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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WheelPeople Articles

  • Eating to Win: Nutrition Tips for Competitive Athletes

    2024-03-28 4:23 PM | Anonymous

    By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD


    I'm wanting to run the best I can at the Boston Marathon. Any nutrition tips to help me reach my goal?

    How do Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady eat to perform at such high levels...?

    I once heard someone say the best athletes have the junkiest diets. Is that actually true?

    These are just some of the questions I get from athletes who want to eat to win. My (biased) answer is, of course, what and when you eat really matters! While many very good athletes seem to do well with random fueling plans, the question arises: How much better could they be?

    While wise fueling plans certainly can enhance athletic performance, many other factors determine whether or not you will get to the winners' circle. Physiological factors include: muscle damage/soreness, lactic acid build-up, depleted muscle glycogen, low blood glucose, inability to concentrate/poor brain function, under-hydration, high body temperature, gut distress, and injury. Now add environmental factors that you cannot control: heat, humidity, wind, floods, and altitude, as well as the game start-time, time between games, jet lag, and travel-fatigue. No wonder eager-to-win players want to rule-out making any food mistakes. Hence, this article focuses on nutrition strategies you can control to benefit your performance.

    • Whole grain breads, pasta, sweet potato, quinoa and other starchy carbs—plus fruits and veggies—should be the foundation of each and every meal. Stop thinking carbs are bad, fattening, a waste of calories. False! The body prefers carbs to replenish muscle glycogen stores that get depleted during hard exercise. Training or competing with "dead muscles" is needless and hurts performance. 
    • All athletes need a well-fueled brain. If you have not eaten a meal 3 to 4 hours pre-exercise, at least eat 200-ish calories of carbs within the hour before you play to help keep your brain sharp so you can focus and stay motivated to work at a hard pace. For a personalized fueling plan that maintains your blood sugar (and feeds the brain), consult with a registered dietitian (RD)/board certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD). To find your local RD CSSD, use the referral networks at eatright.org or healthprofs.com.
    • Implement your fueling plan during training, so you have time to tweak it. During a sports event, you don't want to be guessing if a new gel will digest well...
    • Commercial sports foods (sports drinks, gels, chomps, jellybeans, etc.) are pre-wrapped and convenient, but not magical. "Real" foods (dried pineapple, crystalized ginger, peppermints, granola bars, diluted grape juice) also work just as well, if not better, before and during extended exercise. 
    • During extended exercise that lasts longer than 60-90 minutes, plan to consume a variety of sport foods/fluids. Each type uses different gut transporters and can reduce the risk of GI distress. A variety of tastes also minimizes flavor fatigue (when you just can't tolerate one more sip of Gatorade or one more Gu...) You can only compete at your best if you can train at your best. That means fueling well every day.
    • Learn in advance what foods/fluids will be available at the event. (Check website for sponsors.) You'll likely be better off bringing plenty of your own tried-and-true foods that you know will settle well and be readily available—and bring enough to share with your teammates? 
    • Maintain adequate hydration during repeated days of hard training. Your goal is to void a significant volume of light-colored urine first-thing in the morning. That indicates you're starting the day adequately hydrated.
    • Whether programmed drinking (according to a plan) is preferable to drinking to thirst (as desired) depends somewhat on how long you will be sweating. Endurance players can develop a big mismatch between sweat losses and fluid intake, so programmed drinking can be a good plan for them. Players who exercise for a shorter exercise time (<60 minutes) are less likely to become dehydrated, so drinking to thirst is acceptable. 
    • In laboratory-based research, >3% loss of body weight is linked to reduced performance. In real-life, many athletes perform well at higher levels of dehydration. Their motivation to win over-rides the effects of being under-hydrated and lessens its negative impact. But the question remains unanswered: Could underhydrated athletes have performed even better if they were better hydrated? 
    • If you think a sports supplement will take you to the winner's circle, think again. So-called ergogenic aids are only for athletes who first have optimized their daily sports diet. No amount of supplementation will compensate for a poor sports diet. 
    • That said, some supplements might enhance performance. These include:
      • Creatine monohydrate. Supplements have been shown to increase muscle creatine stores by ~20% and can help you do more repeated sprints. Creatine supplements can be particularly helpful for vegetarians, given dietary creatine is found primarily in meat. NOTE: Sporting organizations tend to discourage the use of creatine in younger athletes, not because it will harm them, but because they have yet to learn what their bodies can do naturally. Youth athletes should focus on improving skills more than on taking supplements. 
      • Caffeine can reduce the perception of pain, effort, and fatigue—even in athletes who regularly drink coffee. You can consume caffeine via gels, caffeinated energy bars, pre-workout supplements, tablets, and of course, coffee. The problem with coffee is the caffeine content is highly variable, making it hard to define a specific dose. The "best" dose varies from athlete to athlete. 
      • Simply rinsing your mouth with a sugar solution (then spitting it out) stimulates reward centers in the brain, allowing you to work harder, perform better. Sugar doesn't need to be absorbed into the body to offer benefits. 
      • Menthol-containing mouth-rinses every 5-10 minutes during prolonged exercise in the heat can allow athletes to feel cooler, work harder, and run faster. But be careful. If you feel cooler—but actually are not, you might over-exert yourself and end up hurting your performance in the long run. 
      • Anti-cramping agents such as pickle juice, capsaicin, cinnamon, ginger, or hot or spicy tastes may “distract” the nerves involved with the cramping muscle and may reduce the risk/severity of a muscle cramp. (More research is needed.)

