Saxo Bank equipment fit session

Antioxidants & Free Radicals - What Are They?

Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage -- the common pathway for cancer, aging, and a variety of diseases. The scientific community has begun to unveil some of the mysteries surrounding this topic, and the media has begun whetting our thirst for knowledge. Athletes have a keen interest because of health concerns and the prospect of enhanced performance and/or recovery from exercise. The purpose of this article is to serve as a beginners guide to what antioxidants are and to briefly review their role in exercise and general health. What follows is only the tip of the iceberg in this dynamic and interesting subject.

It's the radicals, man

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, like dominoes. Their chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Although there are several enzyme systems within the body that scavenge free radicals, the principle micronutrient (vitamin) antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Additionally, selenium, a trace metal that is required for proper function of one of the body's antioxidant enzyme systems, is sometimes included in this category. The body cannot manufacture these micronutrients so they must be supplied in the diet or supplements. One of the best on the market is the Master Formula - www.themasterformula.com.

Vitamin E : d-alpha tocopherol. A fat soluble vitamin present in nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish oils, whole grains (esp. wheat germ), fortified cereals, and apricots. Current recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 15 IU per day for men and 12 IU per day for women.

Vitamin C : Ascorbic acid is a water soluble vitamin present in citrus fruits and juices, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries. The RDA is 60 mg per day. Intake above 2000 mg may be associated with adverse side effects in some individuals.

Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A (retinol) and is present in liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, yams, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, and grains. Because beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A by the body there is no set requirement. Instead the RDA is expressed as retinol equivalents (RE), to clarify the relationship.

For more information please click on the title link.

Lance Armstrong Training On The Queen K

Lance Armstrong has been on the big Island of Hawaii getting ready for the Tour Down Under. Many people want to know if he is going to tackle the Hawaiian Ironman at some point.

Part of an interview from the "Daily Beast"

Is it possible you could you race beyond 2009?

I don’t want to limit it. It would be a little irrational to announce or even think about it now, because I haven’t even started to racing this year yet. But it’s entered my mind. I’m having fun right now and feeling strong and healthy. I certainly don’t want to limit it to one year. But it could be one, it could be two. But later on even after the cycling comeback, I’d like to conquer some other endurance goals that I’ve had for a long time.

What do you mean by that?

You know, other sports I’ve dabbled in 15 years ago. Perhaps go back and get wet at the beginning, and then a blow dry in the middle and then run. You know what I’m saying? These days they say triathlons are a shampoo, a blow dry and then a 10K.

At least he is getting plenty of warm weather training on the Ironman course. His coach Chris Carmichael has arrived on the Island today, and now the real work begins for he 2009 season.

Coconut Water - Natures Magic Drink

The English name coconut, first mentioned in English print in 1555, comes from Spanish and Portugese word coco, which means "monkey face." Spanish and Portugese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round indented markings or "eyes" found at the base of the coconut. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchace of goods until the early part of the twentieth century.

Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, botanically known as cocos nucifera, with nucifera meaning "nut-bearing." The fruit-bearing palms are native to Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, and are now also prolific in South America, India, the Pacific Islands, Hawaii and Florida. The light, fibrous husk allowed it to easily drift on the oceans to other areas to propagate. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning "tree which gives all that is necessary for living," since nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some manner or another. The coconut itself has many food uses, including milk, meat, sugar and oil as well as functioning as its own dish and cup. The husk was also burned for fuel by natives, but today a seed fibre called coir is taken from the husk and used to make brushes, mats, fishnets, and rope. A very potent fermented toddy or drink is also made from the coconut palm's sap. Coconut oil, a saturated fat made from dried coconut meat, is used for commercial frying and in candies and margarines, as well as in non-edible products such as soaps and cosmetics.

Although it takes up to a year for coconuts to mature, the trees bloom up to thirteen times a year, so fruit is constantly forming yielding a continuous harvest year-round. An average harvest from one tree runs about 60 coconuts, with some trees yielding three times that amount. The coconut's name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is botanically classified as a drupe and not a nut. It is the largest seed known.

