Swim in a Tumbler, Bike in a Hurricane, Run in Hell – a love story!

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RACE REPORT – GULF COAST 70.3 TRIATHLON                               

ILANA KATZ MS, RD, CSSD

A race report warranted to be written… Why? You ask —

mmm…    Where do I begin, to tell a story of how hard a tri can be.  A real life story that begins with the sea, the simple truth about the survival of me. Where do I start?

At the very beginning…. Arriving at Panama City Beach, in the Gulf Coast was breathtaking. The ocean as smooth as a mirror, and as turquoise as a precious stone. The sky was as blue as my toenails.

I couldn’t wait to jump in and glide like a dolphin, and that I did, now even more excited about the race tomorrow as I was after my season opener (West Point Lake Olympic). Who knew that in the depths of the horizon was a monster brewing. Who could have dreamed that the writing was on the wall for this perfect day.  Double double toil and trouble, ocean rocks and waves will double.

Beep beep beep, 4:30am alarm going off for race day preparation. A peek out the window, an exhilarating anticipation for that placid swim in the ocean. It was still pitch dark, so who knew the brew had begun. Those that follow the radar on the weather channel, I guess, but that was not me. Arriving at transition, the humid air could be cut with a knife… oh yeah, the witches brew was bubbling away. Many anxious athletes looked sullen and gray. That was not me.

Sliding into a wetsuit is always a challenge. Sliding didn’t work, jumping… that too was somewhat a mission, so out comes the suit juice, glide, globs of lotion, and anything else that will tame my rubber skin that somehow shrank in the closet over the winter.

Even though the level of anxiety around me reached an all-time high, I remained relatively calm. I guess my anxiety trigger is my personal Pavlov’s dog phenomenon of “Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light…” (to be honest, no, I still can’t see what’s going on beyond the shore on this dawn, dimly lit through the mists of the deep.) But those words mean:  You ,dearest, are about to be swimming in that doubly troubled toiled and bubbled ocean. And we are off.

It truly amazes me how one triathlete after the next, is willing to throw themselves in to a giant washing machine/tumble drier cycle with what seems to be a fearless undertaking. I later realized that for many it is fearful, but the will to complete the mission is stronger. The long hours in the pool at 5am that most of us endure, WILL pay off.  The colossal washing machine had lots to offer. Between the white cap swells, and the shark bait fish by the millions, it was quite the unforgiving swim. Nothing like the exquisite blue tease of yesterday’s forgotten memory.

At last I see Dori (my tri bike), her welcoming frame patiently waiting, yet eager to get on with her job of transporting me out and back for 56 miles just because she can.

Again, the calm before the storm…  

Let me sail, Let me sail, let the road below me flow. I’ve left the beach, out of reach, from the gulf back there below… over the bridge and into the windy burbs of Panama. “May the wind be on my back”, as many supporters hoped, and yes, for awhile it was to be.  Then the wind turned from a tail to a head. I continued to fight the force, still smiling from the triumph of the challenge. Until… double double toil and trouble, storm is once again brewing up some rubble. With 10 miles to go, I was feeling great, average speed pretty good on my own grading scale. I was sailing back to the home front, looking forward to parking Dori, acknowledging her, a job well done, and getting on with the run. But oh no, the brewed up storm had a different path for us, which included being blown every which way but straight!  My average miles per hour then dropped, dropped drastically. Fighting gusts that felt like they were strong enough to lift a human and a Dori right into the middle of traffic. Gusts that made this once flat, simple road feel like mount Kilimanjaro. Dare I add, it had started howling rain too! At this point, I would have preferred to be riding up a Kilimanjaro,  because at least what you see is what you get, and that awareness allows for preparation. Fighting my way back to transition took at least another hour, a time drastically different to the predictions produced by the statistics of the previous 2 hours.

Whew…   transition in sight. I don’t think I have felt a happier moment in all my triathlon experiences, and that includes seeing the finish line at an Ironman. That was some scary #*%$# !!  So, needless to say, rain clears out, sun starts to shine, and shine brighter, and shine hotter, and another monster from Hell is chuckling down on us once again. “You try beat this heat, haw haw haw !!!”

