<p>Ohio- it’s pretty demoralizing, isn’t it? Could you run at that pace or did you have to walk some?</p>
<p>Ohiopublic, you may regret asking me a question like that if depleting your savings account is of any concern ;). Cyclocross races are just so much fun. What started out as a way for road racers to stay in shape during the cold off season has turned into a sport that is part bike grueling time limited race, part chaos and a lot of party atmosphere. Have you watched any YouTube videos of cyclocross races? Be careful which ones you watch if you are drinking anything. You may spontaneously spray anyone around you! </p>
<p>I have a cyclocross bike. Everyone should. Take a road race bike, beef it up, add wider tires and v- brakes, and you have a bike that is not only a cyclocross racer but a do everything bike that you can play on virtually everywhere except on narly mountain bike trails where you need suspensions. My cyclocross bike is a Cannondale SuperX with a carbon fiber frame and SRAM road drivetrain. I love it. Like I said, don’t ask me questions like that if you want to preserve your assets!</p>
<p>MOWC - it is a slow jog . I’m trying to rebuild my gait using the pose technique . The only time I have to walk at this point is when I’m going up hills .</p>
<p>MNKat - I knew I’d find support to justify another bike putchase! Since I’m a decent competitive runner, do you think I’d have more success at cyclocross vs road racing as a beginning cyclist? How much actual running with your bike happens during the race. I’m thinking this could be a section where I could gain time. I might borrow a cross bike for the first race on sept 14. Only problem is that the 58 cm frame is considerably larger than what I really need so I’d probably have to crank the seat down as far as it could go. I have a 54 cm road bike and I’ve been told I would need a 51 cm cross bike. Might be a little uncomfortable but doable. I was thinking of buying a low end cross bike but might have buyers remorse if I REALLY like the racing and should have bought a higher end bike. Will carbon fiber stand up to the rigors of a cyclocross course?</p>
<p>The amount of running depends on the course. Some courses have natural sections (like really steep hilly sections) that require dismounting, others have natural barriers or even barriers constructed specifically for the course. The running is generally short sprints because you are carrying your bike. I ride a 54 road bike and my cross is a 52. I would be hesitant to experiment on the 58 you can borrow because beyond the risk of injury due to no top tube clearance, the bike would be so mis-sized that you may get a very skewed experience.</p>
<p>Carbon fiber has been used in cross bikes for several years and seems to hold up but in my opinion the jury is still out on how long it will last. Of course, if you crash the likelihood of irreparably breaking your frame is there but that could happen with an aluminum frame too. There are steel and ti cross bikes out there which are repairable in the event of a crash and while there is a weight penalty with steel, a lot of riders really favor it.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t obsess with getting a very high end bike. An aluminum or steel frame can be very raceable as long as it has solid components.</p>
<p>An addendum. As I think it through, putting aside crashing, carbon fiber should hold up just about as well as it does on road bikes. Cross courses are not mtn bike trails. They are grass, dirt, mud, gravel paths/trails, fire roads etc. if there are stretches too rough to ride, you run. If there are barriers like trees down, you usually climb over them with your bike in hand instead of jumping them like on a mtn bike. Think in terms of road racing off road more than in terms of mtn biking on rock and tree root strewn trails with all sorts of drop offs and jumps. Given that cross bikes have beefier forks and more reinforcing material at frame stress points than their road counterparts, maybe there isn’t a reason to be concerned that carbon fiber is more likely to fail. When you think about it, carbon fiber is being used successfully by all major manufacturers in full suspension cross country mtn bikes, so why not in cyclocross bikes that are ridden in less severe conditions?</p>
<p>Oh, goodie. My favorite NPR radio show/podcast did 40 minutes with the lead author of this new Tulane diet study (and other nutrition researchers) today. I haven’t heard it yet, but I’ll post the link as soon as the podcast version is up.</p>
<p><a href=“http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/09/04/low-carb-diet-weight-loss”>http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/09/04/low-carb-diet-weight-loss</a></p>
<p>Did a good solid hour of core work and balance exercises with the trainer. I also worked in 10 box jumps–up 5 from last week. Still can’t believe I did it!. I finished with 30 minutes on the Cybex machine (like an elliptical but a little harder,).</p>
<p>Fresh pineapple that you grew yourself–what a treat Plantmom!</p>
<p>I look forward to hearing that show, idad. Please do post the link when it’s available. Like Sabaray and others have wondered, I want to know what difference, if any, there is in “quality” vs. “junk” dietary carbs. Do carbs that come with appropriate fat and fiber circumvent the insulin response that’s seemingly the culprit behind metabolic syndrome? Is a diet including whole grains (no refined carbs) healthy? What is the breaking point with the junk carbs? I am, of course, a carb addict…but I’ve worked diligently to avoid refined wheat flour and added sugar from our diet.</p>
<p>NMinn, I’ve had the same problem with my right hand/thumb after bike riding and I have the twist shifter. I think I’m gripping too hard. I’ve also tried to change the way I position my hand, like notrichenough suggested.</p>
<p>Yesterday I fought with a computer–a new computer passed on to me after slight use by one of my kids. Trying to adapt to Windows 8, update the beast, rename the thing, and just get the anti-virus protection on and working was a nightmare and a mental workout. Grrrr. I ended up with only a two mile walk at day’s end.</p>
<p>Ugh - doesn’t sound like fun PlantMom! That Windows 8… :(</p>
