Intervals: Why Do We Use Them?

By Stephen McGregor, PhD, PCG Master Coach

When I was a wee lad, I played soccer in high school. My coach at the time was a conditioning freak and used to make us run intervals. A lot. We did Indian runs or suicides or half-mile intervals, etc. We ran as hard as we could until we thought we were going to puke. Between drills my teammates and I cursed the coach and asked ourselves, “Why are we doing these?” We never really got a satisfactory answer, so we just kept on doing what we were told.

Later I became interested in cycling, and when I learned about the training for this sport, to my horror I found that many coaches recommended intervals in cycling, as well. Again I asked myself, “Why are we doing these?”

Most coaches prescribe intervals, and many athletes perform intervals, but it’s often not clear why. In particular, the athlete may not be aware of the intended objective of the interval training and may just be “doing what I’m told.” Is the goal of performing intervals simply to make the athlete tougher and more resilient? Are they simply being done to mimic the high-intensity repeated efforts of racing, or are there specific physiological adaptations sought after by using intervals in training? Is there more to performing intervals than just being able to go “as hard as you can” for two, five, or ten minutes? Are some intervals better than others (i.e., is there a reason to perform two-minute intervals over ten-minute intervals)?

This may seem like a lot of questions, but they should be addressed before a coach or an athlete embarks on a period of interval training. By addressing the ultimate objective of the interval training approach, the athlete may be more likely to give everything required in the efforts. Further, consideration of the intervals being used and how they relate to racing objectives may help eliminate potentially irrelevant training approaches.

Exercise physiology tells us there are three primary principles of training: specificity, overload, and reversibility. Intervals can be used to address the first principle by mimicking the demands of a particular event. This may be the most common reason most athletes perform intervals. For example, if an athlete is training for the pursuit on the track and it’s anticipated that the event will require a five-minute all-out effort, in preparation the athlete may perform five-min intervals. In this case, though, the training is being used for a very tangible purpose. The athlete can clearly see that he’ll need to go as hard as he can for five minutes, so therefore he will train as hard as he can for five minutes.

The second principle, overload, can also be addressed through the use of intervals. If an athlete needs to perform sustainable efforts of ten minutes within the context of her event, she can perform efforts in a progressive overload fashion that builds from five, six, seven, and up to ten minutes or more in duration. Using intervals, progressive overload of duration (or even power if using power meter) can be applied in a very specific manner.

Finally, the third principle can be addressed by not performing intervals. To paraphrase one of my graduate professors, use it or lose it, baby!

Another less tangible way to use intervals is to not necessarily address specific effort durations of an upcoming event, but within the larger context of the overall training program target specific physiological adaptations that will result in improved performance at a later date. In this, I mean that certain intervals can be used to specifically target adaptations resulting in improved VO2max, whereas others may be more likely to elicit adaptations to the lactate threshold. Moreover, certain intervals are effective at raising one’s anaerobic capacity or neuromuscular fitness. As we all should be aware, the long-term goals of most competitive cyclists should be to raise their VO2max, LT power, and, for some disciplines, anaerobic capacity and neuromuscular fitness. Once these objectives have been attained, the specific needs of a given event may be targeted.

It is not simply the duration of a given interval that results in such adaptations, but also the manner in which the interval is performed at a given intensity. In other words, an interval may not need to be performed “as hard as you can” to target the desired adaptation. It may be better to perform at a given percentage of VO2max for a given duration (neither of which may be maximal), which induces an overload that’s not unduly stressful. Also, depending on how an interval is performed for a given duration—say, three minutes—the adaptation may be more anaerobic or aerobic, and vice versa; not all three-minute intervals are created equal.

Therefore, knowledge of the physiological responses of various interval approaches will provide coaches and athletes with information to most effectively use intervals to target not only specific needs of a given event, but also the physiological adaptations that will ultimately result in improvement as a cyclist. Athletes should not be asking themselves, “Why am I doing these?” but rather stating emphatically, “I am using these intervals to improve my _________.”

Power-to-Weight Story: Len Adams

By Tim Cusick, PCG President and Elite Coach

Power-to-weight (P/W) is nothing more than a fraction based on two variables: cycling power (measured in watts) and weight (measured in kilograms). The purpose in determining and tracking one’s P/W is to maximize its value relative to a specific task (such as climbing). This can be done in one (or a combination) of two ways: 1) increase power (numerator) or 2) decrease weight (denominator).