If you've ever opened a fresh coconut, you will have seen the thin, opaque almost clear coconut juice or water which has a slight almond flavor. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the coconut milk. However, the water is consumed as a drink fresh from the coconut by many, and it can also be used in recipes.

Here is some information about Coconut Water:

"It's a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. It's the fluid of life, so to speak." In fact, during the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma trasfusions to wounded soldiers.

Most coconut water is still consumed fresh in tropical coastal areas - once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment.

Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!
Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower calories
Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk
Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!
Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blook plasma
Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.
Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru Coconut IV.

"Coconut water is the very stuff of Nature, biologically Pure, full of Natural Sugars, Salts, and Vitamins to ward off fatigue... and is the next wave of energy drinks BUT natural!", according to Mortin Satin, Chielf of the United Nation's Food & Agriculture Organization.

Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks.

Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg and energy drinks have about 200 mg!

Coconut water has 5mg of Natural Sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10-25mg of Altered Sugars.

Coconut water is very high in Chloride at 118mg, compared to sports drinks at about 39mg.

Data is based on a 100ml drink.

Nydam Eager For Tour of California

Having had what could be termed a break-out year in 2008, Scott Nydam of the BMC Racing Team is eager to kick off the 2009 season with a bang. In last year's Tour of California, Nydam had his greatest success when he and his teammates defended the King of the Mountains jersey.

"That whole race was a special experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life-I will savor it forever," Nydam said. "My father had just been diagnosed as being gravely ill, I had just crashed out of the Tour of Qatar and was feeling a little defeated."

With the 2009 edition of the Tour of California just weeks away, Nydam has been using the past months to recharge his battery. "The weather in Northern California has been great for the most part, and some of the roads in Santa Rosa are simply the best you could imagine - epic rides start just outside your doorstep," Nydam said. "I was telling my boss Gavin Chilcott about a recent ride through Skaggs Springs and I think my statement was, 'I need to win some races so I can keep training!' In Northern California, it is possible to ride outside 99% of the time. You just need to be prepared with the right clothing and equipment."

"Like last year, I think that it is important that we hit the ground running," continued Nydam. "This year we have a bigger and better roster of riders and we should expect to build on everything that happened last year so that means going to many of the same races as we did in 2008, but this time with a lot more confidence and higher expectations. I crashed out of the Tour of Utah which kept me out of our final races of the year. That meant I wasn't able to be around to celebrate some of our biggest accomplishments with the team like Jeff's win at the Tour of Utah and his 5th at US Pro. So for me, the 2008 season ended a little anti-climatically. But things like that are sometimes good because it keeps you hungry."

Meditation for the Modern Lifestyle

By Paige Dunn

Inner Peace

Once reserved for monastery-clad monks, the 5,000-year old practice of meditation has become mainstream as a way to improve performance and cope with modern-day stresses.

You're an over-achieving multi-tasker, proud that you've managed to not only cope but thrive on the chaos around you. But being in such a frazzled state so often can compromise your mental and physical health if you don't take the reigns and slow it down occasionally. One way to get a grip is through meditation. Once you experience the benefits meditation offers, you'll wonder why everyone isn't doing it.

Although the mention of meditation may make you hear the "OHM's" of cross-legged swamis echoing from mountaintop monasteries, there's nothing mysterious or mystical about why it's so effective. Meditation is simply one of the many techniques that give the mind something simple to do, so your consciousness, which is separate from thought, is freed from identifying with it. Meditation is directed concentration with documented immediate measurable signs of relaxation including lowered blood pressure, lowered cholesterol, decreased heart and respiratory rates and Increased blood flow. Recent research even indicated that those who meditate are better able to concentrate, are more creative, felt less anger and noted improved relationships with others....they just tend to be healthier and happier than those who don't.

The key here is that meditation has a positive affect on stress and although stress seems to be a part of our culture, stress can have a serious impact on our health. When stressed, your body releases hormones that increase your heart rate and breathing consequently provides a burst of energy. Nearly all our body's systems prepare to cope with the perceived danger. Although not all stress is dangerous, our bodies are not always able to handle chronic and consistent stressors. Stress overload negatively affects not only the heart and blood vessels, but the nervous system and immune system.
While meditation will not replace sleep, it seems to stabilize the dream cycle and promote better sleep. It turns out meditation is not about Swamis and mountaintops....meditation is simply a highly effective way to improve not only our health, but our lives.

