RBA - 2010 INTERBIKE PREVIEW

This coming week is the big week for the American cycling industry when we gather in Las Vegas for the annual Interbike trade show. And yeah, it's not open to the public and so yeah, we know it's a tad unfair to talk about Road Bike Action's own Bob Roll showing up at the RBA Booth at 10:00 am on Friday to sign autographs. In recognition of of the injustice, we promise to get a personally autographed poster from the former 7-Eleven rider and current Tour de France commentator to the person who...see contest info below.

George Hincapie At The BMC Booth

Every year the halls of Interbike are filled with cycling stars from today and yesteryear. Besides Bobke at the RBA booth and at the Headsweats booth (#1400), George Hincapie will be signing autographs at the BMC booth (#1883) on Thursday at 1:00.

Win A Personalized GiustaForza Torque Wrench
Cantitoe Road announces that they will be exhibiting at the 2010 Interbike International Trade Expo, taking place 22 September through 24 September in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cantitoe Road booth #3631, will feature the top selling brands Effetto Mariposa and AXA.

During the show Cantitoe Road will gift a personalized Giustaforza Pro Torque Wrench to one eligible shop owner or employee. Stop by the Cantitoe Road booth #3631 to enter. The winner will be mailed a Giustaforza Pro wrench with their name or personalized message engraved. This giveaway kicks off Cantitoe Road’s fall engraving promotion (beginning at Interbike); purchase any Giustaforza Pro, Standard or Basic and for just $20/per wrench you can have your name or message laser etched on the best torque wrench in the bike biz!

Also at the show, meet the man behind the Giustaforza and Caffélatex products, Alberto De Gioaninni, founder and engineer of Effetto Mariposa. He will be showcasing his newest products, new Giustaforza wrenches and Caffélatex ZOT!, a sealant activator. For more info, turn down Canitoe Road.

'CROSS VEGAS IS WEDNESDAY & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Remember when Lance shocked the troops two years ago by making a surprise appearance 'Cross Vegas? Will the Tall Texan make a repeat performance this year?

CrossVegas organizer Brook Watts sounded like a Las Vegas odds maker as he described the field that he has managed to bring together for the September 22nd race. “The winners of the CrossVegas titles are going to come from the best field ever assembled in America. Whether you break it out by national champions attending where we’ve got 8 nations covered. Or if you look at the international rankings we’ve got 3 of the top 10 riders in both the Elite Men and Elite Women categories. If you look at it from another level you’ve got the returning champions from the previous editions of CrossVegas. And then to really top it off you’ve got a dozen “wild card” contenders and any one of those riders could draw an ace on race day!”

Talk about a great problem to have as a race organizer. For the first time in America a gathering of national champions from 8 nations that includes:

Elite Men
Tim Johnson (Cannondale – Cyclocrossworld.com) – USA
Geoff Kabush (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) – Canada
Marco Fontana (Cannondale Factory Racing) – Italy
Francis Mouray (Francaise des Jeux) – France
Geert Wellens (Champion System) – Belgium (Elite Category)
Joachim Parbo (KCH Leopard Cycles) – Denmark
Zoltan Tisza (Tecnofilm Bentonexpressz 2000) – Hungary

Elite Women
Katie Compton (Planet Bike) – USA
Katerina Nash (Team LUNA Chix) - Czech Republic

In addition to the national champions the Elite Men’s field will be stacked with riders from the top 20 U.C.I. ranking. Riders like 5th ranked Gerben De Knegt of Holland (Rabobank Continental Team), Francis Mouray (Francaise des Jeux) at 7th, Christian Heule of Switzerland (Rendementhypo Cycling Team) ranked 9th and American Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) ranked 18th.

The Elite Women’s field will include 5th place Katie Compton of the U.S. (Planet Bike), 7th place Katerina Nash of Czech Republic (Team LUNA Chix) and 16th place Amy Dombroski of the U.S. (Team LUNA Chix).

Returning are 2009 CrossVegas champions Jamey Driscoll of the U.S. (Cannondale – Cyclocrossworld.com) and Katie Compton (Planet Bike) who also won in 2008. Ryan Trebon (KONA), winner of CrossVegas 2007 and 2008 will be returning. Trebon and Compton are CrossVegas’ only 2-time winners.

Stressing that this preliminary list was sure to grow as the countdown to September 22nd proceeds Watts said “Don’t under estimate the other great riders who will be coming to CrossVegas” and began listing Americans Jeremy Powers (Cannondale – Cyclocrossworld.com), Adam Craig (Rabobank-Giant). Georgia Gould (Team LUNA Chix), and Meredith Miller (Cal Giant-Specialized). Tim Van Nuffel of Belgium (Vangoethem-Prorace), Martin Grujan of Switzerland (Cannondale Factory Racing), CrossVegas 2009 Silver medalist Chris Jones (Rapha-FOCUS) and Davide Frattini from Italy (HUDZ- Subaru). “I’ve probably missed a half a dozen top guys and gals that are capable of turning CrossVegas upside down.”

Watts concluded by saying, “CrossVegas is fortunate to have an abundance of talented riders who want to start their season in front of the largest crowd in American cross racing. The real winners are sure to be the spectators.” For more info, head to Cross Vegas

Lazer Party Kicks Off Interbike
Lazer Sport NV will be hosting the Lazer Oasiz, a party to welcome the start of the 2010 Interbike trade show, on Tuesday September 21st. Next year Interbike moves to Anaheim California so we bid farewell to Las Vegas in style!

Taking place at the North Beach Club outside at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the Lazer Oasiz will host dealers from around the United States, representatives from major industry media outlets and professional athletes. Including:
Brian Lopes - 4 time world champion, 6 time World Cup champion, 9 time national champion
Tim Johnson - US national cyclocross champion
Jonathan Page - 6 time national cyclocross champion, 2007 world championship silver medal
Catharine Pendrel - 2010 MTB World Cup champion
Jeremy Powers - 1st overall 2009 USA cyclocross ranking
Jamey Driscoll - Winner Cross Vegas 2009

Komosa is being specially imported from Belgium to serve as DJ for the event.

To celebrate the event, and to officially launch the new product for 2011, a special edition Lazer Oasiz helmet will be on display and available for dealers to order at the party.

VIP entry is set for 7pm. General admission to Interbike attendees is set for 9pm (Interbike badges required for entry).
Facebook: bit.ly/LazerOasiz
Twitter: twitter.com/LazerOasiz

OTHER NOTABLES TO CHECK OUT:
* Ace wheel designer Paul Lew will be at the Reynolds booth at 10:00 daily.
* German beer at the Focus booth daily.
* Frankie Andreau at Mercury Booth #4871 from 2-3:00 on Thursday
* Alessandro Petacchi will be at the Wilier booth #2219 from 2-3:00 on Thursday.
* Ryder Hesjdahl singing posters at LeMond Fitness booth #105 on Wednesday, 11-12:00.
* Garmin Transitions team at the Vittoria booth #337 on Wednesday, 3:30-4:30.

WestCoast GoldSprints and OpenSprints Showcase Roller Racing
WestCoast GoldSprints, the premiere event organizer dedicated to roller racing, has announced it will host the 2010 GoldSprints World Championships this year in Las Vegas, coinciding with Interbike and in partnership with OpenSprints, the electronic timing solutions provider for roller racing, Kreitler Rollers and Marin Bikes.

Taking place on September 23, 2010 at 8pm at Las Palmas Mexican Grill (953 East Sahara Avenue) in Last Vegas, the 2010 GoldSprints World Championships will offer racers in both men's and women's divisions $10,000 in cash and prizes. GoldSprints roller racing pits recreational riders, professional cyclists and industry fans against each other as they aim to complete the fastest 500 and 1,000-meter sprints on track bikes affixed to rollers.

The 2010 GoldSprint World Championships will see the best GoldSprints racers from around the world converge to battle for supremacy. Qualifying rounds, hosted by WestCoast GoldSprints as well as OpenSprints organizers on local levels, start August 1st across cities worldwide and culminate at the 2010 World Championships in Las Vegas. Wild Card entries will be open to Interbike tradeshow attendees and the general public, with wild card qualifying rounds taking place at Kreitler Rollers' Interbike booth #4381 on September 22 and 23.

