Cache Valley Classic

August 4, 2007

Logan, Utah

Olympic Distance

Men

Jason Crompton 2:07:08

Chris Shurtleff 2:12:36

Chip Martin 2:13:30

Women

Anne Heiner 2:21:00

Macinze Overy 2:23:01

Sandra Branby Green 2:33:43

Sprint Distance

Men

BJ Christenson 1:03:29

Michael Mamales 1:08:18

Casey Robles 1:08:51

Women

Kira Datwyler 1:18:02

Sue Pope 1:18:34

Melinda Frey 1:18:46

Popularity: 24% [?]

Emigration Canyon was first introduced to me while on a group ride with a local tri club a few years back. I would have to say that it is one of the most popular riding routes in Salt Lake and I always see other riders on this course whenever I cycle it. Add to this the killer incline up to Big Mountain pass and you have a mean workout. The ride to the top of Emigration Canyon is approximately 9.5 miles for a total roundtrip of 19 miles. Throw in the ride to Big Mountain and then you’ll have a 34 mile roundtrip ride.

As the summer wanes it doesn’t take much for conditions to change for the worse on this ride. While things may be decent in the Salt Lake Valley, it can be very stormy and/or chilly on the summits, so dress and ride accordingly. This ride is also very scenic in the fall with the loose tree leaves and the changing of colors. Have fun and ride safe! -Mick M.

slamkablam@yahoo.com

Popularity: 24% [?]

Popularity: 16% [?]

Many triathletes are familiar with the term “antioxidant” and understand that it refers to nutrients such as vitamins C and E (and many others) that help to protect your body from “free radicals” (highly-reactive oxygen molecules) created during exercise. Unchecked free radical activity is what leads to the cellular damage known as “oxidation” and the cycle of inflammation and tissue dysfunction that follows. If you’re training hard more than a few times weekly, and your diet is less than optimal, then it is almost certain that you could benefit from a daily antioxidant supplement.

In the case of triathletes or other avid exercisers, oxidative damage may be elevated due to increased production of free radicals during intense activity. Although the body increases its production of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase), supplemental levels of exogenous or dietary antioxidants may be warranted to prevent excessive oxidative damage to muscles, mitochondria, lungs, and other tissues.

When it comes to antioxidant nutrition, your best approach is to eat five to ten servings of brightly colored fruits and veggies throughout the day. In general, brighter is better, with each color group representing a major class of antioxidants from red tomatoes (lycopene), orange carrots (beta-carotene), blueberries (flavonoids) and purple grapes (anthocyanins). You want to try to get a few servings of each color group everyday. If you have trouble consuming all the fruits and veggies that you need, and you choose to supplement your diet to boost your antioxidant levels, then keep in mind that it’s the overall collection of several antioxidants that is important, rather than any single “super” antioxidant. Often, you’ll see advertisements touting the “best” or “most powerful” antioxidant nutrient, but recent research clearly shows us that supplementing with too many isolated or unbalanced antioxidants may be even worse for long-term health than getting too few antioxidants. Excessive levels of antioxidant supplementation (for example, too much isolated vitamin E or beta-carotene), can actually lead to more oxidation and tissue damage rather than a protection from oxidation.

Networking Your Nutrition

This concept of antioxidant balance – not too many and not too few – is what scientists refer to as the “Antioxidant Network” - that network being made up of five major classes of antioxidants: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Carotenoids, Bioflavonoids, and Thiols - and your cells need representatives from each and every one of these categories in order to mount the strongest antioxidant defense.

Think of it in triathlon terms – even if you were the best swimmer in the world (say, Michael Phelps), you’re not going to win the Ironman without also having a strong bike and run. The mainstream-sports analogy of baseball works as well - if you had the best home run hitter in the world, but poor pitching and fielding, then your baseball team would not be the best team. Same thing with your antioxidant defenses - green tea, or vitamin E, or astaxanthin, or beta-carotene are all wonderful antioxidants on their own - but combining them to create a network that performs together in different parts of the body and against different types of free radicals is the most effective way to go.