I must now commend the awesome race support crew and volunteers. Handing us cold sponges soaked in ice was a glorious matter in itself. Providing a feast of orange slices, pretzels and Gatorade made such a hellish run slightly doable. So on I plod, and plod and plod. I feel like I have run a marathon…  I see a sign, the finish must be near… the sign becomes clearer, my heart is thumping with anticipation: “MILE 2”, W.T.F !!! I did a double take to make sure it didn’t say 2 MILES to go… oh no it didn’t!! So on and on I plod, feeling like my feet are tied to a ton of bricks. The sun beats down and the heat is hot, the day moves on, at the finish line I am NOT !

So the plodding along progressed into a rhythm. I actually started warming up to the mile marker signs a few miles down, instead of cursing them out loud at their message of doom.  Then the count down to the finish line was finally real… my sofa king team, waiting with excitement for us stragglers to join them… There were still a couple of sofa king slow ones out on the course ; side note: whew, I was not last !!

So that’s the story of how great a love can be. A love of triathlon and what it does for me. The pain is forgotten, the fear is at bay, I cannot wait for the next one, I wish it was today!!!

As y’all know me by now, I always like to share a few things I learn along the way… so here goes for this challenging days experience:

  • I am pretty comfortable in water, even if its undercurrents are not comfortable with me,
  • Swimming in schools of fish is quite a sensation. One of slime and grime. (I had no idea that what I was constantly feeling out there was fish, it felt like someone had deposited a trillion grapes in the ocean).
  • My sighting is spot on… (take that, Coach Pete) – I swam right into every buoy… literally hit the damn buoy with my goggled face.
  • I need a new pair of goggles.
  • As supportive as Dori is, of my trials and tribulations, we seem to be taking a little too long to connect. Please Dori, lets work together, you are my first choice for Ironman  Florida, but Gentle Giant is closing in on the ratings…. What can we do to fix our struggles?
  • I got a penalty for drafting… yeah, me, the one who cannot keep up with anyone, managed to be accused of keeping up to someone, apparently.
  • I was not drafting, I was merely attempting to stay alive.
  • My nutrition was sofa king perfect, AGAIN !!! (see me for the reasons why ;-))
  • Sofa King is still the best team ever… we certainly top the ratings on the funny comment lists. And no, we are NOT kings of the sofa… we are so-fa-king incredible !!! Go team.
  • As always, thanks to friends, family, clients, and students for all your support through the continued journey of swim, bike, run, and most importantly FUELing optimally, practicing my preaches, and embracing my praises !!

 

Differences in Proteins

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Protein is your most metabolic active tissue, which means, the more muscle mass you have, the more potential you have to burn fat. I have recently been asked a number of questions about the differences and the value of certain types of protein. Although food is always a first preference for protein rebuild and recovery, protein supplements also provide the building blocks for muscle growth.  Hopefully this article can uncover some mysteries behind the types of protein supplements on the market, when and how much to use of which (including real food), and if there is a real difference to the value of each.

Protein supplements are relatively inexpensive and are convenient. This leaves me with one warning: Make sure you that you are only supplementing protein as needed, do not overdose on protein, and do not rely entirely on supplementation.

The most common protein supplements are whey, egg, soy and casein. All four of these protein supplements have different characteristics and are used differently depending on what you’re trying to achieve. There are several different methods used to evaluate the quality of proteins. These include Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) measuring quality based on amino acid requirements ,  Biological Value (BV) based on the bioavalibilty, or absorption quality of the protein,  and Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), which is the ability of the protein to support growth.

WHEY

Whey is a preferred source right after a workout because it is digested relatively fast, enhancing the recovery function quickly. It is a milk protein (meaning that it is isolated into a powder form from milk). It is also a complete protein, meaning that it includes all  essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and as these connect together, they form whole proteins. Essential amino acids means that the body is unable to form these unless there is an eaten source of it.   Whey also contains what we call Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) –  These are a group of 3 of the essential amino acids, that in combination, make up over a third of all muscle mass in human physiology. They have also been hypothesized to enhance muscle growth in supplemental form.