As an athlete and coach, I have experience in manipulating this ratio according to both variables in order to track performance improvements. When Len Adams first started training with PCG he was able to produce a steady state effort (max 20-minute effort) of 165 watts with a body weight of 100 kilograms, therefore producing a P/W of 1.7 watts/kilogram. This number is typical of an untrained cyclist and probably would represent about 80% of the non-training public. Len’s goals were to get in shape, lose 40 pounds, and complete a large event like the Pinarello Cycling marathon in Italy.

Len was put on a twelve-month plan of training and nutrition specifically related to his fitness needs and metabolic rate, and we measured results over the course of the year in three-month increments. Len is a disciplined athlete; he followed workouts diligently, improved through the first three quarters, and is on track to improve in the final quarter leading up to the Pinarello event. Here is a summary of his results:

As you can see, Len has made massive improvement in his power/weight ratio, improving his watts/kilogram from 1.7 watts/kilo to 3.6 watts/kilo in only a little over nine months. This came from a combined effort of increasing overall power output while losing weight. Len’s ability to focus on quality nutrition and weight loss while training hard was the key to his success and led to massive improvement over the initial nine months:

So what does this much improvement mean? Len’s initial P/W suggested that he would not be able to complete the Pinarello Cycling Marathon. The demands of the event and speed of the other riders probably would have been too much for him to complete with a P/W ratio of 1.7 watts/kilo. However, when Len completes his prep training he will have roughly a P/W ratio of 4.0 watts/kilo (140% improvement), which will not only allow him to finish the event but also indicates that he now has the fitness and ability to finish within the top 33% of all riders. A very nice improvement in twelve months! Here are his actual numbers:

Way to go, Len!

Len Adams (on left), sprint day at Camp Blue Ridge, 165 lbs!

Tim Cusick and Peaks Coaching Group specialize in personal coaching through power training utilizing a proprietary system to maximize results through the careful training and tracking of P/W. Our systems blend increasing power while decreasing body weight (if necessary) to help maximize our athletes’ success. PCG also offers sports nutritional services, training plans, and consulting. Whether you’re training for a cycling marathon, a Gran Fondo, a National title, or a local time trial, a PCG coach will help you achieve your goal!

Contact Kathy Watts (kathy@peakscoachinggroup.com) to learn more about coaching and how our process works, or click www.peakscoachinggroup.com for general information.

The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown
By: Anne Guzman, PCG Nutritionist


It’s RACE DAY. It’s 90 minutes to race time and you ate your breakfast 1-2 hours ago (allowing 3-4 hours post breakfast for digestion). You've been following a sound nutrition plan and you have rested and fueled properly in the last 48 hours to assure your glycogen reserves are full. So what to do in the last 90 minutes before go time?

With 90 minutes to go you should be mainly focused on hydration, carbohydrate intake, caffeine and beet juice. Now is not the time to eat high fat or high protein foods as they take more time to empty out of your stomach and won’t serve you during your event. The focus would be on easy to digest carbohydrate-based foods or sports drinks, depending on your preference. 

Let’s look at each one individually, starting with hydration.

Ideally you have been hydrating daily and leading into the event you have been paying special attention to sodium intake by lightly salting your food. Because there is a wide variability in individual sweat rates as well as many factors that affect hydration such as altitude, duration and intensity of workout, heat and humidity, it’s almost impossible to provide specific guidelines of how much fluid athletes should consume. 

So let’s review some methods of assessing hydration going into an event that we can all use: 

• • Urinating large amounts of light colored diluted urine is a good sign that you are quite hydrated. Urine color can be affected by B vitamins, some vegetables (asparagus) and beet juice, so is not the only indicator of hydration if you are ingesting any of these.
  
• • You should know your consistent baseline body weight pre and post workout. Dropping weight means you need to rehydrate and drink a bit more and finishing a ride heavier may mean you are drinking too much.
• • The American College of Sports Medicine recommends implementing a hydration plan that prevents excessive dehydration (over 2% body weight loss from your baseline weight). Going into an event it’s normal to be heavier than your baseline since you have topped up your carbohydrate stores.
• • Every gram of carbohydrate is stored with approximately 3 grams of water, which means if you store an extra 100 g (400 calories) of carbohydrates it will result in a weight gain of approximately 0.4 kg (1 lb for the American crew).

Do a few “mock race” weekends and test a few customized fluid plans. Don’t wait until race day to experiment. Perhaps you try 2 hours pre “mock race” drinking 500ml (16oz) - 750ml (24oz) of water and 1 hour pre-mock race another 250ml (8oz) - 500ml (16oz) of water. It’s OK to start a race with a bit of a distended belly from fluid, just practice this in training first. It’s like having another bottle in your pocket; instead it’s in your belly.

