Caffeine on Race day?

I like those ShotBloks. Hammer Nutrition has some nice Gel packs that give a good boost as well:

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/hammer-gel-reg--sampler-kit.9sam.html

 

This.

Caffeine is has been provent to stimulate the central nervous system, increase focus, increase reaction times, delay the onset of fatigue (and lower the perception of fatigue).

However, it is also a thermogenic (increases core body temp) and a diuretic. So if you are going to ingest it, make sure you drink a ton of water and try to keep cool.

 

I would think having a normal coffee/caffeine routine all other times and then disrupting that routine just for race day would have more of an effect then just sticking with routine.

 

I just saw this as i was scrolling.

It can cause cramping (because it is a diuretic, like i said in the last post). But that can easily be avoided with proper hydration. Just keep in mind that "hydration" doesnt just mean water, you need the proper amount of electrolytes. So you need to mix in sports drinks also.

 

To answer your question, yes i take in caffiene...at home and on race days.

I dont do cokes, but i will drink some coffee in the morning. And then i even have caffiene supplements if i feel like i need it. It doesnt bother me as far as cramping or anything like that, and i do alot of races. It is just a matter of knowing your body and knowing how to properly hydrate.

 

Good info.

 

And you have arm pump. And you do 18 races per day. And you run around the pits like a chicken with your head cut off, sometimes.

 

for me caffeine adds 10-15 bpms over my normal HR with 2 cups of coffee before a ride (about 80 mg).

 

Worst thing you can do with caffeine (per my doctor) is to start and stop. If you are going to consume it, be consistent. Stopping and starting is bad for your heart.

I drink the same amount of caffeine on race day as I do in the office.

Water on the other hand... gallons. Usually, with a supplement in the water to add electrolytes, etc.

Never Gatorade. Terrible stuff.

 

I mean yeah, there is always that too.

 

do you have a heart condition? I will drink more caffeine in an office situation because its boring & sedentary. Im not bored at a race track. But I can go weeks without even thinking about caffeine... no headaches or withdrawls.
However some projects are so yawn inducing... I must guzzle a monster or pot of coffee!

 

Cajun, I've found that electrolyte levels are far more effective in improving physical performance and endurance. Drinking a ton of caffeine will just make you wired, but it won't necessarily make you faster or less fatigued. Your mind will feel more alert, but your body might still be slow.

I did an experiment once a few years ago during an 8-hour endurance race in South Africa. Brandon Cretu and I were one of the only two-man teams, running 50-minute shifts, and it was about 100F all day. I was drinking Nuun (electrolyte tablets you mix with a bottle of water) between shifts; I was able to down about two 500mL bottles before it was my shift again. One of the times I tried drinking just water, no electrolytes: 20 minutes into my shift, I was so tired and dizzy that I had to come in early. Brandon was pissed, lol

Point is, if you're running into fatigue issues and you haven't taken a close look at your water and salt intake, look there first. Caffeine probably won't hurt, but I doubt it'll help in the ways you're looking for.

 

No, I do not, his suggestion was preventative. The body adjusts to the caffeine intake and suddenly stopping changes things.

His words not mine.

If someone told me doing an espresso shot at the 2 board would give and extra second a lap I would give it a go

 

I'm with mongo. Do what you normally do, plus lots of water and electrolytes. I don't do Gatorade because of all the sugar and chemicals. Coconut water is perfect because it's high in potassium which can put off cramping and arm pump.

 

all this is why i do GUs, Bloks, and other supplement drinks over something like coffee or soda. i get some of the electrolytes and the sugar and the caffeine.

i like Nuun cuz they are one of the few tablets ive found that have plenty of caffeine. yours didnt?

caffeine prob would hurt if someone's water/salts intake isnt up to par. they pee out any water they have left, taking the salts they have left with it, and their performance would tank.

drinking a lot of water without the salts might actually be worse than not drinking the water too. the concentration of those salts in your body decreases, potentially ruining your performance and causing u to feel tired. even something like Gatorade doesnt have enough salts in it if consumed in large quantities.

