tempo

Quote of the Week
“Wait until you see the size of my new sprocket: but size isn't everything.”
Mike Pugh

What Else Would You Do On a Sunday Morning?
We all love a challenge and there’s nothing more challenging than riding an Enduro at the Dragway.
169 riders rose to the challenge on Sunday, several even fell to the challenge and luckily recovered, which is more than can be said for the bikes.
It came as no surprise that Peter Milostic and Eddie Salas easily won A grade; we’re told that A grade riders, far from being downhearted by repeatedly being beaten by the dynamic duo, are honoured by their presence. B grade may not hold John Danzo’s victory in such high esteem, unless it’s because he hails from the Illawarra Club. The 47 strong C grade had to accord grudging respect to Marcelo Ehly from Penrith for his first win. On the other hand D grade were singularly unimpressed by the emphatic win by the unknown Sheldon Davies. E grade, who are feeling their oats and other appendages, are showing a rare turn of speed so for the returning Waratah Michael Meehan to show them a clean pair of heels them was no mean feat (feet?).
Check out full results and relive all the action with Ernie’s thousands of photos.

Racing Sunday 7 march 2010
Last Sunday’s Enduro was so successful that by popular demand we will reprise it this week, so instead of the Handicap previously shown in the Programme we will have another Enduro at the Eastern Creek Dragway this Sunday. All grades will start at 08:00 hrs. The Duty Officer is Graham Jones, the Commissaire is Harry Vertsonis, and the Duty Helpers are John Tillett, Andy Lynn and Brook Paviour.
Check the Infoline 1902 261 007 for last minute changes and the Programme for future events.

Trackies

Last Saturday it was the NSW Masters Points Race Championships at Dunc Gray. Amid a star-studded field of experienced Masters our boys performed brilliantly with Dave South winning the gold medal and Hugh Gray winning bronze in the MAS7,8+9 division. Dave’s win is especially noteworthy as he’s recovering from a recent hip operation. Chapeaux!
The track programme is in full swing at Dunc Gray. Check out the full calendar and make sure you get your entries in on time.

Le Maillot Vert
Due to a last minute venue change the dates for the 2010 Sprint Series have been revised.
The first of the four rounds will now be held on 4 April at the Dragway. Subsequent dates are shown on the race programme.
Check out the dates and the series’ rules.

Chemical Bill
Time for another Latte! (continued)
Last week we covered the background for a new study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, on the use of a pre-exercise supplement containing caffeine, creatine, whey protein and specific amino acids, in combination with high intensity interval training (HIIT), which reported significant improvements in both aerobic and anaerobic performance. Now for the study details and results.
Twenty-four recreational athletes (pre-Masters) were assigned to either the supplement or placebo group. Thirty minutes prior to all testing and training sessions, participants consumed their respective supplement or placebo mixed with water. Both groups participated in a three-week HIIT program three days per week, that involved graded exercise tests on a treadmill, and also four high-speed runs to exhaustion at 110, 105, 100, and 90% of the treadmill velocity. Cardiovascular fitness (VO2max) was assessed before and after the training. Both supplement and placebo groups demonstrated a significant increase in VO2max from pre- to post-training resulting in a 10.3% and 2.9% improvement, respectively. In addition Critical Velocity, a measure of aerobic performance, and anaerobic running capacity, were determined and significant improvements were demonstrated for the supplement group. Lean body mass was also measured and increased from 54.2 kg to 55.4 kg for the supplement group and decreased from 52.9 kg to 52.4 kg in the placebo group. The researchers concluded that the results of this study indicate that the acute ingestion of the pre-exercise supplement, taken prior to HIIT for three weeks can significantly improve aerobic and anaerobic performance. Furthermore, the maintenance of and trend toward an improvement in lean body mass suggests that the supplement may be helpful in maintaining lean mass during intense training periods.
Note that the supplement used in the study also contained some other ingredients (Cordyceps sinensis (Caterpillar fungus), Rhodiola (Golden Root), a fungus and herb respectively used in traditional Chinese medicine with claimed improvements in physical performance, and Citrulline, an amino also with claimed performance-enhancing effects!) however tempo would prefer to believe that it was mainly the caffeine and protein responsible for the results, providing another endorsement for coffee consumption (i.e. a latte, flat white, or even a cappuccino!!!).