Whey protein tends to score the highest in quality protein. Many supplement companies highlight PDCAA scores on the labels of their protein products. As a professional in the field, I would recommend that you not obsess about the PDCAA scores, rather concern yourself with the ingredient list. If there are ingredients that are not natural, such as artificial flavors/sweeteners, or chemical words that you could not pronounce or spell yourself,  take that as a red flag for lower end quaity.  Supplements should provide as clean a product as possible, and not contain any unnecessary or artificial ingredients.

Whey in a nutshell – well not really! To further complicate this topic, whey comes in  different types:  whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey protein. Whey protein concentrate is the most commonly used source of protein and also the most economical. Hydrolyzed whey protein is the least common and most expensive (a protein typically used by hardcore bodybuilders) and whey protein isolates are a combination of the two.

EGG

Egg protein was the protein of choice for athletes back in the day. Remember Rocky drinking raw eggs? Many athletes still hold onto the value of egg protein today because it is considered the gold standard for protein quality. According to the BV scores, egg protein is a perfect 100. This stems from all of the protein in an egg is used by the body and its readily digested and absorbed. Egg protein is also a lactose-free protein source. Egg protein has all the essential amino acids the body needs and high levels of total amino acids especially important sulfur-containing amino acids which are essential to various hormonal pathways in the body.

You can obtain whole egg protein two ways eating egg or an egg protein powder supplement. Both of these methods will supply all the essential amino acids in a bioavailable way, but is more caloric dense and higher in fat than the other protein sources. (One way to obtain egg protein yet combat calories from fat, is to separate the egg whites from the yolks, and only consume the whites. The yolks are what contain the extra fat and thus calories – however, supplemental egg protein will not have separated the fat).

SOY

Soy protein is the only source of amino acids that is from plants and not animals. Other than vegetarians, the athletic and power building networks give soy a bad rap.  Soy protein has the least biological value (BV) score. A reason soy is so low on the BV scale it lacks the sulfur containing amino acid methionine, which is particularly important for protein synthesis.

Several studies have shown soy protein to be inferior to whey for the production of glutathione, an essential nutrient for growth and improvements in immunity. Furthermore, Soy protein contains “anti -nutrients” meaning that it blocks the digestion and absorption of many nutrients. Finally, soy is rich in estrogenic compounds such as genistein and diadzein, which means it may also have a tendency to compete for estrogen receptor sites, a negative physiological pathway. There are over 300 plant derived phytoestrogens found that vary substantially in their physiologic effect and potency in animals and man. Not only in athletes, changes in the testosterone/estrogen ratio can lead to increased body fat and other ill effects.

So why then would a company even want to deal with creating and marketing a soy based protein. For one thing, it is the only complete protein available to vegans and vegetarians. Many of the manufacturers have also removed anti-nutrients to create a higher quality of soy protein in supplemental form. Many manafacturers have also added in Glutathione to improve the Biological Value overall. Another upside, is that Soy appears to have several mechanisms to lowers cholesterol (i.e. isoflavones, endocrine effects, and fiber). In addition to soy proteins ability to reduce cholesterol, epidemiological research also suggests soy can reduce certain forms of cancer.

The intake of various high quality proteins has been associated with higher levels of thyroid hormone. Research has shown that soy appears to have thyroid hormone raising abilities over and above that of all other proteins. Some studies have also found changes in the insulin/glucagon ratio that would favor reductions in cholesterol and possibly body fat. At this time, exactly how soy proteins have this effect on thyroid output is not well understood. Based on the research with such conclusions, one can thus hypothesize that although thyroid hormones are considered catabolic hormones, they actually break down more fat and carbohydrates, and stimulate protein synthesis if adequate calories are eaten and the amounts of thyroid hormones are in normal range. In the media today, you will find both positive and negative reasons to acquire soy protein in our diets, however, more research is needed in this area, for any definitive conclusions. My overall recommendation is go with the higher value proteins (animal sources) unless you are vegan or vegetarian.

CAESIN

Casein, like whey, is a milk protein. It makes up 80% of the protein in cows milk, and the remaining 20% of protein in milk is whey. Casein protein is extracted from the milk through ultra filtration, without the use of chemicals. Thus Casein tends to have more bioactive milk peptides that support immune function as whey, and it also enhances muscle growth. The difference between whey and casein is the rate of digestibility. Casein is a slow-digesting protein. It’s often referred to as the “7-hour” protein because it can take as long as 7 hours or more for the body to fully digest it. Whey on the other hand, is a fast-digesting protein. Hydrolyzed whey, for example, can be digested as quickly as 45 minutes.
Casein is therefore primarily used at night for slower progressive recovery. Whey, on the other hand, is usually used right after a workout.

