:: Video    A review of WaterloggedOctober 10th, 2012 2:03pm - Posted By: Adam St.Pierre
There are many ideas about hydration that exist in athletic culture. Some come from research, some have less factual basis.Here are some "myths" that Noakes addresses in Waterlogged. I tried to address each “myth” as Noakes would. This doesn’t mean I 100% agree with everything stated. · Symptoms of dehydration o Thirst · Symptoms of EAHE (Exercise Associated Hyponatremic Encephalopathy- the worst case scenario of EAH) o Impaired performance § Hard to drink a lot and run fast o Nauseas/vomiting § Presence of unabsorbed fluids in the stomach/i ... Read More...Posted in: HydrationView / Add Comment | 4 Comment(s) | Rating: 5 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Hydration, Thirst, and ExerciseSeptember 20th, 2012 11:50am - Posted By: Adam St.Pierre, MS
My masters thesis looked at the thirst response of dehydrated individuals at rest and during aerobic exercise in cold or ambient conditions. To ensure subjects were adequately dehydrated, I had them exercise for 90 minutes in an environmental chamber set to 100+ degrees with no access to fluids in the evening. Subjects then went home and were forbidden to consume any fluids or consume any fluid containing foods overnight. As you can imagine, dry Cheerios for dinner when you just sweated off 5-10 pounds exercising in the heat is brutal.
The following morning subjects returned to the lab, extremely thirsty having lost 7-9% of their body weight. I took some blood and measured their sodium levels. Surprisingly they weren't much higher than published norms (in hindsight I wish I had measured sodium levels prior to the dehydration protocol for a direct comparison). I then had them exercise at 60% VO2max on the treadmill. We measured sodium levels every ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +An Experiment of 1April 23rd, 2012 10:22am - Posted By: Adam St.Pierre, MS
Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 2 Comment(s) | Rating: 5 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +F.U.E.L. Testing and Metabolism Part 3April 18th, 2012 11:05am - Posted By: Adam St.Pierre, MS
Of late there’s been a lot of attention paid to different diets/philosophies on food. Among the popular philosophies out there are the Paleo diet, the Atkins diet, the Zone diet, the South Beach diet, the Mediterranean diet, and more. One interesting similarity these diets have is a higher proportion of fat and protein than the typical American diet which is very high in carbohydrate. In reading research studies and speaking with people who’ve tried various dietary modifications one thing stood out; people who eat lots of carbohydrate (60+% of total daily calories) tend to burn carbohydrate during exercise and throughout the day whereas people with less carbohydrate consumption (50% or less of total daily calories) tend to burn more fat. Then along came the idea of Metabolic Efficiency Training, put forth primarily by Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS (http://www.fuel4mance.com). In this method of eating, you focus on proteins, h ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 1 Comment(s) | Rating: 4 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +F.U.E.L Testing and Metabolism Part 2April 18th, 2012 10:55am - Posted By: Adam St.Pierre, MS
Being a physiologist and athlete, I know the value of regular laboratory testing to dial in training zones, pacing strategies, and fueling strategies. At BCSM we offer a test called the F.U.E.L. test. The F.U.E.L. stands for Fuel Use Evaluation with Lactate profile. In this test we are looking at your total caloric expenditure as well as the amount of fat and carbohydrate being utilized by the body in addition to looking at your lactate profile to determine your optimal training ranges and predict race paces. Knowing all this data, we can then assist you in planning how many calories you should consume during long training sessions and races. The F.U.E.L. test provides a ton of information that is invaluable to any athlete looking to improve performance in races lasting longer than 2-3 hours. Above are the results of a 2008 F.U.E.L. test I performed. Note that at 8:06 min/mi pace I burn nearly 1000 calories per hour, 740 from carbohydrate, 216 from fat. Knowing that I can ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 2 Comment(s) | Rating: 5 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +F.U.E.L. Testing and Metabolism, part 1April 18th, 2012 10:26am - Posted By: Adam St.Pierre, MS
For a few years I’ve been dabbling in ultra-running and run a handful or 50 and 100 mile races in that time. My biggest struggle has always been fueling for these long races. In my first 50, I ran 30 miles without eating, because I could not hold any calories down at the pace I wanted to maintain. Needless to say I ended up walking 15 miles in a hypoglycemic haze then stopped and ate at the last aid station. I felt miraculously wonderful after eating, and ran the last 5 miles well, probably the best I felt the entire race. In later ultras I experimented with different fuel sources: drinks, gels, solids, real food, more salt, less salt, etc. I learned how to calm an unsettled stomach with Tums, ginger, Coke, etc. but the reality of the situation was, I can not consume enough calories while running the pace I want to run to sustain that pace. The only solution then, was to run slower, and I still dealt with some severe GI issues on my first 100 miler (first bathroom brea ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Chia SeedsMarch 29th, 2012 3:18pm - Posted By: Kathleen Farrell, MS, RD
Cheers to the CHIA PET!!! I must admit I didn’t think I would ever be writing a blog on the infamous CHIA PET, clay figure which has been sold in the US, however, the CHIA SEEDS are making some headlines in the world of nutrition. Here is information from the Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database - http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/home.aspx?cs=CEPDA~MBR&s=ND Chia is an annual herb which originated in Mexico and was cultivated by the Aztecs. Chia literally means "oily." Chia is grown commercially in Central America and South America. It is primarily used for its seed, which is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Effectiveness: Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 1 Comment(s) | Rating: 5 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +The Sunshine Vitamin! Vitamin DMarch 15th, 2012 6:09pm - Posted By: Kathleen Farrell, MS, RD
