on the couch eating double-stuft chocolate cookies.
>
> That means lots of hard work. It's not all "grueling, tedious and insane,"
> although I'm not sure how else to describe intervals in the rain or
> 90-minute trainer sessions.
>
> Often, the long road to fitness is rewarding. Sometimes it's even fun.
> Some people like that it's tough. "You get back exactly what you put into
> it," they say, unlike life, which can be so unfair and nasty.
>
> But, really, there's plenty of unfairness in fitness. Someone with
> superior genes doesn't even have to outwork you to crush you. They're just
> better.
>
> If you can ignore that horrible fact and focus on your own progress, it's
> easier to accept that there's no Secret.
>
> Comment
>
> (Scott Martin's eBook, Spin Again, contains 181 of his witty, sometimes
> wacky, and occasionally heart-felt observations on road cycling. Enjoy 3
> classic Spins again and place your order -- instant delivery by
> download -- at http://www.roadbikerider.com/sa_page.htm.)
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 4. CLASSIFIEDS
> Also see the Classified Ads page on the RBR website and please support
> these advertisers that help make this newsletter FREE for you.
> ______________________________________
>
> NEW
> Boure Bicycle Clothing - Our Tradition Begins with Quality!
> Thermo knickers, Boure Team & Wool clothing Now on Sale.
> Plus Low-priced Clearance jerseys at http://www.boure.com
> ______________________________________
>
> BERLIN to PRAGUE. A blend of bicycling, culture
> and history. First Class hotels & fine regional cuisine
> with wine. Sag wagon support. Since1974.com
> ______________________________________
>
> RAINLEGS - Keeps Your Legs Warm & Dry
> A Must-Have Accessory for Roadies!
> For info & ordering click http://www.rainlegs.co.uk
> ______________________________________
>
> WEAR WOOL. We've got you covered head to toe.
> USA made. Custom, too! At checkout, enter promo
> code RBR for free shipping to U.S. http://www.joneswares.com
> ______________________________________
>
> 1,000 miles - 94,000 ft. - 12 riding days across
> the Pyrenees & back. Or ride, wine, dine and yoga
> at Chateau Pitray. Epic! http://www.lostendetours.com
> ______________________________________
>
> FREE Web-based Training Diary - VeloD.com
> Graphing, bike maintenance, summary, etc.
> Monthly/Quarterly Giveaways! http://www.velod.com
> ______________________________________
>
> CueClip - Map/Cue Sheet Holder. World's best! Club discounts.
> Emergency LED Lights, Saddle Leather Care Products,
> and the Cyclewallet. http://www.cueclip.com
> ______________________________________
>
> Also on Classified Ads, these Roadie Ads:
>
> ---Shimano Ultegra compact crankset (new this week)
> ---Shimano Ultegra shift levers (new this week)
> ---Shimano Ultegra front derailleur (new this week)
> ---Specialized BG road shoes (new this week)
> ---Wanted: RBR cycling writers
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 5. COACH FRED
>
> How Can I Prevent Back Pain While Climbing?
>
> Q: I know you're familiar with riding in southern Arizona, so you
> probably have heard of our local monster hill, Kitt Peak. Every time I do
> this 10-mile climb, my lower back just kills me. What would you recommend
> to minimize this pain? -- Andy M.
>
> Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Kitt Peak makes my back hurt just thinking
> about it. Did you know those aren't really telescopes on top? They're pain
> generators, aimed at unsuspecting cyclists trying to get up the hill.
>
> Any steep-and-long climb is likely to cause back stress no matter how
> strong you are or how well your bike fits. Pedaling forcefully at a slow
> cadence requires your low-back muscles to work extra hard. They eventually
> fatigue and ache.
>
> Check your saddle height. A seat that's a bit too high may not cause back
> pain in mild terrain when you aren't putting lots of pressure on the
> pedals. You might even toe-down your feet a bit to compensate for the
> higher-than-ideal saddle.
