Happenings

Hi All

Asta and I arrived back on the 23^rd August from a massive O/S trip that saw us visit some fantastic areas. We had left NZ on the 9^th July and were looking forward to seeing relatives and race walking friends at diverse places in the world.

We visited places of heritage and saw the differing outlooks that global travel can bring. We trekked to heights (nearly 8000ft) and wandered at sea level (in the 20 foot-plus tidal zone). We walked in fresh bear 'poo' and held on tightly to our pepper spray cans. We visited wild animals in the zoos' and saw others in their own habitats. We saw massive icebergs from the air and got up close to smaller ones in a lake. We ventured out in temperatures close to 100deg F and bundled up to ward off the icy temperatures during a boat trip to glacial regions. We took a multitude of photo's and had our images taken by some of those that we met. We had a 'hoot' of a time. Coming home was almost like returning from a major overseas competition – a little deflating. However, it doesn’t take long for the home-chores to pile up and routine to take over.

Our trip covered a week in Singapore followed by another week in London (UK). Then a three week stint in Anchorage (Alaska, USA) showed us what 10:30pm sunsets can do to the biological clock and on to how climbing to 8000ft in the heat and dryness of Oregon, USA can take the breath away. I had never experienced relative humidity as low as 15% before. What a trip.

I even managed to take part in the Alaska T&F Athletics Championships and came away with a gold medal in the 1 mile race walk event. I was really out of condition and the competition was not great (there aren’t many race walkers in Anchorage), so my time was not something I am too proud of. Nevertheless the black singlet got a good outing.

As the trip to the northern hemisphere took place in that region’s summer, we now have to cope with the cold/cooler mornings in NZ and it is a bit of a burden to drag myself out of bed and get the training session out of the way. A northern hemisphere pot-belly needs to be removed and a fitness program that will hopefully be productive after the relaxing period O/S may see me once again competing on the national scene.

To remain focused on a good training program, it is necessary to maintain a good calendar of up and coming events suitable as short-term goals. These goals permit you to gauge how performance is improving and are a great way to keep motivation on line and they also give something to look forward to.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Gary Little

PROGRAM FITNESS

If you should be aware of someone who might benefit from being on a running or walking exercise program, please get them to log on to www.profitness.net.nz for more information on how I may be able to help. They may also wish to contact me direct via my email address. If you wish to know a bit about our Homestay operation, the website can be seen at www.foreststay.com

Darlene & John Backlund, with Gary & Asta at 8000ft

***************************************************You have a choice. You can throw in the towel, or you can use it to wipe the sweat off of your face.

Gatorade

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The Science of Carbohydrate Loading
By David Peterson

A valid connection between hypoglycemia, fatigue and premature termination of exercise has been firmly established and therefore carbohydrate loading is a proven form of boosting running endurance in prolonged events lasting more than two hours in duration. While there are various methods of carbo-loading, the process basically involves consuming large quantities of carbohydrate-rich food in order to saturate the body’s carbohydrate stores. It is proposed that with these increased energy stores, the competitor will be able to avoid exercise-induced hypoglycemia and continue exercising longer than if this saturation process had not occurred. This article aims to further explain how to perform carbohydrate loading and the reasoning behind its practice.

The human body is able to store carbohydrates for energy use in the liver and the muscles in the form of a substance known as glycogen. This carbohydrate store is basically human "starch" and is able to be quickly broken down to fuel the muscles during high intensity exercise (muscle glycogen) and to maintain blood glucose levels (liver glycogen). In the unloaded/non-carbohydrate saturated state, an untrained individual consuming an average diet (45% carbohydrate) is able to store approximately 100 grams (g) of glycogen in the liver, whereas muscle is able to store about 280g.