"Last year's GoldSprints event at Interbike was a screaming success because attendees were so stoked on the Kreitler Cup," said Murphy Mack, who founded WestCoast GoldSprints in 2006. " We're looking forward to the no-holds barred, sweat-inducing, crowd-rousing battle of the first ever GoldSprints World Championships. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @WCGoldSprints to keep up to date on developments prior to the big showdown."

What: 2010 GoldSprints World Championships
When: Thursday September 23rd, 2010
Where: Las Palmas Mexican Grill, 953 East Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV
Time: 8pm - 2am PDT; doors open at 7:30pm PDT
Sponsors: OpenSprints, Kreitler Rollers and
Marin Bikes

$10,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES!
Entry fee: $20, contributes to the cash purse
www.gswc2010.com

Basso looks to Sagan, Oss for Canada success

Giro d’Italia winner Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Doimo) is prepared to work for his teammates Peter Sagan and Daniel Oss at this week’s Canadian ProTour races. The two one-day races are expected to be held in wet conditions in Quebec City on Friday and Montreal on Sunday.

“It is a pleasure for me to be in Canada,” Basso said. “I think it is really nice for me to do these two important races to finish off my season, but after the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France my form at the moment is not 100 percent.

“I feel good but it is normal after racing the Giro and Tour; it is hard to arrive to the end of the season in really good shape,” he added. “Our plan is for our good riders Sagan and Oss, who are both feeling very good. So we will try our best with them.”

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec City will challenge the peloton to 15 laps of a hilly and highly technical 12.6 kms circuit, which begins on the Rue Saint Louis, descends through the scenic Parc des Champs de Bataille and winds its way down to the shores of the Saint Lawrence River. The men will weave their way up the steep inclines of the historical centre before passing through doors to the city - Porte St Jean and Porte St Louis - and head back up to the start-finish line on the Rue Saint Louis.

“I think the circuits will be more difficult than a point-to-point race because you always come back to the climb and it isn’t easy to catch a break if it is a big one,” Basso said. “The strategy of the team; it will be important never to use the whole team to bring back one breakaway. We have to be in the break, all the time in the front and make sure to finish with three guys in good shape, with a lot of energy, to be ready for the last hour of the race.”

According to Basso, the circuit-style events are well-suited to the young Sagan, who won two stages of the Tour of California, two in Paris-Nice and a stage at the Tour of Romandie. Oss is an all-rounder who this year place in the top 10 at the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, Tour of Oman and Gent-Wevelgem.

Basso won his second Giro d’Italia this year in difficult conditions that made for perhaps one of the most epic editions in the event’s history. Basso won stage 15 atop Mount Zoncolan and he took over the pink leader’s jersey following stage 19.

“We have to keep the morale high and not think about the weather,” said Basso regarding the weekend’s forecast. “I did 13 days under the rain at the Giro d’Italia this year so I have good training.”

Race organisers of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec City and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal secured a five-year ProTour license in part because of the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) effort to globalize professional cycling. They are the first ProTour event in North America but next year there is a strong possibility that the Giro d’Italia could start in Washington DC, USA.

“It is very nice and important to race all over the world,” Basso said. “I have a good impression of this organisation already with a fantastic hotel [Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac]. We arrived three days before so there is no jet-lag. It is a lot of work for the organisation but we appreciate their efforts.”

Chris McCormack: Pre-Race Energy

It takes all the right ingredients to be a successful professional triathlete. Chris McCormack has the ideal mix -- great ambassador for the sport, a terrific accent, and one of the world's best triathletes. But even Chris experiences pre-race jitters and gets a tad nervous in the hours before a race. Take a look at how Chris channels his energy so that he's ready to rock when the starting gun goes off.

SA Triathlon Plus sits down with"T" Bozzone

By Glen Gore – Editor, Triathlon Plus South Africa

Terenzo Bozzone - once south african, now kiwi has burnt up the 70.3 circuit this season, which at last count stood at four wins and five second places out of 9 races. He won the World title back in 2008 and has recently been carving up a storm in the pro ranks. Another simple reason we’re featuring this guy is that he’s a born and bred South African, and originally hails from Johannesburg.

We had Men’s Olympic Triathlon Champion and current world number one on the ITU circuit, Jan Frodeno on our cover in July. He also hails from South Africa and is based in Cape Town. Our South African- Kiwi citizen Terenzo Bozzone , who, based on ranking points and victories, is easily the current world number one over a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run.

I was fortunate enough to train with Terenzo and his training partner, ace IM specialist Kieron Doe whilst I lived in New Zealand. They lived just down the road from me and we shared quite a few six hour rides in the Waitakere Mountain Ranges, where they do most of their base training, before heading off to conquer the world. I chatted to him about life and triathlon and this is what he had to tell us.

I have heard you left South Africa when you were about eight or nine years old - I know it’s not a major part of your life, but it’s good to know that a world champion originally comes from these shores!

I was born in Johannesburg in 1985 and lived there until I was 10 years old. I went to Emmerentia Primary and represented Gauteng in national swimming. I also represented South Africa at the Karate World Champs in the early 1990’s.

Tell us how you found your passion for Triathlons.

When I was 13 and living in New Zealand I was wakeboarding behind a boat, tried to do a flip and landed on my head, bursting an ear drum. I had several operations on my ear and was forced out of the water for a few months. That is when I was introduced to Duathlons and I was hooked!

Is your core focus on the long-distance races? No more Olympics?

The longer stuff is more appealing to me at the moment. I am really enjoying the lifestyle and the people I meet while training and racing for the non-drafting races. Ironman is where my focus is heading, but the half distance races work really well with my training in the middle part of the year, along with the occasional non-drafting Olympic distance race.

At the moment, you’re kicking major butt almost weekly in half Ironman events. What’s your secret to such consistency?

Shhhh! It’s a secret! I really like the distance and I think the training for the Ironman stuff has given me a great base that allows me to recover quicker and race more consistently. The thing with the Half Ironman’s is that if you race your race, you will determine the outcome. To a large extent it doesn’t matter what your opponents are doing.

New Zealand is a small country with a relatively small triathlon community. How is it that they produce such good triathletes? I lived amongst you for a while but I’m still trying to figure it out!

If you had lived there long enough we would have shown you the special watering hole…I guess the small community makes us all try harder to stand out amongst the others. Hamish, Bevan, Kris and Brownie have all done great things recently, but the history in the country goes back way further than us. The terrain is perfect for all types of training and we have people who have pioneered the principles of training - like Arthur Lydiard.

Ironman New Zealand – when are you going to knock Cameron off that top spot? It’s close, right?

Good old Brownie. I just wish he could pull out those performances in Kona. He really does step up his game down in Taupo on the IMNZ course. I think I have learnt a lot the past couple years, and my limits have increased substantially. I can hopefully make the race a little closer next year and who knows, if things go my way I may be able to prevent Cameron’s goal of winning 10 in a row.

The Waitakere Mountain Range – it’s a fantastic place to ride and train, and I know you rate it highly – tell us a bit about it.

The good old Waitakeres! The place where legends are made - Peter Snell and all those guys did their long runs in the ranges, and I have often spent weeks on end riding out there, accumulating thousands of meters of climbing. The scenery is great and the roads are reasonably quiet. I just hate it when they do road works out there - they put a bit of tar down, then sprinkle stones on top of it and hope they stick. It takes a few weeks for the loose stones to get off the road.

Is there anything we don’t know about Terenzo Bozzone the triathlete? Something apart from sport, for instance, I know you like to party?

Party – who me? I like my sleep too much! I love living life on the edge. When I have a flight I make sure I don’t arrive at the airport one minute earlier than I have to - this goes for transition on race mornings too. I like every aspect of my life to be competitive, but don’t like it when I lose or don’t achieve my goals - especially the goal of not having to pay for my bike at airports in America. I also enjoy posting tweets while I race. You can find me on: "www.twitter.com/terenzo1.

I am an awesome chef, like “Jamie Oliver” awesome… but it only happens every leap year though.

IN CONCLUSION

We certainly have the talent in this country. We need to catch them early on and develop them like all these other countries do - and then we could also have future World and Olympic Triathlon Champions living and training in South Africa, competing under our banner...something our younger triathletes can take heed of, and hopefully aspire to.

