FinKraft Camp: I am still very “al dente”

The FinKraft training camp has been a success under every aspect and now that we are back home dealing with our daily routine while scheduling our racing season, it comes to my mind how well every rider has done in dealing with the huge training volume in Tucson.
All of us have ridden between 80 to 115 miles for a week block of 600 or 700+ for whoever has spent a couple of extra days at the camp. This is remarkable for an amateur rider, someone that is not used to spend all these hours per day on the bike. Yes, the coaches in FinKraft had taken in consideration the camp in programming the winter training plan for our riders, but still, it’s not a secret, that we had been scrambling to stick to it because of the lousy weather and the limited time available to adjust our schedules.

So going into the camp, I was a bit worried about the ability of each and every rider to complete the training camp without any serious debacle during one of the “epical” rides. On the other end, Roger was very confident in all of us, claiming that, if for anything, the camp at the end of the week would have challenged more our mind set, our mental strength than our body. He had designed and programmed each ride in all the details so that it could perfectly fall in our weekly program. Certain rides have been definitely long but a smart collaboration among the stronger riders has made possible to maintain the effort at endurance level for everybody in the transfers from one climb to another one.

Again during the FinKraft camp every rider had only 4 things to do while enjoying his or her time: sleep, ride, rest and eat. Eating was definitely critical since we were burning between 3000 to 5000 Calories per day and even though it’s generally easy to feed hungry people, that was not our case. We needed a diet rich in light carbs, lean proteins, vitamins, minerals and, of course, very appealing.

The challenge was won hands-on by Kim, Roger’s wife. Using all the products that our “food and supplements” sponsors have provided for the FinKraft camp, Kim, with her usual cheerful smile, every morning would set up the big isle in the center of the kitchen with every kind of nourishment you could imagine: from the steel cut oatmeal to the Greek yogurt, going trough eggs, toast, peanut and almond butter, jelly, honey, germ wheat, fresh cut seasonal fruit, juices, tea, coffee and so long. For the rides, each rider had a container where he or she would find the daily allocations of power bars, minerals, vitamins and after-rides drinks.

On top of that for the longer rider we were provided with extra peanut butter jelly or honey sandwiches. Since it’s very important to start eating right from the beginning of the recovery time, every day, coming back to the camp between a shower and a jump in the pool, we were provided with platters of cheese, turkey, tomatoes and fresh fruit.

I still cannot believe that after all that food, we were still looking eagerly to the dinner. I guess that it was because of Kim’s cooking skills. Every night was something totally different and so tasty: I still remember a wonderful lasagna stuffed with chicken, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes sauce and mozzarella; whole wheat spaghetti “aglio e olio” (garlic and extra vergin olive oil) served with grilled chicken marinated with balsamic vinegar and soy sauce; spaghetti with meatballs and marinara sauce; penne primavera with asparagus, cherry tomatoes and pieces of grilled chicken breast; grilled wild salmon fillet with a mix of crispy roasted sweet and golden potatoes flavored with fresh rosemary; a Mexican night with soft tacos, guacamole, black beans, grilled meat, salsa and queso. Of course I cannot forget the pizza feast on Saturday night, the last dinner. Kim prepared so many varieties that I cannot list all of them, but I can tell you that I had six slices along with a couple of local brand beers and that I would have had more if I didn’t remind myself that I was at a camp and not at a Saturday night party in the Hamptons.


In three weeks and with three different group of riders nobody has bonked once. This is just remarkable! The fact that Barilla was one of the camp sponsors, it’s just a coincidence when I claim that at the end of the Tucson FinKraft camp all of us where “cooked”, from all that riding, but still very “al dente”.

Training Dream - Tucson

Normally it's called training camp, but here in Tucson, Roger and his wife Kim have put together something that resembles more a living dream than a sport camp environment where a group of riders come to experience the gorgeous weather in Arizona while escaping the tail of nasty winter in the East Coast.
For the majority of us, usually scrambling to make weekly time to log some miles while taking care of our family and professional responsibilities, a week at the FinKraft winter camp is a real dream. Every thing has been carefully planned and taken care, from the most obvious things like riding itineraries to others as being sure that every morning your bike is cleaned, lubed and ready to be used. As Roger has claimed during the first night meeting, the whole idea behind the FinKraft's camp is to offer its guests a week where they only required to train, eat and rest: everything else is taken care for them. I guess that it could be compared to an "all included" hotel package, but then you will be sleeping and living by yourself missing those synergies that are created when you put together people who share the same passion for your sport. A better comparison would be to a camp for a professional team without the dramas, stress and political situations that normally we learn at the end of the season by reading our favorite cycling magazines (do you remember the Astana 09 winter camp?).