Some of the top picks among antioxidant supplements are: beta-carotene (natural), lycopene, lutein, vitamin E (natural), vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, green tea, selenium, zinc, grape seed, and pine bark - but there are many other choices of nutrients and herbal extracts and plant extracts that possess wonderful antioxidant properties. Just as with your training regimen, if you keep the concept of “balance” in mind when it comes to your antioxidant nutrition, then your body will be healthier and stronger and more able to respond to the demands of living and working and “playing” at the highest level possible.

For more detailed information on the pros, cons, safety, and dosage recommendations for specific antioxidant nutrients (and hundreds of other supplements), visit Supplement Watch at www.supplementwatch.com.

About the Author: Shawn Talbott holds a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry (Rutgers) and MS in Exercise Science (Massachusetts). He trains for iron-distance triathlons in Draper Utah – and is always sure to keep his antioxidant defenses topped off. He can be reached at smtalbott@supplementwatch.com

Popularity: 14% [?]

Running fast can lead to an optimum performance and it may be easier to get faster than you think. Implementing just a few speed workouts into your monthly training can shave off a lot from even your best running times.

To run faster you must train faster and smarter. Effective speed work is carefully designed and calibrated to increase your muscles ability to utilize oxygen more efficiently. While speed work is challenging it trains your body to perform at a higher intensity for longer and prolong fatigue. Interval training, fartleks, and racing are a few of the many ways to incorporate speed work into your training. As always, remember to warm-up and stretch well before attempting any speed work.

Interval Training

Most serious athletes realize that timed interval work on the track helps build speed for optimum performance. Typically this type of speed work is done on a 400 meter track. The most common forms of interval training are repeats, pyramids, and ladders, all containing three very specific elements: interval length, pace and recovery time. A classic repeat workout includes 12 x 400 meters at 5 sec./mile faster than 5K race pace with a 200 meters recovery. Recovery time should not exceed the time it takes to run the 400. Or try a pyramid starting and finishing with 2 x 400 @ 5K pace - 200 meters recovery. Do 4 x 800 with 400 meters recovery @ 15 sec. faster than 5 K race pace in the middle of the 400’s. Or try a ladder 1,600 meters (60 second recovery) - 1,200 (45) - 1,000 (40) – 800 (30) - 600 (20) - 400 (15) – 200 (5). These workouts are tough, but rewarding when you see your racing times improve.

Fartleks

Running fartleks is the easiest way for a beginner to inject speed into a run. Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning “speed play” and it is simply done by adding random bursts of speed into a moderate run. It is free form running designed to mimic the unpredictable surges that occur during competition. Give it a try.

Racing

Challenge your pace through road racing. Road running season is fast approaching and soon we will be able to choose from an assortment of races every weekend. From trail runs to hilly road races you are sure to find a challenge. Introducing periodic racing into your training gives you that competitive edge which drives for optimum performance. Even a small local 5K can give you the challenge to push the pace and excel in running. Remember to get faster you need to train faster.

Other methods to increase speed are tempo runs, plyometric drills, strength and core conditioning. Becoming a leaner and stronger runner will only make you a faster runner. What about joining a running club or running with a friend that challenges you to run faster?

Lora Erickson is a local triathlete and certified running coach since 1996. As one of Colorado’s top high school runners she ran on scholarship for the “U” and Utah State University graduating with a B.S. Health Education minors: Nutrition and Chemistry. She is also a certified personal trainer and owner of Optimum Health Services located in Bountiful. To comment about this article email blonderunner@netzero.net or call her direct at 299-1601. Custom running programs are available. She will be teaching a four week Running Camp in the month of July through the Bountiful South Davis Recreation Center. On-line sign-up available www.southdavisrecreation.com or call 298-6220 for more information.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Athletes across a wide range of sports use a variety of dietary supplements from multivitamins and antioxidants to meal replacements and muscle builders. Across the American population (of non-athletes), approximately 65% classify themselves as “regular” supplement users (taking a supplement on more days than not). When it comes to athletes in “power” sports such as football, track & field, weight lifting and bodybuilding, the reported supplement usage is close to 100%.

Certainly, we can see the growth in advertising of nutritional products to triathletes – the pages of every tri-magazine are filled with all manner of drinks, gels, bars, and pills. Unfortunately, we’ve never really know very much about which supplement products triathletes are using (and why) until now.

