Charles River Wheelers

WheelPeople: Your Bike Club Newsletter

Stay up-to-date with the latest Charles River Wheelers news, events, and rides. Our WheelPeople newsletter is tailored for current and prospective members seeking bike-related updates, expert advice, and cycling inspiration.

WheelPeople offers club and member news as well as informational content from third parties. Views expressed in third-party content belong to the author(s) and not CRW. Consult a professional for advice on health, legal matters, or finance. CRW does not endorse linked content or products. Content published in WheelPeople is owned by Charles River Wheelers (CRW) unless otherwise stated. 

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  • 2023-06-20 7:43 AM | Wheel People (Administrator)


  • 2023-06-20 7:20 AM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By John Allen

    What if you encounter someone whose bicycle is a crash waiting to happen? 

    So, recently I was riding through an apartment complex on my way to the gym. I was half a block from the new rail trail in Waltham. It isn’t officially open yet, though people are already using it. 

    I encountered a girl about 8 years old, headed home from the rail trail, riding alone. She had a very nice bike for an Internet purchase: in her size, and made for comfortable travel, rather than for acrobatics. The bike had derailleur gears, aluminum rims, and direct-pull hand-lever-operated  brakes. A kid could grow as a cyclist on this bike, with guidance. 

    The girl was having trouble mounting and dismounting. We started a conversation and I coached her on that. I handed her my business card. She could show it to her mother, and maybe I could help her mother teach her? But then I noticed: neither of the brakes was working. The cables were not installed properly.

    The most common kind of serious bicycle crash for young children is to ride out into the street and get hit by a car. It could be due to not noticing an approaching vehicle –  or to brakes that don’t work. 

    I asked the girl for permission, got out my tool kit  and went to work on her brakes.  The cables were in a tangle, it took some time,  but I got the brakes working properly. 

    I asked, “who assembled the bike?”

    “My Mom.”

    “There’s nothing wrong with your Mom, but that is a job for a bicycle mechanic.”

    I showed the girl about not using the front brake too much. 

    We parted. I rode home without going to the gym.

    What lesson does this encounter hold? 

    On paths and in parks especially, you’ll see many people – children and adults – riding bicycles with serious safety issues. It may distress you, as it does me.  

    How to deal with this? 

    Might a Karen, there’s a word for it, have called the police on me as a predator? When I described my encounter to my wife, she reminded me that two adults always had to be present in a Sunday School class in our church, in case of such complaints. Point taken, I hadn’t thought of that, but then we were out in the open with people going by. That assuaged my wife’s concerns.

    I am not going to let myself be consumed with fear about a favor I do anyone in good faith, in plain view of passersby. But I wish now that I had not been in such a hurry to get home. If I had walked home with the girl, I could probably have spoken with her mother face to face, gone on to offer more coaching, become a family friend….

    People’s attitudes about accepting help differ. I have helped a couple times on CRW rides to straighten bent chain links, allowing the riders to complete their day of riding – description  of the technique is in this article.  I have lost count of the number of flat tires I have fixed – other people’s and my own. I have straightened bent derailer hangers, adjusted brakes…I could go on. The tool kit offers a great way to connect with people when used in the right context. 

    Indeed, context matters. My assistance has usually been welcome, or politely declined – “all set” –, when the bicycle was disabled. Offering help to someone who is still able to ride is trickier, and I often avoid it. 

    But this was my first interaction with a child whose bicycle put her in serious danger. It was a learning experience for me. I missed out on making it the best experience for the child, and learned how I might do better next time.

    Beyond that, community events – bicycle rodeos and the like – offer an opportunity to address bicycle maintenance where more people are available to assist, and in a more impersonal context. So, do consider setting one up in your community. 








  • 2023-06-01 9:11 AM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    Eggs: Unscrambling the confusion

     By Nancy Clark

    When it comes to eating eggs, nutrition advice has changed. In 1968, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended Americans consume no more than three whole egg per week. The  belief was eating cholesterol-rich egg yolks would elevate cholesterol in the blood, which would increase one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease and having a heart attack or stroke. By 2015, that belief had changed. Today’s 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines no longer limit eggs.   (Nutrition is an evolving science. New research led to new understandings about eggs. Though confusing, the “system is working” when new knowledge leads to new recommendations about what’s best to eat to protect good health.)