- Article Courtesy of Glen Gore – Editor, Triathlon Plus South Africa.

How-To: Proper Plank Technique

By Mark Sisson

I don’t like situps, crunches, or most of their derivatives, as “core workouts.” Yeah, doing a ton of crunches day in and day out will get you perpetually sore abdominals, but that’s an improper usage of our torso. The core does not exist to contract or bend over and over again; it’s there to resist force. We need strong cores in order to maintain a stable torso while putting in work, whether it’s lifting heavy things, carrying a heavy load, or transferring power from our hips while throwing a punch or a ball. Having that stable, strong core with the capacity to resist the influence of outside forces is far more important than having the capacity to perform a million situps.

The plank is a far more useful core exercise. The key to success with it is right there in the name: you’re forming an immovable, stiff plank with your entire body. From toes to head, you must be firm, not flaccid.

How to Do the Basic Plank

1. Get in the pushup position, only put your forearms on the ground instead of your hands. Your elbows should line up directly underneath your shoulders. Toes on the ground.
2. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals.
3. Keep a neutral neck and spine.
4. Create a straight, strong line from head to toes – a plank, if you will.
5. Hold that position.

Things to Remember

1. Don’t let your hips sag down to the ground. Sagging hips makes the exercise initially easier, but it’s not a plank and it defeats the purpose of the exercise.
2. Look down at the ground. This is a good prompt for maintaining a neutral neck position.
3. When your form begins to suffer, pull the plug. You’re only benefiting from the plank by actually doing the plank.
4. Level 4 of Primal Blueprint Fitness Lift Heavy Things also incorporates the Side Plank.

Even if you never progress (or choose to progress) to the other plank variations, the basic plank, performed properly, will be sufficient for developing good core stability.

Watch this video on proper form and technique for the first 4 of 9 total plank movements in the PBF Lift Heavy Things bodyweight progression.

Its Here - The Primal Leap Program

The Primal Leap is a comprehensive, 30-day program to help you reduce excess body fat quickly, safely and effortlessly. This program provides intensive, step-by-step instruction for eating, exercising and living according to the principles of the Primal Blueprint, focused on the compelling goal of weight loss. Your Primal Leap kit includes a complete package of support materials, the centerpiece being the 135-page Primal Leap Guidebook containing action items and extensive journal exercises each week in the areas of diet, exercise and lifestyle. If you want to be told exactly what to do to drop excess fat and kick start your Primal lifestyle, this program is for you!

The Primal Leap delivers results without the struggling, suffering and deprivation common to mainstream diet programs and severe exercise regimens. Instead, the Primal Leap will guide you to literally reprogram your genes to become more efficient at burning body fat around the clock. This goal is achieved by eating Primally to moderate insulin production, following the Primal Blueprint Fitness principles to promote optimal gene expression and develop well-balanced functional fitness (and avoid the burnout risk of chronic exercise programs), and by integrating the Primal Blueprint lifestyle laws to manage stress and improve general health.

The Primal Leap program will alleviate your weight loss frustrations with highly specific, practical guidance to drop 4-8 pounds of body fat in 30 days, and continue at that rate for as long as you want, until you reach your ideal weight. After you graduate from the program, you will have the tools and strategies you need to effortlessly maintain ideal body composition for the rest of your life, even if you don't exercise that much.

For more information please contact tom@recovox.net

The Primal Blueprint Insider

It's easy to get bogged down in the specifics of following a healthy lifestyle. It's certainly tempting to obsess over carb counts, micronutrient profiles, and supplementation - and there's nothing inherently wrong with paying close attention to what you're putting into and doing to your body. I do it myself, but I also constantly remind myself that optimum health is a lot simpler than the "experts" would have you believe. Sometimes what's needed is an easy solution. Sometimes the easy, simple way is actually the best route.

That said, I have a very simple proposition for you (maybe you're noticing a trend since the last fasting proposition; my Health Challenges tend to be pretty damn simple): take a walk. Grab a friend, or a significant other, or even a pet if the others aren't available, and take a brisk, leisurely walk around the neighborhood. Spend at least an hour, if you can. And if you don't have that hour, get it. Make it a priority. Remember, this is a formal challenge.  

If you like, keep your heart rate slightly elevated throughout the course of the walk, but not necessarily for fitness reasons. Not physical fitness, anyhow. Although walking is a huge part of the Primal Blueprint approach to fitness, this health challenge revolves around the mental-stimulatory effects of walking. I'm interested in mental acuity; in conversational fitness.

One thing I've noticed about my evening walks with Carrie, my wife, is that they are incredibly stimulating. While I'm not by any stretch of the term a reserved conversationalist in my normal life, when I'm on that walk she can barely get a word in edgewise. My thoughts just flow and coalesce into a constant, steady flow of verbiage. If you ask her, she probably misses the silence. If you ask me, I'm just thankful there's an easy, healthy way to clear my mind and get the juices flowing.

Of course, I had to get to the bottom of it. I wasn't happy just with results; I crave scientific explanations. One obvious explanation was that physical movement increases blood flow, which in turn results in more nutrients/oxygen/etc delivered to the brain. The more nutrients and oxygen our brain gets, the more efficient it performs. That made sense, and anyone who's ever experienced the stress relief and endorphin release following a workout would agree. Also, the simple act of performing movements - like walking - requires the brain's engagement. Your brain directing your legs to move can be considered a mental workout for your neurocircuitry.

Adding a walking buddy to the mix just means a better mental workout. Think of it as walking and chewing gum - asking your brain to perform two tasks at the same time is more stimulating than asking it to perform just one. When you're outside on a walk with a friend or loved one, imagine the stimuli your brain has to deal with. Rather than staring at some mindless, close-captioned talk show on the gym television while padding along on the treadmill, your brain is actually doing several things at once when you're on a real walk with another person: directing your side of the conversation, regulating your legs' locomotion, receiving and interpreting sensory input like smells (okay, you can get these at the gym) and sights. The added stimuli literally get your brain working harder, and the thoughts, words, and activity are ramped up. That's why people pace when deep in thought, or get up and move around when they're hit with writer's block. Physical activity can get everything flowing.

So tonight, or tomorrow night, go on a walk. Take your wife, or your husband, or your friend, and keep the pace brisk and the conversation flowing. It's a great way to decompress from what may have been a stressful day - or it can make a good day even better.

Mark Sisson

Introducing Primal Blueprint Fitness

By Mark Sisson

Primal Blueprint Fitness. It’s finally here! What can I say? My team and I wanted to get it just right, so we spent over a year developing the program before unleashing it on the world.

I originally planned for Primal Blueprint Fitness to be a new hardcover book sold in bookstores as a companion to The Primal Blueprint and The Primal Blueprint Cookbook. In the end I decided to take a different approach. As you’ve probably heard me say, my mission is to help 10 million people take control of their health and fitness through understanding exactly how their body was designed to work. It’s why I started Mark’s Daily Apple and it’s why I’m giving this program away for free.

Click on the title link for your free copy.

Dave Scott: Tips to Beat the Heat

By Dave Scott

I just returned from the 30th annual Sportspectrum RiverCities Triathlon race in Shreveport, LA. I've been invited to speak and chat with the athletes on six different occasions and this year's event was certainly a memorable one. The "production" put on by Matt Brown & his team was incredible, but the athletes had to endure a rather stressful hot & humid race - outside temperatures soared to 104° with a humidity of 70%.

With these extreme environmental conditions, and I witnessed them firsthand after I decided to jump into the race at the last minute, there are a few precautionary steps that you should take to negate or slow down some of the inevitable effects of training or racing in heat and humidity.

Recognize that your brain is trying to balance the heat load by sending blood to your skin surface in an attempt to cool yourself. Consequently, the blood is shunted from your working muscles and organs. As your internal physiology tries to keep you cool - you become less efficient. What can you do?

• Stay as cool as possible before you start.

• Drink 4-12 oz. of cold fluid replacement drink if your race or training session is at high intensity or longer than an hour. Drink H2O if lower intensity or shorter duration - either one consumed 4-12 minutes before you start.

• Wear a ventilated hat or visor and loose clothing.

• Grab a cold sponge or towel and wipe your forearms & neck - you have a lot of thermo receptors in these two areas. The relief is temporary, however if you can do this at every aid station (1 km to 1 mile) on the run, you will get some additional cooling on the skin.

