Performance drinks for the track
09-14-2010, 09:03 PM
#31
Three Wheelin'
There are a lot of myths out there and lots of unsupported information. For example, the relationship between caffeine and hydration has been studied by Larry Armstrong and others... and it is not what people would expect.
Like many fields, when you start to track the connections, the list of world thought leaders gets really small. And many of them are friendly and supportive. The world is small... here is an example...
When I was investigating hydration measurement, I discovered that there is one sport where hydration testing is absolutely mandatory for all athletes at least once each season: college wrestling. They use urine specific gravity. Awkward and messy. This led me to the national wrestling coaches association... the main man there took my call immediately and pledged to try to help us learn if our approach (conceptually a simple oral test with a thermometer-like device) could at minimum replace the urine-based approach used in wrestling. To do this we needed to raise money (Cantimer is a start-up).
He had some contacts for me... scientist Craig Horswill at Gatorade/Pepsi (a fellow WI native and a really good guy), Ronnie Lott former 49er, and a founding partner of the local Crosspoint VC firm. When I looked into Crosspoint, I discovered that Flying Lizards principal Seth Neiman is a managing partner!
I do not know Seth Neiman, but I race with Tom van Overbeek in the Porsche Racing Club, father of founding Lizard Johannes... so I asked Tom if he knew whether Crosspoint was actively investing... and so on.
Now its is just too funny that Johannes is racing for Scott Sharp, and hence is related to CytoSport... A high school friend who lives nearby is married to a OB doc that I think delivered a bunch of Pickett's progeny, and so on. Now that high school friend is the sister of one of my oldest high school friends that is an ultramarathoner from WI... went to grad school in physiology at U of I likely at the same time as Horswill... my buddy ran the western states 100 a few times, and maybe was a subject for one of Doug Casa's research projects... and Casa works with Amrstrong at UConn...
Anyway, they key thing is to be informed. Not by advertising, but by science. And there is a lot of great science out there. Don't underdo it, and don't overdo it.
Like many fields, when you start to track the connections, the list of world thought leaders gets really small. And many of them are friendly and supportive. The world is small... here is an example...
When I was investigating hydration measurement, I discovered that there is one sport where hydration testing is absolutely mandatory for all athletes at least once each season: college wrestling. They use urine specific gravity. Awkward and messy. This led me to the national wrestling coaches association... the main man there took my call immediately and pledged to try to help us learn if our approach (conceptually a simple oral test with a thermometer-like device) could at minimum replace the urine-based approach used in wrestling. To do this we needed to raise money (Cantimer is a start-up).
He had some contacts for me... scientist Craig Horswill at Gatorade/Pepsi (a fellow WI native and a really good guy), Ronnie Lott former 49er, and a founding partner of the local Crosspoint VC firm. When I looked into Crosspoint, I discovered that Flying Lizards principal Seth Neiman is a managing partner!
I do not know Seth Neiman, but I race with Tom van Overbeek in the Porsche Racing Club, father of founding Lizard Johannes... so I asked Tom if he knew whether Crosspoint was actively investing... and so on.
Now its is just too funny that Johannes is racing for Scott Sharp, and hence is related to CytoSport... A high school friend who lives nearby is married to a OB doc that I think delivered a bunch of Pickett's progeny, and so on. Now that high school friend is the sister of one of my oldest high school friends that is an ultramarathoner from WI... went to grad school in physiology at U of I likely at the same time as Horswill... my buddy ran the western states 100 a few times, and maybe was a subject for one of Doug Casa's research projects... and Casa works with Amrstrong at UConn...
Anyway, they key thing is to be informed. Not by advertising, but by science. And there is a lot of great science out there. Don't underdo it, and don't overdo it.
I know some that go the '5 Hour Energy' route. Dont know what to make of it...
09-14-2010, 09:11 PM
#32
Rennlist Member
09-14-2010, 09:37 PM
#33
Rennlist Member
When I race, I usually just have water in my CamelBak. I also regularly go for two plus hour mountain bike rides and drink only water. However, I also eat PowerBars during the ride and throw down a one or two Gu energy packs. If I were racing my mountain bike and didn't have time to eat during the race, I would fill my CamelBak with the latest high performance concoction. One thing I've learned is that you can't let the high perf drink stay in the container for a few months; I found that out the hard way after I forgot to clean out my CamelBak from last year's Summit Point race and discovered it in May.
