Life In The Saddle

Last week, the (imaginary) bell sounded to indicate the last round of drinks for my Rude Health 30 Day Drinking Oats challenge. For the whole month of April, I was challenged to incorporate the easy dissolving milled oats into my daily nutrition, and see what effect the low-GI food would have on my health, riding and performance. Here's a wrap up... Convenience is King! Drinking Oats are made to be a convenient breakfast or snack; just add a few tablespoons of them to any drink, and you've added some low-GI carbohydrates that will keep you going and fuelled-up at any time of the day.  Convenience and cycling go hand-in-hand. Whether you're looking for a quicker start to the day, so you can get out on the road, or you're in need of a quick afternoon snack before an evening training session, Drinking Oats could be the key. Here's three ways I've used Drinking Oats in the last month, as a convenient snack: Pre-Ride Breakfast - Mix three tables...

The Mission Athlete Cooling Towel utilises an interesting new technology, which allegedly can cool the area it is in contact with by 15 degrees Celsius. The TechNit fabric used in the towel allows for rapid heat conduction, to water molecules that are held within the towel when soaked. The result, is that you can generate a great cooling effect when the towel is draped around your neck or over your head. I thought this might be useful for hot turbo sessions, or racing in hot climates; so I've been giving it a test run... The towel is pretty simple to use, you soak it in water, squeeze out the excess, and then 'snap' it tight three times; before draping it over yourself to cool. I used it during some hot afternoons out in Mallorca, particularly when I had forgotten the sunscreen and was a bit pink. It seems to work, and has a notable cooling effect. I'm not quite sure what the "snap to activate" does, apart from shaking out excess water, but it does w...

Some will question whether a cycling blog is the place to review appliances like a blender. Well, I'm going to explain why it is... I have no problem wolfing down a bowl of porridge before most rides, but after a hard training session, I often find it difficult to stomach a solid meal; even though I know that it is optimal for recovery. I know others who struggle with the reverse, and as a result tend not to fuel up optimally before they head out. Blending could be the answer... NutriBullet blenders have become a very fashionable item over the last year or so; with people tweeting pictures of their bright green kale smoothies, and raspberry ripple shakes on a daily basis. I'm a big fan of milkshakes, and my NutriBullet makes an awesome banana and peanut butter shake; but what I really wanted to highlight to cyclists, is the benefit of a blender like this, for making prep and recovery easier. Pre-ride raspberry, yoghurt and oat "porridge smoothie" Pre-Rid...

Last year, I reviewed the Secret Training Race Day Care Kit , and I was taken by how much time and consideration had gone into the design and contents of the compact little bag. Since then, I've used the kit for almost every race that I've attended; and it's clear that Dr. Tim Lawson, the designer of the product and founder of Secret Training, knows exactly what is needed for a day on a bike in variable UK conditions. Dr. Tim Lawson was one of the founders of Science in Sport, and has been a nutrition coach to many professional riders to date. Having left SiS several years ago, it was only a matter of time before he again utilised his high-end scientific skills in nutrition to launch some new products. It's because of this great scientific footing, that I've been very interested to try the STEALTH range from Secret Training, ever since it was released earlier in the year. Here's what I thought of it… Secret Training STEALTH Hydration Drink Mix I...

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