Remember also that muscle glycogen is committed to be used by muscle and cannot assist in maintaining blood sugar levels. Therefore should no additional carbohydrate be ingested during prolonged exercise, the task of maintaining blood glucose levels rests firmly on the liver’s glycogen stores and gluconeogenesis (the manufacturing of glucose from plasma amino acids). Oxidation of blood glucose at 70-80% VO2 max is about 1.0 g/min or about 60 g/hour. Therefore it can be predicted that even with full glycogen stores, a less conditioned athlete’s liver will be depleted of its carbohydrate within and hour and three quarters of continuous moderate intensity exercise. (Interestingly, the daily carbohydrate requirements of the brain and nervous system alone are enough to deplete the liver glycogen stores within 24 hours.) Once liver glycogen levels begin to drop and exercise continues the body becomes increasingly hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) mainly because blood glucose is depleted faster than it is replaced by gluconeogenesis. Professor Tim Noakes considers liver glycogen depletion and subsequent hypoglycemia to be the primary factors affecting fatigue and performance during extended duration races and especially in instances where muscle glycogen levels are low as well.

The amount of additional carbohydrate that is able to be stored in the body is dependent on diet and athlete conditioning level. For an untrained individual consuming a high carbohydrate (75%) diet, glycogen stores may increase up to 130g and 360g for liver and muscle respectively for a total storage of 490g. For an athlete training on a daily basis consuming a normal diet (45% carbohydrate), glycogen levels approximate 55g and 280g for liver and muscle respectively, yielding a total of 330g. However, should this same well-conditioned athlete consume a high diet (75% carbohydrate), their total carbohydrate reserves may soar up to 880g with approximately 160g stored in the liver and 720g in the muscle. Clearly the conditioned athlete’s muscles are much more efficient at storing carbohydrates than those of his or her unconditioned competitor. In saturating the muscle by consuming of high levels of carbohydrate, the athlete automatically increases their time to hypoglycemic fatigue several fold.

Several methods for carbohydrate loading have been described in the literature. The most familiar method is the traditional “glycogen stripping” or carbohydrate-depletion/carbohydrate loading method. This method basically involves the athlete exercising to exhaustion the sixth day before a major competition and for the next three days consuming a high protein-fat, low carbohydrate diet (less than 10% total energy)(Not recommended – Gary). On day three the athlete again exercises to exhaustion but for the following three days consumes a high carbohydrate diet (90%). The aim of this method is to severely deplete the glycogen reserves of the body to cause a “super compensation” effect in carbohydrate stores. Research has demonstrated however; that this glycogen stripping method may not in fact be necessary to achieve optimal carbohydrate saturation in well-trained individuals and that this super compensation effect may not even occur. Studies have demonstrated that athletes simply consuming a high carbohydrate diet (75%) for three days prior to competition resulted in carbohydrate stores comparable to those individuals who performed the glycogen stripping method. In addition, the amount of training performed before the start of the traditional regime has little effect on the resulting carbohydrate stores. Therefore, a well-conditioned athlete may need to do little more than consume a higher quantity of carbohydrates in the three days before competition to receive full benefit.

Optimal carbohydrate loading can be achieved if approximately 600g of carbohydrate is consumed daily for two to three days. It is probably of little matter if the extra carbohydrate is consumed as simple (glucose) or complex (starch) carbohydrate. Most carbohydrates are digested quickly and enter the bloodstream via the intestine much the same as if glucose had been ingested. Replenishment rates are higher immediately after exercise due to increased insulin sensitivity. The amount ingested should be about 50 to 80g starting immediately after exercise repeated two hourly and continuing for the first six hours. Full glycogen replenishment is usually achieved within 20 hours using this method; however the most rapid glycogen resynthesis is observed when glucose is infused directly into the bloodstream, yielding absolute peak muscle glycogen concentrations of near 800g (assuming approximately 20 kg of muscle) within about eight hours. Full replenishment of glycogen after an extended event may take several days longer due to muscle damage resulting from repeated cycles of concentric and eccentric contractions.