Carbohydrates Pre Race
The majority of studies have shown either unchanged or enhanced endurance exercise performance after eating carbohydrates in the hours leading up to exercise. These same studies have not shown detrimental outcomes in performance due to pre-exercise carbohydrate intake. The choice is individual. Test out a routine and see if it feels good for you to eat in the last hour pre-event.

Once you have eaten your breakfast 3-4 hours before your event, it’s possible that you may begin to get a bit hungry within 90 minutes of your race time. This is when your fuel choice should be mainly carbohydrates. 

Although your breakfast will increase the carbohydrate availability in your muscles and liver, this last pre-event snack will work mainly to affect liver glycogen and increase the delivery of carbohydrates to the muscles during exercise. Low fat, lower fiber carbohydrates will be the easiest to digest and will empty out of your stomach relatively quickly. Such examples are sports drinks, potatoes, rice bars, Fig Newman not Newton cookies (it’s the organic version of the original! No corn syrup!), bananas, dates, bread with jam or juices.

A few studies have looked at the timing of carbohydrate ingestion and plasma glucose concentrations. The general outcome seems to be that although your plasma glucose is higher if you snack 15 min pre event vs. 45 or 75 minutes pre-event, the difference in plasma glucose disappears within 10 minutes of exercise and no significant performance differences are seen. Timing is up to you. However, some athletes may experience what is known as “reactive hypoglycemia” when they eat within the last 75 minutes pre- event. This may feel like fatigue and low energy. For those athletes, here are a few suggestions that can be help;

• • Eat your pre-event carbohydrates in the last 5-10 minutes pre-race
• • OR don’t eat any carbohydrates in the last 90 minutes before your event starts unless they will be in the last 5-10 minutes pre-race as noted above
• • Try eating foods with lower glycemic index in the last hour before an event to reduce the consequence of high plasma glucose.
• • Add a warm up pre-event to stimulate uptake of the glucose
• • Eating fructose or a combination of carbohydrates other than glucose with a lower glycemic index .

Although the athlete may feel better and the methods may help to modify metabolic responses, none of these approaches have been shown to give any advantage in pure terms of exercise performance.

A general guideline you can follow on carbohydrate consumption leading into the last 90 minutes pre-race would be approximately 1g/kg. This can be in the form of a sports drink or solid food. A few examples for a 150lb (68kg) athlete would be approximately 68 grams of carbohydrates:

• • 1 medium banana (25gr)/1 small wrap (20)/(1tbsp of honey (20) = 65gr
• • 1 package of Honey Stinger chews (40gr)/1 bottle of Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix (20gr) = 60gr
• • 1 medium baked potato (40gr)/1 bottle of E-load Endurance Formula (30gr) = 70gr
• • 2 large medjool dates (40gr)/ 1 bottle of E-load Endurance Formula (30) = 70gr 

Within the last 90 minutes pre-event I would also suggest caffeine and beet juice intake; of course only if you have tried it first in training. 

Caffeine has been shown to improve performance. There are several different mechanisms that it is proposed to work, which in basic terms include:

• • Decreasing perception of effort
• • Sparing glycogen by increasing lipolysis (the breakdown of fats)
• • Increasing excitability of the muscle fibers

The most likely effects on performance are due to caffeine’s stimulant properties and ability to reduce perceived exertion. 

Caffeine is not only found in coffee, although it is the most common means of intake. Caffeine can be ingested via tablets, teas, cocoa beans and cola nuts. 

Blood levels of caffeine rise and peak at about 60 minutes post ingestion. I recommend drinking or ingesting your caffeine 1 hour before your event starts to be pumped and ready to go on the line.

The recommended dosage, based on outcomes from several studies, is from 3-6mg of caffeine per kg of body weight. Going above this will not provide increased benefits. 

Example of 4mg/kg of caffeine for a 150lb-(68kg) athlete would be 272mg of caffeine. Here are some common sources of caffeine so you can see what you would have to drink to take in this amount. Calculate your own:

• • 8oz Starbucks coffee 180mg
• • 12oz Starbucks coffee 260mg
• • 5oz of 5 min brew tea 20-50mg
• • 1 can of Coca Cola 46mg
• • No Doz 200mg per tablet
• • Espresso 75mg solo/150mg dopio 

Keep in mind that before your event your focus is also on optimal hydration and drinking fluids. For this reason if you want to drink coffee, espresso may be the optimal choice as it will take up the least volume in your stomach. Therefore you can focus on hydration.

