Here's something to keep in mind if you're having trouble dropping fat. I'm not going to provide research links or other resources, you're own your own to verify the truth of this.

Your body's response to carbohydrates is to release insulin. The "message" of insulin is "store fat" (increased esterification of fatty acids).

Your body's response to fat is to release glucagon. The "message" of glucagon is "release fat" thru lipolysis.

A very common problem with weight loss efforts is not eating enough (healthy) fats.

Haha! As long as it doesn't lead to a nasty case of luposlipaphobia!

Tim I'm going to be 52 yrs old this year and I have never had to work so hard at keeping my weight down,this year I had to start doing a few extra things. 1 I stoped drinking "diet cokes" all day long, I only drink them now when ever Susie & I go out. 2 I started watching the faty things, good and bad ones. 3 Breads I try not to eat the breads made with flour. ( it's sprouted grains that we eat now) and I also try not to eat as much on days I'm just working and not riding & running.I also cut way back on processed foods becuse it makes our livers work harder it has to do extra work and then it can't do what it is ment/suppose to do it get over worked.

All has been going well up till last week when I got sick,I was about a month ahead on my logging brush clearing. Now I have taken a few steeps back but we all do from time to time. God sometimes has to grab me by my feet and hold me upside down and shake me till everything form this world is out of my head (like kids,dogs,working,biking,bike racing, Susie, Mom, Crurch, ecd).and he says Dean! no! I want you to go this way.

Three cheers for "over eating" -- Hip-hip-hooray! OK, so it wasn't really over eating, but it felt like it. For example, yesterday, after riding a hard 30 miles to work, I ate a bowl of oatmeal with my Recoverite for breakfast; a hamburger AND a Jimmy John's sub for lunch [yes, I was THAT hungry] and then a decent supper. AND I still lost some weight. Granted, not that much, but considering I felt like I over-ate all last week on vacation and really fed myself since getting home [and putting on 70 miles in two days] I will take any loss I can get.

Thanks Geoff, Hawk, Dino, and even JB [and others] for some descent advice on loosing weight while training and general encouragment.

Weigh in = minus one pound to 199.5

Good to hear, just keep the calories in the 500-1000 a day deficit and you will be fine.

Two questions for all of you training/nutritional experts out there:

1. Late in the day race [Opus] -- what and when do I eat for that? Do I anticipate how many calories I am going to burn and fill up during the day? Wouldn't that be counter-productive to race with the tank on FULL and carry some potential "extra wieght"?
2. Race Tuesday, race Saturday -- how to plan my training for the week? Thinking of riding to work [mellow] Monday, race Tuesday night, Wednesday off, Thursday trainer ride [moderate], Friday off or a mellow ride. Will that get me where I want to be?

As always, any help would be encouraged.

Tim

What have you done with the Tim Turnquist I have grown to love and adore?! This sounds like a good training plan for race week. What - no century the Friday before Durrand (like riding to State several years ago)? Or the mantra of "I need miles!". I want my friend back!

Gerbs,
You make me laugh. I do plan to ride from my house to Opus, but since that is only a handful of miles it is not in the same category as riding to Sibley County.

Due to the 45mph gusts this morning, I decided not to bike in today, but rode the trainer for 20 minutes pretty mellow. Already (30+ hours before race time) I am itching to ride HARD, so by tomorrow night I should be one tightly wound bundle of nervous energy and pent angst. I may have changed my training plan, but my race plan is still the same as always -- have the fasted split on Lap #2 -- [I am mostly kidding about that]

Wait, the way I read that makes me think Opus starts tomorrow? Seriously? Wow, I am just out of touch. Too much CrossFit, not enough biking!

I think I can be there camera in hand tomorrow. That's a bit less commitment than Durand (for which I am inclined to tag along as well.)

Yes, you read that correctly. Opi [plural for Opus?] racing starts tomorrow. From what I have heard, there will be sparse TC.IC3 participation, but you never know with this group. I am racing the Cat4 race at 6:15.

I still want to know what you did with my friend!!!!!!!

Tim,

Both Adam and I will be there tonight to join you at Opus. It sounds like your training plan for the week looks good. For me, taking it too easy during race weeks nearly always results in dead legs. Regarding nutrition, I would probably just suggest avoiding the lunch as pictured in post #6290 or a race-day breakfast of carmel rolls even though Boo may say otherwise.

Cory,
Very cool. I look forward to working for you guys as best I can. I half expect Robo to show too, but he has not full committed [as usual].

Thanks for the training/nutrition advice. Was thinking more Subway for lunch than the picture you note and have no interest in a Boo-type b-fast.

As for going too easy, I have never had to worry about that before, but that is a consideration. I am looking to "escort" Gerber back to his car in Long Lake tonight as a "cool-down" so I will get a few miles in after all. Anyone who wants to join me for that is welcome to tag along, but bring a light since I don't plan on being home until late. I don't know how many more miles I can get in before Saturday since things are pretty busy with kid stuff.

See ya tonight!!

Okay here is what I would suggest for racing this weekend. Tonight is great to hit Opus, I would recommend sitting in and getting used to race pace as it has been a while. Concentrate on being in the top 10-15 at all times, don't play sweeper and don't do work on the front. Plan to be in the front for the whole race and this will help you later in the season and it will keep you alert and ready to pounce when the inevitable moves go. So, sit wait do not initiate! You will have a good race and if you race accordingly should end up top 20 (unless you sprint). If you do want to sprint take the right side. Everyone always crowds the left side of the road and leaves the right side open. Peel out to the right if you want to sprint and you will have an open lane.