>
> But when you push hard on a climb, your heels drop and shorten your
> leg/foot combination. Your saddle suddenly becomes too high. Your hips
> rock, the side-to-side motion stresses your low back, and guess what --
> halfway up the hill you have a backache.
>
> Also, steep climbs mean that gravity is pulling you to the rear of the
> saddle because your bike is tilted up at 10-15%. This has the same effect
> as riding on the flat with your saddle slid way back on the rails --
> something known to cause back pain.
>
> There is no sure-fire solution. But you can do these 4 things to reduce
> the stress:
>
> ---Climb more often so that Kitt Peak isn't such major trauma. A brisk
> training ride once every week or 2 on Gates Pass, from the steep western
> side, should make Kitt Peak less traumatic.
>
> ---Install gearing low enough so that steep climbs aren't like leg press
> workouts.
>
> ---Alternate sitting with standing to change your back's position and
> relieve tension.
>
> ---Include crunches, back extensions and related exercises in your
> conditioning program. They're key to building low-back strength and are
> detailed in the illustrated RBR eArticle, "Core Training for Cyclists," by
> Dr. Alan Bragman.
>
> Comment
>
> (Coach Fred says: "It's not too late to start my Power to the Pedals
> program, especially if you're stuck on the trainer due to the extra-harsh
> winter weather we've been having in the U.S. If you start doing the
> training sequence around Feb. 1 you'll be done by late April when the
> riding season begins to pick up." The Coach's power program is based on
> just 2 one-hour workouts per week and costs $3.99 in the RBR eBookstore.
> Scroll down to the eArticles section, place your order for instant
> download, and put more Power to Your Pedals on the road next spring.)
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 6. ROAD RACING ROUNDUP
> Gleaned from news sources worldwide. Credited where exclusive.
>
> Let's begin with a recap at the halfway point of the Tour Down Under, the
> season's first ProTour race. Making it even more newsworthy this year is
> Lance Armstrong's participation -- his first pro road event since winning
> the Tour de France for a 7th time in July 2005.
>
> ---Stage 1 of the TDU was won by defending champion Andre Greipel
> (Columbia) in a bunch sprint after 140 km (87 miles). An estimated 88,000
> spectators watched in temperatures reported to have reached 43C (109F).
> "It's hot, man, it's hot," commented a toasted Armstrong, who finished
> safely in 120th place. "It's a dry heat, but it affects performance a lot.
> There's really no way to perform at a high level ... you just cope, drink
> as much water as you can. I think we [on Team Astana] went through 15, 20
> bottles apiece today."
>
> ---In stage 2, Armstrong tested his legs late in a small break, a move he
> later termed "maybe not the smartest thing I could have done, but I just
> followed a couple of wheels and found myself in a little group." He rolled
> to the finish in 21st place after the 145 km (90 miles), 13 seconds behind
> winner Allan Davis (Quick Step), the only man to ride all 11 editions of
> his home country's tour. "It's going to take a while to adapt to race
> speed," said Armstrong. "I think today proved that . . . it's fast, the
> guys are strong." He said the speed combined with the heat makes the Tour
> Down Under a "suffer-fest," but he added, "I like to suffer... If I wasn't
> enjoying it I would pack it in, despite the bigger reason." That was a
> reference to is goal of increasing worldwide awareness of cancer's scourge
> and ways to defeat it.
>
> ---Yesterday's stage 3 was variously described as "vicious" and "chaotic"
> because of aggressive riding, strong wind and an accident (with a parked
> motorbike) that put 2008 TDU champ Greipel out of the race with shoulder
> damage. Winning in a bunch sprint after 136 km (84 miles) was Graeme Brown
> (Rabobank) over fellow Aussies Allan Davis and Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank),
> with America's George Hincapie (Columbia) 4th. Davis remains the overall
> leader by a hair over Brown. Hincapie is 12th at 20 seconds and Armstrong
> is 39th, 9 seconds farther back. In this stage, Lance finished near the
> rear of the 47-rider lead group, all given the same time of 3:15.
> Afterwards on twitter.com, he wrote, "George just send me a msg and said,
> 'thought this race was supposed to be easy.' I agree. Damn hard."