In Summary:

While all these proteins are different in their quality, bioavailabilty, and rate of digestion,  they have two things in common: they help build lean muscle and aid in losing weight. By getting protein from a variety of sources, you will get a wider amino acid spectrum and you will supply your body with a steady supply of amino acids.

BV of common proteins

The Real Value of Protein

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ILANA KATZ MS, RD, CSSD

Different activities require different energy, or metabolic, requirements on muscles and as a result, muscles necessitate different nutritional components when they work for speed, power, and/or endurance.  A burst of energy, or high power and speed, over a short period of time are called anaerobic activities, which are almost entirely reliant upon glycogen (muscle carbohydrates) and phosphocreatine (source of energy for muscular contraction).  Resistance training presents an obstacle in terms of balancing the anaerobic system with the aerobic system.  The nutritional challenges for resistance training include the following: 1. The amount of energy required, 2. The specific breakdown of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) required for building lean muscle, 3. The timing of the specific nutrients with relation to the growth and the recovery periods and, 4. Hydration for workouts.

One of the most challenging aspects for endurance athletes is that depending on his or her current cycle of training, he or she will incorporate some resistance training into the endurance regimen for strength and stability purposes.  This incorporation requires a balance of nutrition for resistance, as well as endurance.

Macronutrient Breakdown

The physiological system that stimulates muscle growth is hormonal, specifically growth hormone, insulin like growth factor (IGF), and testosterone.  To optimize muscular hypertrophy, or growth, one must focus on nutrition that stimulates these hormones.  Strength and power athletes, in particular, tend to require some additional energy to support their muscle growth.  On average, an additional 500 calories (balanced between carbohydrates, fat, and protein) daily are needed to gain one pound of muscle mass per week.

Endurance athletes incorporating some weight training, on the other hand, may not necessarily want to build muscle mass and should instead focus on recovery of muscle glycogen.  For the endurance athlete, no additional calories for building mass are required; however, carbohydrates are typically the limiting energy substrate, meaning that they will run out before protein or fat runs out.  Glycogen depletion is a term used to describe when carbohydrates are used up and no longer exist as a fuel source for working muscles.  When this depletion of carbohydrates occurs, the muscle’s energy stores are depleted, which can cause cell and muscle tissue damage as well as stress on the immune system is exercise continues.  This means that these energy stores should be replenished before the next workout.  Both power and endurance athletes seek out high quality, convenient supplements to aid in accomplishing these ends.

Rebuild and Recover

Remember that an anaerobic exercise, as mentioned previously, is dependant upon phosphocreatine, as well as glycogen and that an aerobic exercise is dependant upon glycogen and fat.  An intense weight training session can deplete in excess of 30 percent of muscle glycogen stores.  Thus when heavy resistance training is combined with endurance or cardiovascular training, muscle glycogen stores can become significantly depleted in a short period of time.  A priority after your workout should be a nutritional recovery in order to prepare your muscles for the next bout of training.  In order to prevent further stress muscles rebuild stronger and bigger fibers that are broken down during strength training.

A combination of carbohydrate and protein is the best source of macronutrients for post exercise recovery.  Protein, being the major construction material utilized in muscle repair, is a large part of the recovery nutrition strategy, however, contrary to the myth that strength and power athletes should rely on protein, carbohydrates is what restores glycogen in muscles. With their scientifically engineered carbohydrate to protein ratio as well as their water and electrolyte content, many sports drinks are highly recommended for the recovery period due to their ability to absorb rapidly.  Athletes who lift weights will undoubtedly have higher protein requirements than sedentary individuals.  Not more than 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is more than likely adequate for muscle repair and growth for the strength athlete 0.6 grams per kilogram of body weight for endurance, but for all athletes, carbohydrates should be the main nutrition source for recovery.