    The bottom line "Wise Fueling" strategies can help get you to the winners' circle. If you are struggling to find an effective fueling plan that supports your athletic goals, consult with an RD, CSSD. Sports dietitians can teach you how to eat to win!

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

    Reference: Burke , L.M. Nutritional approaches to counter performance constraints in high-level sports competition. Experimental Physiology 106 (12):2304-2323 (open access)

    Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD March 2024

  • Ride Leaders Corner

    2024-03-02 11:01 AM | Anonymous

    By Barbara Jacobs

    Ride Leaders Corner includes updates and information for current Ride Leaders.

    • Have you received your "socks"?  2023 Ride Leader gifts were handed out to ride leaders at the Thank You event in November.  If you haven't received your socks and want them, please contact the VP of Rides. 

    • Did you know that you can take attendance at your ride using the Wild Apricot Admin App?  Just download the Admin App to your phone and when you bring up your ride, there is a registration list tab.  Choose this and a listing of all the people who have signed up for your ride will be there.  Click on the circle next to the name (do not click on the name) and  the registrant is checked in.

         Get the Admin App for Apple phones here.

         Get the Admin App for Android phones here.

    • New Instructions for setting up a Ride Event and Recurring Rides are now posted on the Website.  

        If you want to set up a "Single Ride Event" use the following instructions. 

        If you want to set up a "Recurring Ride" use the following instructions.


  • Tech Tips

    2024-03-01 8:02 PM | Anonymous

    By Barbara Jacobs

    It is almost a year since we introduced the new CRW Website.  Things are moving along with its implementation, with new items being updated or added regularly.  Here are some tips to help you use the website and the Mobile App for Members.

    Mobile App for Members: The easiest way to register for a ride is through the Wild Apricot Mobile App for Members.  

         Get the Member App for Apple phones here.

         Get the Member App for Android phones here.

    Completing your ride/event registration: When you register for a ride or an event, you need to make sure you complete the registration process. You must click on the Confirm button, and the next screen actually confirms that you are registered.         

    You will then get a confirmation email with the Ride Description and details.  The day before the ride/event, you will get a reminder email about the ride/event.

    Password Problems: The current CRW Website uses your email address as your Username. The password is not the same one that you used on the old site.  