>
> ---The Tour Down Under is being reported extensively by velonews.com and
> cyclingnews.com. Daily highlights are televised in the U.S. by Versus. The
> race ends on Jan. 25.
>
> ---Let the record show that Armstrong finished 64th in his first official
> comeback race, the Tour Down Under's Cancer Council Classic, a criterium
> that drew an estimated 138,000 spectators in Adelaide on Sunday evening.
> "I think the last time I did that style of racing, that fast, was probably
> in 1990," Lance said. "It's fun to get back in there." Average speed for
> the crit, which didn't count in the Tour Down Under's general
> classification, was 47.4 kph (29.4 mph). Winner was homeboy Robbie McEwen
> (Katusha), taking his 13th career victory in the TDU.
>
> ---For a look at Armstrong's new racing bike, a Trek Madone 6.9
> Livestrong, click http://tinyurl.com/9odxmk. The "1274" on the wheels and
> frame is the number of days between his last race in 2005 and the first
> day of the Tour Down Under.
>
> ---As promised, Armstrong's personal and independent drug testing started
> before the Tour Down Under. The announcement came on Sunday, but a
> companion web page to display results has yet to appear. The program will
> include testing about once every 3 days by Don Catlin, chief science
> officer of Anti-Doping Sciences Institute in California.
>
> As reported by cyclingnews.com, Catlin lists 3 goals: "high frequency
> testing" to gather a large data pool; storing samples for up to 8 years
> for potential retesting; and "program transparency" for access by other
> anti-doping agencies. Armstrong is now subject to tests from 5 separate
> entities -- the World Anti-Doping Agency, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the
> International Cycling Union (UCI), Team Astana and Catlin. He says he has
> undergone 12 out-of-competition tests since announcing his comeback.
> ______________________________________
>
> Overheard: "It's formalized, it's under way and it's the most
> comprehensive anti-doping plan in the history of sport. I'm proud of
> it." -- Lance Armstrong on personal testing by Catlin
> ______________________________________
>
> ---More than 200 drug tests are being conducted at the Tour Down Under.
> Each of the 133 pros in the race was required to provide blood before the
> start. Additional blood and urine samples are being taken each day.
> Testers are looking for EPO/CERA and human growth hormone is addition to
> other banned substances. Some samples are being frozen for retesting years
> from now when technology advances.
>
> ---Armstrong's latest racing schedule includes Milan-San Remo, Italy's
> foremost one-day classic, in late March. According to Team Astana director
> Johan Bruyneel, after competing in Australia, Lance will race the Amgen
> Tour of California in February, France's 2-day Criterium International and
> Milan-San Remo in March, the Tour of Flanders (maybe) and Italy's Tour of
> Trentino in April, the Giro d'Italia in May and July's Tour de France. "If
> the schedule stays like this, there will be no other races," said
> Bruyneel.
>
> ---Bonnie D. Ford of espn.com is flat out the best cycling writer not
> affiliated with the cycling media. She just might be the best cycling
> writer, period. Her just-published feature article titled, "Why Now? Why
> Not" is a comprehensive examination of Lance Armstrong from cycling to
> doping to cancer to politics, leading off with the most captivating mug
> shot of the man we've seen. Then Ford writes: "Armstrong is revered,
> feared, resented and admired. . . . Some people can't get enough of him.
> Some have had more than enough of him." No matter which side you're on,
> you're bound to learn something at http://tinyurl.com/6sk64o
>
> ---Chipotle is gone from Team Garmin's official name and orange-and-blue
> argyle racing kit. For 2009 the U.S.-based ProTour team is known as
> Garmin-Slipstream. The new name, according to a press release, brings
> "attention to Slipstream and its focus on ethical sporting." Although the
> Chipotle restaurant chain is no long part of the name . . . .
> ______________________________________
>
> Overheard: "We are still powered by Chipotle burritos, as we always have
> been. Chipotle is our secret training weapon." -- Jonathan Vaughters,
> director of Garmin-Slipstream
> ______________________________________
>
> ---Michael Rasmussen expects to be able to race again no later than July
> 26, the end date of his 2-year suspension for drug-testing violations.
