The good 'aul horse is back in business

Sometimes the old things are the best in life. You can get coffee machines with all the bells & whistles these days... but I'm tellin' you there's nothing like brew your morning coffee in this old coffee maker that was in my parents kitchen since the 1980's. Absolutely priceless! 

Let's try some USN goodies! // Mega post on nutrition samples

I just got my hands on a nice selection of product samples from the well known company called USN. They have a massive range of nutritional suppliments and within this range there is a group of cycling specific stuff also. I'm kind of familiar with the USN products, I've used the Vooma gel and I have to say I'm impressed how good it is. So obviously I was happy when I was given a bag of goodies from their range through the shop 'cause I have the chance to try them out during training or racing. Great stuff! :)

I've got a little bit of everything from energy gels, through bars all the way to carbohydrate & recovery protein drinks with bottle and shaker. But let's see them in a little more details!

The first is the Cyto Power HP "which combines both high and intermediate carbohydrates which has been shown to promote exercise performance and tolerance, as well as muscle recovery, during physical exercise. This combination ensures rapid energy conversion, while still promoting stabile blood sugar levels throughout an event. It contains Caffeine and Taurine for that little bit of a mental boost as well. Cytopower HP is the ideal supplement for any athlete, whether the focus is on endurance activities, intermediate team sports or other energy consuming sports."

 The next one is the Recover Xcell which is a nice recovery drink with whey protein. "Recovery is very important after a hard training session or race, the 30 - 45 minute window after training or events is a crucial time during which the body races to a fast recovery." USN's Recover Xcell is precisely formulated as a post training recovery drink, so I'm pretty excited about this particular product since I never really used any recovery suppliment before.

The next one is the VO2 MAX and it is a little more specific I have to say. "This one has been developed to increase oxygen uptake and ventilary breakpoint, enabling the athlete to push harder for a longer period of time. Furthermore, it buffers lactic acid, which forms around the muscles following moderate to intense exercise. Lactic acid hampers performance and is responsible for the soreness and stiffness experienced after physical activity." Now, this is something that I think falls into the "goes a bit too far..." category but I'll give it a shot and see how it works.

The next product is possibly the best gel I ever encountered and it's called Vooma Gel. "It has a great mix of high quality fast and medium release carbs combined with a range of actives that ensure you keep your electrolyte balance, don't suffer from dry mouth. It absolutely works fantastic for me and besides the effectiveness and taste the other lovely idea is the package." Open & close it back any time I want! Isn't it handy?

And the last one to be tested would be the Protein Delite Bar. "It is a convenient meal replacement, nutrition snack. It is designed for active people who demand the benefits of high quality protein and complex carbohydrates for optimum health, muscle recuperation and physical performance. Protein is the structural core of the human body and is at work in every single cell." They do look yummy and I honestly can't wait to try these bad boys! :) 

And I have to admit that I never seen bigger bars in my life...

...I mean it is HUGE! With it's own 96 g of weight it is a Monster Bar! :)

So, this is it, I have a whole bunch of new stuff to try in the upcoming days and weeks. I'm looking forward to test them and see how they work. Based on my previous experience with the gels I'm expecting to have nice results though. I will start to use them tomorrow evening when I hit the Kilmashogue Lane climb to do some interval training. Bring it on! :)

Source of description and more details are on http://www.usnireland.ie/

High5 Zero Sport & Zero Extreme sports drink

During training and racing the proper hydration is one of the most important thing. I have tried many different sports drink previously but for some reason they all have that very sugary, sticky taste that I don't like. I feel they make me even more thirsty and they stick on my lips also. This could be very annoying. So they don't quiet work for me...

But I have been testing something different lately and it seems like I could come accross with some very good product in deed. The High5 Zero Sport and Zero Extreme sports drinks. They are fizzy tablets that I just drop into a bottle of water. They have great flavour and they don't give me that sticky taste. They also have added magnesium that is very important for the muscles during excercise.

The Zero Sport has citrus flavour, while the Zero Extreme has berry flavour but intrestingly it does remind me for the taste of the energy drinks rather than berry. The Extreme also has a small 65mg caffeine kick (a cup of coffe contains about the same), so it gives a bit of a boost also. 

They are fizzy tablets but even if they remain fizzy a bit during the bike ride they are still easy to drink and they are taste great too. They don't have strong colour or smell so the bottles can be cleaned easly afterwards. 

They being sold in tubs, each tub contains 20 tablets, each tablet makes a 500ml serving. 

So this small tube makes 15 litres of drink which I think is certenly good value for the cycling season.

I still have few of the sample saches left but after they gone I will get the tubs and stick to them for the future. I also interested to try the other flavours as well.

I have tried them only during training spins and I am ipmressed so far. Based on that I can't wait to test them out in race conditions and see how do they work. :)

Health tips for cyclists

I think nothing is more important then stay healthy, especially during the cold winter months. After all the training the body needs a little bit of a boost day by day. It is very important to have a proper intake from all the essential elements to keep the immune system more resistant against bacterial and viral infections. I allways try to use as many fully natural ingredients as possible beside the suppliments that you can buy in stores. 

I find them the most useful:

• Vitamin C: is an essential water-soluble vitamin that has a wide range of functions in the human body, with its primary function being a excellent antioxidant. It's also boosting immune system function.
• Zinc: is a metal. It is called an “essential trace element” because very small amounts of zinc are necessary for human health. It is also used for boosting the immune system, treating the common cold.
• Lemon: is a natural source of Vitamin C. Also lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.
• Honey: is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. Honey has been used for centuries as a treatment for sore throats and coughs and, according to recent research, may be an effective soothing agent for coughs 
• Garlic: can have a powerful antioxidant effect. Garlic should be seen as part of a healthy lifestyle - not as an alternative to it.
• Camomile:  is one of the most widely used flowers for herbal tea and has been widely used in children and adults for thousands of years for a variety of health conditions. Sometimes I drink it as tea without any additional flavouring, but mostly use camomile steam for my sinuses when they are blocked.  
• Ginger: is a native to India and China. Ginger stimulates circulation of the blood, removes toxins from the body and helps break fevers by warming up the body and increasing perspiration. 
• Rose hip: are actually the seed pods of certain types of roses. They are excellent source of vitamins A, B3, D, E and and more Vitamin C than citrus fruits do. Can be used as a home remedy in dealing with a cold or the flu. I drink it as tea without any additional flavouring.
  
  

  

  This last one is particularly special thing because it is real home made, dried rose hip prepared by my good friend Csaba's grandpa back in Hungary. The tea is excellent and I really do thing it has a  very good effect.
   (source Wikipedia)
  
  
  And of course beside all these additional things the most important to eat right. We mostly try to have freshly cooked meals from natural ingredients rather than have prepared food.