With the benefits associated with carbohydrate loading it may be helpful to mention some possible disadvantages to following this procedure. Firstly, glycogen storage is associated with a concomitant storage of water. It is estimated that every gram of glycogen stored is associated with about 2.7g of water. Therefore, a well-conditioned athlete with total glycogen stores approaching 800g will find their body weight about 2kg heavier at the start of the race. This increased body weight will have implications on running economy and performance at least near the beginning of the event when energy reserves will be high. As the muscles and other organs progressively oxidize the glycogen stores during exercise, the stored water is again released into the body. This may in turn complicate the fluid requirements of the athlete, requiring them to consume less than a non-carbohydrate loaded competitor. A possible solution for water retention and weight gain is for the athlete to load to a lesser degree and ingest a carbohydrate/electrolyte enriched drink during exercise to help maintain blood glucose and electrolyte balance (consuming carbohydrate during an event in the fully loaded state is overkill and produces no additional benefit). Another drawback to carbohydrate loading if performed incorrectly is gastric/intestinal upset. Very large amounts of ingested carbohydrate can affect the osmolarity of the intestine. In other words, carbohydrates (especially simple/processed sugars) in the intestine draw water into the gut by osmosis affecting the water balance and may cause intestinal upset and diarrhea. As mentioned, an athlete should aim to consume about 600g a day preferably in multiple meals/sittings to avoid overloading the digestive capacities of the body.

In conclusion, this article has demonstrated the many benefits associated with carbohydrate loading. This process should be viewed as an effective and simple method for improving performance and endurance during extended duration exercise events. Increasing body carbohydrate stores before competition ensures sufficient energy to avoid hypoglycemic related fatigue and early termination of exercise. Simply consuming higher quantities of carbohydrate three days before competition may suffice for most athletes; however it is important to follow the loading regimen correctly to avoid intestinal upset. Exercise science is still exploring the significance and the relative contribution of the two sources of glycogen stores to exercise performance and further research will hopefully cast more light on connections relating to fatigue.

References and further reading: More information on carbohydrate loading and a detailed explanation of carbohydrate contributions during exercise can be found in "Lore of Running", authored by Tim Nokes, MD, a classic book in its fourth edition dedicated not only to running performance, but to cutting edge exercise physiology as well.

David Petersen is an Exercise Physiologist/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar,
Florida.
http://www.bossfitness.com/
david@bossfitness.com

(From http://www.marathontraining.com)

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Tapering and peaking for a major tournament
By Iñigo Mujika

Extracts from from humankinetics:

It seems that professional football (or soccer in the United States) players competing for their clubs in the lead-up to major international tournaments such as the World Cup, and therefore having reduced opportunities to taper, are among those most likely to underperform (Ekstrand et al. 2004). Most major international tournaments take place at the end of a long club-level competitive season. In an attempt to elicit players' peak performance, some nations decide to advance their domestic competition calendar to allow the players to rest and rebuild their fitness to compete for their national teams. A different approach is to delay the end of the domestic season so that the players are still in a competitive shape when they join their national squad. Both strategies have pros and cons, and the scarce scientific literature available is not conclusive regarding the optimal approach to peaking for a major tournament.

Danish national football team
Bangsbo and colleagues (2006) recently described the preparation program of the Danish national football team for the 2004 European Championship. After the club season, the players rested for 1 to 2 weeks before preparing for the championship. The preparation lasted 18 days divided into two 9-day phases.

The amount of high-intensity exercise was similar in both phases (i.e., training intensity was maintained), whereas the total amount of training was reduced in the second phase (i.e., training volume was tapered). This is in agreement with previous tapering recommendations based on studies from individual sport athletes (Mujika and Padilla 2003a).

The authors emphasized that because of large individual differences among players in the amount of high-intensity work performed during the tactical components of the training sessions, a careful evaluation of individual physical training load is essential, even during training time not specifically dedicated to fitness development.