Denis’ Diet
For clarity I must preface this by explaining that the word 'diet' is used not to imply hunger and deprivation but is used in relation to the greek root of the word 'diaita' meaning 'way of life'.
Understanding Carbohydrates (Reference Dr Barry Sears):
Success with the Zone Diet depends upon restricting the amount of carbohydrates consumed while maximizing the vitamins, minerals and polyphenols derived from them. Unfortunately, many people have trouble recognising what a carbohydrate is because they think of carbohydrates as only pasta and sweets. In reality, fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates. An easy way to remember this is that "carbohydrates grow in the ground, and don't move around." Pasta must be a carbohydrate, since it comes from wheat, which grows in the ground. Likewise, vegetables, such as broccoli grow in the ground, so they, too, must be carbohydrates. Finally, fruits, such as apples come from trees that grow in the ground, which makes them carbohydrates also. Although this may seem simplistic, the fact that fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates is a major revelation to many Americans [and I suspect many Australians as well].
Since the Zone Diet is about insulin control, you have to realise that not all carbohydrates affect insulin equally. Every complex carbohydrate must be broken down into simple sugars and will eventually enter the bloodstream as glucose, which in turn will have a stimulatory effect on insulin secretion. Fibre (both soluble and insoluble) cannot be broken down into simple sugars, and therefore will have no impact on insulin. Taking this into account, Dr Sears developed the concept of insulin-stimulating carbohydrate content for a food. Simply stated, this is the total amount of carbohydrate a food source contains minus its fibre content (which is usually included in determining the total amount of carbohydrates).
If a carbohydrate source (such as pasta) has very little fibre content, then virtually all of its listed carbohydrate content will be insulin-stimulating carbohydrate. On the other hand, if a carbohydrate source is rich in fibre (such as broccoli), then its insulin-stimulating carbohydrate content will be significantly reduced. This means that a large volume of fibre-rich carbohydrate source must be consumed to have the same impact on insulin secretion as a much smaller volume of low-fibre content carbohydrate.As an example: 1 cup of cooked pasta has a total of 40 grams of carbohydrate composed of 2 grams of fibre and 38 grams of insulin-stimulating carbohydrate, 1 medium apple has a total of 20 grams of carbohydrate composed of 4 grams of fibre and 16 grams of insulin-stimulating carbohydrate, 1 cup of broccoli has a total of 7 grams of carbohydrate composed of 4 grams of fibre and 3 grams of insulin-stimulating carbohydrate. [As an aside, typically a man only requires 40 grams of carbohydrate and a woman 30 grams of carbohydrate at a meal.] You can quickly see that you would have to eat a tremendous volume of broccoli (approximately 12 cups) [I don't suggest you try] to have the same impact on insulin as eating a relatively small amount of cooked pasta. This is why starches and grains are considered high-density carbohydrates, whereas fruits are medium-density carbohydrates and vegetables are low-density carbohydrates. The Zone Diet relies heavily on low-density carbohydrates; so large volumes of food must be consumed in order to have an appreciable impact on insulin. This is also why high-density carbohydrates are used in moderation on the Zone Diet because very small volumes can stimulate excess insulin production.
[One conclusion is: it is very difficult to over-consume low-density [low glycemic-load] carbohydrates but very easy to over-consume high-density carbohydrates and any excess consumption of carbohydrates will be converted to fat! D.S.]
Denis Sullivan