The sun is a significant source of Vitamin D because the UV (ultra-violet) rays from sunlight trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin. UVB rays allow the skin to convert the precursor of vitamin D to its active form. This depends on latitude, time of day, season, amount of body exposed to sunlight, skin pigmentation, body mass index and amount of body fat. Exposure to moderate amounts of sunlight can result in health benefits such as increased vitamin D, increased levels of melatonin (a hormone produced by the body which aids in sleep and may fight inflammation and infection) and increased serotonin levels (a "feel good" chemical in the brain). But too much exposure can lead to health problems. Too much sun exposure increases the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. Experiencing even just one severe blistering sunburn may double the risk of developing skin cancer. Most people do not get enough vitamin D from th ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +What is the Scoville ScaleFebruary 28th, 2012 5:39pm - Posted By: Kathleen Farrell
What are the HOTTEST PEPPERS around. And, have you tried them all? SCOVILLE HEAT UNIT (SHU) The SHU is a measurement of the spicy heat of a chili pepper. The number of SHU indicates the amount of capsaicin present. Capsaicin is the active compound of chili peppers. Pure Capsaician: 15,000,000 SHUs Habanero: 200,000 - 350,000 SHUs Jalepeno Pepper: 3,500 - 8,000 SHUs What are the health benefits of CAPSAICIN? Paradoxically capsaicins' ability to cause pain makes it useful in alleviating pain. May be effective in relieving and preventing cluster headaches It possesses powerful antibacterial properties. So, the question is ---> How HOT Can You Handle? Type in Scoville Scale on the web and search for a picture of the ... Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Last Update from EstoniaFebruary 28th, 2012 3:09pm - Posted By: Adam St. Pierre
ESTONIA RECAP, THE LAST FEW DAYS... 2/28/12  Read More...Posted in: CoachingView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Off Season Weight GainFebruary 23rd, 2012 6:07pm - Posted By: Kathleen Farrell, MS, RD
During the training months, it’s a challenge for some athletes to get enough calories. Athletes can train anywhere from a few to 40 hours a week and they may be expending between 2,000 to 8,000 + calories during an intense training bout or race. When it comes to calories, it’s sometimes carte blanche for many athletes. Eat whenever and whatever is in front of them. So, sometimes it’s easy for athletes to maintain their body weight however it can be difficult for many of them to eat mindfully during their off season and thus they gain weight. Here are some guidelines for eating mindfully – AUTOPILOT Shift out of autopilot eating, training and racing eating mentality mode. Start to limit your intake of sport drinks, gels and bars and replace them some whole foods that at nutrient rich but lower in calories.
Read More...Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 2 Comment(s) | Rating: 2 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Tartu MarathonFebruary 20th, 2012 9:29am - Posted By: Adam St. Pierre
Today I raced the 63km classic Tartu Marathon in Estonia. It starts at the World Cup venue in Otepaa and goes to the town of Elva. It rolls through farms, fields, and forests and crosses tons of roads. I was psyched to get my bib this morning and discover the number 334, instead of something 5000+ as this means I would actually get to see the start line when the gun went off. My bib put me in the third corral with all the other bib numbers between 300 and 500. Ahead of us were the 1-100 corral and the 101-300 corral housing skiers who have gone fast in this race in previous years.
Read More... Posted in: CoachingView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Adam in EstoniaFebruary 16th, 2012 2:23pm - Posted By: Adam St. Pierre
First Update from Estonia!
Travel from Denver to Estonia went smoothly... almost. My flights were fine, got lots of sleep, read the first Hunger Games book, made my flight from Frankfurt to Talinn despite sleeping at the wrong gait and waking up as my flight was boarding... oops! I met up with the New Englanders and our other coach, Scott Jerome from Fairbanks, Alaska. Once in Talinn we met up with our Alaskans and Steamboater. Unfortunately our Midwesterners’ 15 minute flight from Helsinki to Talinn was cancelled and they had to wait a few hours for the next flight. While we waited for them, the ... Read More...Posted in: CoachingView / Add Comment | 1 Comment(s) | Rating: 5 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Going Hard or Going FastJanuary 31st, 2012 1:19pm - Posted By: Adam St. Pierre MS and Rob Pickels MS
Going hard or going fast… you decide Adam. St. Pierre, MS and Rob Pickels, MS
Interval training is an integral component of any training program. To compete at a high level you must do some high intensity workouts to prepare your body for the rigors of racing (especially if your training time is limited by other responsibilities like family, school, work, daylight, etc.). Many people fall into the trap of thinking that going hard, or elevating your heart rate, is the goal of an interval session; instead, the goal of interval workouts should be to go fast, not hard.
Envision this scenario… You are on the start line of your next race, be it a criterium, a 5km, or a marathon. The gun goes off and everybody takes off. You start doing jumping jacks. Your heart rate increases. You get your heart rate into the appropriate range for your race distance and hold it there. You are going hard, you ... Read More...Posted in: Coaching, PhysiologyView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +The Importance of PostureJanuary 17th, 2012 3:58pm - Posted By: Adam St. Pierre
Lately in the running biomechanics lab we’ve seen a lot of “running” injuries that are directly related to posture. I put the word running in quotation marks to signify that these injuries, although manifested during running, are not caused by running. Running, which magnifies stress, is just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Poor running posture can result in increased injury risk for your back, hips, knees, ankles, and feet! Additionally, each month, we fit many cyclists to address posture related issues. A poor cycling posture can result in excessive pressure on the hands/arms/crotch, increased neck and back pain, as well as decrease power production and performance. Outside of the sports science lab, many of our physical therapy patients are seen for low back, shoulder, neck, arm and hand pain resulting from poor posture. I hope you are now open to the power of posture and are asking yourself, “what is good post ... Read More...Posted in: BiomechanicsView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google + |
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