Timing your nutritional intake

Before

It is important to fuel muscles before the workout begins.  Glycogen depletion is a term used to describe when carbohydrates are used up and no longer exist as a fuel source for working muscles.  In other words energy stores are depleted, which can result in cells and muscle tissue being damaged and the immune system being stressed if exercise continues. Therefore, fill the glycogen tank by eating a meal comprising mostly carbohydrates two to three hours before exercise. For power athletes, some protein consumed prior to resistance training can contribute to and enhance muscle synthesis.  Conveniently, there is a variety of high quality protein supplements on the market that are scientifically formulated with a good source of carbohydrates to delay glycogen depletion as well as enhance the recovery nutrition.  Other easily digestible, high quality protein comes from food sources, such as milk and yogurt, soy products, tofu, poultry, and lean meats, and various protein powders such as whey, casein, soy and egg protein.

During

During resistance workouts, phosphocreatine in the muscle is the main fuel source, but remember that muscle glycogen can be a limiting factor (as it depletes) based on the intensity and duration of your training.  Consuming a sports drink for the carbohydrate content should help maintain muscle glycogen stores and provide energy during the workout, while simultaneously aiding in hydration.  Hydration through sports drinks should also be supplemented with water before and during the workout.

After

It is important to consume mainly carbohydrates and some protein immediately following a workout for recovery. The During this time there is a period known as the “muscle recovery window” or the “glycogen replacement window” (the first two hours after exercise).  This time period occurs because the enzyme (glycogen synthase) responsible for storing glycogen is highly elevated instantly after exercise.  Furthermore, after weight training, new muscle protein is being synthesized.

All athletes, overall nutritional recovery intake should include replenishment of calories burned during the training session. Scientific evidence for endurance athletes’ recovery has been found to be optimal at a 3-4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein in the meal immediately following the workout taking place over multiple hours. It is just as important for power and strength athletes, to eat a combination of carbohydrates and protein both before and after weight training as an ideal nutritional strategy for improving muscle building and growth. Although there is no formulated ratio of carbohydrates to protein for strength training as there is for endurance in the recovery meal, a 3-4 to 1 following an intense weight training session would certainly fulfill the key nutritional aspect of replenishing glycogen and aid with repair and rebuild of muscle.

Commercial sports supplements containing a mix of carbohydrate and protein are convenient and will generally meet these nutrition requirements.  Other ideal carbohydrate and protein combinations include a protein shake made with whey powder and fruit, yogurt with fruit, a peanut butter and honey sandwich on whole wheat bread, or =low fat cheese and whole wheat crackers.

Although the exact protein requirements for varying athletes remains a much debated subject, most sports nutritionists agree that athletes need extra protein for optimum performance and recovery.  Furthermore, power athletes, or athletes wanting to build muscle, may need slightly more protein than endurance athletes. On the other hand, endurance athletes will need more carbohydrates.  While a high-protein diet provides an excess of the building blocks used to assemble muscle protein, unless there are sufficient carbohydrates present to support training, this protein will only be used to supplement the fuel supply.  Carbohydrates, besides being the main muscle fuel, play a valuable role in muscle metabolism, particularly that of helping to conserve muscle tissue for both strength and endurance.  All in all, a balance of carbohydrates and protein is key, no matter what your athletic focus is.

Guidelines for Best Sources and Amounts of Nutrients for Recovery

A generalized equation can be used to determine recovery requirements. From experience, most athletes need to consume 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight every two hours for six to eight hours after a workout.  Therefore, if you are consuming 240 calories (60g) of carbohydrate after a work out, with the generalized ratio of 3:1 (cabs to protein), 80 calories (20g) of protein should also be consumed.

The calculation for a 150 pound athlete:

1)  .5 grams of carbohydrate x 150 lbs. = 75 grams of carbohydrate needed for recovery

2)   Multiply 75 grams x 4 (the number of calories in a gram of carbohydrate) = 300 calories of carbohydrate

3)   If the recovery ratio of  carbohydrate/protein is 3:1, then you need 100 calories of protein per 300 calories of carbohydrate. (100 calories divided by 4 (4 calories per gram) = 25 g of protein).

Athletes often rely on recovery nutrition in the form of liquid mixes. Carbohydrate to protein ratio are often formulated in the pre-made mixes for optimal recovery. Creating individualized recovery drinks requires experimentation with different types of carbohydrate and protein to determine which combination works best.