Our research lab has recently completed a study on dietary supplement use in triathletes. The purpose of the research was to develop a greater understanding of the awareness, perceptions, and usage of dietary supplements in triathletes. The data has been presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition Annual Scientific Conference in Las Vegas (June 2007) – and hopefully, it will help us understand how to more completely address both the nutritional and educational needs of triathletes.

The Study

We recruited 326 triathletes from events in Texas, California, and Oklahoma and asked them to complete a 50-question survey about their use (or not) of dietary supplements. Among these athletes, 174 (71 women and 103 men) were competing at Iron-distance events and 152 (63 women and 89 men) were competing at Olympic distance events. The demographics of each group are presented in the shown table.

As you can see from the data above, the Iron-distance athletes were a little older and had a somewhat higher income as compared to the Olympic-distance athletes. The Iron-distance athletes also tended to buy more (or more expensive) supplements based on their higher monthly expenditures.

What did we find?

It was clear that triathletes in general are avid supplement users (100% of our 326 participants were current supplement users). When we looked at differences in supplement knowledge and usage between the groups, some interesting facts appeared.

For example, we found that while more than 90% of all triathletes get most of their information about supplements from 2 places (internet and friend/training partners), a subset of Iron-distance athletes relied heavily on their coaches/trainers as their preferred source of supplement information. A solid 90% of triathletes at both distances told us that they had difficulty in finding accurate information about supplements – and that they needed more information to make the best decisions between products.

When we asked about nutrient intake from FOOD (rather than supplements), 80% of Iron-distance and 84% of Olympic distance athletes felt that they did NOT get all the nutrients they needed form their food – and thus felt that they needed a daily supplement.

The top reasons for triathletes taking a daily dietary supplement were because they didn’t “eat right” all the time (89%); for extra energy (82%); and to perform better (73%). The most frequently used dietary supplements (90% or more of participants) were carbohydrate/electrolyte beverages and multivitamins. We found a difference between Iron and Olympic triathletes when it came to using “specialized” sports supplements, with the longer-distance athletes using substantially more supplements intended as antioxidants, recovery-aids, and endurance enhancers (52-56% of Iron-distance and only 30-44% of Olympic athletes used these specialized products).

Likewise, we found that 82-95% of triathletes at both distances took their supplements before or during exercise, but Iron athletes were about twice as likely as Olympic athletes to also supplement their diets after exercise (54% versus 29%) – which suggests a higher use of recovery-enhancement types of products.

Conclusion

It makes sense that a highly educate and affluent population such as triathletes would be avid users of dietary supplements, so this data helps to put some context around what products they’re using and why they’re choosing them. It was interesting to see that triathletes at the longer distances were supplementing 20-30% more frequently with products intended for endurance, recovery, and for use after exercise.

Our next steps in extending this research are to learn how we can best educate triathletes about supplements. For example, athletes tell us that

they want and need more accurate information about supplements – but does that mean that we should post more information to the internet (where most are getting their information now)? Is it more effective to reach out to coaches and trainers (because they work directly with the athletes and could “screen” out the ineffective or dangerous supplements)? Do triathletes want to know more about the health benefits or more about the performance benefits (or both) of a given supplement? Maybe they just want to know that it’s endorsed by their favorite professional athlete?

At this point in time, we can say with confidence that triathletes are using supplements at a higher rate than the average American couch spud – but somewhat less frequently than in some of the power/strength sports. Hopefully, our efforts will lead to strategies to help educate triathletes and other endurance athletes about the pros and cons of choosing and using dietary supplements in the best way to enhance their own physical and mental performance.

About the Author: Shawn M. Talbott, Ph.D. is Research Director for SupplementWatch (www.supplementwatch.com) and Chief Scientific Officer for Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition (www.wickedfastsportsnutrition.com). He supplements his diet, and those of his wife and 2 kids, while training for Ironman-distance triathlons in Draper, Utah.

Popularity: 15% [?]

SUGARHOUSE PARK - SLC

1500 East and 2100 South, in the Historic Sugarhouse District

The innerpaved loop is 1.4 miles of rolling hills and ther perimeter grass loop is 1.82 miles. Nearby is an outdoor all weather 400m high school track. This park is perfect for speed sessions with intervals on the track, fartleks on grass, or hill work.