<p>Speaking of carbs…the small office I work in has two ladies who have been harping about starting the “Eat To Live” diet. One of them LOVES meat and dairy - both taboo on this diet. I have tried to have “nice” conversations with them - “so what’s wrong with eating protein??” “is it very cost effective for you to go out and buy (random) ingredients like figs and special nuts and all?”. What I really want to say is, “HOW ABOUT YOU REDUCE THE PORTIONS OF WHAT YOU ARE EATING! HOW ABOUT YOU LOG IN FOOD AND EXERCISE (AND DO REGULAR EXERCISE)”!!! </p>
<p>One of them came in this morning all excited about a new bean salad she made. Sounded good - I’ve made it before. But now at 2:30, they also “could not resist” the cookies and cupcakes at a meeting and came back from lunch with battered dipped chicken and a sweet sesame sauce Chinese take out and the tray of huge bagels, packaged Sara Lee muffins and containers of cream cheese that landed on the kitchen area counter this morning is down to one bagel and a few random cream cheeses. </p>
<p>Say what Eat To Live diet!!! (abasket walks back to her office, shaking her head…)</p>
<p>abasket- that’s so typical (and funny). Then they will SWEAR that they hardly ate anything today…
Not that my eating is anywhere under control or perfect… I AM doing better, though. </p>
<p>^^^
It’s so hard to get started. At least for me, trying to dive head first into an extreme fat-loss diet would have been impossible, I think,. Just too big a change. These ladies would probably have more success triaging their diets with one simple commitment to skip something – like the muffins and bagels. At least get it moving in the right direction and give themselves a little win to feel good about and build from.</p>
<p>plantmom:</p>
<p>Clearly eating carbs with fiber reduced the blood sugar and insulin response and is better than eating carbs without fiber. Robert Lustig thinks it’s probably enough for most people. I think it probably varies from person to person. It’s complicated by the fact that most of the products in the grocery store with “whole grain” labels really aren’t whole grain and don’t behave any differently than a slice of Wonder bread. As a practical matter, it’s become just another fake health claim like the “FAT FREE!” label on a bag of Red Twizzlers.</p>
<p>^^I hear you, and I know the whole grain claims are ridiculous these days. Case in point: whole grain goldfish, my weakness of ages. 
Then there are claims of gluten free, cholesterol free, antibiotic free, fat free, corn syrup free, etc., etc. To depend on labels for health decisions we’d all be up a creek. But I’m talking about real foods–real unrefined carbs with at least most of their fiber intact, things that don’t need a list of ingredients! I don’t feel right on a grain-free diet. On the other hand, if there was convincing evidence that modern whole grains were damaging to my health or my husband’s health, even in a fairly balanced diet, I’d try a lot harder to cut them (brown rice, 100% whole wheat, rolled oats, etc.) out! </p>
<p>How about the Ezekial brand products? Anyone encounter any literature differentiating them from “normal” breads. According to the packaging, no flour, just sprouted wheat and other sprouted grains.</p>
<p>It’s not on iTunes yet, but here’s the direct link to listen to the NPR show on the diet study or to download it as a MP3:</p>
<p><a href=“http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/09/04/low-carb-diet-weight-loss”>http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/09/04/low-carb-diet-weight-loss</a></p>
<p>OK. The podcast has four guests:</p>
<p>The author of the study (who IMO, who makes little or no contribution to the discussion). A Tufts researcher who suggests that the low-fat campaign has been misguided. A Yale nutritionist who is a leading proponent of a plant-based diet and argues accordingly. And, a NY Times author who wrote a book indicting the junk food industry (and who IMO makes little or no contribution to the discussion).</p>
<p>Take home message for me: it’s just a riot listening to nutrition experts tie themselves in knots running away from and/or trying to rationalize several decades of bad advice from their field.</p>
<p>As for the study, the only bit of news came from the Yalie vegetarian. He says that the study was no good because the low-carb group ended up eating 200 calories a day less than the high-carb group – despite the fact that neither group was encouraged to count calories. Apparently in the world of nutrition experts, it’s a “bad” thing when fat loss diet recommendations have a natural result of eating fewer calories without even trying. </p>
<p>Silly me, as someone who needed to lose 90 pounds, I would have thought that naturally eating fewer calories as a a side effect of food choices would have been a “good” thing. Just goes to show that I’m obviously not a nutrition “expert”. :)</p>
<p>Here’s Ezekial</p>
<p>Total Carb. 15g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 1g</p>
<p>Here’s Pepperidge Farm Seeded Rye:</p>
<p>Total Carb. 15g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 1g</p>
<p>Not really any different. 1 gram of net carbs difference per slice. Both are better options than white bread. Both are as close to “whole grain” as you can likely get. Both are still bread and mostly simple carbs that digest immediately to glucose. When I buy my annual loaf of bread (for commemorative Masters sandwiches), I buy rye bread because I really like it. I have two ham and cheese on rye and throw the rest of the loaf away.</p>
<hr>
<p>For comparison, here’s Pepperidge Farm Hearty White Bread:</p>
<p>Total Carb. 22g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 4g</p>
<p>So, yeah, the “healthy whole grain” breads are better than that, but it’s at the incremental margins (and probably mostly from smaller/thinner slices than anything else). I don’t think there is a qualitative health difference.</p>
<p>I think that, in general, it’s healthier to cut back on bread, pasta, crackers, etc. Cut back doesn’t have to mean zero, although it’s perfectly fine to eat zero. We’ve all got to make our own deals with the dietary devil. For example, I can’t give up the sugar in my homemade BBQ sauce. I can cut it way back, but life without BBQ sauce wouldn’t be worth living. 