In fact, many athletes meditate to reduce pre-race anxiety, manage pain better, and improve performance. "With meditation you'll develop a greater sense of self-trust and confidence as you learn to easily tap into your powers of intuition. This translates into choosing the best wave to take off on, the best pitch to swing at, or which gear to use in climbing the next hill," says surfer and yoga instructor Peggy Hall, author of the DVD series Yoga for Surfers.

Ironman triathlon legend Julie Moss, who began meditating after her athletic career, recommends the practice to athletes of any level. "Meditation teaches you to see your spirit separately from your body. Your body feels pain, but you can choose to let your spirit fly beyond the discomfort. If I had learned to make this distinction while I was a professional triathlete, I'd have considerably more hardware collecting dust on my shelves today."

As Simple as Breathing

Meditation is easy to do; that's a big part of why it's so effective. Make it too complicated and you defeat the purpose. The goal is merely to get in a mental and physical state that allows you to relax and recharge. It's valuable time spent with just yourself, without an agenda to follow or expectations to be met.

Anyone can meditate, insists Hall. "Meditation is nothing more than simply breathing and being. Every meditation experience will be different, and that's fine. The magic lies in simply doing it."

There's no "wrong" way of meditating. If the method works for you, it's the right one. But don't expect to hear chanting or sitar music to signal you've reached Nirvana and will live out your days in eternal bliss. The signs of enlightenment will be subtle: feeling less stressed, happier and more peaceful as you go about your daily life. For most of us, this is more than enough to make it all worthwhile.

Getting Started

First, find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Wearing comfortable clothes, sit in a position you can remain in easily the entire time--legs crossed or uncrossed, whatever works for you. Set a timer for five minutes and close your eyes. Start by focusing solely on your breathing. Take in a big, deep breath, and then release it, along with any pent-up tension. Continue to take deep breaths, and notice where the "center" of each breath is. Your chest? Nose? Diaphragm? Concentrate on that.
If you become bombarded with thoughts, simply notice them, let them pass and return the focus to your breathing. Don't try to empty your mind, Hall explains, "Just notice whatever thoughts come up and observe them without opinion, without analysis, without following them to their conclusion." Continue focusing on your breathing until time is up.

Another effective meditation involves focusing on the energy in your body. Follow the same steps above including starting with a series of deep breaths. Once you settle in, try to sense a feeling of energy or awareness in a specific area of your body. Focus on this area. If your attention is drawn to another area of your body, shift your attention there. When your mind starts to wander, simply acknowledge it and when you are ready, return your concentration.

Successful meditation requires motivation and commitment. To reap the full rewards you need to practice it consistently. Choose a method that works for you, and stick with it for two weeks. After two weeks, introduce a new method to your practice. Start with five minutes a day, everyday, and gradually add two minutes every two weeks. Schedule your meditation like you would any other thing in your life, such as a workout or training session, and before long it will become second nature.

For additional insight into meditation techniques and benefits, or to look in to a meditation retreat, check out these resources:

Web Sites:
www.learningmeditation.com
www.tm.org
www.meditationcenter.com
www.yogajournal.com

Books/CD's:

Insight Meditation: A Step-By-Step Course on How to Meditate by Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein
Meditation for Dummies by Stephan Bodian, Dean Ornish
CD Guided Meditations for Busy People (Audio CD) by Bodhipaksa

Meditation Retreats:

www.comoshambhala.bz
www.ventanainn.com
www.kalani.com
www.bodyandsouladventures.com

The Athlete's Meditation

Meditation can give you the relaxed and positive state of mind you need to perform at your best. When you're waiting for your next event to start, include this simple meditation and breathing exercise to get you prepared. You will be amazed at how this simple breathing technique will ground you and calm your nerves:

Put one or both hands on your abdomen, close your eyes and relax. (If you are not using both hands, leave one hand relaxed at your side).

Take a series of deep breaths.