RED BUTTE GARDENS/BONNEVILLE SHORELINE TRAIL - EAST BENCH SLC

300 Wakara Way (U of U Research Park)

This trail offers one of the most scenic views of the valley and endless options of rolling terrain, these trails are perfect for low impact and hill work. Access to the Shorline trail runs along the east bench. For a more intense long run, try Dry Creek canyon Trailhead (East of U of U Hospital), which eventually connects to City Creek Canyon.

CITY CREEK CANYON - DOWNTOWN SLC

Northeast corner of State Street and North Temple (Memory Grove to City Creek Canyon)

The canyon offers 7 miles of steady climbing. Both the road and trails parallel the canyon walls which eventually hooks into the Shorline/Great Western Trail System. This is perfect for uphill and downhill training or a quick run from the office or hotel.

MILL CREEK CANYON & GREAT WESTERN TRAIL - EAST BENCH SLC

3800 South Wasatch Blvd

Divided in Upper and Lower Mill Creek Canyon. The Pipeline Trail in lower Mill Creek is very flat and scenic. Upper Mill Creek is more rugged and steep. It provides access to the Great Western Trail System and is perfect for intense hill work, ultra mountain running, and beating the heat on hot summer days. Admission is $2.25 per car.

LIBERTY PARK - DOWNTOWN SLC

600 East and 900 South

The perimeter of the park has a new woodchip running path (1.45 mile loop) that is flat and very soft. The inside loop (1.4 miles) is cement/pavement. It is within a short distance of offices and hotels, and is perfect for tempo and steady state runs.

UTAH OLYMPIC OVAL - WEST SLC

5662 South and 4800 West

Circling the outside of the 2002 Olympic Speed Skating Oval is a 442 meter, 4 lane, mondo indoor track. The indoor temperature is set at 65-67 degrees F and is perfect for fast speed sessions all year round. Admission is $2 per person.

JORDAN RIVER PARKWAY - WEST SLC

550 West and 4800 South (Arrowhead Park)

This route follows the Jordan River with 11 miles of continuous paved and dirt pathways. This nature path is flat and gently rolls through groves of trees, wetlands and boardwalks. It is perfect for weekend long runs and summer evening jogs.

Popularity: 22% [?]

Swimming is very different when compared to cycling and running. Swimming requires you to not only propel yourself in the water but you have get through it as well. Since water is 880 times thicker than air, swimming faster poses an additional dimension that is often overlooked. The factor is resistance drag. Triathletes acknowledge that drag is a big factor on the bike when they adopt the aero position to get through ‘thin’ air with less resistance. Drag is also a factor on the run when you consider that drafting behind a runner can save the follower as much as 7% effort. Drag forces increase exponentially as speed increase linearly. Energy cost mount very, very quickly for slight increases in speed unless you know how to minimize drag.

How important is the drag factor in the ‘swimming faster’ equation and how do you address resistance drag? Two outstanding swimming coaches have stated the answer quite succinctly. Skip Kenny, men’s head swimming coach at Stanford University addressed the drag issue in an interview with Swimming World magazine. He was asked this question: On what do you focus in your technique work?

“Our major focus in on eliminating resistance. In fact, virtually all technique work has reducing or eliminating resistance as its focus. Basically, there are only two ways to get faster in the water: eliminating resistance or becoming stronger and overpowering resistance. Of the two, eliminating resistance is far easier.”

Terry Laughlin, Head Coach for Total Immersion Swimming has written on resistance drag:

“Water throws huge drag forces against anyone who doesn’t know the tricks of becoming slippery. There is no workout that can overcome drag. Learning to cut that drag by improving your body position could well give you a 20 to 30 percent speed boost in just a day or two.”

Swimming efficiently has two components: propulsion, (kicking, pulling) and drag reduction, (balancing & streaming). Swimming faster is not just about trying to overpower the water. Going faster in not just about grinding out more and harder laps or about using pool tools to get stronger. Moving fast is as much or more about being balanced and streamlined. You can train to reduce drag.