Spin 20-30 minutes on the trainer Wednesday morning or evening to speed recovery. Eat a bunch on Wednesday and drink a ton of water. Have a glass of wine with dinner and get a good nights sleep.

Thursday repeat.

Friday you need to do some openers. Give yourself 60 minutes and do something like this:

15 min warm up
10 minute tempo
5 minute recovery
10 minute tempo
5 minute recovery
5 minute VO2max effort (hard effort, start steady and ramp up)
10 minute warm down

You need to get your body ready for the efforts on Saturday and taking the day off is a really bad idea, your body will go into recovery mode and that is not a good thing before a race.

Eat well, keep the calories in line with what we have talked about and get some good sleep. Remember training is nothing if you don't recovery properly.

I am not going to make it this weekend, too much on the "honey do" list.

And above all else remember have FUN, and race to please God not yourself.

Geoff

So, sit wait do not initiate!

Geoff<

You must not our Tim too well. Sit, wait, and do not, are not in his vocabulary. But I promise as I cheer him on tonight I will scream that every time he comes by. Maybe the laughter will slow him down early and keep him in the pack.

Gerbinator wrote:


Pretty sure we should be watching for him to make his move on lap 2 and take the (lack of) points there. Go Timmy!!

Actually, Geoff, that same line made me chuckle too, only for a different reason -- I have never finished with the pack in any race I have ever done. Ever. I am a Cat4 now by mistake -- I was showing someone how to go about requesting a promotion and never thought they would let me have Cat4 status -- but they did. The closest to finishing with the peloton was the last Opus of 2009 when I was with the pack through 8 laps, then blew up on lap 9 and finished 10 seconds off the back.

Anyway, I have two goals for the race tonight -- to hang with the pack through the first sprint [points are offered every 3 laps]; and to finish the race without getting lapped. Getting lapped is the worst, but happens far too often for me. Next week, I would like to go through the second sprint [lap 6] and the third week I want to finish with the pack. Anything more than that is gravy -- so if I find myself around after lap 3 I may blow myself up on lap 4 just cause it would be new [and as Gerber so observantly noted, that is my normal MO].

I feel in pretty good condition, but have also noticed that everyone else is in good condition as well. What I DO have going for me is that most of the really good Cat4's have advanced to Cat3 this year, so many of the "usual Cat4 suspects" are racing after me, not with me.

Geoff,
Hawk is referring to the 2009 season when I never got beat on the second lap. It was a stupid lap to win, since there were no points, but I was happy to "win" something every single week.

Calling all wives and kids to be at Opus tonight to enjoy beautiful spring weather and to cheer as the dads in orange race on by!
(And we can also yell for that fast Cat 2 guy who rides for Balance as he used to be one of us

I see. That is your first mistake, getting dropped before the race even starts. I can't emphasize enough about a positive attitude going into a race. Yes you may get dropped, but if you think you will before the race then you will for sure be dropped without a doubt. Getting yourself into the frame of mind that you will finish with the pack, and truly believe it will make it a reality. I know you know this, but it is essential to bike racing. Racing is hard, it is supposed to be hard. But if you go into the race with negative thoughts when your legs are screaming you will give yourself an out and quit. Don't be a quitter, don't loose before you line up. I am dead serious, you will finish with the pack and your life depends on it, never ever give up especially BEFORE the race even starts!

You are a bike racer, be a bike racer and race for the win! And the win can be just finishing with the pack.

I will get off my soap box now, but go into the race expecting to win and you will dig deeper than you can imagine.

GO GO GO GO !!!!!!!!!!

Hey Trailman, you have the gift of encouragment. We have just the outfit for you...
Would you look decent at Opus tonight wearing an orange pleated skirt while brandishing pom-poms? Don't think I'm kidding; just ask the Gerbinator. He asked to take his skirt home.
Seeing that I just invited children to the event I suppose you'd better not.

I do have really nice legs...

And I have some experience with the cheer leading, in high school I was a cheerleader during the annual powder puff game...TMI?

I like that Geoff doesn't give up on giving Tim advice. And I think Tim is actually listening! I totally agree with the fight to stay in the top 10-15 approach. If you are farther back my experience is your chances to get dropped increase significantly. While being near the front is very difficult, any accordian effect is magnified the farther back you are. And then you don't get the chance to lead out Cory. oh wait, he always finished in front of me.

My only contention with Geoff's training advice is the timing of the wine before a good night sleep. A glass of wine w/dinner usually means my sleep wants to start about 8:00. Then the 8-9 period just means groggy dad turns crabby dad putting the kids to bed. So I advise slide the wine timing an hour or two and then get the good night sleep.

Trailie,
As much as I agree with Jeannie about your gift of encouragement, please do not wear the skirt. Gerbs will be in attendance and what we observed at Spring Training indicates that there could be some issues if you did .

I have been running through the entire Facing the Giants movie in my head all morning -- from the motivating "Death Crawl" scene to the inspirational speeches of Coach Taylor to the "Defeatist Attitude" of young David the kicker. Yup, I am in there somewhere in the movie. Maybe everywhere.

Tonight will tell a lot about what kind of racer I will be this year, but I take comfort that it will not be the full story, nor the final word. In the words of Brock Kelly: "I will give it my VERY best!"