French national football team
Ferret and Cotte (2003) reported on the differences in preparation of the French national football team in the lead-up to the World Cups of 1998 and 2002. The former World Cup campaign saw Les Bleus taking home the valued trophy. Four years later, an almost identical group of players returned home sooner than expected, after a disappointing qualifying round without a single victory and not scoring a single goal. According to these authors, in 1998 the team had enough time and biological resources prior to the qualifying round to further develop the athletic qualities of the players through two solid training phases followed by a 2-week tapering phase, characterized by high-intensity training situations (friendly games) and a moderate training volume, which allowed players to eliminate the negative effects of training (fatigue) while maintaining the adaptations previously achieved. In contrast, in 2002 all players were only available to the national team 8 days prior to the beginning of competition, and medical and biochemical markers indicated that most players were severely fatigued after the club season. In those conditions, the technical staff could not carry out a development training phase followed by a taper to peak the physical qualities of the players prior to the World Cup (Ferret and Cotte 2003).

The reports just described suggest that an ideal approach to peak for a major international tournament would start several weeks before the first game, with an initial recovery after the club season, followed by rebuilding, and finishing with a pretournament taper characterized by low training volume and high-intensity activities.

Unorthodox approaches
Nevertheless, there are examples of successful unorthodox approaches that challenge these ideas about optimal preparation. For instance, the Danish national football team unexpectedly won the 1992 European Championship after the team was invited to compete 10 days before the beginning of the tournament, because of the last-minute exclusion of Yugoslavia from the championship. By then, half the Danish players had already finalized their participation in various European leagues and had been out of training for 3 to 5 weeks, whereas the other half were still competing in the Danish domestic championship. All players were only available to the coaching staff 6 days before the first game. The team's success has been partly attributed to the fact that players were not physically and psychologically exhausted, as is often the case after long and tough domestic and international club seasons followed by a long national team preparation and a demanding international tournament (Bangsbo 1999).

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Jamie Carruthers
Wakefield, UK

****************************************************** Twelve things you should know about your mitochondria that could change the way you train

by Frank Horwill

1. Mitochondrion (singular) and mitochondria (plural), are a sub-cellular structure found in all aerobic cells in which the reaction of the Krebs cycle and electron transport system take place. The Krebs cycle is a series of chemical reactions occurring in mitochondria in which carbon dioxide is produced and hydrogen ions and electrons are removed from carbon atoms (oxidation): also referred to as the tri-carboxcyclic acid cycle (TCA), or citric acid cycle. The mitochondria, which take up oxygen, represent the powerhouse of a cell and are also frequently referred to as the ‘aerobic furnaces’. Here, fuel and oxygen enter into energy-yielding processes resulting in the formation of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), which is stored in all muscle cells. Only from the energy released by the breakdown of this compound can the cell perform its specialised work.

2. Mitochondria are invisible to the naked eye and an average microscope; an electron microscope is required. They are sausage-shaped and are just a few micrometres long.

3. The mitochondrion has two membranes, the inner one forms folded structures (the cristae) extending into the matrix of the structure. Each membrane consists of layers of protein and lipid (fat) molecules. The respiratory chain system is associated with the protein layer. The process of oxidative phosphorylation involves the lipid layers. The enzymes of the Krebs cycle are located in the fluid matrix, the soluble part of the mitochondrial interior.

4. The more mitochondria an athlete possesses, the better will be endurance performance. This is because they are the only cells where carbohydrates, fats and proteins can be broken down in the presence of oxygen to create energy for exercise.

5. Interest in the function of mitochondria dates back to the early 1950s, when physiologists observed that the breast and wing muscles of chickens had few mitochondria, while those of pigeons and mallards contained high densities of the minute structures. Because chickens can’t fly, while pigeons and mallards are noted for their endurance feats, this led physiologists to believe that mitochondria concentrations were closely related to aerobic capacity.

6. A startling discovery was that mitochondria possess their own genetic material and all the mitochondria in an individual’s body are inherited from one’s mother, not father. This is because the egg contains mitochondria, while sperm cells are mitochondria free. This may seem peculiar, since the egg is static and the sperm are endurance swimmers, but the basic fact is that sperm are so minute that mitochondria would be too great a weight for them to bear on their marathon trip to the egg. Contrary to popular belief, exercise capacity is inherited from our mothers, not our fathers. So, if one’s father is a great athlete or a non-active person, it doesn’t really matter, but if one’s mother was a good athlete, it’s a big bonus.