If you prefer to refuel with solid food, here are some good options:

  • Half      whole wheat bagel with ¼ cup cottage cheese or 1 tbsp peanut butter
  • Yogurt      smoothie, berries and a tablespoon of       protein powder
  • Medium      sweet potato and 2 egg whites
  • Small      turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread
  • Bran      cereal with skim milk and a few nuts
  • Protein      bars (many specially formulated with optimal carbs and protein)

References:

ACSM Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.  Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32(12):2130-2145.

Nancy Clark. (2003).  Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutritionist Guidebook, Third Edition.

 

Advances in Sports Nutrition.  Journal of American Medical Association.  JAMA 2003; 289: 1837-1850.

 

YOU ARE AS GOOD AS YOUR LAST RACE

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AmeliaIsland– Atlantic
Coast triathlon 2011 –
RACE REPORT

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For real, I am sitting here with writer’s block… unlike me I
know, but “Where do I begin… to tell the story of how great a love can be?”

… fast forward…  twenty four hours….

 

I titled my Amelia 70.3 race report “You are as good as your
last race”. This seemed most appropriate to me, because it was the first time
in my own history of triathlon that I was one hundred percent excited for this
race, and 0% anxious. It is usually the other way around. So why does “you are
as good as your last race” play a role in this… well, having just completed an
Ironman, and a rather hilly one at that, I felt like a flat, gorgeous day in
Amelia Island, for half the distance would be a nothing in comparison.  In hindsight, it is never ‘nothing” but yes, it was a most enjoyable day… A few challenges to face, yet with the confidence
of a newly anointed Ironman, they were fears consistently being conquered. So
here goes “nothing…”

First was the choppy ocean swim. The water appeared
calm at a glance. The race director even announced how fortunate we were to be
diving into LAKE Ferdinando.
It was no lake, thank you very much. Falling off of waves, swallowing
electrolytic salt water long before electrolytes were supposed to begin in the
sports nutrition strategy, and managing the bright sunrise directly into the
eye of the beholder began my day. Lake Ferdinando returned back to Atlantic Ocean, like Jekyll turns into Hyde without any
prior warning. No worries, this Ironman, sharply on the look out for sharks and
jellyfish, got onto the beach in almost record time. (Well record time for me,
and for me in an ocean swim… )

Running out the water on the sandy beach probably could make
a record viewing on YouTube. Feeling some what wonky, not only from the
overdose of salt, but swimming in a washing machine simulator always adds to
the fun. At least getting my wetsuit off on this day turned into a sleek
performance. That is usually the one thing that is laughable, and again, as
good as your last race, having the aid of strippers at Ironman, I was now alone
in my endeavor to strip and get on with the day, like I had somewhere to be !!

Hopping on to my new tri bike Dori, was one of those fears,
on its way to be conquered. While in the ocean, I could hear Dori calling me…
“Just keep on swimming, Just keep on swimming” (Dori; Finding Nemo).

My Dori was referring to extreme
excitement to be participating in her first triathlon, what she was born to do,
and could not wait for me to get out of the ocean!! (Unlike Dori the fish, who
was praying to get Nemo out of the whale – similar, but different).

I was so proud of my aerodynamic,  dynamic and  pretty Dori, and of course me too, managing to be comfortable in my aero bars,
and able to change gears efficiently and effectively simultaneously. Yes,
having flat Amelia at our disposal was an aid appreciated, but there were those
few intercoastal bridges and curvy traffic circles, one cannot forget. We did
it! And again, in record time. I don’t think I have averaged 19 miles an hour
before in any circumstance, let alone riding a tri bike, for the first time in
a race circumstance. And, remember, I still have to stop to fill my water
bottles, which does not stop the clock when calculating the mph. I feel like my
last race – Ironman… look out Robert Downey Jnr, you are going down!!