      

         Studying the role of eggs in our diet has been done, in part, by surveying thousands of egg-eaters from a cross-section of the general population. This led to the conclusion that eating eggs can increase one’s risk for elevated blood cholesterol and heart disease. But that conclusion applied best to the average American (overfat, underfit) who ate fried eggs + bacon + buttery white toast, i.e., a lot of saturated fat. Today’s heart-healthy dietary guidelines focus on saturated fat as the culprit. Of the 5 grams of fat in an egg, only 1.5 g are saturated. (The recommended daily limit for saturated fat is about 15 grams per 2,000 calories.) Athletes who eat poached eggs + avocado + whole grain toast can more likely enjoy that breakfast worry-free.

         Overall, epidemiological evidence suggests enjoying 6 to 7 eggs/week does not increase heart disease risk. For most healthy athletes, cholesterol in eggs does not convert into artery-clogging cholesterol in the blood. That said, some people are hyper-responders to dietary cholesterol, meaning when they eat cholesterol-rich foods, their blood cholesterol level increases. If you have a family history of heart disease and/or diabetes, a worry-free choice is to enjoy more oatmeal breakfasts, made really yummy by stirring in a spoonful of peanut butter. (Both oatmeal and peanut butter are known to be heart-healthy choices.)

          Heart-health is enhanced by far more than eliminating eggs from your menu. Rather than targeting eggs as a contributor to heart disease, I suggest you take a good look at your overall lifestyle as well as dietary intake. As an athlete, you get regular exercise, but do you get enough sleep? Drink alcohol only in moderation, if at all? Eat an overall well-balanced diet? You might want to focus less on whether or not an omelet for breakfast will ruin your health (doubtful!) and instead make other long-term dietary enhancements. That is, could you add more spinach and arugula to your salads? Munch on more nuts instead of chips? Enjoy more salmon and fewer burgers?  There’s no question that whole grains, nuts, beans, fish, and colorful fruits and veggies promote heart-health.

     

    Egg truths

    • Eggs are nutrient dense. They contain all the nutrients needed to sustain life. The 150 calories in two eggs offers far more vitamins, minerals, protein, and other nutrients than you’d get from 150 calories of other breakfast foods (i.e., English muffin, energy bar, banana).

    • Brown eggs are nutritionally similar to white eggs. The breed of hen determines the color of the eggs.  

    • Yolks contain nutrients that athletes can easily miss out on, including vitamin D, riboflavin, folate, and for vegans, B-12.

    • One large egg has about 6 to 7 grams of high-quality protein that contains all the essential amino acids (such as BCAAs) that are needed to build muscles. Half of an egg’s protein is in the yolk (along with most of the vitamins, minerals, fat, and flavor). The white is primarily protein and water.
    • Egg yolks contain the (once feared) cholesterol. One egg yolk has about 185 to 200 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. That’s more than half of the 300-milligram limit previously recommended by the American Heart Association (and has been dropped).  

    • Eggs are a rich in a well-absorbed source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two types of antioxidants that reduce risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

    • For dieters, eggs are pre-portioned, which can be helpful. Eggs are also satiating. Research suggests people who eat eggs for breakfast tend to eat fewer calories later in the day.

    • What about  omega-3 eggs? Are they all they are cracked up to be? Yes and no. Omega-3 fats are thought to be protective against heart disease. Egg yolks from hens fed flaxseed, algae, and fish oils have a higher omega-3 fat content, increasing it from about 50 mg omega-3s in an ordinary egg to 125 mg in an Eggland’s Best egg. This small amount is tiny compared to the 3,000 mg. omega-3s in a standard portion of Atlantic salmon ( 4-5-oz.).

         Omega-3 eggs are more expensive than standard eggs: $6 vs $4/dozen.  You’ll get a lot more omega-3s by consuming  more salmon. That said, for non-fish eaters, any omega-3 fats are better than no omega-3s.

     

    Stay tuned

         Someday, we will have a 100%-clear answer to which foods contribute to high levels of blood cholesterol and if that even impacts heart disease risk. That will put an end to the egg-cholesterol-heart health confusion. In addition, we’ll likely be able to benefit from genetic testing that offers personalized nutrition advice. Targeted research that looks at the genes of specific populations, will enable us to know, for example, which athletes can routinely enjoy three-egg omelets (with or without buttered toast) day after day without any fear of impairing their heart-health.

         Until then, if your family is predisposed to heart disease, you certainly want to talk with your doctor and ask about not just eggs but also the possibility of getting tested for biomarkers for heart disease, such as Coronary Artery Calcium score, C-Reactive Protein, and a type of blood lipid called Lp(a). You could also get personalized guidance about a heart-healthy diet from a registered dietitian who specializes in cardiovascular disease. The referral list at eatright.org can help you find that expert!

     

    Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD  counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for info.