 

A nice cup of black joe helps me dump a load before suiting up.
Water and some PowerAde during the day. Ricky Bobby endorses Mystic Mountain Blueberry.

 

This is a valid point. There many different factors that can cause fatigue.

If somebody is feeling tired, as in muscle cramps, lactic acid building, muscle soreness, etc...then caffiene could possibly make those worse. In that case, you need to focus on your hydration and ensure you are getting adequate things like sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc (which plays a big role is cellular growth and tissue repair), Vitamins B and C, etc. I would also suggest some BCAA's (amino acids) and some complex carbs.

If you are doing everything right hydration and nutrition wise, but just feel sleepy...like you need a nap, then caffiene can help with that.

But keep in mind that you really need to know your body and have a good routine to know the difference. Dehydration can actually also cause feelings of sluggishness and weakness. So you need to be able to differentiate between the two.

An easy way to tell is by how much you have been urinating, if you are still sweating alot (if you stop sweating, that is a BIG problem because it means your body can no longer regulate your temperature...and bad shit is about to happen). Or if you have a headache.

Dehydration causes headaches, which is the main reason people have headaches after drinking...alcohol is a diuretic and causes dehydration. Technically speaking, what it actually does is block the anti-diuretic hormone, and that forces the kidneys to send water directly to the bladder, rather than it being absorbed in the body...that is why you have to piss so much when you drink. It isnt because of the excess fluids/beer/shots, it is because the body is sending that liquid and any other excess liquid directly do your bladder. The general rule of thumb is 4 to 1 (for every 12oz of alcohol you ingest, your body will expel up to 48oz of water). Then in the morning, the body goes into "survival mode" because it so dehydrated and the organs try to make up for their own water loss by stealing water from the brain...which actually causes the brain to shrink in size, pulling on the membranes that connect the brain to the skull........................which results in guess what................pain. That is why your head physically hurts when you are hungover.

Have you ever noticed how they always say "drink with at least 12oz of water" in the directions of headache medicines? It is because they know that dehydration causes headaches. So if the medince doesnt work, the water will. When truth be told, most people likely could have gotten the same headache relief simply by drinking the water alone.

Anyway, i went off the deep end a little. My point is that dehydration also leads to the feeling of weakness and fatigue, and if it actually is dehydration that is making you feel like that, then caffiene could make it worse. But if you are fully dehydrated and just feeling groggy because of a lack of sleep, or jetlag, or whatever...then caffiene can help.

 

Chris, today won you the word-count total title... for the month!

 

As far as hydration, i have my own recipe i make up. I will get lemon lime gatorade powder and mix a scoop of it with a scoop of this:

http://www.dpsnutrition.net/i/18413/endurox-r4-performance-powder-lemon-lime-14-servings.htm

It has electrolytes, amino acids, vitamins and complex carbs. I need it to keep my blood sugar regulated because my nerves are too shot to eat properly during race days, and i will get in a bind if my sugar drops during back-to-back-to-back races. Not to mention i need the energy.

So i will mix a scoop of gatorade with a scoop of that in a bottle of water. Then i will continue to drink water till time to get on the bike again. If i have an extended break between races, like 30-40mins, i will drink that ^ drink i make, plus at least 2 bottles of water.

I have been doing that for the past 2 years. And i can do 16 races in a DH weekend at Road Atlanta in July and will never get fatigued or cramped and will piss clear all day. Another key is to start over-hydrating a couple of days before the event to make sure you dont show up already partially dehydrated (like the general public is all the time anyway). Then drink water even when you arent actually doing anything yet. Like knock out a bottle of water before you go to sleep, then another one as soon as you wake up.

 

Haha, i cant help it. I have studied this kind of shit alot and it really interests me. Put that, with the fact that i can type over 90 words per minute, and i end up sitting here just typing as i am thinking. That is why my posts always sound/say exactly like i do in real life. There is no actual filter, i just type it as i think it.