• Try to acclimate to the environment. If you live in Barrow, Alaska and plan on racing in Shreveport, LA, the acclimation time will take 10-18 days in "similar" hot/humid conditions to acclimate.

• If you're a heavy sweater and the exercise session last longer than 1 hr., you may need extra sodium (400-1000 mg/hr.) during your session. Take the additional Na in tablet form every 12-15 minutes beyond the 1 hr. mark.

• Re-hydrate with water and fluid replacement drink immediately after the session. It may take 4-6 hours to completely re hydrate. Your urge to pee should be within 2 hours post session and your urine color should be pretty clear

Ok, that's it and good luck! Check out the RiverCities race, it's a great event - albeit a bit toasty.

Calcium - Do You Get Enough?

We all know that getting enough calcium is typically associated with strong bones. Kids need calcium for bone development and as adults we need calcium to help retain healthy bone matrix. Calcium is obviously important for athletes too: runners especially need to pay attention to maintaining bone strength due to all of the pounding our legs take with every run. But an equally important role calcium plays is at the cellular level as a trigger for various cellular events.

Calcium is involved in maintaining regular heart function, nerve conduction, and muscular contraction. Getting enough calcium on a daily basis can be problematic simply because our bodies don’t absorb 100% of the calcium that we consume. Our absorption rates are individual and dependent on a variety of variables, and, our body’s state of need can dictate absorption rates. For example, women need more calcium and will absorb more during pregnancy. Other foods we consume, and medications/drugs, can impact absorption as well.

So while the recommendations for calcium intake is a minimum of 1000mg/day, it’s important to spread our calcium intake throughout the day and exceed that level of intake to maximize our absorption. Vitamin D is an important co-factor in calcium absorption, which is one reason why nearly all milk products are fortified with Vitamin D.

You don’t have to don the famous “milk mustache” to get your daily calcium. Milk and dairy products aren’t the only food items high in this important nutrient. Other high-calcium containing foods include: almonds, bok choi, collards, sardines with bones, and broccoli.

Just as important as eating foods that are rich in calcium is avoiding those things that are known to block absorption (and which tend to be less healthy for you anyway). This includes alcohol, smoking, foods high in sodium or excessive sodium intake, and high-fat foods. And, while I reported on the benefits of caffeine as an ergogenic aid in a previous blog, caffeine is known to increase the body’s need for calcium.

So, should you take a calcium supplement? It could be helpful if you’re adverse to eating foods that are higher in calcium for some reason. But, it’s generally preferred to get your calcium from real, whole foods, because it is believed that the body more readily absorbs calcium through foods. Here’s your homework assignment: check to see how you’re doing in the calcium department. Review your normal daily diet to be sure you’re not neglecting this important nutrient that will improve your health and endurance as a runner.

Horner speaks of Tour disappointment

Chris Horner (RadioShack) says that he would gladly have swapped his top ten placing at the Tour de France to have ridden in the service of an overall winner. In an interview with the Bend Bulletin, the American spoke of his regret at Lance Armstrong's failure to land an eighth yellow jersey in Paris.

"Ten years from now, I'll be disappointed that we didn't win an eighth Tour de France with Lance. It would have been a special moment," Horner said. "Finishing top 10 is cool. I love it. But to say you're on the team on which Lance won his eighth Tour de France would be one step above.

"When I was training with Lance in Aspen before the Tour last year, we talked about having a new team and that I'd be on it, and going to the Tour and helping him win it. So when you see he's crashed, it rocks everything that you've been focusing on for the whole year. For me it was kind of devastating," Horner said.

Horner has never ridden on a Tour de France-winning team. He was one of Cadel Evans's key lieutenants at Lotto when he finished second in the 2007 edition and last year he failed to make the Astana team that included overall winner Alberto Contador.

Horner appeared nonplussed by the fact that the time he lost waiting for Armstrong on his disastrous stage to Morzine may ultimately have cost him a significantly higher placing in Paris. "I didn't have the legs to go with Andy [Schleck] and [Alberto] Contador, and [Denis] Menchov had a fabulous time trial in the last TT stage, so I don't think I could've done top three," he said, admitting that sixth place would have been the summit of his ambition in any case.

That said, the 38-year-old Horner already has an eye on next year's race and fired an early blow in the race to lead RadioShack next time around. "Hopefully, I've earned a position on the team to be riding the Tour as one of the favorites, and I'll be a guy who's being looked after," he said.

Now in his fifteenth year as a professional, Horner said that he has not been called to testify in the Jeff Novitzky-led federal probe into doping, nor does he expect to, as he did not ride for Armstrong's US Postal Service squad.

"I haven't gotten any calls, and I wouldn't think I would get calls because I wasn't on [Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service] team then. Since the Tour of California, when all that stuff came out, none of it has affected me," Horner said.

Get Faster By Running Uphill Runs

By Terrence Mahon

You don’t win a New York or a Boston Marathon until you have conquered their legendary hills. For the five-borough race, it starts with going straight up the Verrazano Bridge, then across the mile-long 59th St Bridge and finally finishing with the rollers through Central Park. Without the series of Newton Hills, and the appropriately named Heartbreak being the greatest, then Boston wouldn’t be the legendary course that every runner wants to battle at least once in their lifetime.

Running hilly race courses makes training over hills a must in your marathon preparation. However, hill training doesn’t just make you better at running hills. Adding in a steady supply of hill work throughout your training program will increase your speed and endurance for every type of race.

In our typical marathon training program we include one specific uphill run every 2 weeks and more hills in both our sprint work and our weekly long runs. The bread-and-butter workout is the continuous uphill run at a moderate effort (approximately 80-85% of max heart rate). It will start at 5k in distance and move up to 15k of continuous uphill running as the season progresses.

The hill runs we use in Mammoth Lakes (actually they are mountains) climb at about a 3-4% grade on average with a few 6-7% climbs thrown in every so often. Due to the combined effect of the altitude (ranging from 7,000-10,000 ft) and the length of the hill our running speeds will not be very fast. Ryan will often hover somewhere between 6:15-7:00 mile pace over the entire workout. For an athlete that has run a marathon under 5:00-per-mile pace, this seems like an easy run, however, both the aerobic and muscular challenges involved make this a really tough workout.

So why do we add in hill training when we are preparing for a flat marathon in Chicago? Hill training – either as continuous uphill runs or as hill intervals accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. The hill itself will provide you with great resistance training as you run. If the incline is steep enough then you will recruit many more muscle fibers over the course of the workout. Your hips and glutes work over-time when you are climbing over 2000 ft of elevation in one run.

With time and repetition you will get physically stronger as well as run faster once you hit level ground. Hills are also a great way to improve your running mechanics. Since the energy demand to climb a hill is that much greater than running on a flat surface you will learn how to use the right muscles to get you to the top. This workout has a way of getting rid of what isn’t working in a hurry.

In addition, hills provide you with the aerobic training that you need, but with much less pounding then when running on flat or downhill surfaces. Since you are always going up there will be less joint stress and eccentric muscle overload and this means that you can add in miles on hills without feeling like you ran a marathon in training.

Finally, hills are great for teaching mental tenacity and patience. If you go full steam into a hill you will probably get knocked over quick. A few more attempts like that and you will see that the prudent way to make it to the top is the steady approach. Conquering hills is much like conquering a marathon. The wise runner is the patient runner. Don’t give up if your first attempt goes south. Take the tortoise over the hare approach here and you will see a steady improvement that will bring tremendous dividends once you hit the streets. Running on a flat surface will feel like you are not working hard at all and then you can just watch the miles will fly by.

Lance Armstrong: Fitness Off the Bike

Alberto Contador to ride with Riis in 2011

Bjarne Riis has revealed that Saxo Bank will continue to sponsor his cycling team alongside new sponsor SunGard in 2011, with Tour de France winner Alberto Contador joining the team for the next two years. Specialized will continue as bike sponsor but will not be a title sponsor of the team.

Riis announced the news today at a press conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

There has been huge speculation about Contador's future and the name of Riis' new backers in the last few days. Riis refused to reveal any details before the press conference but Danish television reported that Saxo Bank will put in approximately six million Euro for 2011. It is unclear if the trading and investment bank will continue their support beyond next year.