     


  • 2023-05-29 3:23 PM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By Edward Cheng

    Salutations, fellow CRW Members.  The good weather is here and CRW kicked off the 2023 riding season with a spectacular North to New Hampshire Century on May 13, 2023.  The weather was perfect and we had over 300 registrants ride the fully supported century -- the first N2NH fully supported century since pre-COVID.  Thanks to the century committee and the volunteers who ran the rest stops, without whom the event could not have happened.  I have to admit when I first heard from the century committee that they wanted to run three centuries this year just like pre-COVID times, I was a little skeptical, but so far so good!

    Help keep the momentum going by signing up and riding our weekend rides, followed by the challenging Climb to the Clouds Century on June 10.  John O'Dowd, our VP of Rides is working hard to cajole our Ride Leaders to post rides, so let's make it worth their while by making our weekend rides a success.

    Last, if you don't see me on the roads until September, the reason is that I ruptured my left Achilles tendon the day after the N2NH.  So while I can cheer you on from the sidelines, I won't be joining you on the roads for a few months.

    Let's make this first COVID free season a great one for the ages.


  • 2023-05-25 9:08 AM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By Coach John Hughes


    RBR Reader Rob T. asks, “I was recently knocked off my bike by a driver going 55mph on a county road in Illinois that had no shoulder. Fortunately, no major damage to me or my bike or my two artificial hips, but I did fracture my greater trochanter bone in my left hip. I’ll be on crutches for the next two months and am allowed to put only 20-30 pounds of pressure on my left leg. I am concerned that I am going to lose all the conditioning I built up over the winter and early spring. I am wondering if you have any suggestions, or do I just suck it up and start at square one come mid-June? FWIW, I am 68 years old.”

    Coach Hughes: Rob, I’m very sorry to hear about your accident — I’m glad you’re mostly okay!  You have two artificial hips. Each you got one time you were less active than usual … and you came back. 

    I had hammer toe surgery in 2021, which consisted of straightening three toes and putting in pins to strengthen them. The surgeon insisted I mostly stay in bed for six weeks.  She was concerned that any sort of activity might cause the pins to migrate out.  I wrote this column about my experience:

    Anti-Aging: Regaining Fitness at Age 71 - Road Bike Rider Cycling Site

    Residual fitness Your riding history is the biggest factor in how slowly you lose fitness and how rapidly you can recover the lost fitness. Specifically:

    1. Number of years you’ve been riding and engaging in other aerobic activities.
    2. How many miles you’ve been riding the past several years.
    3. Your typical long rides the past several years.

    These relates to my concept of athletic maturity. This column explains how you can assess your athletic maturity and the following column explains how to improve your athletic maturity.


    Six Success Factors

    Success in athletics involves six factors, not just training. As we age we get a little slower. We can still ride very well – sometimes better than younger cyclists – if we pay attention to all six of the success factors. While you’re riding less use the opportunity to take a holistic look at how the success factors apply to your cycling.

    1. Planning—self-assessment, goal setting and planning the season.

    In The Cyclist’s Training Bible, Joe Friel wrote, “An athlete should do the least amount of properly timed, specific training that brings continual improvement.” In other words, just riding more miles doesn’t make you a better cyclist. Riding the right kinds of miles at the right times of the year is what counts. Use this time when you’re exercising less to think about your goals and priorities and then develop a plan to reach them. Create your plan so it starts today and addresses the all of the following success factors. The plan doesn’t have to be detailed – a very general plan is sufficient.

    I wrote several columns about how to plan:

    To aid your planning I suggest you get my 106-page eBook Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process. It has chapter a moderate exercise to increase your aerobic and cardiovascular fitness and a chapter on high intensity exercise to achieve the same benefits. It has illustrated chapters on each of the other types of fitness recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine: strength, flexibility, balance and weight-bearing workouts.

    2. Training—aerobic, strength and flexibility conditioning.

    Cardiorespiratory fitness is lost a little more slowly than power and speed. Within about four to eight weeks of no training your body’s capacity to move blood to your muscles decreases. This happens in part because your blood volume decreases. The size of your heart muscle decreases and because it isn’t as strong it can’t pump as much blood per stroke. Because your heart can’t pump as much blood at submaximal intensities your heart rate is higher for a given workload.  Here are some ways you can get cardio:

    • Walking on crutches: After my hammer toe surgery I did laps on crutches up and down the hall of our condo complex. Why not outside? In the hallway I was never more than five minutes from the condo! Instead of doing one long walk, for example 30 minutes, you’ll get fitter if you do several shorter walks spaced throughout the day, for example three 15-minute walks.
    • Running in the water: If you have access to a pool and the doctor says it’s okay you can walk or run in the water in the deep end, which uses your leg muscles a little more like riding.
    • Swimming: Although it’s not similar to riding, swimming is also great cardio. Check with the doctor about whether kicking is okay. If kicking isn’t okay then start with a pull buoy and paddles so you’re just using your upper body.