    If you are having a problem logging in to the website.  Try the following:

    • Restart your computer
    • Close and reopen browser window
    • Try a different browser
    • Delete autofill username and password and type these in manually
    • Review the directions to log on by email, Facebook or Goggle below the login area.
    • Click on the "Forgot Password" button.  Wild Apricot will send a link to your email address connected to your CRW account.  Reset your password.
    • Use the Wild Apricot help located here:
    https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/22-passwords

    https://gethelp.wildapricot.com/en/articles/1710

    • Finally, if none of these work, fill out the "Contact Us" form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.




  • Riding Forward: A Month of Momentum with CRW

    2024-02-29 10:30 PM | Randolph Williams Admin (Administrator)

    As spring approaches, bringing with it longer days and warmer rides, we're excited to share the latest happenings and upcoming events for the Charles River Wheelers community. This month’s WheelPeople includes information on Century plans, the Winter Challenge, a unique online gathering to kick off the season, a special ride honoring International Women’s Day, and other club news. CRW continues to thrive thanks to all our members' enthusiasm, commitment, and spirit. Here's a look at what's rolling this month:

    Celebrating Our Centuries

    Dates have been announced for our signature Century Rides! These landmark events test our endurance and celebrate our collective spirit and passion for cycling. Stay tuned for more details and start gearing up for experiences as rewarding as they are challenging.

    ❄️ Winter Challenge Updates

    As our Winter Challenge draws to a close on March 15th, we're eager to update you on the progress and announce the hard-earned winners. Your dedication has been the fuel that keeps our wheels spinning through the cold. Let's push through to the finish line together!

    Attend Our 2024 CRW Season Preview, March 20

    Save this date! We invite you to a special online meeting on March 19th. We will share plans for the upcoming season, showcase our various ride programs, and highlight volunteer opportunities. Join us for a night of fun, inspiration, and community building.

    International Women's Day Ride, March 8

    Mark your calendars for March 8th as we honor International Women's Day with a special Women’s/Nonbinary Program ride. Open to women, nonbinary, and female-identifying riders, it's a chance to celebrate the achievements of women around the globe and within our community.

    Let's Ride Into Spring!

    As we pedal into this vibrant season, let's carry forward the momentum, joy, and unity that define us as Charles River Wheelers. Every ride is an opportunity to explore, connect, and grow. Here's to many more miles and smiles ahead. Keep spinning, WheelPeople!


  • CRW is Looking for New Ride Leaders

    2024-02-29 3:15 PM | Barbara Jacobs (Administrator)

    The weather is improving, and as I travel around, I see more and more people on bicycles.  This leads me to think about all the rides that CRW offers to its members. Last year CRW offered over 500 rides - with 365 days in the year, that means some days there was more than 1 ride offered.

    Can we do more in 2024?  I think we can....

    Feedback from the 2024 Member Survey showed that members want more weekend rides. Please consider helping us reach this goal by becoming a ride leader!

    On March 28, 2024 the Ride Committee will be offering a Ride Leader Training from 7:30 - 9:00 PM.  This training is usually about 1.5 hours, is presented virtually, and presents information on: How to become a ride leader, Ride Management, Safety, Route Selection, and so much more.

    Please join the ranks of Ride Leaders - we need you.

    Registration opens on March 4th and will be announced in the ChainLink.

  • Announcing the 2024 CRW Century Series

    2024-02-28 12:39 PM | Anonymous

    By Erik D'entremont

    The CRW 2024 Centuries are currently being planned and will provide the same great riding experience to our CRW members this year. Riders last year might have noticed some new featured water stop sponsors: The New England Classic Charity Bike Tours at Georgetown, The NEC 550 at Mt. Wachusett, and Friends of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail, as well as many new CRW volunteers!

    We appreciate all of our volunteers who make centuries possible and welcome more. Thank you CRW volunteers, you rocked it! 

    We intend to continue with these great folks and add more, with a new dedicated SAG from Bikes not Bombs at all our centuries.

    In addition, CRW riders were rewarded with new cool CRW century sprockets for finishers of any of the routes in the series. We also hope to develop some new routes including a gravel option and a 30-35 mile route to one or more of our century rides.