This week we have been riding between 120 and 180km every day, climbing mighty mountains (at least from a cycling point of view) and still looking forward for our next ride, for the next challenge. The positive atmosphere, the total relax and the cheerful people around us, made possible for each and every body to discover his or her physical and mental potential. Today, it's Saturday and we have just completed the famous Shout-Out ride. A slow one since this morning there was a race in town, but regardless we had a lot of fun and we finished it with large smiles on our faces knowing that after a week-long training block we feel stronger and ready to start our racing season.
Now I am going to hang out around the pool, close my eyes and keep dreaming until I can: DO NOT DISTURB!

Photo (1) source| via blogcitypages.com

There is not two without three

Nowadays we are living in an ice box with temperatures flirting with the 20s and winds that exasperate the situation. Still serious riders are managing to ride their bicycles logging some 3-4 hours training sessions as soon as the thermometer goes above the freezing line.
A couple of weeks ago, in one of the weekly FinKraft Coaching rides led by Roger Aspholm, we left the Westwood Cycles shop for a long loop that through a sequence of scenic local NJ roads brought us to the bottom of Perkins and then to Harriman Park. The nature around us was gorgeous: a sharp blue sky was the perfect contrast to the accumulation of white snow from a recent storm. In such conditions it’s very easy to get flats as the roads are often marked with crossing lines of debris mixed to salt and with the inevitable asphalt cracks and potholes caused by the low temperatures.
Indeed this time the lucky guy was our friend Andreas Runggatscher who while standing up over the pedals on a short hill realized to have a flat on his rear tire. No problem, we pulled over on the side of the road and with the help of a teammate Andreas mounted a new tube. As soon as the wheel was back on his bike he realized that there was a leak. It was a big surprise because they didn’t make the mistake of using the tire levers to mount back the clincher over the rim. The best part was that when the tube was removed we were not able to find the leak! There was not time to waste since it was cold, so another tube found its way on Andreas rear wheel. Now according to an Italian saying there is not two without three, so as soon as Andreas jumped back on his bike he realized that even his front wheel had flattened in the meantime.
In all my years of riding I have never seen such a thing! Anyhow since I am aware of the risk of multiple flats I have always with me the so-called Alex’s survival kit:

· Sci'Con saddle bag with integrated tire levers
· Spare tube with a 70-80mm valve to fit even high profile carbon rims without using any extension.
· A little box with a tube repair kit
· A bicycle tool kit
· $20-50
· One or two Cliff or Hammer Energy Gels
· A portable pump

Yes, even some sugar, because too many times I found myself with too little food and especially in cold weather the last thing that I want to experience is a classic bonk.

And you ... do you ZYM too?

Cycling has changed so much in the last three decades. Bicycles are now light and nimble, clothing has seen breakthrough changes and supplements are now a huge market. If you go through any supplement catalog you will find an endless list of products that on paper will let you train harder and make you faster. On the other end, today's athlete needs are still the same: the right mix of healthy carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals. Twenty years ago in racing we did not use power-bars, pre or after training supplements, engineered meals but only real food! The only common supplement was electrolytes. Over the years the tendency has been to mix minerals to sugary drinks, a great idea that finds it's limit in the quantity of plain sugar that we want to ingest. Especially in training I like to have full discretion on the total intake of calories, so until last summer, I had been using Nuun, sugar-free electrolyte tabs. Then in September I discovered ZYM. What it makes ZYM better than any other direct competitor product is the total absence of "sodium benzoate", a preservative that it's quite common, especially in carbonated drinks. The issue with sodium benzoate is that in combination with Vit C and potassium benzoate it creates benzene, a recognized carcinogen. But even by itself sodium benzoate has been linked to damage of the DNA at mitochondrial level, right where our cells consume oxygen to produce energy. The issue must be relevant because it seems that even Coca Cola Company has decided to gradually eliminate sodium benzoate in its drinks.