7. First attempts by physiologists to increase the mitochondrial density were via the endocrine system – and they had some success. Mitochondrial numbers did increase when levels of a key hormone produced by the thyroid gland – thyroxine – increased. Laboratory rats given a supplement of dessicated thyroid in their normal diet responded with a major increase in mitochondrial size and density in both the heart and liver. Thyroxine as an ergogenic aid was very much on the cards for a while, until it was discovered that above average concentrations of this hormone could produce some very unwelcome side effects.

8. It was the work of physiologist John Holloszy of the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, that showed that continual exercise could put mitochondrial numbers on the increase. He induced one group of lab rats to run on a treadmill for up to 2 hours per day at intensities of about 50 to 75 per cent of V0₂ max for 12 weeks, while a second group rested in their cages. At the end of this exercise, Holloszy found that the running rats had increased their mitocondrial densities by about 50 to 60 per cent and had also doubled their concentrations of ‘cytochrome c’, a key compound found inside mitochondria which is vitally important in aerobic energy production. Cytochorme c contains one atom of iron per mol and is a power-house of amino acids. Holloszy’s work, at first suggested that Van Aaken’s postulations that the best way to gain endurance was by LSD (Long, Slow Distance) were on the right track. Holloszy pressed on with further research. He had one group of rats running 10 minutes per day, another running for 30 minutes, a third group exercising for 60 minutes and a fourth working for 2 hours a day. Training took place five days a week for 13 weeks at an intensity of 1.2 mph, about 32 metres per minute and 313 minutes for the 10K, which is about 50-60 per cent VO₂ max for a fit lab rat. As expected, the 2 hours per day runners had the best mitochondrial development. The 10 minute per day exercisers had about 16 per cent more cytochrome c than the resting group of rats, while the 30 minute ones boosted it by 31 per cent, the one hour runners by 38 per cent and the 2 hour runners increased it by 92 per cent. These findings in 1967 were a potent argument for "Run long, run slow, run gently". Holloszy’s work was given more credence when in a run to exhaustion test, the 2 hour trainers kept going at a good pace for 111 minutes, while the 10 minute trainers lasted 22 minutes, the 30 minute ones for 41 minutes, the one hour rats ran strenuously for 50 minutes. The relationship of a high cytochrome c level to better performance had been firmly established.

9. Holloszy’s research was heralded by Lydiard fans with glee. He advocated building up to 100 miles a week of slow running for 10 consecutive weeks in the winter. Some runners, such as Dave Bedford, took the mileage quota as far as 200 miles a week done in three sessions a day. However, Holloszy’s work, good as it was, had a flaw – it did not work at training intensity as a mitochondrial development factor – all his rats ran at the same speed.

10. In 1982, Gary Dudley, at the State University of New York at Syracuse, investigated the effect of intensity on mitochondrial production. His work was painstaking – rats were made to run five times a week for periods ranging from five minutes to ninety minutes per day, for eight weeks (five weeks less than Holloszy’s rats), at training intensities which ranged from 40 per cent through to 100 per cent V0₂ max. Dudley also examined how different speeds and durations influenced different muscle fibres (fast twitch, aerobic fast twitch or intermediate and slow twitch), which no one had ever done before. His findings were as follows:

· Training beyond about 60 minutes per workout was without benefit in terms in increasing cytochrome c. Moving from 30 minutes to 60 minutes per session did increase cytochrome c, but not increasing the workout from 60 to 90 minutes. This was true of all intensities studied by Dudley – and also with all three muscle fibre types. Mitochondrial development ceased after an hour.

· Training for 10 minutes a day at 100 per cent of the V0₂ max (about 3K pace) tripled cytochorme c concentration.