According to reports in Denmark, Riis has already registered the teamsaxobanksungard.com website domain on the internet.

“Saxo Bank has decided to go on for another year. Lars Seier (Kristensen, the co-CEO of Saxo Bank) has worked hard for this. I'm glad and proud that you we can go on with our super co-operation,” Riis said, cracking a rare smile as he made the announcement.

“I’m proud to be able to present Alberto Contador on our team for next year. I'm proud to have been able to attract the world's best cyclist to a Danish team.”

Lars Seier Kristensen said: “I went to the Tour this year convinced that it would be the last. But sometimes things change. I have followed the team during the Tour and heard Bjarne Riis talk about his ideas about the future. So we have changed our minds.”

Both Kristensen and Riis refuted that Saxo Bank’s decision to continue their sponsorship for a further year had blocked the arrival of a new sponsor.

“We’re not the new secret sponsor that have stepped back to let us go on,” Kristensen said.

Riis said: “We have chosen this since we believe that it is the right way to go. We have chosen the solution that is best for us right now.”

Contador – Schleck rivalry

The arrival of Contador will further fuel the rivalry between Andy Schleck and Contador. They seem destined to fight for victory at the Tour de France in the next few years after their head to head battle this year.

It was widely speculated that Contador would be presented to the media at the press conference. He rode and won a criterium in Belgium on Monday night but then announced via Twitter that he was traveling to Bordeaux for another race.

Riis confirmed that Contador would travel to Copenhagen, perhaps to ink his contract for 2011, later today.
“He is not here and has not been seen at Copenhagen airport but he will arrive later,” Riis said.

“I think I can contribute to polishing this diamond (Contador) even further.”

”Alberto (Contador) is a world class rider and it's with great pride that I can welcome him onboard the team for the next two years. With three Tour de France victories on his resume and a position as number one on the world rankings, he is sure to stay at the very top for several years to come. Alberto will get a solid, strong and loyal team around him to support him in all terrains and I'm sure that this will be a fruitful alliance."

Contador, who wasn't at the press conference, released the following statement: ”I'm very happy and excited about signing a two year contract with Riis Cycling. With the unique philosophy and team spirit the team offers I'm ensured solid support from the sponsors, administration and staff of riders that I'm looking forward to becoming a part of myself. Historically, Riis Cycling has always been successful and together, we will have the ability to play a very important role in the world of cycling in the years to come."

Riis has secured Contador as team leader but now must rebuild his team for 2011. Andy and Frank Schleck have already confirmed they are moving on and look set to create their own team in Luxembourg with Riis’ former directeur sportif Kim Andersen and former press officer Brian Nygaard managing the team. A number of staff and experienced riders are also expected to jump ship and work with the Schlecks, including Jens Voigt, Stuart O’Grady. New signings could include Germany’s Linus Gerdemann, Fabian Wegmann Domenik Klemme.

Fabian Cancellara is expected to stay with Riis’ team in 2011 because he has a year remaining on his contract. Emerging talent Richie Porte is also expected to stay with the team as a second team leader for stage races.

However Riis refused to confirm any other names for the 2011 line-up or say if any of Contador’s current teammates from Astana will move to Saxo Bank-SunGard with him in 2011.

“We are looking on who is leaving and who we will keep,” Riis said, knowing the arrival of Contador marks the start of a new chapter of his career as team owner and manager.

Congratulations Dave Zabriskie!

Recovox wants to congratulate Dave Zarbriskie and his wife Randi on their second son. Dave told us that they named him Bo. Dave now has two sons....from all of us at Recovox congrats DZ!!

Faris Al Sutan Wins Ironman Regensburg

The inaugural Ironman Regensburg is in the books, and what a race it turned out to be. With excellent weather, an incredible venue and great racing in both the men's and women's field, what more could you ask for.

In the men’s race Christof Wandratsch was expected to lead the men out of the water and he didn’t disappoint those who intended to let him tow them through the swim. Andi Bocherer, Stefan Richter and Faris Al-Sultan just did that. What wasn’t expected was for Bocherer to get spit off the back with 1,000 meters to go. Wandratsch lead Horst Reichel and Al-Sultan out of the water 0:11 back, while Bocherer was disappointed with hitting the beach 1:01 back to the leader.

Early on the bike, Bocherer made his move to the front of the race with Al-Sultan and Reichel following 0:05 to 0:07 back to the leader. Quickly this became the elite group - they quickly disposed the remainder of the field for until the conclusion of the bike.

At 80 kilometres, in typical Bocherer fashion, he ramped up his speed and slowly distanced himself from both Al-Sultan and Reichel. During the later stages of the bike, Reichel succumbed to the pace and faded badly. Al-Sultan was the only one that could keep his hard-driving Team Abu Dhabi teammate within his sights, and would eventually come into the bike-run transition 4:21 down to Bocherer.

Both Bocherer and Al-Sultan had the same game plan for the run; take it out controlled for the first two laps, strong for last two laps. Bocherer’s lead slowly dwindled throughout the first half the marathon. Al-Sultan managed to claw back time during the first two loops, but Bocherer still enjoyed a 2:47 lead at the halfway point.

“I blew, I just blew up at 30 kilometres,” Bocherer would say after the race. Al-Sultan showed his experience and quickly closed the gap and surge past the struggling Bocherer.

“I went by him strong, as I didn’t want him to follow me,” Al-Sultan said. “Then I got a side stitch and just about cramped up, the last thing I wanted to do was have him go past me because I was hurting,” continued the three-time Ironman champion.

Al-Sultan managed to fuel and hydrate himself back to health and until he crossed the finish line for his fourth Ironman title. His finishing time was 8:13:37 and his splits for the day: Swim: 45:27, Bike: 4:27:38, Run: 2:56:16

Bocherer came in 4:51 behind Al-Sultan. He explained how would have preferred a different outcome to the race, “I went for the win today and came up short, but I am satisfied that I tried.” He smiled a little, while saying, “I am getting closer.” He can have some consolation from his race; he had the fastest bike split on the day at 4:23:16.

Germany’s Nils Goerke ran his way into third on the day while pounding out the fastest marathon split, 2:48:07

1. Faris Al-Sultan 8:13:37
2. Andreas Böcherer 8:19:28
3. Nils Goerke 8:22:57
4. Christian Brader 8:25:30
5. Andreas Fuchs 8:33:19
6. Aaron Farlow 8:39:41
7. Domenico Passuello 8:46:30
8. Florian Stelzle 8:48:55
9. Daniel Schmoll 8:49:34
10.Mike Schifferle 8:49:42

Tim DeBoom - Interview

Terenzo Bozzone - One brilliant season... so far

Article from firstoffthebike.com

Your year this year has been phenomenal – we’ve written thousands of words extolling the virtues of Terenzo Bozzone and how wonderful your season’s been. Highlighted by numerous victories and numerous second places. How tough has it been for you physically to maintain that type of level?

Firstly Phil thanks for all the kind words, I see you when you tweet that you’ve got a new article and I start reading it and I just crack up. I kind of bow my head in a little bit of shame because it’s a little bit embarrassing, so thanks a lot for the kind words.

This year, it’s been interesting. I like to do things a bit differently so the amount of racing I did over April, May and June was a little bit extreme but I really enjoyed it. I felt my recovery between the races was good and I felt I managed to look after my body enough and get the right types of training in to make sure I didn’t lose too much form.

Are you beat up? Do you feel beat up in your body? Has it taken so much time to recover? Are you doing much training or is it just recovery?

Yeah well I’ve actually got to probably six races, the seventh race I started to feel a little bit beat up, so the seventh race in Buffalo Springs I came second behind Lieto and then the eighth race was in Rhode Island. By just going into the race I was a little unsure. I missed my plane leaving LA and I was wondering if that was a sign to just give it a miss and not fly across the country to race, but I’m glad I did and I managed to have a strong race. You definitely feel your body gets depleted from all the good nutrients and you’re just always on that red line. Your body is depleted, your immune system is really low and you’re kind of almost ready for it to stop.

Training-wise between the races when I was racing every weekend there was not much in terms of training, it was pretty much taper week race, taper week race and then when I had more like two or three weeks between the races, I made sure I got a little bit of mileage in, a little bit of hard stuff to keep the body going.