> Meanwhile, he's hoping that the Court of Arbitration for Sport will look
> favorably on his appeal to have the suspension shortened. The gangly
> Danish climber, now 34, was well on his way to winning the 2007 Tour de
> France before being fired by Team Rabobank because he had lied to avoid
> out-of-competition drug tests.
>
> This winter, Rasmussen says he is training diligently, with one exception.
> "I basically live as if I was racing," he told cyclingnews.com, "but I'm
> not watching my weight as carefully. I generally eat and drink as I
> like -- for the first time in 15 years." Rasmussen says he rode 2,500 km
> (1,550 miles) in December and is doing 3,000 km (1,860 miles) this month.
> "I have no problems keeping my training morale high. After all, July isn't
> that far away, so for now that's what I'm training towards."
>
> ---Team Rock Racing is alive for 2009. The irreverent squad with a
> penchant for hiring doping-tainted riders met the requirements for a
> license just before last Friday's deadline. "It went down to the wire but
> Rock Racing finally fulfilled all of its obligations for registering as a
> UCI Continental team in 2009," USA Cycling's Sean Petty told velonews.com.
> Continental status is 2 steps below the elite ProTour. However, Rock's
> 5-rider team did not appear at its first race of the season, Argentina's
> Tour de San Luis, which prompted the organizer to demand the return of
> $30,000 in advance payments for travel and other expenses.
>
> ---Operation Puerto is moving back toward the front burner. The May 2006
> police bust of a Madrid blood doping clinic implicated a number of top
> cyclists, including Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and even Alberto Contador. The
> first 2 were among those whose careers were ended or suspended, but Puerto
> eventually fizzled because it was ruled that no Spanish laws at the time
> had been violated.
>
> Now a court has reopened Puerto with a ruling that says "evidence exists
> that a crime was committed against public health." This is based on the
> court's decision that "blood cells must be considered medication as soon
> as they become substances capable of alleviating illnesses or affecting
> body functions." Such as performance in sports. There were plenty of blood
> cells involved in the Madrid clinic, as some 100 frozen bags of blood were
> confiscated along with transfusion equipment, steroids, hormones and EPO.
> A detailed news report from Madrid is at http://tinyurl.com/9dmuty
>
> ---Madison, Wisconsin, will be the venue for Olympic road cycling in 2016
> if Chicago's bid to host the Games is the one accepted by the IOC in
> October. Road cycling was originally to take place in Chicago itself but
> the International Cycling Union objected that the course was too flat. In
> the revised proposal, Madison would host the road races and time trials,
> with the road course including laps within the town and loops outside near
> Blue Mound. Madison would serve as the Olympic village for some 320
> cyclists, using University of Wisconsin dormitories planned to be built
> before the Games. Competing with Chicago for the 2016 Summer Games are
> Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.
>
> ---Will we someday see a black cyclist win the Tour de France? There is a
> movement to help that happen, founded on the theory that if Africans are
> dominant in distance running they can be as successful in road cycling.
> Their ability has recently been shown on the Alpe d'Huez, but some serious
> roadblocks lie ahead. Read the interesting feature article at
> http://tinyurl.com/9qnant
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 7. UNCLE AL
>
> Cracking Up
>
> Dear Uncle Al,
>
> I've never written to you before, but I really need your all-knowing
> advice.
>
> I have suspected for some time now that my wife has been cheating on me.
> I've witnessed the usual signals. If the phone rings and I answer, the
> caller hangs up. My wife has been going out with "the girls" a lot
> recently, although when I ask their names she always says, "Just some
> friends from work, you don't know them."
>
> I think deep down I just didn't want to know the truth, but last night she
> went out again so I decided to stay up and check on her.
>
> Around midnight, I hid in the garage behind my bikes so I could get a good
> view of the street as she arrived from a night out with "the girls." When
> she got out of the car she was buttoning her blouse and straightening her
> skirt.
