A reminder to all Masters after a long winter on the trainer in the basement

When temperatures and weather allow; time to expose some skin. Carefully.

Plan D

An estimated 1 billion people worldwide, across all ethnicities and age groups, have a vitamin D deficiency.

Emerging research supports the possible role of vitamin D in protecting against cancer, heart disease, fractures and falls, autoimmune diseases, influenza, type 2 diabetes, and depression. Many health care providers have increased their recommendations for vitamin D supplementation to at least 1,000 IU.

The best evidence for the possible role of vitamin D in protecting against cancer comes from colorectal cancer studies. Evidence also is strong for the potential role of vitamin D in preventing fractures and falls.

Exhibit some skin, carefully and gradually as the temperatures allow.

And this pertinent Warning to all cyclists:

Helium Deaths

Although the US federal government does not currently collect statistics on deaths from helium huffing, the state of Florida does. They report that in 2010, approximately 20% of the 38 inhalant deaths in the state involved helium.

Helium may be used

According to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC), huffing helium can cut off oxygen supply or can cause an embolism if a person inhales too deeply. In addition, pressurized tank gas can cause lungs to rupture.

More information on inhalants is available on the Web sites of NIDA, ONDCP, and the NIPC.

Make your tires squeal, not your voice squeak.

Mavic and Ridley say; you should ride Heliums, not suck them.

For the typical Masters distance events:

24 healthy males exercised until exhaustion at 70 percent of their VO2maximum in cool conditions (10 degrees C) and 60 percent of their VO2max in a warm environment (30 degrees C). They took drinks containing 0 percent, 2 percent, 4 percent or 6 percent sugar immediately before exercise and every 10 minutes during exercise. With a rise in sugar concentration from 0 percent to 6 percent, they had greater endurance and were able to exercise longer.

So sweet

In races over 90 minutes, drinks should contain about 8 percent sugar as this is also a concentration of sugar that tastes good. Indeed, most sugared soft drinks, fruit juices and most exercise drinks contain 8 percent sugar.

The important point, however, is this: sugar-sweetened drinks are beneficial DURING the race.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, February, 2012

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Sorry, folks.

As Admins, there is nothing we can do about this:

The Editor-in-Chief has refused any posting or submissions today.

He is a very serious character.

And he believes that nothing will be taken seriously enough on this date.

He rejects the juvenile and frivolous nature of reporting on April 1^st.

Nothing new, not particularly exciting, but side-by-side announcement makes for good illustration.

Every reader is encouraged to interpret the implications for a climber vs. a sprinter.

Chocoholics and Climbers unite:

March 26, 2012 — A recent study showed that frequent chocolate consumption was associated with lower body mass index (BMI), even when adjusting for calorie intake, saturated fat intake, and mood.

Cycling chocolate

“The connection of higher chocolate consumption frequency to lower BMI is opposite to

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This is still the month of March.
Every time the UCI, cycling’s international governing body, issues any bulletin, it forces us to double check if it is April 1st.

Items below are indeed part of new competition regulations.
For our races; don’t worry, however.
Due to the impact on BCMCA members, your association has already applied for wholesale exemption.

Courtesy road.cc here are some recent UCI additions:

Detachable helmet covers are outlawed.
Camelbak or similar hydration equipment it must be worn on the back, not the chest.
Socks must be no higher than the mid-point between the ankle and the knee.

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Please see Part I for reference to Obree’s fondness for his kitchen.

Also Part II for note about Battle Mountain, NV for HPV World Record attempt

Then spend just over 5 minutes watching a Humaninvent video giving you a morale boost to ride over 5 minutes faster in your next racing adventure.

The Obree Way