Kaffee Klatsch
“G’day mate. The usual thanks Bev. Mate, what sort of knickers do you strap on?”
“Shush! Sorry Bev, he means ‘knicks’, you know cycling shorts. Yes, that’s right...No, we don’t ‘strap them on’, just wear them...Do they?..at the Gay Mardi Gras on Saturday? Really? Amazing! Thanks Bev...Mate you really must learn to moderate your language when the fairer sex are within earshot. It’s bad enough with Sinner sniffing round our Cafe Angel all the time without you upsetting her, you know how the service goes off when she’s upset.”
“Jeez mate, what are you, her mother? All I wanted to know was what type of knickers..knicks..you wear--six or eight panel and which brand, ‘cos I’ve got to get some new ones, the arse’s hanging out of the ones I’ve got, or so the boys tell me.”
“Yes, you can always rely on the boys for helpful feedback. How long have you had them?”
“The boys?..About..”
“The knicks, you dope!”
“Oh, not long, that’s the problem, mate, they don’t even last a season any more and they weren’t cheap--top of the range Arssos!”
“Very appropriate. Yes, we’ve all noticed how short-lived knicks have become. To answer your original question I’m on my third pair this season and I’ve turned in desperation to an Australian brand--made in China of course--not because they are any better but at least they are cheaper.”
“And what about the shammy inserts?”
“Yes, that’s another con job, all the hype about the new blue inserts and they turn out to be just as uncomfortable as the old ones.”
“So what’s the go?”
“Well, for a start wear black, at least when they wear out you can’t see through them as easily as the coloured ones. Then don’t buy bibs, they wear out just as fast and cost twice as much and try shopping around on the Web for name gear they’re trying to get rid of, sometimes you can pick up a bargain. If all else fails do what Cleat does and wear two pairs with the oldest pair outside so you can’t see through them. Speaking of which it must be time for two more coffees.”

The Life and Times of Bubbly Bev
To tell the truth we’ve mixed emotions about our Cafe Angel taking part in the Gay Mardi Gras parade.
“We had an absolute ball. Bit cold to start with and I had problems with my sequins falling off--it’s a bit hard to stick them on the curvy bits.”
....Will somebody revive Compo? Just try squeezing his bag, that normally does it.
From close observation we’re pleased to report that the brush with the Dark Side appears to have left our Cafe Angel unsullied, apart from her adhesion problems.

Happy Jack’s Coaching Corner
The Joke is on me...
When I was a kid, we used to play ‘hide and seek’. As I grew older, I progressed to more complicated games. But now I realise that everything that I do is still using the same formula as that ‘hide and seek’ game. I enjoy Hardy’s humour. It makes me laugh. But in order to make me laugh, the joke has to be on me. The more complex the joke story is, the more I struggle to find the punch line... and the more I laugh when I do. It is a classic art of hiding the truth and trying to find it again.But if you thought that the game is about figuring out what the joke is – then you have missed out on the ‘twist’. The joke is not about the story. It is only about making you laugh. It is about creating feelings that you like to experience. Nothing more and nothing less.
Take making money. We spend a lot of time and energy doing this every day. We think that making money is about paying the mortgage, feeding the family, shopping, holidaying, being successful, freedom, happiness, affording that new bike.....
All this is just like the story that holds the hidden joke. It is just the padding. So what is the ‘punch line’ about the game of making money?. It makes me laugh.... and when you finally figure it out – it will make you laugh also.
Jack Yuen

Get Into Gear
With all that training you’ve probably worn out all your gear so see Bev for replacements.

Jackets $140
Vests $85
Arm warmers $35
Long-sleeve jerseys $100
Short-sleeve jerseys $80
Knicks $85
Bib-knicks $100
Skin suits 140

Rush your orders to Bev Owen or ‘phone (9639 8007), before they all sell out.