“Beet” them to the line with BEET JUICE
The latest in ergogenic aids is BEET JUICE. This super tonic can improve your oxygen efficiency, a true breakthrough in endurance sports. GO the same distance on less oxygen. Nothing else has ever been able to do this, and it’s the TDF’s best kept secret.

Several studies have now confirmed the effects of nitrates on athletic performance including a study done at the University of Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences. The study looked at 8 male cyclists consuming half a liter (500ml) of beet juice (approx. 2 cups), containing nearly 700 mg of naturally occurring nitrates for six days. The beet juice group was able to cycle an average of 16% longer. The time-to-exhaustion in the ‘severe test’ was significantly extended when beetroot juice was taken compared to placebo (675 seconds vs. 583 seconds, a 16% improvement. 

The timing is not yet set in stone. Beet juice ingestion has been proven to work both 2.5 hours pre-event up to 30 minutes pre-event. Some studies have shown performance improvement with no loading phase while others have used a loading phase of up to 6 days. The bottom line is athletes are noticing the performance improvements from beet juice. I’ve noticed it and believe that it’s the real deal.

The recommended dose is 500ml of beet juice pre-event or 70ml of the Beetit Sport Shot (equivalent to nitrates in 500ml of beet juice) which is very convenient and doesn’t create a mess in the kitchen. Some athletes experience GI upset taking 500ml close to their event, so be sure to experiment with 500ml in training, before race day. In this case I would recommend taking 250ml pre event and loading with 500ml the days leading in. Loading 2-3 days before the event is a good idea based on some study protocols.

Summary
So there you have it. What to do as the seconds tick down before your event starts? Make a plan! Have everything prepared for the morning of your event. One of the biggest gifts you can give yourself as a competitor is to reduce drama, which is generally done by good preparation. Have your meal planned and your snacks, hydration, caffeine and beet juice planned. Now all you need to do is execute and perform. Allez allez!

References

1. Sport Nutrition. Jeukendrup, Asker E, Michael Gleeson. 2nd Edition Published 2010
2. Beetroot Juice Boosts Stamina, New Study Shows Science Daily (Aug. 6, 2009)
3. American College of Sports Medicine Position Statement: Exercise and Fluid Replacement, 2007.
4. Pre-exercise carbohydrate and fat ingestion: effects on metabolism and performance. Journal of Sports Sciences. Volume 22 - Issue 1. Mark Hargreaves, John A Hawley, Asker Jeukendrup. p31-38. Feb 18, 2007.

This article has been reprinted from Pez Cycling News Online.  Anne Guzman is a regular contributor to Pez Cycling News Online.

The Scott Foil 10 is an amazing bike!

As many of you know, Peaks Coaching Group’s newest sponsor partner is Scott Sports. We were able to unveil the new team bikes at this week’s Mardi Gras Training Camp just outside of New Orleans. We asked PCG coaches Scott Moninger and Tim Cusick to review the bike after putting it though its steps during the camp, and here is their report.

Looks

Moninger: This bike looks like it’s going 30 mph when it’s leaning against a wall. The overall looks are great, and I like its clean, not overstated look. The seat post and fork integration really works well.

Cusick: For me this bike can be summed up in one word—sharp! I love the sharp angles and smart lines that the Foil projects. The clean and understated logo approach of the Foil 10 is a perfect look.

Handling

Moninger: The Scott Foil responds to all input all the time. It has already been stated in numerous reviews how stiff the bike is, so I was prepared for this, but the bike gave me an excellent feeling of what I would call “precise but with a touch of neutral.” What does that mean? The bike is agile and quick handling but not overly so; not to the point where constant attention and adjustments are need to maximize its handling capabilities. This is a trait I love in a bike.

Cusick: I hate to use the cliché, but this is a point-and-shoot bike. The lateral stiffness in both the rear end and the head tube make this bike a high-speed maneuvering tool. I hate when a bike is out of “stiffness balance,” meaning it has either a stiff rear end or a stiff head tube. This mix always makes the bike flex oddly in turns and forces adjustments and different lines. The Foil nails the balance! The front and rear track very clean (I read that Scott called it neutral, and I would agree with that). I found myself making less high-speed adjustments. At camp I had my Scott Foil set up with a SRAM Red power meter and a set of Zipp 303 wheels, as my SES PowerTap wheels were being demoed by campers each day. The bike was right around 14. lbs but felt rock solid. My experience with some ultra-lite bikes is the handling can feel “lite,” but not this one.

