Happiness and Performance, Limiters, Cellular Adaptation & More – Ask a Cycling Coach 200

Do you have to juice the beets or can you just blend them into a smoothie? This would deliver the fiber as well. (Which on Mom race days would not be a problem).

Because of the cherry content I would use it only during taper week(s) before a race – when shedding fatigue is the main goal – and not during training blocks – when adaptation is the focus.

Yeah. I’m not going ti use it before training rides. Have a b-ish race next week doing a slight taper and will it use it for that.

I’ve blended a beet into a smoothie before using a Blendtec (similar to Vitamix??). If you have trouble with the earthy flavor of a beet, blending it won’t make it any better in flavor. As for losing any nutritional value, don’t know. “Beet It” looks like a great alternative but it’s $53 on amazon.

Regarding calibration of smart trainers, and whether it is necessary to warm it up for 10 minutes first: it will depend on the ambient temperature. Especially the cheaper wheel on trainers are susceptible to temperature differences. When riding my Tacx Vortex in temperatures around freezing, it takes it 40 (!) minutes to warm up completely! I have to calibrate several times, to get ok readings. The calibration values in TR change significantly every time, until it’s fully warmed up.

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Really enjoyed this episode (To be honest, I enjoy them all!)

@Jonathan, @chad, @Pete, Regarding Beet Juice/extract versus caffeine:

If the two don’t mix particularly well, which supplement stands to give a better benefit? I expect the answer to this is “it depends,” but would love a side by side analysis of the two proven beneficial supplements, and who might benefit from them (whether based on body type, type of riding, goals, etc…)

Dr. Coggan mentions within that thread that he suspects the loading phase is a product of keeping methodology between studies consistent. Interesting, and much cheaper, if true

Howdy y’all from across the pond… I am a huge fan of the podcast and have recently just returned from a week long training camp in Mallorca with cumulative TSS of 1750 and over 400 miles in the legs. This was my first camp and I used much of the advice learned from the podcast to keep me going when I just didn’t think it was possible. Using the techniques and advice on your cast I have completely rethought my performance potential. Mainly riding with fatigue and breaking down the mental barriers that I had erected. There are many other skills and techniques that I have picked up from you guys over the episodes, so thank you for helping me achieve the seemingly impossible and help make me a more complete cyclist. Now to tackle my first road race!.. Let’s see how that goes :slight_smile:

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I have a question on the beet juice? Do you get the same benefit from just eating cooked beets? I was eating them daily for a while and when they are available. I just wondered if that would work as well as just juicing?

One other question on beets – do you have to cook them? I can put raw ones in my smoothies or I can put cooked ones in there.

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Awesome to hear @T0mm0!

Keep up the good work and pushing yourself! :slight_smile:

Generally, juicing is preferred simply because you can juice the beet and the root since the root has a lot of nutritional value as well. That said, you would still be getting a lot of the benefit from simply eating beets if you prefer that. :slight_smile:

As for cooking them vs. putting them in your smoothies raw @dprimm: Typically they are put in raw but from my understanding, the nitrates in beets are not destroyed when the beets are cooked. So, if you were to cook them, you would still be getting the intended benefits from the beets!

@Ian Thank you!

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Thank you! Dumb question I thought the root was the part you eat?

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It is. The beet grows underground with only greens exposed. The greens are great too though, especially in soup or stew.

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Check your ftp estimation. I had to adjust it for riding outdoors (upwards). 1750 TSS is huge, rest adequately. I just came back from two weeks there with 1250 and 1550 TSS weeks (plus three gym sessions). I felt thrashed towards the end but I was surprised with the power numbers after my first winter of training (SSB 1 & 2). My only worry is not getting sick and absorbing those two weeks.

Thanks for the feedback, if anything my FTP was Conservative prior to the camp. So I am due another test. Yes it was a big week with OTE… Over 400 miles with all the big climbs thrown in at some point. Cumulative fatigue was my primary concern but I handled
it well… Considering I went in with a chest condition that I had to manage the first 3 days before throwing all caution to the wind on the Queen stage!

Best regards

Chris Thompson

+447818453439

What I was implying with the FTP adjustment was that too low of a value can inflate the TSS (obviously). That is not a problem until you do your FTP test (assuming you will get higher FTP) and try to progress your CTL based on this big week.

If you don’t adjust your plans based on your current CTL or you do a good job on listening to your body you shouldn’t be concerned. I’m assuming you do the latter good enough if you went in already sick and managed more than ok!

As for me, I am back third day (one day off, yesterday easy bike and gym, today easy jog) and my legs are not back yet.

Yeah I hear ya. I was conscious that I wasn’t well and my heart rate struggled to get anywhere near peak in the first three days. So actually that TSS may well have been higher if I had been able to push out the figures I normally do. I’ve just had my first go back in the saddle and it didn’t go well… Still not 100 from the illness and mega cafe legs! Hope your recovery and training goes well.

I just kept wondering why they said they juice the root also lol. I kept thinking that is the thing you have to juice so I was making sure I wasn’t missing something,