Dismounting was a turning point in emotion. I had to bid my
hero Dori goodbye. We had gotten out of the whale safe and sound, and now the real
challenge of my day was to face my own stress-fractured run. It was hot, and
although I felt on top of the world and invincible at this point, I had
promised the doc that I would not run. So I prepared myself emotionally to put
the swim and bike behind me, and just enjoy a leisurely rest of the day. I had
been chanting all week leading up to this day “swim bike walk, swim bike walk”
and yes, it is what it is !! I embraced the fact that my time is not important
today. It is about being out here with my tri buds, Dori and Amelia even if the
sun goes down while I am walking the walk. I progressed into a very low impact
afternoon, enjoyed cheering on the rest of the Sofa King team as I passed each
one on the out and backs. Okay, I didn’t really pass anyone, but you know what
I mean – out and backs mean they are far ahead, passing me on their way out, as
I was in my way in.  Doc, I confess, I did run some, but honestly, it would be an embarrassment to call THAT running…
it was extremely low impact, and I lived up to my tri team name – SO-FA-KING slow !!!

 

In summary y’all, I managed to begin and end the story of
how great a love can be. I have learned to love triathlon over the last few
years. I have conquered fears and embraced the entertainment factor of training
and competing (or should I say “completing”). I feel like an Ironman, even
though my last race was half of one. My friends all know it, because they think
my ironman gear is actually painted on my body!! (They gave me two months to
revel in my accomplishment of the year, and I extended the privilege to three,
can you blame me? It was Lake Placid y’all, and that somewhat simulates the
Gaps of Georgia…  go look at the elevation graph… )

I always like to include the things I have learned from my  last race – after all, that’s all I am good for 😉

  1. There is no such Lake called Lake Ferdinando
  2. More and more people can appreciate the Sofa King tag line – while my team
    mates are all “so-fa king fast”, I am “so-fa king proud” to be a part of such dynamics,  even if I was the odd man out not standing on the podium
  3. Some people still think we are sofa potatoes versus couch potatoes – I will
    have them know… we are “so-fa king” NOT !!
  4. I know  I am so proud of Dori when I got called out at a meeting last week saying
    “okay, enough about me, now about my bike…”
  5. You  know who is going to tell you that I am one of the coolest chicks on
    earth?? Other Ironman chicks 😉
  6. When I look at a bumper sticker advertising how to find a local radio station, my
    first thought is “that’s a funny distance for a race” (like 88.1).
  7. I have  great friends, always willing to be Sherpa’s… when I say “lets go for a
    walk” they grab a handful of sports beans and gels and respond “ok, lets go!!”
  8. I am  known for my White potato and salt tip… I was out there eating a potato, and
    a racer I never knew said “you must work with Ilana, the sports dietitian”?
  9. Fiber one cereal is not the best pre-swim breakfast, even if it is just a swim practice.

 

 

 

 

 

Neoprene is the best stripper material… seriously, it can be just as sexy as spandex.

 

The Glycemic Index – Easy to Read Tables

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The glycemic index is a list of foods. It rates carbohydrate foods by comparing how much they raise blood sugar after eating a measured portion of the food compared to a reference food set to equal 100. The reference can be either glucose or white bread, depending on the researcher. All the foods in the glycemic index are high in carbohydrates. Foods low in carbohydrates and high in fat or protein don’t cause a significant rise in blood sugar, so researchers don’t bother to measure them.

How fast a food raises blood sugar is important, because it determines how much insulin is produced to keep the blood sugar from going too high. For some people, this isn’t an issue. However, some people will produce an excess of insulin in response to high glycemic index foods, and that’s where the trouble starts.

Insulin reduces blood sugar by sending it out of the blood and into the cells to be stored as fat. If there’s too much insulin, then after the blood sugar goes up, the excess insulin causes it to fall too low, which can create the rollercoaster effect of a temporary lift, then fatigue and carbohydrate cravings.

In Summary: The Glycemic index measures how fast the carbohydrate of a particular food is converted to glucose and enters the bloodstream. The lower the number, the slower the conversion and therefore, the more stable the blood sugar.

The numbers are percentages with respect to a reference food. The scale here is with respect to white bread, with it being set at 100. I have listed a few foods which you would use quite frequently.

Overconsumption of high glycemic index foods appears to contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as an impressive list of common health problems, all of which result from the long-term effects of too much insulin in the body.

A simple tool for making better choices
Using white bread as the standard, sucrose (table sugar) has a glycemic index of 92. So white bread, with a glycemic index of 100, raises blood glucose slightly faster than table sugar. Baked potatoes may be the biggest surprise, with a glycemic index of 121, which is 29 points higher than table sugar!