Does one race blur into another? Or is it every time you get to a race you get excited again and you start feeling a little bit of the nervous energy before you start?

Yeah I do, I do get somewhat excited and a little bit nervous. One of the toughest races was Galveston 70.3 in Texas. That was doubled up as the US National Champs as well. So this was the second race. I raced in New Orleans the week before and got second to Andy Potts and had a bit of a tough week and didn’t really feel the greatest all week and woke up on race morning about 4 o’clock and I just couldn’t get out of bed. I was just really tired, I just wanted to stay in bed I didn’t want to go outside. I had to almost drag myself out the door to get my warm up going and it wasn’t until about halfway through the warm up that I started to come around and was really going. I think that ended up being one of my better races, I felt good and managed to push it from start to finish.



How soon into a race do you know that you’re on form? When you start? as soon as the gun goes off and you start swimming do you feel that you’re going to have a good one or does it take a little while for your race to evolve?

Yeah for me I don’t really know what’s going to happen until I’m on the run, probably even halfway through the run and it will often change through the day. I mean I’ve had races where I start the swim and I feel a million bucks and once I get on the bike I’m out the back door struggling or vice versa, I’m swimming and feel like sh+t and get on the bike and you feel, I mean your legs – you can’t blow yourself up.

So that’s the thing with triathlon, you’ve got three disciplines and anything can happen. But to put yourself in the best possible position you train hard, you’re smart about your nutrition, about all your habits and you just put yourself in the best position to give yourself a chance at achieving your goals.

Are you friendly with the other athletes, are you someone who likes to chat around the transition area or is it stick my iPod in and get the eye of the tiger working?

A Well that’s the good thing about triathlon is all of us are pretty good friends. I mean I hang out with Macca, I hang out with Craig from time to time, I mean all those guys, Richie Cunningham and Tyler Butterfield. We turn up at a race and every day before the race you train together, you have coffee together, you have breakfast together, dinner and so you’re best of friends one day, you wake up the next morning and transition, your still civil, you probably keep a bit more to yourself, but when that gun goes off you want to kill that guy. You want to make him suffer. And then once you’ve crossed the finish line you’re the best of friends and then you cross the line, shake the guy’s hand and then give him a hug and go off for lunch.

Is there any smack-talking on the bike? Is there anything like that going on or is it more you think Triathlon is more of an individualised or internal type of activity?

From time to time there is a bit of smack, the bike, of course it is going to be easier sitting five bike lengths back, but generally there’s a bit of etiquette out there between the athletes. I mean no-one wants to get on the run after sitting at the back behind someone for the whole bike and run away to win the race. That’s – you almost have to cross the finish line with your head below your hands just so you save a bit of face. I mean yeah, so everyone tries to get out there, do their fair share of work and try and keep it as fair and as even a race as possible. Of course people are going to have bad days where they can’t bike and they get off and they do feel a bit on the run, but most of the time everyone tries to show good sportsmanship out there.

click on the title link to read on.......

Floyd Landis rides prologue in baggy t-shirt and number flapping

Crowds lined the streets in the Old Mill District to catch a glimpse of Floyd Landis at the Cascade Classic. Race organizers added the controversial cyclist, who is racing without a team, to the registration one day prior to the event’s start date.

He was the brunt of laughter during the short time trial for wearing a novice looking outfit. Rather than wear a blank racing skin suit, he chose to sport a grey baggy T-shirt and nondescript black cycling shorts with his numbers sloppily pinned on the back, loose enough to catch wind and create a small sail.

“The chief official said that it is a USCF rule that if you are going to wear a jersey that has the name of a business or a sponsor there has to be a licensed team,” said Executive Director Chuck Kenlan. “Essentially he had to wear something plain with no sponsor on it and he just found a grey t-shirt and that was what he wore.”

Jens Voigt - Tough As Nails!

On stage 16 Tuesday, Voigt was hurtling down the descent of the Col de Peyresourde, the first of four mountain passes, when he suffered a puncture and crashed at top speed.

The German managed to avoid a repeat of the horrific injuries he suffered during last year’s race when he landed on his face while rocketing along on a descent.

After waving away the help of race assistants in the broom wagon, Voigt battled on to finish the stage with the gruppetto, the group of sprinters and non-climbers who club together in a bid to beat the time cut-off.

“I’m doing 70 kilometers an hour on the first descent when my front tire explodes,” explained Voigt. “Before I hit the asphalt I actually manage to think that this is going to hurt. Both knees, elbows, hands, shoulders and the entire left side of my body were severely hurt.

“My ribs are hurting but hey, broken ribs are overrated anyway. Fortunately, I didn’t land on my face this time and I’m still alive".

“I was offered a ride on the truck that picks up abandoned riders but I’m not going to quit another Tour de France. Now there’s a rest day and Paris is not that far away.”

Schleck is eight seconds behind race leader and defending champion Alberto Contador of Astana, and the Luxembourger will be glad of Voigt’s assistance pacing him early on the climbs when the race resumes with stage 17 on Thursday

Ivan Basso Finishes In The Gruppetto

Basso was not in the front group that finished 6:45 behind Pierrick Fédrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and included most of the overall contenders. He was not even in the first gruppetto, with teammates Daniel Oss and Francesco Bellotti, that finished 23:42 down.

Basso eventually finished the 199.5km stage in 111th place, 34:48 behind Fédrigo. The huge loss of time means that Basso is now 24th overall, 37:18 behind Alberto Contador.

The Giro d'Italia winner had been suffering with bronchitis since Monday afternoon and was weakened by the antibiotics the Liquigas-Doimo team doctor had given him to cure the problem and reduce a temperature. He had been targeting a Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double but now he just hopes to finish the Tour in Paris on Sunday.

When Basso crossed the line he did not stop when the soigneur held out a drink and did not want to talk to the Italian media that were also waiting for him. He rode past them all, with dried saliva on his lips and a blank, fatigued emptiness in his eyes.

He eventually spoke after recovering from over six difficult hours in the saddle. Like every other rider who had ridden the Giro d'Italia, his hopes of success at the Tour de France had faded during the third week of the Tour de France. Winning the now much tougher Giro and then an intense and constantly demanding Tour de France seems too much of a test for anyone.

"I'm really tired and worn out, it was an incredibly tough day,' Basso said. "I started the stage to honour the race because even my directeur sportif told me not to start. But I've never liked retiring and so I tried to hang on and stay in the Tour.

"This has been a tough Tour for me that always seemed to be uphill. Right from the start in Rotterdam it was more difficult that I think we all expected. This illness has made it almost impossible.

"Now I just want to think about the rest day and cancel this bad day from mind. I'm not used to being in the gruppetto when the big-name riders are racing hard up front. I can promise you it's not much fun."

Basso now just hopes to survive in the last mountain stage on Thursday and then reach Paris. Suddenly even just making to the Champs-Élysées will be a huge achievement for the Giro d'Italia winner.

Choosing Chicken: A Primal Purchasing Guide

By Mark Sisson

Poultry: a Primal staple that complements any kind of fare any time of day (nothing like chicken hash for breakfast!). There’s more to poultry than chicken of course (more on that another time), but make no mistake: chickens these days aren’t created equal. Breeding, feeding and other poultry farming standards result in animals that scarcely resemble each other, let alone taste the same. To the Primal point, however: when it comes to judging a chicken’s nutritional profile, a little info can go a long way. Today’s item of business: choosing the best Primal chicken for the money.

Keep reading click on the title link....

Chris Lieto and Carfrae Dominate at Vineman Ironman 70.3

Former Ironman 70.3 world champion Mirinda Carfrae ran her way to a new women’s course record and new women’s run course record at the Vineman Ironman 70.3 presented by Avia on Sunday. Meanwhile, the USA’s Chris Lieto opened a gap on New Zealand’s Kieran Doe during the second half of the bike course, one that he would never relinquish to eventually go on and win the men’s race. Professionals were racing for $25,000 at the 20th Anniversary of the Vineman Ironman 70.3, one of the sports legendary races.

As anticipated the women’s field didn’t disappoint today when Canadian Melanie McQuaid led into the bike to run transition with a 1 minute, 15 second lead over a tightly arranged group of Leanda Cave, Tyler Stewart, Angela Naeth, Mirinda Carfrae and Dede Greisbauer. The finish order shuffled only slightly as Carfrae ran herself into first place, winning by nearly seven minutes, leaving the group to battle for the of the remainder of the prize money.