    When you can start riding I suggest you also swim because it’s more cardio without stressing your legs, especially your hip.

    You can also work on three other important aspects of fitness:

    3. Nutrition—nourishment daily nutrition and fuel during the ride and for recovery.

    The quality of your nutrition has a great effect on your daily life and your longevity as well as on your riding. This is an opportunity to review your nutrition and make appropriate changes. I’ve written two related columns:

    This 31-page eBook applies to every roadie from age 50 to 70 and beyond:

    While you’re not riding it’s easy to put on some pounds.  Although written about the holidays, this column applies to you:


    4. Equipment—bike selection and fit, clothing, accessories and bike maintenance.

    While you’re off the bike review all your equipment. Get your bike tuned up. Bike fit is dynamic. As you change your goals, or get a different bike, or get fitter, or lose flexibility, your correct bike fit changes. If you haven’t had a bike fit recently now’s the time to get one. You can get a bike fit sitting on your bike and gently spinning — check with your doctor it’s okay. Here’s my column on:

    5. Mental skills—focusing and relaxation techniques and dealing with potential hard times during a ride.

    Here’s where you and other older riders can develop a significant advantage over younger physiologically stronger riders! I wrote these columns:

    Here’s a specific example of how my friend Eli used mental skills:

    You learn mental skills just like you learn riding, through repeated practice of skills.  I wrote this eBook as a guide to learning mental skills. The 17-page eBook has six progressive chapters, each with a specific skill to learn.

    6. Technique – safety, riding efficiently, group riding and pacing during events.

    There’s good news here. Once a skill is learned, it is never forgotten, especially if it is well learned. Even though it was the driver’s fault you were hit, review what happened and what you might have done differently. Here are two column including many contributions from RBR readers:

    Anti-Aging: Riding Smarter as You Age part 2 - Road Bike Rider Cycling Site

    Related columns:

    My eBook Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process has illustrated chapters on each of the types of fitness recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine: aerobic, high intensity, strength, flexibility, balance and weight-bearing workouts. Anti-Aging   incorporates the latest research and most of it is new material not published in my previous eArticles on cycling past 50, 60 and beyond. It’s your comprehensive guide to continuing to ride well into your 80s and even your 90s.

    The 106-page Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process is $14.99.


  • 2023-05-23 2:06 PM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    There's nothing better than getting out for a ride, but on a rest day a video can almost take us there. Enjoy our monthly virtual film fest. Click Title to watch video.

    Hiawatha Trail

    An interesting rail trail along the northern Idaho and Montana border, the 15 mile scenic Hiawatha trail has a number of high trestle bridges and a long tunnel. 3 mins.




    Incredible Bike Tricks

    German artistic cyclist Viola enjoys the scenic Austrian countryside while showcasing impressive skills. 

    3 mins




    Alex Post is a CRW member who lives in Virginia, but regularly visits MA to bike with his dad. He has also led rides for CRW.

  • 2023-05-22 11:44 AM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By Eli Post


    Mark Nardone and Erik Dentremont contributed to this article.

    CRW’s 2023 North to New Hampshire Century may be in the history books, but it lives on as a memorable day for those who rode in the event. This was the Club’s first fully supported Spring Century since COVID and was heralded by one of the best weather days we could have hoped for in a New England May!

    The routes on North to New Hampshire are a long-time CRW favorite for a century event. They begin at the Wakefield High School heading north to NH and back, and winding though some of NH's more scenic roads. And it’s relatively flat so ideal for an early spring century when many riders are just returning to the road. Each ride provided refreshing drinks at rest stops along the route, with food and refreshments at the finish. CRW riders enjoyed a post ride party hosted by Hearth Pizzeria with many options for all dietary needs.

    The route has earned loyal fans over the years that enjoy the lovely stretches of country roads on the North Shore and in southern New Hampshire. Here are some of the comments:

    “Rode the CRW spring (half) century ride with buddies Ed Edward Cheng, Doug Douglas Bajgot, Eric Wilkins, and a few new friends. Here we are at the half way point rest stop. Great half century today! Thanks for joining us, Ed!” John O’Dowd

    “Thanks to the organizers, volunteers and ride leaders.  It was a lot of fun!” Ed Chang

    Rode with the 15mph group. The group pulled me along the whole way! First event ride of the season! Marianne Eybye

    Felt great!! Aside from my lower back tightening up I feel like I should have done the metric. Hermin Miranda

    CRW - N to NH, It was Felix's first big ride, and he did great! Vern Spinner

    As always, the success of the event was due to our wonderful, dedicated volunteers. Time and time again, our volunteers selflessly donate their passion for cycling by supporting our membership, and making the event possible. The only ones who are fully aware how much effort it takes to run a century are the ones who actually put it together. And it’s a catch 22, the smoother it goes, the less people realize how difficult it is. So we have no other recourse but to congratulate ourselves for a job well done.