    Here is our 2024 century series which you will be able to register for using our cool CRW app or on the CRW website (as the registration process opens, it will be announced in the ChainLink).

    The North to New  Hampshire Century (N2NH) on  May 19th starting at the Wakefield High School or Technical School. The spring flat century will have several routes to get you ready for all your summer century rides. 

    We plan to run a fully-supported event with 3 beautiful routes, 100 miles, 62 miles, and 50 miles. You will enjoy food and drink at rest stops along the route at American Legion Park Georgetown, Shanahan Park Groveland, and Sawyer Park Kensington NH. There will be an After-Ride Party at Wakefield High School from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. How about that Hearth Pizza last year, yummy!

    The Climbs to the Clouds (CTTC) on August 11 will test your biking abilities with lots of climbing and a climb up Mt. Wachusett.  This Devo semi-supported ride will have 2 beautiful routes, 100 miles and 63 miles. 

    The CTTC hilly rides will climb up Mt. Wachusett for those wanting a challenge. There will be unsupported rest stops including Berlin Orchards and at the base of Mt. Wachusett. Come climb Massachusetts iconic mountain with views of New England. Of course we expect it to rain; would it be fun without it?

    The Cranberry Harvest Century (CHC) on October 13th our fall classic in Plymouth MA with beautiful routes passing cranberry bogs to Mattapoisett and back. 

     Come join us for another fully-supported event with 4 beautiful rides, 100 miles, 62 miles, 53 miles, and new 35 mile route. The CHC captures some of the most charming roads in New England. It is also relatively flat and very manageable for riders of all abilities. All rides start at Myles Standish State Park in Plymouth and travel through the cranberry bogs in Rochester, Wareham, Carver, and Acushnet.

    Rides include rest stops at Eastover, Tamarak, and on the beautiful wharf in Mattapoisett. You will enjoy food and drink at rest stops along the route and after party at College Pond at the finish. We will rock out by the pond with sandwiches, pickles and beverages while enjoying the view of College Pond. 

    So there you have it, another great year of centuries is coming up, register early and volunteer. We appreciate and look forward to seeing you at our centuries.

    Cheers from the Century Committee,

    Erik D'Entremont and Mark Nardone



  • 2024 Winter Ride Challenge Update

    2024-02-28 12:33 PM | Anonymous

    By John O'Dowd

    It’s done. The numbers are in. The 2024 Winter Ride Challenge is now part of CRW history. Sixty-nine members rode their bikes from December 15th through March 15th .

    The results are:

    Racers: 14 (includes three whose hours on the 15th didn’t get onto the leaderboard)

    Weekend Warriors: 13

    Recreationalists: 18

    Participants: 24

    The top scores (hours) for each of the categories were:

    Racers:

    Pamela Blalock - 203.25

    Nickolas Linsky – 168

    Nick Lepeshkin – 155

    Weekend Warriors:

    Robert Herold – 91.77

    Jim Iannone – 78

    Sunny Statsny – 76.97

    Recreationalists:

    Amy Juodawlkis – 49.65

    Guillermo Munoz – 48.96

    Clyde Kessel – 45.8

    Participants:

    Lisa O’Connor – 24

    Riccardo Mazzolini – 22.5

    Jack Vinson – 20.93

    Raffle Winners were:

    Racers (CRW gloves): Beth Rosenzweig, Doug Cornelius, Harold Hatch, Nickolas Linsky, and Nick Lepeshkin

    Warriors (lights): David Wilson, Erik Sobel, Larry Kernan, Mike Laurin, and Sunny Stastny

    Recreationalists (ear buds): Guillermo Munoz, Jeanne Peihl, Jenna Maurer, Joan Sarles, and Randolph Williams

    Participants (inner tubes): Ron Molin, Sylvia Lustig, Michael Weintraub, Susan Linz, and Lynne O’Riorden

    Raffles winners were selected using a highly sophisticated, state of the art random number generator operated by highly trained Ed Cheng. Special thanks to Randolph Williams (President) and Amy Juodawlkis (Executive VP) for providing technical support and crowd control, and Harold Hatch (Devo ride leader) who came up with the whole idea.