Lieto, in the midst of tight battle with Doe at the halfway point of the 56 mile bike leg, decided he needed to stamp his authority on one of his favorite races to try and secure the win. Doe entered the bike to run transition almost four minutes down to Lieto, and while not able to cut into Lieto’s lead during the run he managed to run well enough to take the second spot on the podium. The final three podium spots were tightly contested by James Cotter, Jamie Whyte, and Tim Marr.

Highlighting the amateur race were age group wins by Vineman veterans Cherie Gruenfeld (65-69), Harriet Anderson (75-79), and Sister Madonna Buder (80-84).

The 20th Anniversary Vineman Ironman 70.3 presented by Avia saw more than 2000 athletes enter the Russian River under the typical Sonoma County marine layer to start the day. The cool temperatures gave way to bright sunshine and warm conditions later in the day as athletes finished the race in Windsor, Ca.

Landis to start Cascade Cycling Classic

ABC's Nightline to shadow the controversial cyclist

Organizers of the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic confirmed Floyd Landis will participate in the six-stage race set to take place from July 20-25 in Bend, Oregon. The American television network ABC's program Nightline agreed to highlight the controversial cyclist, bringing the event nation-wide publicity.

"I got word yesterday that he was interested in coming and that he was trying to put together a little composite team," said the race's Executive Director Chuck Kenlan.. "That fell through because he couldn't come up with enough money to get the other guys up here so he will be flying solo. I'm not sure what jersey he is going to wear. When I spoke with him today he didn't say anything about that."

It will be a rare public appearance from Landis who in May admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs throughout most of his professional cycling career, including his 2006 Tour de France victory. He was stripped of that title after testing positive for synthetic testosterone and vehemently denied doping for the last four years.

Aside from his own confession, Landis also implicated his previous teams and teammates of doping, including his former US Postal teammate Lance Armstrong and manager Johan Bruyneel.

Because that team was supported by a government agency, Landis' revelations have sparked a criminal investigation headed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) special agent Jeff Novitzky. According to Kenlan, it is not clear how ABC News Nightline will use its coverage of Landis' participation at the 30th annual Cascade Cycling Classic.

"Part of the deal was ABC News coming to do a Nightline program because they wanted to do a story on Floyd," Kenlan said. "I don't think they will be here all week but I'm not sure. I got a call from ABC News today and they were really vague on what the angle of their story was going to be, but you can only guess."

"It could be a double edged sword depending on how they spin their coverage," he added. "But, to have them cover a race in the city of Bend and the history of this race is so strong that hopefully that will come out in what ever they are going to do."

When asked if he was surprised to receive a phone call from Landis requesting a starting spot, Kenlan said, "With him, it is hard to be surprised. I've made it clear that he needs to be accessible to our local media which he wasn't last year. He needs to be available and be a player."

Landis registered for the Tour de Nez, held in Nevada in June and the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic held in Massachusetts in July, but did not start either event.

"As far as I'm concerned, the guy has a license and he has raced pretty well this year at a couple of races," Kenlan said. "My hope is that if he is going to be here that he is here to race his bike, put in a good effort, try to do something, and not try to make a circus out of our event. I'd like to see him racing and putting on a good show."

Landis started the season racing under with the Bahati Foundation Professional Cycling Team. Following Landis' doping admission, the team announced that they severed ties with Landis and financial backer Ouch Medical Center.

For Stacy - Livestrong

By Lance Armstrong

Every Tour de France since 1999, I’ve carried the same good luck charm with me. It reminds me of a friend who helped me beat cancer and start my true mission in life, the fight against this disease.

In January of 1997, Stacy Pounds helped me launch LIVESTRONG, a foundation that serves people and families affected by cancer, just as I was completing my own cancer treatment. That same month, Stacy, a chain smoker, was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer.

All of us who knew her were devastated. My mother gave me two crucifixes. I wore one and gave the other to Stacy. I said, “This is going to be our bond. You wear it when you’re being treated or whenever you want. And I’ll wear mine forever.” We wore them as symbols of our cancer kinship.

Stacy deteriorated quickly. The doctor told us she only had a matter of weeks to live.

Stacy’s son, Paul, was a sailor serving with the US Navy at sea. We called Charles Boyd, the only four-star general I knew, for help in getting Stacy’s son home to see his mother. “Lance,” he said, “I lost my wife two years ago to cancer. I’ll see what I can do.” The next day, Paul was on his way home. That’s what the term “cancer community” means.

At the same time, Stacy went into a nursing home. “I’m in pain and the nurses don’t bring me my pain medicine,” she said. We took her home and hired a full-time Hospice nurse to take care of her.

Her son arrived and Stacy spent her remaining days at home with him. On October 2, 1997, I celebrated the one-year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis. On October 3, 1997, Stacy died. She was buried with her cross.

Despite the standings, I know that good luck rides with me every day. I am riding for Stacy and the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today.

Contador Makes Apology To Andy Schleck

Alberto Contador has posted a YouTube apology to former Tour de France leader Andy Schleck for the timing of an attack that sees the Spaniard now lead the race. The Astana rider admitted he wasn’t happy with how he’s taken the Tour’s yellow jersey, and hopes it doesn’t impact his relationship with the Luxembourg rider.

“Today I managed to get on the podium, which makes me happy. The problem with that was the circumstances,” said Contador in the video, filmed in his hotel room. “Right when I attacked Andy had a mechanical on the last climb. The race was in full gear and, well, maybe I made a mistake, I'm sorry.

“At a time like that all you think about is riding as fast as you can,” he continued. “I'm not happy, in the sense that, to me, fair play is very important. Just like I did in the Spa stage, when both Andy and Fränk were behind the pack, I didn't hesitate to stop the bunch so that they could catch up.

“Many people criticized me for doing that, especially after the stage on the cobbles, when the crash happened and the whole bunch split as a result, and it allowed Andy to take time on me, but I always settle it by saying I'd do it again,” said Contador. “The kind of thing that happened today is not something I like, it's not my style and I hope my relationship with Andy will remain as good as before.”

Saxo Bank team owner Bjarne Riis wasn’t judging Contador after the stage. “I would have hoped he would have waited, and I think I would have waited... I think he did wait at the beginning but then it was a while before Andy was on the bike again.

“I don’t know. Was it possible for Contador to wait in that situation, with [Samuel] Sanchez [Euskaltel] and [Denis] Menchov [Rabobank] attacking? He has to follow those guys, for sure. He might not need to pull [with them] or attack, but he has to follow those guys."

Cervelo co-founder Gerard Vroomen was amongst those Tweeting on the topic, initially saying: “Contador just gained a great chance to win, but he lost the chance to win greatly.” But after considering Contador’s response, Vroomen added: “Alberto has a tiny point: Schleck didn't wait for him after the cobblestone crash so complaints about fair play ring hollow.”

Armstrong Does Not Want Any Gifts In Final Tour

Despite his string of crashes and losing time on every major climb, despite all the accusations and long-distance polemics with fellow US tour de France winner Greg Lemond, Lance Armstrong insists he is still trying to enjoy his last ever Tour de France.

Armstrong finished 70th on the stage to Ax-3 Domaines, 15:14 behind winner Christophe Riblon (AG2R-La Mondiale).

The seven-time Tour de France winner would love to win a stage as a final swan song but said he did not want any gifts, just as he always refused to gift any stage victories to his rivals during his seven-year reign at the Tour de France.

"It's as unique experience for me to ride up the Pailheres with no pressure at all and be able to look at the people and listen to people. I'm not going to win the Tour. There's not going to be an eighth Tour. That's not a news flash. But I'm going out having a good time," he said.

"I'd still like to get a stage victory but it's hard. They might not let me go early on, so you've got to have your climbing legs and obviously nobody is going to give it away."

"Back in our heyday, we didn’t give anything away, so I don’t want anybody to say 'Hey, let's let the old man have one,' That's not what this event is about. It's a hard sporting event and the strongest are supposed to win, on a daily basis and on a three-week basis."

"I've got 25 of them, I don't need someone handing me one. I'll do my best but as everyone knows, we're running out of chances."