I am trying to wean myself off salad croutons, both by reducing the amount I sprinkle on and having salads without them.</p>
<p>I seem to be able to maintain my weight at around 100 grams of net carbs per day. So, for me, it would probably be a choice between two slices of rye bread OR a fuji apple. Both are around 25 to 30 grams of net carbs. </p>
<p>Here’s a little more data from the Tulane study, thanks to Runner’s World:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-for-runners/diet-study-questions-low-fat-conventional-wisdom”>http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-for-runners/diet-study-questions-low-fat-conventional-wisdom</a></p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Just for comparison, I’m at about 25% of calories from carbs and 55% from fat.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The study set a target of 40 grams per day. That’s a VERY low target and would put most people in nutritional ketosis. Almost nobody gets that low and even Atkins never suggested it would be necessary to stay below 40g for a year – just for the first few weeks during initial intervention. What actually happened is that the low carb group reported 88 net grams of carbs per day. Because this was self-reported and they knew they were in a low carb group from the low carb diet recommendations they were getting at regular intervals, I’m sure the actually number was higher than this. I average 100 net grams and was never really below that while losing 90 pounds. I think this actually makes the study results more encouraging: good weight and health results can be see even with moderate carb restriction.</p>
<p>So I did to my self again tonight. An “A” level ride of 27 miles with the same group of “youngsters” as last time. 27-28 mph on the flats, overall average of 19.7-20 mph depending on whose computer read out was accurate. The funny thing was that at one point, as we were at 28 mph, the “AX” riders passed us like we were standing still. They must have been doing close to 35 on the flats! Cat 1 and Cat 2 racers. A whole different world. My legs are trashed. It was very hard not to eat everything in sight when I got home lol. Tomorrow, lifting, Saturday my TRX instructor certification class and Sunday a much more age appropriate 67 mile ride at a leisurely 14.5 average as a Bon Voyage party for a friend who is departing next week to ride across the U.S., followed by taking the plunge and buying the new equipment for the training studio I’m setting up. It’s gonna be a good weekend.</p>
<p>You know you’ve had a good ride if your legs are trashed, Michael 
Those younguns these days can go!</p>
<p>We had a minor photo-shoot for a project the other day where the kid who finished second overall in this year’s titanium (iron distance tri) was modeling some team kit items. The definition on his legs was a photographers dream…too bad we have to crop them out! But by god, what fine tuning! My assistant, who herself is a former div 1 pole vaulter in fine shape, was equally impressed with his condition.</p>
<p>I, on the other hand, am still feeling pretty plump when in a roomful of young triathletes </p>
<p>Then again, even though I (mostly) gave up bread and refined wheat, I have discovered after reading the article info posted, that I am neither particularly low carb or low fat these days…</p>
<p>My percentages are averaging about 36% fat and about 40% carb and about 24% protein. But I’ve been eating a lot of fruit, which jacks up the carbs, as dies my protein shake. This summer, on week nights, I’ve been having fruit instead of wine. I think I actually did better last summer with wine as my “treat” but the difference is likely just the ridiculous amount of sedentary overwork this year. I’ve been steadily up the same five all summer. </p>
<p>Re: Ezekiel bread…my gluten-intolerant friend swears by it…though if you don’t have a wheat sensitivity, I’m not sure the sprouting necessarily makes a dietary difference. </p>
<p>I recall from South Beach that putting a fat with a starch eg. Butter and sour cream on a potato, is supposed to slow down the “fast sugar” effect. Of course, if I’m going to eat a potato at all, that’s what I’m inclined to do with it, but while it might slow down the insulin response it would not likely be productive in terms of caloric reduction :)</p>
<p>The Runners World article also suggested that the study doesn’t really support the “fast sugar” theory conclusively, though I still believe its a component.</p>