Breathe in for two seconds, hold for two seconds, and breathe out for two seconds.
With each breath, imagine a circle being drawn from your abdomen, up through your chest, out your mouth, and then back to your abdomen.

As you repeat your "circle breaths," find a word or phrase that will help you get in a positive state of mind, and say it to yourself with each breath.



About Paige Dunn

Paige counsels and educates athletes on the mental component of athletic experience through her private practice, Xcel Sports. In her practice, Paige teaches various Sport Psychology techniques to enhance performance: goal setting, motivation, imagery, confidence, relaxation, focus & concentration, effective team communication, and more. She currently works with athletes in individual and group sessions. Paige has a great deal of success motivating athletes to perform at their best. Her focus is working with elite endurance athletes. She enjoys lecturing and is currently writing her first book.

Cortisol And Weight

By: Scott Macdonald

Does stress affect eating, weight, and where fat is distributed on the body? This is a question that has begged an answer from experts for many years. The body makes cortisol to help us handle stress. When stress goes up, cortisol levels go up. And it's often repeated that obese people have higher cortisol levels than lean people.

Cortisol is a hormone in a group of steroids commonly referred to as glucocorticoids. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland as a part of your daily hormonal cycle. However, it is also a key hormone involved in the body’s response to stress, both physical and emotional. Cortisol increases blood sugar levels, increases blood pressure, and suppresses the immune system, which is part of the body’s fight-or-flight response that is essential for survival. Your hypothalamus, via the pituitary gland, directs the adrenal glands to secrete both cortisol and adrenaline.

Adrenaline production increases your alertness and energy level, also increasing your metabolism by helping fat cells to release energy. Cortisol has widespread actions which help restore homeostasis after stress, including increasing production of glucose from protein to quickly increase the body’s energy during stressful times.

However, cortisol has a two-fold effect on fat. When the stress first occurs, fat is broken down to supply the body with a rapid source of energy. When we experience something stressful, our brains release a substance known as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which puts the body on alert and sends it into "fight or flight" mode. As the body gears up for battle, the pupils dilate, thinking improves, and the lungs take in more oxygen. But something else happens as well: Our appetite is suppressed, and the digestive system shuts off temporarily. CRH also triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which help mobilize carbohydrate and fat for quick energy. When the immediate stress is over, the adrenaline dissipates, but the cortisol lingers to help bring the body back into balance. And one of the ways it gets things back to normal is to increase our appetites so we can replace the carbohydrate and fat we should have burned while fleeing or fighting.

"But when was the last time you responded to stress with such physicality?" asks Dr. Pamela Peeke asks, author of Fight Fat AfterForty and an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Your body assumes you have just physically exerted yourself, for example running from a lion, and need to restock your reserves by eating a lot of carbohydrates or fatty food that can easily be stored as fat. In reality, you are probably still sitting in your car or at your desk, still fuming and stressed out. Dr. Peek notes that, “In today's modern world, this elegant survival mechanism may be an anachronism that causes the body to refuel when it doesn't need to. Sustained stress keeps up cortisol, that cursed hunger promoter, elevated and that keeps appetite up, too.”

This is where the potential second effect of cortisol comes into play. Experts now believe that the problem for many of us is being in a constant state of stress. Exposure to cortisol over the long term can lead to weight gain, as your appetite and insulin levels are continuously increased. If stress and cortisol levels stay high, so will insulin levels, says Robert M. Sapolsky, Ph.D., a professor of biological sciences and neuroscience at Stanford University. Continual stress leads to a constant state of excess cortisol production, which stimulates glucose production. This excess glucose then typically is converted into fat, ending up as stored fat. According to Dr. Sapolsky, "The net effect of this will be increased fat deposition in a certain part of the body." Furthermore, according to the authors of the book The Cortisol Connection, stress and the resulting chronic overload of cortisol, make you feel tired and listless. So you overeat to renew your energy and comfort yourself, with the end result of accumulated extra inches around the middle.

It is generally suggested that stress-induced cortisol weight is usually gained around the waistline, because fat cells in that area are more sensitive to cortisol. The fat cells in your abdomen are richer in stress hormone receptors, are particularly sensitive to high insulin, and are very effective at storing energy – more so than fat cells you would find in other areas of the body. This is the most dangerous place to gain weight, as it can lead to metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease.