Rider of the Week
Rob Drury

Putting the ham back into hamstring.
You might be surprised to learn that ingesting 20g of protein with each meal has been proven to offset sarcopenia. On the other hand you might not if you have no idea what sarcopenia is. Rob Drury didn’t, but he does now after going water ski-ing for the first time in years just before Christmas and ripping the hamstring from his pelvic bone--Ouch!--which required an operation to reattach it. He’s just getting back on the bike and suffering from sarcopenia big time.
We all suffer from sarcopenia and to save you the trouble of mentally rattling through the long list of what ails you, let me tell you that sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass with advancing years--about 3-8% per decade after 30, so by the time you’re our age you’ve lost up to 25% of your muscle mass--and probably replaced the hole left behind with fat!.
The debate about what causes sarcopenia has raged over the years. Is it simply lack of exercise? Middle-aged laziness, coupled with a crap diet? Or is it an unavoidable by-product of the aging process? A systemic slowing down of the metabolic process which makes muscles?
And what’s all this got to do with Rob Drury and his recovery from his torn hamstring? Well Rob has this mate who is well connected in the metabolic and physical rehab sciences and he put him onto the latest ground-breaking research into sarcopenia. To cut a long, very erudite and completely boring story short here’s what you do to prevent sarcopenia and repair torn muscles in double quick time:
1) maintain a vigorous exercise regimen that MUST include 2-3 sessions/week of resistance-based exercise (to stimulate muscle protein synthesis)
2) consume 20 g of high-quality protein (Up and Go shakes are excellent, but chocolate milk is just as good and cheaper) in the 30-60 mins post exercise and at every meal.
Apparently 20 g is the magic number to stimulate the muscle protein synthesis, consuming more has no further beneficial effect. Your average steak weighs in at 90 g protein, so you don’t need much but you must have at least 20 g to work the magic.
If you can’t exercise, which is where Rob makes his reluctant reappearance in the discussion, supplementing with 20 g of protein at each meal will still offset the loss of muscle mass. Denis Sullivan will also join the debate at this stage to point out that Dr Sears has advocated for younks the addition of a small amount of protein to every meal.
And that’s Dave Bill knocking on the window to make sure we know he told us first about chocolate milk!
Rob reckons he needs all the help he can get to restore his atrophied muscles
so he’s tucking in to the protein for all he’s worth. Apart from rebuilding muscle mass he’s noticing other beneficial side-effects like: increased growth in hair, nails, and other appendages he has no wish to identify. He’s just happy to get the ham back into his hamstring.

Ernie’s Excursions

Friday and 302 km for the week and 154 of them done on the fixed wheel track bike with a 61 inch gear. My maximum speed going almost out of control was 45 kph down hill and I thought the bike was going to buck me off, so I am going to quit with the speed to save any more broken bones. For you younger riders out there I guarantee if you want to improve your sprinting speed try a fixed wheel. Last Saturday morning I did a 51 km ride, then in the afternoon went to the Dunc Gray Velodrome and covered the NSW points champs, didn’t get home till 11.30 PM and then had to download all the images. Well by 12.30 I started to stuff up on the computer so it was off to bed for 5 hour's sleep. Sunday morning it was off to the Dragway and after walking from spot to spot my legs were beginning to give out on me. By the time Monday morning arrived I couldn’t get out of bed to go for a ride (the spirit was willing but the body was weak).
I think my headlight problem has been solved, having received advice from Stephen Joyce. I have mounted the battery and light on a bracket fastened to the front axle so it is a good distance from the computer, but having pressed buttons in the dark I have inadvertently set the computer back to mph and I am now shocked at how slow I am going. Since riding the fixed wheel I am amazed at how much extra energy I have usually when the grass needs cutting. I have to be frog marched out the back and introduced to the mower and then threatened with all sorts of extreme measures if I don’t do what I am told. Well today I got home from a ride and then proceeded to attack the grass and even swept up afterwards (maybe I should have ridden further).

I called in on Luigi Lollato to see how he is going after his hip replacement. He was in good spirits and getting around on his crutches very well, and like all riders can’t wait to get back on the bike, and knowing how tough he is he will do it in the shortest time possible.
Ernie Smith