    The Stats:

    262 riders set off to complete the 50, 63, and 100 mile routes. 

    There were 4 unable to complete due to mechanical issues. 

    Multiple led groups rolled out between 7 and 9am. 

    Last rider completed her 100 miles just after 4pm. 

    The riders appreciated the 25 mile rest stop and dug in to the many refreshments available. There was special interest in smothering a bagel with peanut butter, jam and/or Nutella. All left over food was donated to the Red Cross and other charitable organizations in our area.


    This year we did something a little different to make the Century rides more memorable. We created a 3 medal series to go with each event, by themselves the medals are great, together they connect to something special. Collect all three and proudly display your achievement for the 2023 Century Series.


    Did you miss the event? You can still register for a virtual option and complete the course or a similar distance within the month to earn your medal.


    The riders found innovative ways to wear/display their awards.

    The Spring Century has about 4,100 feet of climb, making it a relatively easy ride. If you need more of a challenge try the Climb to the Clouds century in July 2023.





    As we said, the volunteers made this event possible, and we thank them all.

    Volunteers May 13th
    ROLES Pick up Supplies Name
    Coordinators Event Day CONTACT Mark Nardone
    coordinator Erik Dentremont
    Ride Leader John O'dowd
    prez Ed Cheng
    Porta Johns

    The Shed Portable Santitation

    SudBury distribution Saturday Friday Joel Bauman
    62 Goodman's Hill Road
    Sudbury MA 01776

    Erik Dentremont
    10 AM - 4PM Rest Stop Org Nina Siegel
    Sudbury returns Monday 10 - 2 Joel Bauman

    Check-In / Registration Wakefield Tech HS

    Mel Prenovitz
    60 Farm Street Wakefield MA Francie Sparks
    7AM- 9:30AM Stanley Kay
    Richard Vignoni
    Mechanical Support
    Wakefield HS Trek Cambridge

    Robbe Smith | Store Manager

    Wakefield HS Velo Bikes Gunther
    Food & Supplies Costco Harriet Fell
    Fruit John Allen
    Bagels Barry Nelson
    Linda Nelson
    Rest Stops
    Shanahan Park
    423 Main Street Groveland MA Eil Post
    8AM-Noon Pick up Harriet Fell
    Lynne O'Riorden
    Ken Weber
    Pick up Bill Aldrich
    American Legion Park
    20 Pentucket Ave Georgetown MA Pick up Marie Keutmann
    9:30 AM - 2PM Pick up Penny Leslie
    Keeley Gammon
    Pick up person Tim Wilson
    Rosalie Blum
    Kate Strauchan
    Jim Evans
    Sawyer Park Kennsington NH Pick up Barbara Jacobs
    24 Trundlebed Lane Pick up Ted Nyder
    9:30 AM - 2PM Pick up person Nina Siegel
    Pick up Maureen Feibiger
    After rider party Pizza Harriet Fell
    11:30 - 5:30 Pizza Jack Donahue
    Pizza Ken Weber
    Awards Mark Nardone
    Pizza Megan Scully
    Monday Clean up Clean Up and Return Erik D'Entremont
    Hearth Pizzeria - Delivery 200 Pizzas, 20 Salads Ivan Pucelio
    Ride Leaders 100 Martin Hayes
    100 jennifer Allen
    100 Lindy King
    100 Megan Scully
    Mike Barry
    50 Clyde Kessel
    50 John Odowd
    62 Larry K
    62 Karen Hamel
    Sag Wagon Mark Nardone
    James White
    Sweeps Susan Grieb
    Jack Donahue
    Registration Lists Erik D'Entremont
    car signs Parking Lisa Najavitis


  • 2023-05-21 6:28 PM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By Dr. Gabe Mirkin


    Just about everyone with an unobstructed nose will breathe through their nose when at rest or during casual activities, but most people will breathe through their mouth during exercise. The more intensely you exercise, the more likely that you will have to breathe through your mouth because you may not be able to get enough air through your nose to feel comfortable (Respiration Physiology, 1983;53(1):129–133).