A recent study conducted by researchers at Yale University compared women who stored fat primarily in their abdomens with women who stored it mostly in their hips. They found that the women with belly fat reported feeling more threatened by stressful tasks and having more stressful lives. They also produced higher levels of cortisol than the women with fat on their hips. And that, the authors reasoned, suggests that cortisol causes fat to be stored in the center of the body.

However, some researchers believe that cortisol’s connection to obesity may be more unsubstantiated than first thought and that cortisol levels may not be the sole, major factor involved in obesity and fat distribution. There are questions as to whether cortisol may rise prior to weight gain or if its increase is an impact of the weight itself.

One area of research involves mutations in a gene called the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene, which may cause obesity but simultaneously decreases glucocorticoid levels. This research shows that cortisol alone may not be major culprit in weight gain, and suggests that glucocorticoids are merely part of a chain of hormonal and neuronal signals associated with obesity.

"The message has gotten across that glucocorticoids are involved in all obesity. And there is a lot of common talk about the role of stress in increasing glucocorticoids," says Malcolm Low, M.D., Ph.D., a senior scientist and associate director in the OHSU Center for the Study of Weight Regulation and Associated Disorders. "It seems to make sense: There is a lot of stress today, and obesity is up. But when you look at the facts, it is not as clear." Low notes, “There are multiple controls in our body that regulate body weight and appetite. Glucocorticoids are clearly involved in control of body weight. But it is not the only hormone involved. There are multiple systems involved in the brain and outside the brain that regulate how much fat we are going to have and how much appetite. There is no simple answer to treating obesity."

Marci Gluck, Ph.D., of the New York Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and Columbia University, studies the complicated relationship between cortisol, stress, and weight gain. "Most scientists agree that it is not a simple one-to-one relationship between cortisol and weight gain," she says. "There are so many different peptides and hormones involved. Cortisol might not be the primary one."

Based on a review of literature addressing obesity and cortisol status, the two most integral lab parameters to assess systemic cortisol status and its relationship to obesity is measurement of daily cortisol production rate (CPR) and measurement of 24-hour mean plasma cortisol concentrations. Thus far, few studies have utilized these parameters for measurement of cortisol concentration in obesity, and of the studies that have been done using these parameters, none of these publications has reported elevated plasma cortisol concentrations in obese individuals.

However, recent reports have suggested that a state of elevated cortisol levels in fat tissue cells without elevated cortisol levels in the blood may exist in obesity. Yet, these findings are inconsistent. It is possible that high levels of cortisol within the cells, such as in fat cells, may play a causative role in obesity, but this possibility requires further investigation.

If we do accept that chronic stress and elevated cortisol may be factors in weight problems, what can you do if you want to reduce cortisol? First, focus on becoming stress resistant. One of the best things to reduce stress and improve insulin sensitivity, for example, is getting regular exercise, even a daily brisk walk. Exercise not only helps promote weight loss by burning calories, but is also beneficial because it helps neutralize stress and its effects, which in turn helps you keep weight off. Just a daily brisk walk can help to distract yourself from what is causing stress in your life, allowing your body time to move and awaken.

Second, practice stress reduction techniques such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. Improving time management can also be essential to reducing stress in one’s hectic lifestyle. These activities or similar techniques, as well as getting adequate sleep, can help reduce your body’s physiological response to daily stressors.

Third, how a person perceives stressful situations is also important. One individual may feel major stress from a particular situation, whereas another person will handle it better by using the event as an opportunity to learn. Hence, stress makes life difficult, but our reaction to it is important as well.

Tom Danielson - Winter Training Maui

Ride with “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez

Ride with “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez - Fundraiser for the Fast Freddie Foundation

Learn technique and get insight into what it is like to ride in the Tour de France and Giro de Italia. Hear Freddie comment on the 2009 Tour of California.