Granny’s Egg Suckers
The Lowdown on Gearing
Gear selection can make you or break you on a hill climb, or anytime. It's also a source of confusion among new road riders. What's the right choice for the terrain and fitness level? Racing around Eastern Creek at high speed you don’t need low gears, but if you go on a touring holiday, you may need a much larger cog. Put simply, the larger the cog being used, the easier it is to pedal (lower gear). Same goes when using a smaller chainring. If you want to be technical: divide the chainset teeth with the sprocket teeth and multiply by 27 (wheel diameter) and you will have the gear in inches. Most road bikes have standard double chainrings (39/53 teeth) or a compact double (34/50) or a triple (30/42/52). Bikes are usually equipped with a cassette that has a cog range of 12-25 or 11-26 teeth for standard chainrings and 12-23/25 for compact and triple chainrings. Deciding between a compact or triple crankset can be tricky. For the lowest gears you will need 3 chainrings, and some don't like that. If you ride a mountain bike you'll be used to a triple, but if you've only ridden bikes with double chainrings you'll probably prefer the compact's simpler shifting.
Whatever the transmission you use, it is smart to research the climbs you will be riding to ensure you have the right gearing. If you are planning riding in the Alps or Pyrenees you can find out the gradient and length of the climbs on the internet, and compare to local climbs: they will probably be much longer than the local hills. So if you use a 23 sprocket up the local 6% 5km climb, you might use 23 and 26 on a 6% 15km Alp
The Poacher recommends a cassette that has one or two cogs larger than you think you'll need. For example, if you can make it up the hills in a 25-tooth cog then use a 12-27 cassette. You will have a lower gear if you have a headwind or bad day. It is better to have a low gear and not use it, than not to have it and need it.  Some riders typically purchase several cassettes with different cog ranges so they can easily swap to the right one before an event; this is a good idea. Save money by buying the cheaper models in your component company line; they will work as well as the top models.
If you want to lower the gearing on your bike for easier climbing, the best approach is installing a cassette with larger cogs. The stock rear derailleur on most road bikes with double chainrings will handle cassettes with cogs as large as 28 teeth. These are available from Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo and some specialised manufacturers. SRAM’s new Apex 10 speed has cassettes from 11-23 to 11-32. Triple-chainring drivetrains can accept cassettes with cogs as large as a 34 teeth and probably won't require a derailleur change, but it is unlikely that you will need a gear lower than 30x26, unless you are going off-road or carrying camping equipment.
Cranksets are expensive, but in recent years lots of old roadies have switched from standard doubles to compacts to benefit from the easier-to-pedal 34/50-tooth chainrings (some compacts are 36/50). Compared to standard 39/53 chainrings, you'll automatically have a lower low gear by installing a compact crankset: 39x26= 40” v. 34x26= 35” And if you switch to a cassette with an 11-tooth smallest cog instead of 12, you'll actually have a higher gear. 53x12= 119” v. 50x11= 122”
With a little planning, and some equipment change, you will be able to conquer your mountain with enough energy left to enjoy the view and the descent.
The Poacher

Hardy’s Humour
Waratah Masters Grading

To overcome handicapping problems, henceforth riders will be allocated to grades by means of a simple eye test. If you can only read the top line it’s F grade for you; read the second line and you’re straight into E grade no questions asked, and so on down to the bottom line (so to speak) reserved for A grade. 
No glasses or other artificial aids will be allowed. Bad luck, learn to grow old gracefully!
Bill Hardy

New Members
If you have just joined the Waratahs or would like to refresh your memory about what to do, when, and to whom, you will find all the answers in our New Members page on the website, just click here

Bikes Stolen
You will all have been horrified at the theft of Craig Alexander’s bikes over the weekend. It’s a long shot but if you see anyone riding an Orbea Ordu with this specification, or are approached by someone trying to sell it, immediately call the police.

Like Father Like Son

The love of cycling is in the blood. If you don’t believe me have a gander at the great website run by Jonesy’s son. It’s a good place to find out what’s going on in the world of cycling.

Training Rides
Dad’s Army:0800 hrs Tues & Thurs Mona Vale Rd, St Ives (carpark opposite Stanley Street); 52 clicks through Terrey Hills, Akuna Bay and Duffy’s Forest.
Grandad’s Army: same as above but starts at 0745 hrs.
Homebush: 6.00 am Tues, Wed and Thurs: Olympic Park train station; 45 mins of high-speed fun. Four or five self-selecting bunches to suit all levels. Run expertly by Lidcombe-Auburn but all clubs welcome. Expect large bunches in Summer.
If none of these suit try this website to find out how to link up with other bunch rides--no, it’s not a dating service for lonely cyclists


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