>
> It was at this moment, crouching behind my carbon road bike, that I
> noticed a slight crack in the down tube.
>
> Is this something a bike shop can fix, or should I send it back to the
> company? -- Concerned Roadie
>
> Uncle Al Replies: CR, I'm truly sorry for your dilemma. It's not the
> first time I've heard this sort of sad tale. You spend years investing in
> a relationship only to be let down. Believing that time will heal all
> wounds too often proves to have the opposite result.
>
> It's not like this is anything new. It can happen to the best of us
> without warning. You can read articles and books about this situation, you
> can seek advice from friends, you can even cry about it. But even the
> strongest bonds can fail. That's life.
>
> I urge you to seek professional help. A caring person trained in these
> matters is far better than trying to sort these things out alone. Of
> course, sometimes a person who claims to be able to "fix anything" will
> only make matters worse. You need to accept that a problem might be beyond
> repair.
>
> Now, about that lying, cheating wife of yours. . . . Any guesses where she
> and "the girls" are holding their get-togethers? Maybe a visit from your
> Unc could help repair this crack in your relationship.
>
> Comment
>
> (Click to read more from Alan Ardizone, owner of award-winning Cascade
> Bicycles in Montrose, Colorado.)
> ______________________________________
>
> New on RBR's Premium Site
>
> Members will find the links to this exclusive content on the What's New?
> page after logging on.
>
> ---Ed Pavelka's feature article "CTS Climbing Camp" details workouts,
> skill drills and skull sessions with Carmichael Training System coaches
> during 3 days of intensive cycling in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
>
> ---Les Woodland pens his 19th strange-but-true tale from European cycling:
> "One Year: 75,065 Miles."
>
> Join the Premium Site for access to these articles and 255 web pages of
> exclusive road cycling advice, information and entertainment. For just
> $24.99 per year for 24/7 access, you'll receive 10 valuable member
> benefits, including a 15% discount on all products in the RBR eBookstore.
> Check the full list of bennies at http://www.roadbikerider.com/inside.htm
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 8. TRY THIS ON YOUR NEXT RIDE
>
> Get Out of a Rut
>
> Grooves in the road running parallel to your direction of travel can catch
> your wheels and snatch bike control.
>
> Concrete roads are notorious for wheel-eating seams. Ruts, crevices,
> fractures and furrows carved by farm machinery can appear on any paved
> surface and too often when you least expect them.
>
> Keep your eyes up to spot these dangerous fissures. They're harder to see
> in shady sections or on roads with patches. Anticipate the possibilities
> so you can ride a smooth line that keeps your wheels away from risky
> sections.
>
> What if a rut does catch your wheels?
>
> If it's short and straight, don't panic. Coast, crouch like a jockey with
> good balance, and ride it out. Pull up on the handlebar at the exit to
> lighten the front wheel and reduce any impact.
>
> There are 2 dangers when you respond the wrong way:
>
> ---If you try to turn your front wheel out of a rut, the wheel can catch
> on the edge and wash out, taking you down.
>
> ---If you slam on the brakes, that'll leave your wheels trapped, upset
> your balance, and you could fall over.
>
> However, you might need to get out quickly if the rut leads to something
> worse. If it's not too deep, the trick is to lighten the bike by rising
> off the saddle and pulling up slightly on the handlebar and pedals at the
> same time, then steer to the side. After your front wheel glides out, the
> rear will follow because you've taken your weight off it as well.
>
> Some ruts are really nasty, though. They're deep with nearly vertical
> sides. Steering out won't work. In this case, you have to jump the bike up
> and to the side. This is a technique you need to practice on a soft
> surface (a large grassy field) before you try it on pavement.
>
> Can you see why trail riding on a mountain bike is a great way to improve
> your road bike skills? And as a recent tip on RBR's Comments page pointed
> out, off-road MTB riding will also give you plenty of chances to practice
> reactions when falling.
>
> Comment
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> 9. RBR eBOOKSTORE
>
> Premium Site annual members automatically receive a 15% discount on every
> eBook, eArticle or other product.