I am not a doctor, but when it comes to my body I try to fuel it with the most natural products in the market. Even though the quantity of sodium benzoate found in a tablet is very small, over the season I drink countless bottles of electrolytes and of course things can add up! That's why I drink ZYM. Beside this reasoning, I have to admit that I love it's fresh taste too, something that it reminds me Europe, maybe because I know that it is produced in Spain.
ZYM is sold in two flavors: Lemon-Lime (Endurance) and Berry (Catapult). The latter one comes with a generous amount of Guarana, the equivalent of 100 mg of caffeine. That's another reason to love ZYM. Any caffeinated product that it's not pure coffee, it was added caffeine. Where did they get it? Well, decaffeination most of the times is done with solvents, and among others, guess which one? Benzene! Yes, the same chemical compound that I have just mentioned above. Of course by the time we drink our decaf java or our caffeinated soft drink, that dangerous chemical has been removed, but again in big quantities who knows if there could be any bad effect.
I love my espresso but when it comes to hydrate my body, to prevent cramps and add extra endurance, I just ZYM it. And you ... do you ZYM too?

The secret power booster

In any race environment riding well, riding fast means to be able to optimize a myriad of variables internal and external with respect to the athlete. Choosing the best bicycle components and hammering endless hours on our saddles are not going to pay their dividends in terms of better race results unless our brain is able to recognize the inner extra potential and actually use it. If Autogenus Training (AT) or any other meditation exercise can help to create a focused, alerted and efficient “mind set”, a healthy brain can actually make it happen. Without going into complicated matters of cognitive science, I want to bring to your attention an interesting article that I read some time ago with the appealing title “22 Ways to Overclock Your Brain”, a list of simple suggestions on how to boost you brain power and beating the competition.

Picture source

SAB Team Machine: stunning ... machine!

SAB bicycle frames(sab.sm)are now available in the USA . The Italian company located in San Marino offers several types of carbon frames each one with its own personality and/or technical characteristics.

See 2009 SAB Catalog


CAPRI, ELBA, MONTECRISTO, LEVANZO
Anyone of these frames can be personalized with an integrated seat tube, an head tube of 1'1/8” and 1’1/2”and with a BB30. The four models shares the same geometry and normally they come in 5 sizes (50-52-55-58-60), but, with a small cost differential, personal measurements could be requested. The frames are built in Italy using Deda carbon tubes wrapped so to obtain stiffness and comfort at the same time.

GIANNUTRI
The Time Trial frame, it’s a carbon monocoque offered in three different sizes: 44 – 47,5 – 50cm. Two different colors: red/white/black and black/silver/white&yellow.

ALICUDI, LAMPEDUSA-TEAM MACHINE
Carbon monocoque, 2 sloping frames sharing the same geometry. The Lampedusa comes with an oversized headset (1’1/8” – 1’1/2”) and BB30 in 5 different sizes (44-48-52-55-58). The Lampedusa is offered in a simple and elegant graphic that combines white, light blue and black. But the Lampedusa frame is also used for the Team Machine graphic: an original zebra inspired look that in the 2009 version had a splash of colors to recall the Italian flag. For 2010 SAB is offering other colors with the Team Machine graphic: red, blue, gold, black, silver, green and pink.

The Lampedusa is a frame for racers: stiff, stable and nimble at the same time. Extremely precise, the TM smoothly turns at high speed regardless of the radius, without any front pushing feeling, nervousness or reaction to braking. I have personally tested my Team Machine in crits, circuit, road races, in the dry as well wet conditions, in motorpacing and in 4+ hrs rides. The Lampedusa is an incredible frame that offers the best ratio $/performance. The Team Machine graphic is extremely attractive with the 3 k carbon fiber weave reveling itself in strategically chosen parts of the frame. The color details and the painting reveal a passion for quality, typical of the best Italian tradition. The SAB Team Machine is like a stunning woman receiving attention and compliments every time is strolling down the road.