The Second Cup of Coffee

is better when you've worked for it. Recently, I've been trying to train my body to run on fat instead of sugar by doing callisthenics and running 3-4 miles in the mornings (after one cup of coffee but before breakfast) and consuming a high fat/protein, semi-low-carb diet. Not because I have much fat to burn, but because, from what I've read, fat is a much better fuel. Someone my size with 10% body fat has 55,000 Calories stored as fat! Versus maybe 2000 Calories in the form of glycogen. Being able to efficiently burn fat could potentially eliminate the dreaded bonk at the ~2 hour mark as well as alleviate the blood sugar/energy level swings associated with a high carb intake.

I don't have the desire or discipline to follow a strict diet (what would be a ketogenic diet); I like pizza too much. But, I can cut out rice, pasta, and high sugar foods, and replace them with meat, veggies, and high fat snacks like nuts and yogurt*. It's a somewhat controversial diet** - consuming fatty meats, oils, butter, etc. - but I haven't come across any negative results. It seems to be gaining popularity with endurance athletes like Tour Divide racers as well as people trying to lose weight. In any case it'll be an interesting experiment.

*I recently bought some high protein, full fat, Greek yogurt, not realizing that it would basically taste like sour cream - so much so, that I wouldn't hesitate to put it on a taco. It's good with some honey and nuts mixed in though.

**Side rant: It seems most diets are controversial. It drives me crazy that nutrition is debated like politics or religion. Nutrition is a hard science (I could argue the other two should be as well, but another day). It should be nailed down by now, but I suppose recent agricultural advancements keep things stirred up. And, I'm sure long-term effects are difficult to study, but still. It also drives me crazy when people use vague, almost meaningless terms like 'all-natural', 'organic', or 'non-GMO'. There are many things that are natural and extremely poisionous. Unless you're eating rocks, all food is organic. 'Natural/organic' pesticides are no less harmful than synthesised ones, not that there are significant amounts of either in grocery store foods. And, to imply that genetic modification is inherently harmful is ridiculous; whether it's done through selective breeding or in a lab makes no difference.

For what it's worth, I've also tried a semi-vegetarian diet, but after a few weeks, the protein deficiency was quite noticeable. It's too early to draw any conclusions about a semi-keto diet, but so far so good. My blood sugar/energy level seems to stay consistent throughout the day.

In other news, the Mississippi Off-Road Cycling Series has been disbanded, and from the ashes, has risen the Gulf South Regional Mountain Bike Series which includes races from Mobile, Al to Jackson, MS to Baton Rouge, LA. What this means for the Clear Creek Challenge in Oxford, I still don't know. Perhaps it'll survive as a part of the Mid-South Mountain Bike Race Series (as it was last year). Currently the MMBRS Facebook page is down, so maybe another reformation is in the works. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I've also started another blog as a portfolio for various engineering projects. If you're into that sort of thing, you can find a link in the sidebar and here: B.R.Lee Designs

A Year with Strava

Stats for 2016:

5239 Miles
461 Hours
226-ish Rides

Last year I tracked everything with Strava - commuting miles, leisure rides, everything. This year it'll be more of a training tool as I cut back on social media usage. There are several things I like about it - seeing what friends and the competition are up to, racing segments, tracking my own progress. My only complaint is when I got an email entitled 'How to get more Kudos!'... Seriously. Proof that social media is designed to be addictive.

Last year I raced fairly competitively but not as well as I would've liked, especially in the fall. Recovering from the TNGA and a busy football/work season made it difficult to train. This year, however, I'll be stepping it up a few notches, adding intervals and running into my training. Running should help keep my cardio up when my cycling muscles are tired from pedalling the rickshaw.

Early season races:

Tuff Guy Ride - Late February; 60 miles in Oxford including the Whirlpool Trails, Clear Creek Trails, and the road inbetween. I don't recall my time last year, but I remember running out of water. This time I'll have my frame bag and 3L hydration bladder. It's not technically a race, but I'm shooting for under 4 hours.

Rouge Roubaix - Early March; 100 miles of crappy pavement, dirt, and gravel. It's a road bike event, so I'm not sure exactly what to expect.

After that, the Mississippi Off Road Cycling Series begins in late March/early April. With training season in full swing now, I'm looking forward to seeing if this hard work pays off.