Date: Saturday, Jan 10, 2009
Time: 10AM
Location: 14109 Winchester Blvd., Los Gatos, CA 95032
Route: 30 mile loop with varied terrain

Cost: $250 contribution to Fast Freddie Foundation includes lunch, cycling jersey, & presentation

Three time US Pro Cycling Champion and a member of the Rock Racing Cycling Team, “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez, will be riding in the South Bay to benefit his Fast Freddie Foundation. The Foundation supports youth cycling and education. Attendees will be able to interact with Freddie throughout the day. After a great lunch at Aldo’s Ristorante, Freddie will revel with you about stories from multiple races, teams, other great riders, and commentary on the Tour de France, Giro de Italia, and the Tour of California.

Number of riders is limited. Act soon to reserve your space.

For further details contact:
Ted Moorhead - ted_moorhead@ml.com (408) 554-7923
Adoree Dinh - adoree_dinh@ml.com (408) 554-7902
Franz Vaiarello - franz_vaiarello@ml.com (408) 554-7935

Human Power! Lance Armstrong and ESPN

Normann Stadler Retul's His Bike Position

Armstrong To Be Father For Fourth Time

2009 will be a memorable year for seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, not only for his return to professional cycling, including an anticipated start in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, but also for the birth of a child with girlfriend Anna Hansen. "Anna and I are thrilled to confirm that we are expecting in June and our families are ecstatic and grateful," said Armstrong. "We are very much looking forward to what 2009 brings on many fronts. We appreciate respecting our privacy, as we are both eager to celebrate the holidays as a family."

Armstrong and Hansen met at a charity event and have been a couple since July.

Armstrong has three children with his ex-wife Kristin, a son Luke and twins Isabelle Rose and Grace Elizabeth.

Anna did the 2008 Leadville 100 mile mtb bike race in 11 hrs and 50 minutes.....an amazing time for such a hard race. Congrats to both Lance and Anna.

Give To A Great Cause - Cycles of Change

Cycles of Change is a bicycle education program founded in July 1998 as part of the Roosevelt Village Center, a community-based partnership aimed at reversing the root causes of youth violence. In introducing a dual-component program of mechanics workshops and bicycle-based adventures, there mission was to promote cycling as a primary means of safe, enjoyable, accessible, inexpensive, healthy, and sustainable transportation for as many area residents as possible. Operating out of a large middle school in East Oakland’s San Antonio district, the program was quickly successful in engaging neighborhood youth with its exciting program of adventure rides and hands-on mechanics. Cycles has grown steadily to become a well-known presence in our local area, providing beginners’ ride safety training, advanced bicycle adventures, bicycle restoration workshops, and environmental science programs for hundreds of East Bay youth.

In 2003, Cycles began a two-year partnership with the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority with the goal of furthering the development of bicycle education programs countywide. In Oakland, there strategy was to work through existing partnerships with schools to integrate bicycle education into secondary education curriculums; as a result, three high schools and a middle school have bicycle riding as a part of their PE or science programs. In Berkeley and Union City, Cycles collaborated with schools and community-based bicycle organizations to establish four new after school bicycle education programs based on the Cycles model.


Cycles of Change Wins Best of award in the 2008 SF Bay Guardian

Ever-lurking danger in the streets means that many city kids barely leave their own block, let alone experience the pleasure of long bike rides. But thanks to Cycles of Change, East Bay youth are learning how to venture through the urban jungle and beyond safely on two wheels. The 10-year-old collective, headed by Maya Carson and Grey Kolevzon, draws inspiration from the famed Bikes Not Bombs project and other like-minded organizations. Run in the basements of approximately 13 Alameda County schools, COC takes kids on training rides and shows them how to obey the rules of the road and navigate safe routes from home to school. Serious bike club members pedal up into the hills on longer rides and also learn marketable skills like bicycle repair and how to run their own after-school programs. The organization, soon to be a nonprofit, would love you to donate any unwanted nonrusty, functional bikes to its bike shop in Alameda.

To donate or to learn more about this great program click on the title link.