    Possible Advantages of Breathing Through Your Nose
    Why would you even consider trying to control whether you breathe through your mouth or your nose? Compared to mouth breathing, nasal breathing:
    • helps to filter out pollutants
    • helps to filter germs
    • adds moisture to the air you breathe
    • heats the air you breathe
    • may reduce asthma attacks in people who suffer from exercise-induced asthma.

    Nasal Breathing Takes Practice
    You can breathe far more air into your lungs through your mouth than you can breathe through your nose. You can exercise intensely when you breathe just through your nose, but you will need to practice (PNAS, May 19, 2015;112(20):6425-6430).
    • How intensely you can exercise depends on how fast oxygen can pass from red blood cells into muscle cells.
    • The cells lining your nose and sinuses release large amounts of a gas called nitric oxide while the cells lining your mouth and throat do not (Nat Med, 1995;1:370–373).
    • Breathing through your nose releases far larger amounts of nitric oxide, which specifically widens the very small blood vessels next to muscles to bring the red blood cells closer to muscle cells, to increase markedly the rate that oxygen passes from red blood cells to muscle cells.

    One study showed that with training, you can get enough air while breathing through your nose to exercise at up to 85 percent of your maximum capacity (Int J of Kinesiology and Sports Sci, Apr 30, 2018;6(2):22). Ten recreational runners practiced nasal breathing during exercise for six months and when they breathed through their noses while exercising at up to 85 percent of their maximal capacity, they had the same:
    • time to exhaustion,
    • maximal capacity to take in and use oxygen (VO2max), and
    • peak lactate levels. (Lactate levels increase when you don’t get enough oxygen).
    Nasal breathing brought in the same maximal amount of oxygen as mouth breathing, but nasal breathing markedly reduced:
    • respiratory rate (breaths per minute), and
    • ratio of oxygen intake to carbon dioxide output.

    Nasal Breathing May Help with Exercise-Induced Asthma
    People who have exercise-induced asthma may benefit from nasal breathing when they exercise. Within minutes after starting to exercise, they often suffer wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, a tight chest, decreased endurance, or a sore throat. These symptoms are usually caused by breathing dry and cold air (Allergy, 2013;68:1343–1352). Practicing nasal breathing for several months can help to decrease asthma attacks (Clinical Allergy, 1981;11(5):433-9). However, nasal breathing has been shown to hinder performance of elite athletes who suffer from exercise-induced asthma (British J of Sprts Med, 2012;46:413-416).

    My Recommendations
    • Most people can learn to breathe comfortably through their noses during intense exercise if they want to (International J of Ex Sci, 2017;10(4):506-514), but nasal breathing is not recommended for competitive athletes since it is likely to reduce their maximum exercise intensity (Australian J of Sci and Med, 1995;(273):512-55).

    • You don’t need to breathe through your nose when you exercise in very cold weather. Your nose warms the air much more than your mouth does, but exercise causes your body to produce such large amounts of heat that air taken through your mouth at 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit during exercise will be warmed almost 100 degrees before it reaches your lungs. Breathing air that cold would burn your nose so much that you would quickly lose interest in exercising and seek shelter.

    • Your nose clears pollutants far more efficiently than your mouth does, but people with healthy lungs can exercise safely using mouth-breathing on mildly polluted days. Your air tubes are lined with small hairs, called cilia, that sweep pollutants towards your mouth where you swallow them with your saliva and they pass from your body. However, breathing heavily polluted air when you exercise can damage your lungs, whether you use your mouth or your nose. Air quality experts tell us that if you can see ash or smell smoke, stay indoors with windows and doors closed.

    • If you want to try nasal breathing, you may find that commercially-available nasal strips that fit over the bridge of your nose make it easier and more comfortable.

    • The bottom line is that you can breathe through either your mouth or your nose during exercise. Do whatever feels most natural for you.

    Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Health | Fitness and Nutrition. (drmirkin.com)


  • 2023-05-21 5:46 PM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By John Allen

    E-bikes appeal to middle-aged and elderly people including long-time CRW members like me, who don’t have quite the energy we had when younger. And other new e-bike riders have not had much experience with bicycling since childhood. Some elderly people may also have worsened balance, reaction time, eyesight and other issues.