When asked by French television if he will retire, Armstrong responded: "In Paris, yes. I came to the Tour to try and get a good result but I've never been a quitter and I won’t quit now."

On the fifteenth anniversary of the tragic death of Fabio Casartelli on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet, Armstrong said the loss of his then Motorola teammate was one of the moments that will stay with him after his final Tour de France. He also admitted he is now looking forward to reaching Paris.

"I'd rather be somewhere else but we've only got a week to go. I'm doing my best and I'll be surrounded by my family in Paris.

"After that I'll do what I did for four years ago: fight against cancer. There are lots of people who will carry this team on as pro riders."

Despite his differences with Alberto Contador last year when he rode together at Astana, Armstrong said the Spaniard was the favourite to win this year's race.

"I'm definitely an outside observer," he said. "Andy and Alberto are at the same level at the moment but Alberto has the advantage of the time trial. He will probably gain two and half minutes and that will difficult for Andy to get that. If I had a crystal ball, I'd say Alberto."

The 4 Key Areas of TAPERING for a Race

By Dave Scott

Physical

Rule One:
Allowing your body to rest and rebuild over the final four weeks provides the heightened sharpening to your race. Rest does not mean easy training. Maintaining the same percentage of hyper intensity training during the final four weeks is paramount for a fast race day. You cannot just "cruise" through all of your sessions. The nervous system needs to be stimulated. So what does intensity really mean? The total percentage of faster paced efforts should be around 8-20 percent of your total workout time per week for each discipline - swim, bike, run. (For example, you may ride three times per week for a total of six hours. Within this six hour timeframe, there should be up to 20 percent at a higher intensity. 8-20 percent of 360 minutes equals 29-72 minutes). Breaking this into three days includes repeats or a steady tempo session in equal to your optimal race pace. An example of this is interval segment on one ride day would be: 7 x 4 (8%) or 8 x 9 (20%). Again, each repeat is comparable or equal to your previous training higher intensity sessions. Do not try to exceed your "normal" intensity sessions during your final three weeks. Elevating the percentage or speed of intensity will only cause fatigue on race day.

Maintaining the suggested percentages of intensity on 1-3 days per discipline per week is vital for your race.

Rule Two:
Drop your total time per session at this rate (percentage drop from normal training volume each week. I.E.: 360 minutes less 10% equals 324 minutes):

week 4: 10%
week 3: 15%
week 2: 30%
week 1: 60%

The taper should drop off dramatically over the final two weeks.

Rule Three:
Maintain 15-25 minutes of aerobic intensity two to three times per week per discipline. The aerobic heart rate allows the morphine-like compound (endorphins) to purge your system. This "feel good" emphasis is vital during the taper. Stimulating your muscles and breathing rate to a broken conversation pace alleviates anxiety and the sessions will remind your mind and body that you did a light workout. These aerobic sessions can be mixed in with the higher intensity sessions or inserted on another training day. For example, if you have a higher intensity block on the bike designated for your Tuesday session, you would warm up for 15-20 minutes; insert the higher intensity block, followed by the aerobic work. A cool down for 5-10 minutes and that's it. This workout may be a bit long for some of you, so my advice is to insert the aerobic block on a non-intensity day.

Let's take a look at Week Four for an athlete that is preparing for an Olympic distance race. Training time per week would look like this:

Run: 4 hours or 240 minutes
Bike: 6 hours or 360 minutes
Swim: 2 hours or 120 minutes

(HI) Higher intensity (8-20%) would look like this:

Run: 20 to 48 minutes
Bike: 29 to 72 minutes
Swim: 5 to 12 minutes

Days of training per week include: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday


Psychological and Emotional

Rule One:
Write down 4-10 key words that describe you when you've felt fantastic in a training session. These words should describe each sport. Think of your best training day and write down the "feeling" that allowed you to flow during the workout. For example, a swim workout description might include the following: "fluid, powerful catch, hips floating to the surface". Write these down on a piece of paper and recite them with your eyes closed. See yourself in the race the same "feelings". Practice this mental imagery when you have a calm moment during the day. It only takes 5-10 minutes, so do it!

Rule Two:
Decide what you can control in your race and determine how you're going to do it. This requires you to have a mental map of the race course. Learn the course, either by viewing it online or discussing it with previous racers. Ultimately, you should view the course first-hand during the final days leading up to the race.

Rule Three:
Controlling your emotions will alleviate your anxiety about the race. Recognize what you do well and decide how these skills will guide you during the race. Also, minimize the stressors in your daily routine and take comfort in the routines that allow a psychological and emotional lift to your race preparation.

While I was preparing for the Ironman Kona in 1994, I was advised by a sport psychologist to select only items that I was willing to control in my life and release everything else. This allowed me to focus on tangible tasks and not to wrestle with the mundane psychological turmoil that ultimately hampered my final sharpening for the race.

Rule Four:
Select three levels of goals to your race and write these down.

Level 1 is a solid race. The race may unfold with a few hurdles, but you will overcome these diversions.
Level 2 is the race that mimics your preparation. Your potential is projected by the race outcome. This race is extremely gratifying.
Level 3 is the race that supersedes your expectations. You have visualized a day where you will unleash a race that is 10 to 20 percent above your expectations. This is not a dream, but an achievable goal!


Nutrition

Rule One:
Maintain your weight within one percent of your race weight over the final four weeks. Ideally, you are still trying to shed a few pounds during the taper. Plan on a loss of .8% of your body weight in pounds per week.

Rule Two:
Practice eating your pre-race meal one time per week on your higher intensity workouts.

Rule Three:
Plan out your race nutrition. Total fluid intake and total calories for every 10 to 15 minutes of racing.

Rule Four:
Increase your intake of antioxidant foods and glutamine to combat any potential illness over the final four weeks. Try to select four to six servings per day of antioxidant fruits and/or vegetables.

Glutamine is primarily stored in the lungs and skeletal muscle. Athletes that are prone to infections, allergies and slower recovery, quite often have low plasma glutamine levels. If this is you, consider taking a glutamine supplement of 10-20 grams four times per week during the taper.


Race Awareness

Being prepared for your ultimate race requires preparation over the final four weeks. During the taper, there are several items that I have included in your check list (see below). These are reminders about your race. Take a look at the following list and make sure that you are organized and ready before the event.

• Practice using your race equipment: shoes, aero-bars, fuel belt, swim/bike/run apparel

• Get to bed early

• Go over the course and have a mental map of the course and terrain

• Lay out your race plan: pace in each discipline, fueling intervals and "strong" sections of the race

• Three days before the event, finish dinner at an hour that allows a ten hour spread between dinner and breakfast. (If your race starts at 7am: breakfast is consumed 2-2 ½ hours before the start, then dinner the night before should be consumed by 6:30pm). This allows sufficient transit time between meals and allows your breakfast meal to partially digest before competition. Begin to shift the dinner hour three days prior to the race.

• Warm-up before your event. The ideal warm-up will allow you bring up your aerobic zone for 8-12 minutes and should include 4-6 efforts near race pace. Plan on allowing a warm-up of 15-30 minutes

• Think about your breathing (deep inhales) at the start of the race

• Stand up on the bike during the first 5-10 miles. Stretching your back and calves, while allowing for a subtle change in muscle recruitment, will enhance your overall ride.

• Lastly, do what you can do at the moment. Simply concentrate on the short term. Use the skills that allowed you to peak for the event. Confidence, tenacity and perseverance will prevail...just let it happen.

Article courtesy of DaveScottInc.com.

Lance Armstrong Says He’ll Start At The Half-Ironman Distance In 2011

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has made it clear that this will be his last year competing in the cycling event, and now that he’s no longer in the running for the yellow jersey he has started addressing the next step of his career. While Armstrong has acknowledged on several occasions that he will start competing in triathlons, he is only now discussing the details of his triathlon comeback.

In an article featured on Telegraph.co.uk, Armstrong says that he will start out at the half-Ironman distance:

“The first thing I have to do is to compete in a half Ironman to test myself,” said Armstrong.

“Because of my age and I would rather not compete in Olympic distance. Those triathletes who dispute this distance achieve speeds that I cannot get close to.

“What is clear is that if I want to be competitive, I have to focus on the longer distances as they often have tougher cycling sections and that would benefit me.”