Power Transfer/Sprinting

Moninger: Well balanced and stiff, the Scott Foil responds to the input. For me the idea of power transfer is more about climbing than sprinting, and this bike is a damn good climber. Built with SRAM Red and a set of deep-dish carbon PowerTap wheels, it’s around 14.5 lbs and super stiff, which is a great combo for climbing.

Cusick: This bike can sprint! In fact, for an aero bike, this bike can really sprint! Jump on the power, and you get a very quick bike. I love it when a bike just feels “snappy,” because that tends to come from a combination of stiffness and good handling.

Critique

Moninger: I had a little bit of trouble sizing the frame, since my fit is between sizes. Scott hooked me up by giving me the small frame but supplying a setback post (normally found on larger frames). Also, the stack height needs a close review, as it is taller than you might think. Review the sizing closely and adjust to make sure it fits you well.

Cusick: It’s hard to find any cons, but I would suggest paying attention to your bottom bracket needs if building this frame from scratch. Yes, there is a difference between the Shimano and SRAM spindle and bottom brackets.

Overall 

Moninger: A great bike, very enjoyable to ride! Love the looks and the handling; add the aero and low weight, and you really have a great all-around bike. The stiffness was a benefit. I read a lot of reviews mentioning that it can be harsh, but I rode it on two rides of five hours or more in the first week of set-up and didn’t really find that to be true.

Cusick: Winner! I love when you jump on a new bike and it just plain works, fits. The Scott Foil worked for me from the moment I built it. Love the looks, snappiness, and overall handling, and the aero effect is a benefit. The Scott Foil was “that” bike for me.

Over the next month or so, Hunter Allen and select other team members are preparing a detailed, long-term review of the Scott Foil. Check back in early May for the results. 

Scott Sports sponsoring Peaks Coaching Group for 2103

Peaks Coaching Group and SCOTT Sports

Bedford, Va, USA – Feb 7th 2013 – Scott and Peaks Coaching Group have joined forces in 2013 as Scott will be the official sponsor of Peaks Coaching Group, supplying Hunter Allen and his team of coaches with SRAM equipped Scott Foil 10 and 30 models.  “The Scott Foils are an incredible combination of super stiffness, ultra-light and amazingly aerodynamics” states Allen, founder of Peaks Coaching Group and co-author of “Training and Racing with a Power Meter”, “ making for an overall amazing bike.  We are very happy to be working with such premier company like Scott and to have our coaches riding the Foil is amazing.”

The partnership is a good match because performance is at the forefront for both companies. “At Peaks Coaching Group, our coach and athlete performance is key to our company’s growth,” states Peaks CEO Hunter Allen. “We are the leaders in coaching and training with power, elevating our athletes’ fitness through data analysis and custom built training programs. Each coach is personally trained by my proprietary training process,” continues Allen, “and we feel we have the most educated group of power coaches in the world.”

“At Scott, performance is absolutely the key,” declares Doug Looney Regional Sales Manager for Scott Sports. “Endless hours are spent designing the Scott frames, testing and analyzing every angle in the wind tunnel and out on the road to create the perfect combination for the ultimate racing machine.  We are pleased to be working with Peaks Coaching Group and offering our performance frames to Hunter and his coaching team.” 

One of the key focuses of the program is the support of local bike shops.  PCG and Scott are working together to design some local support programs that leverage this sponsorship deeper by engaging the local coach with the local bike shop.  “The goal is to build a relationship between the brands that works locally.  Peaks has over 50 coaches all around the country representing thousands of followers and we hope to activate this network to work with the local bike shop to promote the quality and performance of the Scott lines.” states Looney.

Scott Moninger, the winningest US pro in history and a master PCG Group coach also shares his excitement with this partnership.  “I just assembled my Scott Foil and took it for a spin.  I can already tell it’s the bike for me, super light, incredibly  responsive, cutting edge appearance, but most of all  I just love the name, Scott!,”  says Moninger,  “I am looking forward to logging in some quality hours and miles riding my Foil at this week’s PCG training camp in Louisiana.”  

The partnership between Peaks and Scott is a strong one, with both companies ready to work with each other, promoting what they both believe in…top notch performance! 

For more information, contact:

Kathy Watts

Kathy@peakscoachinggroup.com

717.515.1385