    Here are some specific issues for a new e-bike rider to consider. The CyclingSavvy Web Site has a series of articles addressing these issues in detail – but briefly stated:

    • CRW welcomes e-bikes, except for throttle-controlled ones, but an e-bike poses special questions of safety and etiquette during a group ride. Riding off the front doesn’t play to your credit, nor does running out of battery power. You might be called upon to pace another rider. Should there be a special ride option for e-bike riders?
    • The bicycle can just go faster, uphill - and downhill too, being heavier. Greater speed increases the potential for crashes, and their seriousness. Braking distance increases as the second power of speed – twice the speed, four times the distance. A particular problem is that a motorist may not recognize that a longer distance is needed to pass an e-bike uphill.
    • Infrastructure designed for slow bicycling (or not even well for that) works poorly for people riding at 20 miles per hour or more. Yet people tend to think “it’s just a bicycle” and maintain the same poor riding habits. My hair stands on end as I watch YouTube videos of people riding e-bikes at speed in the door zone of parked cars, etc. On an e-bike, it is even more important to understand and apply best practices for riding on streets, and to avoid the temptation to make full use of the e-bike’s power on paths.
    • The bicycle is heavier and less maneuverable. Much of the added weight is with the battery. This is less of a problem If the battery is low and in the middle of the bicycle (for example, on the down tube or inside it). A battery on the rear rack makes the bicycle top-heavy and tends to make the bike prone to shimmy if the frame is flexible. A heavy e-bike with a flexible frame and high handlebars, with an inexperienced small person at the controls, is a recipe for control problems.
    • Maladroit application of power can result in a loss of control. A common problem is the “lurch” when power is applied before the rider is ready. This can result in a pedal’s striking the rider’s shin or the e-bike itself striking another bicyclist, pedestrian or vehicle.
    • Control issues depend also on the rider’s situational awareness –more so at higher e-bike speeds, but also due to the more cumbersome handling at low speeds.
    • An e-bike may have front or rear hub drive, or a mid motor (at the cranks). The mid motor applies power through the bicycle’s gearing – and so it is effective over a wider range of speeds than a hub motor. A front hub motor makes steering less nimble, and if it causes the wheel to skid, you can’t steer to balance. For this reason, it is a poor choice for riding under tricky conditions or on soft or slippery surfaces – mud, gravel, snow.
    • Any e-bike will have several power level settings (for example “Off, Eco, Normal, Turbo“– or they may be maximum speed-under-power settings). It is best to use only as much power as needed, to get exercise, extend range on a battery charge, and avoid unexpected acceleration.
    • An e-bike may have torque sensing: power assist is proportional to how hard you push on the pedals. Or an e-bike may have pedal rotation sensing, which applies full power whenever you are turning the pedals forward. Torque sensing feels just like normal pedaling, only you are stronger. You can turn the pedals without applying power when you shift gears, and modulate pedaling to prevent the rear wheel from spinning out on a slippery surface. With pedal rotation sensing, you don’t have that level of control, and if there is a mid motor, you must apply the brakes to actuate an interruptor and release tension on the chain when shifting down.
    • Some e-bikes also have a throttle. By applying power even when you are not pedaling, it can lead to confusion and lurching when starting and stopping. With the throttle, you also lack the ability to modulate pedaling that you would have with torque sensing.

    All in all, as I hope that these comments have made clear, different e-bikes have different control characteristics, and it is important to feel them out. A new e-bike rider needs to start out cautiously, get to know the bike before taking on greater challenges, and recognize that riding habits may need revision.

    I thank Clinton Sandusky for assistance with this article.


  • 2023-05-13 10:55 AM | Wheel People (Administrator)

    By Coach John Hughes

    “Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer came down on her head.

    ”Bang! Bang! Maxwell’s silver hammer made sure that she was dead.”— Paul McCartney

    McCartney said, “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer was my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue.” (beatlesbible.com)

    That’s bonking!  You’re riding along under a blue sky and all of a sudden your brain feels like mush. You’ll be depressed and discouraged and may also feel anxious, irritable, or confused.

    Or your legs suddenly can’t turn the cranks.  This is hitting the wall. You’ll feel extremely weak and tired and you may feel dizzy or light-headed.

    Both of these occur for the same reason: running out of glucose for fuel.

    A showstopper is anything that makes a ride very difficult and may cause a DNF.

    A Little Physiology

    You are always metabolizing a combination of fat and glucose even when you are sleeping.  The more active you are the higher the proportion of glucose you are burning.  Riding below your anaerobic threshold (AT), also called lactate threshold, about 50% of your energy is coming from glucose and 50% is coming from fat. Above your AT the major source is glucose although you are still burning fat. The harder you ride above AT the more glucose per minute you are burning.

    Glucose is stored in the body as glycogen. Your body can store about 1,800 calories of glycogen. (1,400 in the muscles, 320 in the liver and 80 in your blood) How much you store depends on your body size and your fitness. 

    Your body has about 100,000 calories of energy stored as fat, an unlimited supply of fat.  Even the skinniest pro has enough body fat to fuel a long race.