    We had a nice little post challenge get together at the Mighty Squirrel on St. Patrick’s day where winners received their prizes and were served drinks and appetizers.

    Keep in shape this season so you will be ready to take on next winter’s challenge!



  • Women’s/Nonbinary Program Hosting Ride on International Women’s Day

    2024-02-28 12:32 PM | Anonymous

    By Amy Juodawlkis

    The CRW Women’s/Nonbinary Program is happy to announce it is hosting a ride on International Women’s Day, on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 6:30 AM.

    International Women’s Day is “a day of collective global activism and celebration that belongs to all those committed to forging women’s equality” (source: IWD website). The day is commemorated in many ways around the world, from conferences and luncheons to online dancing and fun runs. This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “Inspire Inclusion.” Organizations and groups are encouraged to find ways to “…ensure the needs, interests, and aspirations of women and girls are valued and included.”

    The Women’s/Nonbinary Program’s goal is to invite more women, nonbinary, and female-identifying folks onto the road, foster connection with other women in the club, and act as an on-ramp to co-ed areas of the club. Its co-leads are Robyn Betts and Amy Juodawlkis.

    “International Women’s Day falls on a Friday this year, so it is a no-brainer to pair it with our program’s Friday AM social ride, the Praline Croissant,” said Amy Juodawlkis. “To celebrate International Women’s Day, we will host a coffee stop at the end of the ride.” 

    Leaving from the Minuteman Bikeway terminus at Alewife in Cambridge, the Praline Croissant is a weekly, 19-mi no-drop ride with 600 ft of climbing. This weekday ride leaves at 6:30 AM, and is open to women, nonbinary, and female-identifying riders. The pace is 13-16 mph, and leaders pause in set locations to keep the group together. Though urban in nature, it is a lovely route, passing through seven towns, and past Spy Pond, Horn Pond, and the Mystic Lakes. ***Breaking: We are actively looking to also schedule a similar weekend ride open to everyone. Watch ChainLink and the Calendar for more information.***

    “Our ride on March 8 is a chance to ride in solidarity with International Women’s Day, and to elevate women’s participation, growth, and empowerment in cycling,” said Robyn Betts. “We hope to see a great turnout for this event.”

  • Look For Warm Days - A Poem

    2024-02-28 12:31 PM | Anonymous

    By Eli Post

    March offers intermediate warm days

    And if you ride, you get praise 


    It may be before the season 

    But it's not for us to reason

    The need to be out and play

    Alongside a snowy sleigh 

    A short ride on a warm day will be ok

    You might even shout out "Hooray!"


    As you conquer the open road 

    And have a story that can be told 

    We strive to come up with advice we can provide 

    But we hope you enjoy your ride 


    And credit us for this poem, so

    The biking world will show 

    That we are in the know 

    When you reach a new plateau 


    We will have more to say in April

    When we plan to be more wakeful 


  • Our 3rd Annual Spring Swap Meet & Rides is coming on May 5th!

    2024-02-28 12:27 PM | Anonymous

    By Jerry Skurla

    The days are getting longer and temps are getting warmer, but Spring is still a month or two away.  Start your Spring Cleaning early and look through your basement, garage, and shed for items for CRW's 3rd Annual Spring Swap Meet & Rides on Sunday, May 5th!

    Just use the checklist list below to identify stuff you no longer need or want:

    • Complete bikes, frames, wheels, and tires 
    • Components, parts, accessories, and tools
    • Car racks, travel cases, bike racks, and bike bags
    • Clothing including shoes, jerseys, hats, and jackets

    Like last year, there will be "free stuff" tables to give away items, and find free gems for yourself. You can also sell your stuff and buy from others. Everyone wins!

      

    There will be two rides in the morning, followed by the Swap Meet in the afternoon, so it's also a great opportunity to get in early season miles.  The location is Harrington Elementary School, 328 Lowell St, Lexington, MA.

    Please write comments below with any questions.



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