Livestrong - Unite Global Future

Ivan Basso - The 2009 Giro

Ciao,

I'm writing this from our latest team training camp in Benicàsim, Spain. We are here for our first official full-on camp and we're all enjoying it. For me it's a strange experience though, as it has been two years since my last camp. We had the one at Bibione at the beginning of this month, but it was more of a meet and greet with little to no training. In Benicàsim we are riding, having massages, starting on our special diets – it is all pretty hard core and in many ways it feels like the season has already started.

Giro d'Italia presentation and reaction

It all got underway on Friday, in Milan, with the presentation of the 2009 jersey. The race's director, Angelo Zomegnan, is working really hard for this Giro and is pulling out all the stops for the centenary anniversary. When two famous stylists, like Dolce and Gabbana, do something for cycling it is important because it helps to broaden the cycling audience. People who were previously not interested in the sport will now be talking about the new jersey. That has to be a good move.

"When you think about the Giro you can't decide which the most difficult stage is. They are all battles within a great war."

- Basso on racing the Giro

Anyway, I arrived in Venice on the Saturday. It is a very, very beautiful city that has the sights to take your breath away. To be honest though, I didn't really have a chance to appreciate it. My mind was focussed on one thing, and one thing only, the 2009 route.

I saw the course unveiled at the Teatro Fenice that evening. It will be a very interesting race next year. When you only have two or three mountains above 2000 metres it becomes a very difficult race. You have to win day after day, searching to gain time stage after stage.

Those first mountain stages, in the Dolomites [four and five], prove that you have to arrive at the Giro with excellent condition. You cannot lose ground in these days, and try to gain time if possible. They are 'light' Dolomite stages and are not the big ones we usually see.

After those stages, there are a lot mountain and medium-mountain stages still to come. Everyday there is difficulty.

The Coppi stage [stage 10] is perhaps the most difficult when you look at the overall profile. There are some famous climbs to cover in that stage – Maddalena, Vars, Maddalena, Vars, Monginevro and Sestrière, Monginevro and Sestriere. The finish is on a descent, 40 kilometres, and that changes things significantly. If the arrival was at Sestrière, on the mountaintop, it would be different. It is a day to lose the Giro, but not win it.

I am not only a time trialist and not only a climber, I have a good balance. I can go well in both terrains. Whoever wins this Giro will be the rider who is attentive and up front every day. That long time trial [stage 12] is very, very difficult with the two climbs and the tight roads though Cinque Terre.

There are only two stages in this whole Giro where you can bank on a sprint finish, where the classification men can remain calm. The other 19 stages can all present difficulties. There is always the chance of wind, bad weather or a crash. When you think of the Giro you can't think which is the most difficult stage, they are all battles within a great war.

The finale is in Rome, a beautiful city like Venice. Unfortunately, we will not be able to take in the sites because it is a time trial that could decide the Giro. However, Zomegnan really created a special 100-year anniversary Giro, which includes the finish through the historic city of Rome.

Twitter

Some of you may have seen me on Twitter. The guys at Cannondale told me about Twitter when I was visiting them at Salk Lake City earlier in the year. Not to sound like an advert but you can easily and quickly make updates via cell phone. Cannondale's Rory Mason really pushed and convinced me to sign up.

I know that Lance Armstrong is on it and he has lots of readers. In Italy we don't really use as people Stateside but I want to miss out. By the beginning of the year I will start to update it more, the last few entries have just been tests.

I am not always connected to the internet and it is difficult for an athlete to find a connection when he is travelling. I think, with this, it will be simple to make an update right after a race, maybe why I am in the team car on the way to the hotel.

Bye, Ivan

Primal Energy Bars in 10 Easy Steps

By: Mark Sisson

You know the drill. You slept late, your son misplaced his lunchbox, the cat threw up in the flowers. You’re already 10 minutes late for work and there’s nary a minute to scarf down a breakfast, let alone one that a caveman would approve of!

Enter the protein bar – it’s individually packaged, it’s relatively affordable, and you can easily eat it in the car while you’re doing your hair in the rear view mirror and practicing your presentation for later this afternoon – in essence, it’s the ultimate grab-and-go food.

However, there is a downside. In many cases, these protein bars contain ingredients and chemicals that very few people – bar the odd organic chemist or real nutrition expert – can pronounce and still fewer would actually want to ingest.

