CAFFEINE AND ENDURANCE SPORTS: IS THE HYPE FOR REAL?
Alyson Wolfe
Endurance athletes and sleepy early morning risers have used caffeine for years. Athletes and office workers alike have used it as a way to stay alert and improve endurance. For more than 30 years it has been studied in relation to its performance enhancing ablilities and has only recently been removed from the banned substance list of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) earlier this year.
It is one of the best-researched nutritional supplements, and the overwhelming scientific evidence suggests that, in moderation, it has very few to no adverse health effects. When abused, it can cause annoying little problems such as increased urination, stomach upset, headaches and trouble sleeping. Athletes who normally avoid caffeine may experience adverse effects if they start using it as an ergogenic aid without first determining how it will affect them.
The overwhelming majority of athletes use caffeine as a performance-enhancing supplement with very few problems. Many studies have looked at the effects of caffeine on exercise and found that caffeine can delay fatigue and help increase energy levels, increase alertness and even decrease muscle pain. All these positive effects lead to workouts that are more productive, longer and often more enjoyable to the athlete. One technical reason for this is due to the effect caffeine has on the increased stimulation of the central nervous system.
The recommended dose to help enhance endurance workouts is about 6 mg per kg of body weight. The scientific literature also suggests that the risk of negitive side effects is increased if caffeine is taken in doses higher than 9 mg per kg of body weight. Caffeine is found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, chocolate, cocoa beans and cola nuts, and is often added to carbonated drinks. The average cup of coffee has about 60 mg to 120 mg, so it doesn’t take a whole pot of coffee to do the job.
Caffeine can be absorbed by the body very fast, with peak concentration reached in around one hour. The half-life of caffeine, the time required for the body to eliminate one-half of the total amount of caffeine, varies widely among individuals. Depending on factors such as age, liver function, pregnancy, and some medications, caffeine’s half-life is approximately five hours in healthy athletic adults. Women who take oral contraceptives can increase this time to 5–10 hours, and in pregnant women the half-life is roughly 9–11 hours. Therefore, in order to find your individual optimal time to take caffeine, it may take some experimenting.
Athletes engaged in heavy endurance training often seek additional nutritional strategies to help maximize performance, however as with any intervention or use of supplementation, individual responses will vary. Athletes should monitor their caffeine dosage strategy before putting it to the test in a competion. Caffeine can be a benefit to you in a race but does not replace a sound everyday diet.
OC TRIATHLON COURSE TALK
Jarrett Pflieger
Doing the OC Tri race for the first time? Did it last year, but forgot what the course was like? No problem.
Triathica is having a course talk on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. We will be doing an overview of the course and discussing what you can do to give yourself the best chance at performing at your best. You need to know where the hills and downhills are, which hills to hammer, which turns to watch out for, where to watch your speed, and how to pace in each part of the race.
The first 10 to RSVP to the course talk will get goodie bags from Hammer nutrition. Spots are filling up, so don’t wait to RSVP. There is no cost for this event.
Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Triathica, 26475 Rancho Parkway South, Lake Forest
For more information please contact Jarrett Pflieger at Jarrett@triathica.com or 949.273.6223.
DO I REALLY NEED TWO GYM MEMBERSHIPS?
Ron Saetermoe
Come on Ron, are you telling me I really need two gym memberships? I get it, really. You already have a gym membership – probably to 24 Hour Fitness or Bally’s or one of the high-end clubs like Renaissance. Guess what, so do I. Absurd? I think not.
When I moved to California in 1984 I joined Family Fitness Center in Costa Mesa. They changed names to 24 Hour Fitness some time after that. Anyway, when I joined I paid an initiation fee (no initiation fees or contracts here at Triathica) and my monthly fee was . . . $5.00 per month and was locked in for life!
So my base fee to 24 Hour Fitness is $5.00 a month. I don’t know too many other people that have a fee that low. Since then I’ve upgraded to “Sport” for another $10.00 per month and then again to “Super Sport” for another $20.00 per month, so now I’m paying $40.00 a month at the Agasai Super Sport in Laguna Niguel (about ½ mile from my home). A very nice club.
I’m not planning on giving up my membership there, ever. At some point I may downgrade it again, but I really enjoy how close my club is to home and the fact that they’ve got a nice five-lane swimming pool available 24 hours.
I’m not giving mine up and I wouldn’t expect you to either. You may share the same reasons as me or have your own. For example, we don’t have a lot of the equipment that the large clubs have like stair climbers or ellipticals. Most of our current members have other gym memberships although if you’re planning on “training like a triathlete” you really don’t need another one. Here’s why:
1. Our Endless Pool allows you to get a great workout without having to know how to flip turn. Your workout will more closely resemble an open-water swim.