How can a swimmer train to reduce drag? A full discussion on reducing drag is beyond the space limitations of this article. However, the fundamentals are: balance and streamlining.

First, learn balance in the water. Balance is effortless support by the water in a horizontal position. For example many swimmers have some degree of ‘uphill’ position, (head up and hips down). Poor balance is also fighting the sinking feeling by trying to stay up in the water. Balance drills help you feel horizontal balance and support. Insure the head and body are aligned in a horizontal and streamlined position. It is very important to feel what it is like to be supported, aligned and horizontal in the water. Repositioning the body from ‘uphill’ to horizontal and in ‘supported’ position is invaluable in reducing drag. (See balance drill photo)

The next step is to pierce the water. Piercing starts with great balance then extends to streamlining through the water on one side and then on the other side. Aim to cut through the water rather than power through it. Instead of ‘arms that pull and legs that kick, alternate a right side streamlined position with a left side streamlined position. Keep each side long and sleek as possible from finger to toes. A streamlined swimmer travels more distance per stroke.

Taking the breaks off may be the way for you to swim faster!

Noel Olsen is a USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach and a Total Immersion certified swim instructor. Noel can be contacted via email at noelswimbr@yahoo.com.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Endurance in a Pill?

Sounds fishy, right? Understandably, you should be skeptical of any “boost endurance” claims as either illegal or unproven –unless they can be backed up with solid scientific evidence in human endurance athletes. In that category of “proven” (and legal) there are three main herbal options to consider: Cordyceps, Rhodiola and Eurycoma.

Each of these strange-sounding natural ingredients falls within a category of herbs called “adaptogens”-so named for their ancient usage in helping the body to “adapt” to various stressors. Training for triathlons certainly counts as a predominant source of stress for readers of TriHive.

Cordyceps is a Tibetan mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for “lung protection” and to balance the “Qi”–the fundamental “energy of life.” A number of Chinese clinical studies, primarily in patients with fatigue, showed that cordyceps-treated patients reported significant improvements in their level of fatigue and benefits on measures of memory, cognitive capacity and sex drive. Patients with respiratory diseases also reported feeling physically stronger.

In the US-based clinical studies, cordyceps-treated subjects show significant improvements in their level of fatigue (Cooper et al. 1999), oxygen uptake (Talbott et al. 2002), and endurance exercise performance (Nicodemus et al. 2001). One human study (Zhu et al. 1998) suggests that the increased libido reported in elderly subjects may be due to an increase in DHEA levels from low back to normal ranges.

Rhodiola is a Himalayan root that was (and still is) used by the Sherpa people to “adapt” to the stress of living and working at high-altitudes. Even today, Sherpa climbers chew on rhodiola for an energy and endurance boost when helping mountaineers scale Mt. Everest.

Rhodiola is typically considered to be an “adaptogen” (like ginseng) and is believed to invigorate the body and mind to increase resistance to a multitude of stresses. Standardized extracts of rhodiola have been shown to reduce feelings of general fatigue (Darbinyan et al. 2000).

One mechanism for rhodiola’s anti-fatigue effects is an enhancement of oxygen efficiency (Ha et al. 2002)–with subjects living at high altitude (5,380 meters) showing a beneficial effect of rhodiola supplementation on blood oxygen levels.

Belgian researchers have shown an effect of rhodiola on time to exhaustion, VO2 peak and pulmonary ventilation during endurance exercise in healthy young adults (DeBock 2004). Russian researchers have also shown a “pronounced anti-fatigue effect” of a single dose of rhodiola in young adults (Shevtsov 2003). A study at the University of Utah found a trend for decreased levels of serum lipid peroxides following rhodiola supplementation in subjects exposed to the hypoxia of simulated high altitude–suggesting that rhodiola may decrease free radical formation during hypoxic exposure (Wing 2003).

Eurycoma is a root, often called “Tongkat ali” and Malaysian ginseng, that is used as a traditional remedy in South East Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam) to help individuals “adapt” to the reduced energy, mood, and libido that often comes with age (after age 30 for most of us).