Proponents claim that using the glycemic index in making food choices can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, improve your energy level and athletic performance, stabilize your blood sugar and enjoy greater overall wellness.

For high glycemic baked potatoes (121), you can substitute pasta, prepared slightly al dente (typically 50 to 60), beans and legumes (typically 40 to 60) or sweet potatoes (77), all of which have less of a glycemic effect. Instead of regular rice (126), you can substitute basmati (83) or Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice (63), or for part of the rice, substitute the much lower glycemic pearled barley (36). Instead of highly processed breakfast cereals, cookies, crackers, cakes and muffins, look for those made from unrefined cereals or those that add dried fruits, which have a lower glycemic index than refined flour. Instead of tropical fruits such as bananas (77) switch to temperate climate fruits such as apples (54) or peaches (60).

 

Glycemic Index
Cereals Snacks Pasta Beans
All Bran 51 chocolate bar 49 cheese tortellini 50 baked 44
Bran Buds + psyll 45 corn chips 72 fettucini 32 black beans, boiled 30
Bran Flakes 74 croissant 67 linguini 50 butter, boiled 33
Cheerios 74 doughnut 76 macaroni 46 cannellini beans 31
Corn Chex 83 graham crakers 74 spagh, 5 min boiled 33 garbanzo, boiled 34
Cornflakes 83 jelly beans 80 spagh, 15 min boiled 44 kidney, boiled 29
Cream of Wheat 66 Life Savers 70 spagh, prot enrich 28 kidney, canned 52
Frosted Flakes 55 oatmeal cookie 57 vermicelli 35 lentils, green, brown 30
Grapenuts 67 pizza, cheese & tom 60 Soups/Vegetables lima, boiled 32
Life 66 Pizza Hut, supreme 33 beets, canned 64 navy beans 38
muesli, natural 54 popcorn, light micro 55 black bean soup 64 pinto, boiled 39
Nutri-grain 66 potato chips 56 carrots, fresh, boil 49 red lentils, boiled 27
oatmeal, old fach 48 pound cake 54 corn, sweet 56 soy, boiled 16
Puffed Wheat 67 Power bars 58 green pea, soup 66 Breads
Raisin Bran 73 pretzels 83 green pea, frozen 47 bagel, plain 72
Rice Chex 89 saltine crakers 74 lima beans, frozen 32 baquette, Frnch 95
Shredded Wheat 67 shortbread cookies 64 parsnips 97 croissant 67
Special K 54 Snikers bar 41 peas, fresh, boil 48 dark rey 76
Total 76 strawberry jam 51 split pea soup w/ham 66 hamburger bun 61
Fruit vanilla wafers 77 tomato soup 38 muffins
apple 38 Wheat Thins 67 Drinks apple, cin 44
apricots 57 Crackers apple juice 40 blueberry 59
banana 56 graham 74 colas 65 oat & raisin 54
cantalope 65 rice cakes 80 Gatorade 78 pita 57
cherries 22 rye 68 grapefruit juice 48 pizza, cheese 60
dates 103 soda 72 orange juice 46 pumpernickel 49
grapefruit 25 Wheat Thins 67 pineapple juice 46 sourdough 54
grapes 46 Cereal Grains Milk Products rye 64
kiwi 52 barley 25 chocolate milk 35 white 70
mango 55 basmati white rice 58 custard 43 wheat 68
orange 43 bulgar 48 ice cream, van 60 Root Crops
papaya 58 couscous 65 ice milk, van 50 french fries 75
peach 42 cornmeal 68 skim milk 32 pot, new, boiled 59
pear 58 millet 71 soy milk 31 pot, red, baked 93
pineapple 66 Sugars tofu frozen dessert 115 pot, sweet 52
plums 39 fructose 22 whole milk 30 pot, white, boiled 63
prunes 15 honey 62 yogurt, fruit 36 pot, white, mash 70
raisins 64 maltose 105 yogurt, plain 14 yam 54
watermelon 72 table sugar 64

If you are confused about how the  Glycemic Index affects weight loss, please ask Atlanta NutritionistIlana Katz.