    If you are riding at 15 mph (24 km/h) you are burning about 4.5 calories / lb. / hour (10 calories / kg / hour). If you weigh 150 lbs you are burning about 675 calories / hour, about half from glucose (338 calories) and about half from fat (338 calories).  You have 1800 calories of glucose stored as glycogen so burning 338 calories of glucose per hour you’ll run out of glucose in about 5 – 5.5 hours.

    If you are riding at 20 mph (32 km/h) you are burning about 7.5 calories / lb. / hour (16 calories / kg / hour). If you weigh 150 lbs you are burning about 1,125 calories / hour, primarily from glucose and you’ll run out of glucose in about 1.5 – 2 hours!

    Your brain can only burn glucose for fuel and when you run out of glucose that silver hammer comes down.  At a moderate pace your muscles are burning about a 50 / 50 mix of fat and glucose. When you run out of glucose you only have half as much fuel and you hit the wall with dead legs. To compound the problem the metabolism of fat for energy requires some glucose so even your fat stores aren’t providing much energy.

    Note that protein provides only about 5% of the energy for the working muscles, although it is important for rebuilding muscle damage after a ride. If you run out of glycogen your body can produce glucose from protein by a process known as gluconeogenesis, which is inefficient, i.e., the metabolic conversion of protein to glycogen requires more energy than just converting glycogen to glucose.

    Bonking Prevention

    Endurance training helps defer bonking and hitting the wall in two ways.  By riding at a conversational pace over many rides your body will shift to metabolizing more fat and less glucose thereby sparing glucose. (This doesn’t mean you’ll lose weight. To do that you need to consume fewer total calories than you are burning.) Endurance training also increases your muscles’ capacity to store glycogen by 20 to 50%. If you’ve been doing endurance exercise for years both of these adaptations have taken place but if you’re a relatively new roadie you can improve your fuel mix and your storage capacity with endurance riding.

    These adaptations only postpone the silver hammer but don’t eliminate it.

    If the gas gauge on your car starts to approach empty you get more fuel and the same applies to riding.  Rather than running out of fuel you need to start refueling during your ride.

    Glycogen comes from carbohydrates, which include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and legumes as well as the sweets, pasta and bread that we normally think of as carbs. Healthy carbs should provide 60 – 70% of the calories in your daily diet.

    American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends consuming 25 to 60 grams of carbs (1 to 2 ounces or 100 to 240 calories) per hour after the first hour of exercise. This is sufficient for several hours of exercise. If you are riding for three hours or more start eating carbs in the first hour. If you are relatively small or exercising lightly 25 grams / hour is enough. If you are larger or riding at a moderate to fast pace eat up to 60 grams / hour.

    Note that the recommendation is for carbs only. Gels and some sports drinks are 100% carbs; however, bars are a mix of carbs, protein and fat. Fruit and vegetables are100% carbs while carbs are only part of other foods.

    The ACSM recommends up to 60 grams per hour of carbs because this is the maximum amount of one kind of carb (glucose or sucrose or fructose or maltodextrin) you can digest per hour.However recent research shows that eating a combination of types of carbs can increase your ability to digest carbs. You can digest up to 90 grams per hour (2 to 3 oz. or 240 to 360 calories). Test subjects who consumed a mix of glucose and fructose could digest more every hour than subjects who just consumed glucose. They digested more per hour because the different types of carbohydrate used different intestinal transporters. Consuming a mix of carbohydrate reduces fatigue, increases endurance and may result in reduced gastric distress. Some sports bars and drinks are made from several types of carbs — read the label to see. Or you could eat a couple of cookies and a piece of fruit.

    Lab tests have shown no performance difference among carbs ingested in liquid, gel or solid form, assuming that each substance has the same caloric value. Further, sports products have no performance advantage over regular food. One of my clients was a nurse, and after consultation with the doctor for whom she worked, she raced the Race Across AMerica on pancake syrup instead of spending money on sports gel! Sports drinks and gels are easier to consume than solid food; however, you can ride just as well on food from the local grocery. Real food is cheaper and tastier. The key is to read the labels so that what you are buying and consuming is composed primarily of carbs.

    Bottom line: Eat Carbs!


    The principles and recommendations for eating before, during and after a ride apply to all roadies. These are explained in my eArticle Nutrition for 100K and Beyond. Although written for roadies riding 100K and farther, all roadies can learn from it. I show you how to calculate how many calories per hour you burn. I compare the nutritional value of bars, cookies and candy. Both Peppermint Patty candy and Fig Newton cookies have a higher percentage of carbs than any of the sports bars! I also discuss hydration and electrolytes. I conclude by discussing what you should eat every day to ride your best. My 17-page Nutrition for 100K and Beyond is just $4.99.Click here for details on how to order.



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