2. Our spin bikes allow you to train with “watts.” We’ve talked about the benefits of training with watts before in this newsletter. It’s a more scientific way to train and if you’ve never been to one of our “sweat fest” spin workouts you’re really missing something.
3. Our CompuTrainers allow you to train with watts, on your own bike. This tool is used by many of the top triathletes in the world. We’ve got six of them here that allow you to ride an actual Ironman course or compete against one to five friends.
4. Triathica has two certified coaches to assist you. We sell personal training specifically tailored to your triathlon aspirations too, but much of our assistance and guidance is free.
24 Hour Fitness doesn’t have it, Bally’s doesn’t have it, even the $150.00 a month gyms don’t have it. And for a limited time, our membership deal is $180.00 for six full months of membership (October 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010). That’s $30.00 a month!
We’re fanatical about the sport here and want to give you the tools you need to complete your first race or your 100th race.
Cheers!
FREE GROUP WORKOUTS (Week of September 14th)
All of our group workouts are free to members and non-members, so come on out!
We want everyone to enjoy our group workouts but we should clarify the intent. The intent of the group workouts is to “workout.” Yes, it includes a social element. Yes, your Triathica host is happy to give you tips. But please be aware that everyone there is attempting to get a workout in at his or her own pace. If we all go at the slowest person’s pace many people won’t be getting in a proper workout. We will attempt to pair you up with another athlete so you’re not left alone.
Week of September 14th
Event: Group Swim
Place: Triathica flag at Big Corona near the lifeguard station next to the jetty
Day: Wednesday, September 16th
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Planned Workout: 1 – 3 loops around the buoys
Event: Group Ride
Place: Triathica HQ
Day: Saturday, September 19th
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Planned Workout: 1 – 2 loops around Santiago Canyon
Event: Group Run
Place: Triathica HQ
Day: Sunday, September 20th
Time: 7:00 a.m.
Planned Workout: 9 miles through Whiting Ranch
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Big Corona – Corona Del Mar From the 405 N take the Jamboree Road Exit Make a left at Jamboree Turn left at Macarthur Boulevard Turn left on to CA-1 Pacific Coast Highway Turn Right on Marguerite Turn right on Ocean Boulevard Park at the beach ($8.00) or on the street (free) |
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Triathica – Triathlon Training Center From the I-5 Freeway: Exit Bake Parkway and head east for about 4 miles Make a left on Rancho Parkway South Turn right at the 3rd driveway 2nd building on your right Triathica is in Suite B on the right side of the building (Automotive Associates’ building) |
SEPTEMBER MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL
It may be smoldering hot outside now, but in the next month or two, you can expect things to change. The days will get shorter, and the air colder. It may be hard for you to get all your workouts in due to weather or dislike of riding in darkness. That’s where Triathica comes in.
We have literally everything you need to get your workouts in, all in a cozy, climate controlled facility. Don’t let the comfort fool you. Indoor training is the perfect way to focus on your workout and your workout alone. No worrying about cars, obstacles, visibility, flat tires, waiting for a lane, wearing a jacket, etc. Everything is in a controlled setting which helps you take your workouts to the next level.
With the racing off season and winter approaching, we’re announcing our best deal to date . . . one that will probably NEVER be repeated . . . a six-month membership for just $180.00!!! This is a huge savings off our standard membership of $50.00 a month.
We know the economy is tough and many of you have been holding off on spending any extra money. However, we also know how dedicated you are to the sport of triathlon. So we’re hoping that this offer will get those of you that are on the fence to come on in and “train like a triathlete.”
Here’s how it works: Enroll in any of our four memberships from September 1, 2009 to September 30, 2009 and you will get to train here at Triathica for just $180.00 ($30.00 per month). Your fees are due upon enrollment but we do have a monthly installment option of $210.00, or $35.00 per month.
Your membership begins October 1, 2009 and runs through March 31, 2010. If you want to come in before October 1st to train you will need to buy a regular membership for $40.00 (for an “associate” membership) until October 1st (for the month of September we’re bringing back the three training zone assessments in swim, bike and run with your paid membership — a $150.00 value).
Our thought is that with winter coming and daylight savings going, you’ll want to do more of your training indoors. And what better way than with our PowerTap spin bikes, CompuTrainers, an Endless Pool, and Landice treadmills, the smoothest and most quiet treadmills you will ever run on?
Give us a call or come on in. 949.273.6223, Jarrett@triathica.com or 26475 Rancho Parkway South, Lake Forest