09-14-2010, 11:01 PM
#35
Advanced
Talking hydration only, this is my latest experiment with the help of a sports nutrition friend: http://www.nuun.com/what-is-nuun.html
09-15-2010, 01:25 PM
#38
Rennlist Member
Watch out for advice given to athletes in general, because most sports are short duration, like 2 hours. At race/DE events, you need energy all day, so lots of caffeine and sugar are IMHO a bad idea. So most "performance" drinks are probably ill-suited to our needs.
I focus on H2O but throw in some low-cal Gatorade, or a little regular gatorade.
I focus on H2O but throw in some low-cal Gatorade, or a little regular gatorade.
09-15-2010, 03:48 PM
#39
Three Wheelin'
At race/DE events, you need energy all day
It's sad that you cannot get a healthy, nutritious lunch at a race track.
09-15-2010, 06:40 PM
#40
I'm in....
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
No Flat Out drink but there is Wide Open Energy drink http://www.wideopenbrands.com/index.php and it's owened by a friend of mine.
09-15-2010, 07:32 PM
#41
Racer
As a Sports Nutritionist and fellow Porsche driver, I see the flaw of proper nutrition at track days regularly. Most guys spend huge $$$ on their cars (tires, chips, exhaust systems, suspension, racing fuel, etc.) to gain performance advantages over their counterparts and then totally neglect their bodies nutritional requirements. What do you eat during tracks days is also very important. What shape are you in? If you loose some weight, exercise regularly, your body will be more efficient to handle the rigors of track driving and then you're not dependant on stimulants for quick energy.
With that said, I have attached a link to 'Brain Mac' who's a Sports Coach and his article will offer good insight into hydration in general. Remember also that these sports drinks are designed for athletes and/or individuals participating in relatively hard energy expenditures. Sitting in a car (even during hot temperatures and high humidity) is not the same energy expenditure as training for a marathon, or cycling 30+ miles. Therefore, hydration without stimulants would be a wiser choice over caffeine, beta-alanine and citrilline malate based products.
Hope this helps someone with hydration issues.
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/drinks.htm
With that said, I have attached a link to 'Brain Mac' who's a Sports Coach and his article will offer good insight into hydration in general. Remember also that these sports drinks are designed for athletes and/or individuals participating in relatively hard energy expenditures. Sitting in a car (even during hot temperatures and high humidity) is not the same energy expenditure as training for a marathon, or cycling 30+ miles. Therefore, hydration without stimulants would be a wiser choice over caffeine, beta-alanine and citrilline malate based products.
Hope this helps someone with hydration issues.
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/drinks.htm
09-15-2010, 09:33 PM
#42
Three Wheelin'
A quick scan of this link suggests some great info can be found there. Hydration and thermoregulation are related... this is all interesting stuff. I can tell you that I pay way more attention to hydration in general after my stint at Cantimer.
Speaking of connections... while there we were looking for investors and strategic partners, my CEO made a contact with Camelbak. I had told him that the CEO of Camelbak was someone I had met a long time ago in college. So we got her on the phone in a conference call and had a little fun with it. I told her that we were at college together (Dartmouth) and that we had many mutual friends... the conversation went slightly askew for me when I told her I lived in Hitchcock Hall, top floor freshmen year. She then referred to that floor by its nickname... which was, let's just say "colorful." ANyway, it is a small world. I bought one of their products but have yet to use it in the car.
Gatorade marketed an in-car racing hydration system a few years ago via NASCAR. It was very fancy and very heavy. Not sure if it is still out there as a product.
Speaking of connections... while there we were looking for investors and strategic partners, my CEO made a contact with Camelbak. I had told him that the CEO of Camelbak was someone I had met a long time ago in college. So we got her on the phone in a conference call and had a little fun with it. I told her that we were at college together (Dartmouth) and that we had many mutual friends... the conversation went slightly askew for me when I told her I lived in Hitchcock Hall, top floor freshmen year. She then referred to that floor by its nickname... which was, let's just say "colorful." ANyway, it is a small world. I bought one of their products but have yet to use it in the car.
Gatorade marketed an in-car racing hydration system a few years ago via NASCAR. It was very fancy and very heavy. Not sure if it is still out there as a product.
09-16-2010, 10:19 AM
#43
Rennlist Member
Weekend diet is mainly lots of water and bananas and Wheat Thins.
And 60 mins. elliptical trainer 4 x week I think helps my stamina. YMMV.
And 60 mins. elliptical trainer 4 x week I think helps my stamina. YMMV.
09-16-2010, 02:21 PM
#44
Racer
BTW, I noticed Bahamas on your information. I'm your neighbor from Jamaica.