>
> One-Liners for The Ride of Your Life
>
> Our newest eBook, written by accomplished long-distance cyclist David
> Rowe, provides the guidance every time- and obligation-challenged roadie
> needs to choose smart goals and then find the training opportunities to
> accomplish them. Here is what 6 cycling experts are saying about The Ride
> of Your Life:
>
> ---"An excellent guide for people who are looking to expand their cycling
> horizons." -- Chris Carmichael, founder of Carmichael Training Systems
>
> ---"A wealth of useful, practical material to set and achieve your
> extraordinary goals." -- John Lee Ellis, endurance cycling legend
>
> ---"It will help get your head and heart ready to tackle any grand cycling
> challenge." -- Selene Yeager, Bicycling magazine's "Fitness Chick"
>
> ---"No matter what your goal, this eBook will serve as a thoughtful and
> effective roadmap." -- Georgena Terry, founder of Terry Precision Cycling
> for Women
>
> ---"I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to get the most out of
> cycling -- and life -- in today's busy and demanding world." -- Chris
> Kostman, director of AdventureCORPS
>
> ---"This eBook is the kick in the pants you need to raise your cycling
> results to a new level." -- Lon Haldeman, PAC Tour director and Race
> Across America winner
>
> The Ride of Your Life contains 75 photos & illustrations and has a 3.45 MB
> file size. See the table of contents and read an excerpt at
> http://www.roadbikerider.com/royl_page.htm, then click this link to view
> 34 of the 164 pages.
>
> Place your order, and the program you need to make "the ride of your life"
> a reality in 2009 will instantly be delivered to your RBR account.
> ______________________________________
>
> HOT List: January's Bestsellers
>
> 1. The Ride of Your Life -- by David Rowe. See above! (eBook)
>
> 2. Power to the Pedals -- a 12-week power-building cycling program by
> Coach Fred Matheny (in the eArticles section)
>
> 3. Core Training for Cyclists -- strengthen your abs and back where
> cycling performance hinges, by Dr. Alan Bragman (in the eArticles section)
>
> 4. Keep it Real - In Your Indoor Cycling Classes -- certified Spinning
> instructor Jennifer Sage makes sure indoor classes transfer to the road
> (eBook)
>
> 5. Strength Training for Cyclists -- DVD and workout manual by Harvey
> Newton, former Olympic Weightlifting coach and longtime road cyclist
>
> Find these helpful "how to" cycling publications, and 35 others, in the
> RBR eBookstore.
>
> o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
>
> Enjoy your rides! Look for newsletter No. 378 on Thursday, Jan. 29.
>
> Please forward this newsletter to cyclists who may not know about RBR.
> They too can sign up and receive a complimentary copy of our exclusive
> eBook, "29 Pro Cycling Secrets for Roadies," at
> http://www.roadbikerider.com
>
> Log in at http://roadbikerider.com/manage-my-account.php to:
> ---manage your newsletter subscription
> ---manage your customer account
> ---manage your Premium Site membership
>
> For RBR account general information, please click
> http://www.roadbikerider.com/CAinfo.htm
>
> To automatically delete your address from our mailing list, simply send a
> blank e-mail to leave at roadbikerider.com from the address where you receive
> this newsletter. We'll miss you but you won't hear from us again.
> ______________________________________
>
> Business owners! Your Commercial Ad will be delivered to 62,000+ road
> cycling enthusiasts via this weekly newsletter, and it will appear on our
> website with your logo or product photo. Get info at
> https://www.roadbikerider.com/CAbizorder.htm
>
> Roadies! Sell your spare bike and gear on our website for just $5. Click
> to https://www.roadbikerider.com/CAperorder.htm
> ______________________________________
>
> This newsletter is a product of RBR Publishing Company:
> Ed Pavelka, president
> Fred Matheny, VP emeritus
> 1617 Kramer Rd.
> Kutztown, PA 19530 USA
> RBRPublishing at roadbikerider.com
>
> All material is copyright <c> 2001-2009 RBR Publishing Company. All rights
> reserved.
>
>
>
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