· Running for 27 minutes at 85 per cent V0₂ max (about 10 seconds per mile slower than 10k speed), only pushed up cytochrome c by 80 per cent.

· Training at 60 to 90 minutes at 70 to 75 per cent V0₂ max (marathon speed), edged up cytochrome c by just 74 per cent.

· In intermediate muscle cells (those which are roughly half way between fast twitch and slow twitch), a similar potency of intensity was recorded. Ten minutes of fast running per day boosted cytochrome c as much as 27 minutes daily at 85 per cent V0₂ max or 60 to 90 minutes at 70 to 75 per cent V0₂ max.

· The best strategy for slow-twitch, cytochrome c enhancement was running for 60 minutes per outing at 70 to 75 per cent V0₂ max (around 80 to 84 per cent of maximal heart rate), which boosted cytochrome c by 40 per cent.

· Cruising along for 27 minutes at 85 per cent V0₂ max produced a 28 per cent upturn as described above.

· Fast running at 100 per cent V0₂ max (3K speed), lifted slow twitch cytochrome c by around 10 per cent, not a surprising low gain because slow twitch muscles are less heavily used than fast twitch cells during fast running. However, running at this speed represents, for 10 minutes work, 1 per cent improvement per minute of running compared to running at 85 per cent V0₂ max, which lifted cytochrome c in slow-twitch fibres by the same 1 per cent per minute rate for nearly three times the duration of work. And, further, 90 minutes of 70 to 75 per cent V0₂ max work improved the mitochondria by just two-thirds of a per cent per minute.

11. Dudley et al. sum up, "To bring about the greatest adaptive response in mitochondria, the length of daily exercise becomes less as the intensity of the exercise is increased."

12. The author in 1950 decided to run 2 miles full out every other day for a month. On other days, he ran 6 miles slowly. Two mile pace equates to 3,000m speed (100 per cent V0₂ max). He then ran the penultimate 4 mile leg of the Portsmouth to Southampton relay and broke the course record. He did not, of course, know of Dudley’s findings, but in retrospect, it would appear that the training at 100 per cent V0₂ max caused a major fitness improvement. The bottom line is that either running 5K or 3K each week at maximum effort is going to boost the mitochondria, which, of course, will improve the V0₂ max. Alternatively, sections of those distances can be run at slightly faster than race pace.

5K pace sessions include:

· 3 x 2000m with 2 mins rest

· 4 x 1 mile (1,609m) with 90 secs rest

· 6 x 1,000m with 60 secs rest.

Useful 3 pace sessions include:

· 3 x 1,500m with 3 mins rest

· 6 x 800m with 90 secs rest

· 16 x 400m with 45 secs rest

Note that if the 5K pace session is run at 80secs/400m, the 3k pace session should be 4-5 seconds faster, i.e. in this case 75-76secs/400m. Note that Britain’s greatest ever middle distance runner, Seb Coe (12 world records in 4 years, Olympic gold and silver medals), trained at 5K speed weekly throughout the winter and at 5K and 3K speed throughout the track season. The former being 95 per cent of the V0₂ max.

From Frank Horwill, Serpentine Running Club, UK

The Three Sisters, Oregon, plus us

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are."

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Gary ‘Tourist’
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You might be a cyclist if...

• you buy a car based on whether or not a bike will fit in the trunk/back, with the rear seat folded down
• you drill out titanium parts to make them lighter.
• you risk loosing your job by stopping at a bike shop to look around instead of making your deliveries.
• you risk life and limb in a traffic accident to check out a bike going the opposite direction.
• you don't watch 'Baywatch' because the babes don't have good quads.
• you open your car window and yell out "On your left!" while passing on the freeway.
• you have not one, not two, but three permanent chain ring scars on your right calf.
• your New Years resolution is to put more miles on your bike than on your car. ....and you do it.
• your cadence is exactly 90, but you have no idea what your speed is.
• you hear someone’s had a crash and your first question is "How's the bike?"

Cheers
Gary Little