The solution? It’s time to put your chef hat on, because the only way you’re going to find an energy bar that is Primal and palatable is if you do a little D.I.Y… (and trust us, it’s really not that hard!).

Ingredients:

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup almond or sesame seed meal
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil (check your local health food store)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of raw honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries or blueberries

Method:

On a cookie sheet, toast nuts and shredded coconut until golden brown (you may need to shake the tray once or twice to make sure they cook evenly).
Once toasted, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped and the mixture becomes coarsely ground.
In a mixing bowl, melt coconut oil and almond butter (about 20 seconds). Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.
Add vanilla extract, honey and sea salt. Mix thoroughly.
Fold in nut mixture and almond (or sesame seed) meal until mixed thoroughly.
Fold in blueberries/cranberries.
Press mixture into an 8 by 4 loaf pan.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
Cut “loaf” width wise. Should make 6 good-sized bars.
Enjoy! (or, if you don’t plan to eat immediately, you can store the bars in the refrigerator, covered loosely with a paper towel and plastic wrap.

Ivan Basso - Testing

The Miracle of Green Tea

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Other Benefits

New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.

Harmful Effects?

To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.

Giro d'Italia celebrates 100 years

The 2009 Giro d'Italia, presented today in Venice's Teatro Fenice, celebrates 100 years since its birth with a route as bella as the host country. The Italian stage race, May 9 to 31, will start on the Lido of Venice and finish three weeks later amongst the historic sites of Rome.

Organisers RCS Sport revealed a route that will start in the north – briefly touching countries Austria, Switzerland and France – and finish in the south. It is the first time the Giro d'Italia has not finished outside of Milan since Laurent Fignon won in 1989.

"To create this Giro we used our hearts and passion... We are looking to the globalisation and future of the Giro," said race director Angelo Zomegnan. "It is a special Giro. We hope this is the continuation of another 100 years."


The 21-stage, 3395.5-kilometre race will have six mountain top finishes, the first on stage four, and three time trials. It starts with a 20.5-kilometre team time trial on the waterfront of Venice and ends with a 15.3-kilometre time trial in Rome. Midway, stage 12, riders face a long 61.7-kilometre time trial in Cinque Terre that appears tailor fit for the race's star participant, Lance Armstrong.

The seven-time Tour de France winner joins one of the Giro's most prestigious start lists in recent years. Armstrong, who will compete in his first Grand Tour after almost four years, will fight Ivan Basso, Carlos Sastre, Gilberto Simoni, Danilo Di Luca, Marzio Bruseghin, Denis Menchov and others for the right to wear the overall leader's maglia rosa.

Lance Armstrong reveals his killer workouts in comeback attempt

Bicycling legend Lance Armstrong during workout in his home gym as he prepares to resume career.

The buff cycling superstar is offering fans a sneak peek at his training regimen in the new issue of Men's Health magazine as he prepares for a dramatic comeback in next year's Tour de France. Armstrong, 37, who retired from cycling under a cloud three years ago, says working out has gone totally high-tech since he first started pounding the pedals.

“Back in the day, people trained on just their feelings,” Armstrong, who plans to compete in an Australian race next month, told the magazine. “Now you have heart rate, altitude, lactic acid all measured on one unit.”

Armstrong, a cancer survivor, has won the tour a record seven times. He retired in 2005 after being accused of evading anti-doping rules. The cycling legend said his workout results made him certain that he would finish on top.
“I knew I was ready to win the tour,” he said. “If I stepped on the scale in the morning and it said a certain weight and the power output was where it was supposed to be when I tested at the end of the day, it was over. Nobody close.”

Armstrong plans to compete on the team of longtime colleague Johan Bruyneel, even though he might not be the clear-cut favorite on his powerful squad. “I'm so loyal to Johan, there's no way I'd cross him or race against him,” Armstrong said.

He has pledged to be open with the media, a big change for an athlete who went to extraordinary lengths to protect his image, including snooping on journalists.

Armstrong also vowed to submit to a program of rigorous blood testing to try to disprove stubborn but unproven allegations he has used performance-enhancing drugs.