Eurycoma contains a group of small peptides that are referred to as “eurypeptides” and are known to have effects in improving energy status and sex drive in both men and women. The testosterone “boosting” effects of eurycoma appears to not have anything to do with “stimulating” testosterone synthesis, but rather in increasing the release rate of “free” testosterone from its binding

In this way, eurycoma is not so much a testosterone “booster” but rather a “maintainer” of normal testosterone levels (SHBG levels are known to increase with aging and may contribute to the age-related fall in serum free testosterone). This would make eurycoma particularly beneficial for individuals with sub-normal testosterone levels, including those who are dieting for weight loss, middle-aged individuals (testosterone drops after age 30) and intensely training athletes who may be at risk for overtraining.

One study of eurycoma supplementation in male and female endurance athletes (mountain bikers, presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition, ISSN, Annual Scientific Meeting in 2006) and another in male and female dieters (moderately overweight subjects, presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, NASSO, in 2006) found 50-100mg of eurycoma to maintain normal testosterone levels in the supplemented dieters (compared to a typical drop in testosterone among non-supplemented dieters) and the supplemented mountain bikers (compared to a typical drop in non-supplemented “over-trained” riders).

For a dieter, it would be expected for cortisol (a stress hormone) to rise and testosterone (an anabolic hormone) to drop following several weeks of dieting. This change in hormone balance (cortisol up and testosterone down) is an important cause of the familiar “plateau” that many dieters hit (when weight loss stops) after 6-8 weeks on a weight loss regimen. By maintaining normal testosterone levels, a dieter could expect to also maintain their muscle mass and metabolic rate (versus a drop in both subsequent to lower testosterone levels) – and thus continue to lose weight without plateauing.

For an endurance athlete, the same rise in cortisol and drop in testosterone is an early signal of overtraining – a syndrome characterized by reduced performance, increased injury rates, suppressed immune system activity, increased appetite, moodiness, and weight gain. Obviously, maintaining normal testosterone levels could prevent some of these overtraining symptoms as well as help the athlete to recover faster/better from daily training bouts.

Summary

No amount of any herb is going to take you from the couch to the podium without your dedication to proper training and nutrition. However, if you’re already doing what you can in terms of diet and exercise, then adding a daily supplement to enhance the effects of your tri-training might serve as a “biochemical tune up” for your body and help you reach the next level of performance.

Dosage ranges to consider are as follows (per dose – with up to 2-3 doses daily, depending on stress and training levels):

• Cordyceps = 500-1,000mg

• Rhodiola = 150-300mg

• Eurycoma = 25-50mg

About the Author: Shawn Talbott holds a MS in exercise science (UMass) and a PhD in nutritional biochemistry (Rutgers) and competes in Iron-distance triathlons. He is Editor in Chief of SupplementWatch (www.supplementwatch.com) and Chief Scientific Officer for Wicked Fast Sports Nutrition (www.wickedfastsportsnutrition.com). Dr. Talbott has conducted research studies on each of the herbs mentioned in this article and includes them in his daily training regimen.

References

For a full set of references on each herb, please visit SupplementWatch at www.supplementwatch.com or TriHive at www.trihive.com

1. Ang HH, Cheang HS. Studies on the anxiolytic activity of Eurycoma longifolia Jack roots in mice. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1999 Apr;79(4):497-500.

2. Colson SN, Wyatt FB, Johnston DL, Autrey LD, FitzGerald YL, Earnest CP. Cordyceps sinensis- and Rhodiola rosea-based supplementation in male cyclists and its effect on muscle tissue oxygen saturation. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 May;19(2):358-63.

3. Cooper C, Zhu J, et al. Elevated VO2max in frail elderly subjects. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;31:S174.

4. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, Gabrielian E, Wikman G, Wagner H. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue–a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine. 2000 Oct;7(5):365-71.

5. De Bock K, Eijnde BO, Ramaekers M, Hespel P. Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Jun;14(3):298-307.

6. Ha Z, Zhu Y, Zhang X, Cui J, Zhang S, Ma Y, Wang W, Jian X. The effect of rhodiola and acetazolamide on the sleep architecture and blood oxygen saturation in men living at high altitude. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi. 2002 Sep;25(9):527-30.

7. Nicodemus K, Hagan D, Zhu J. Supplementation with cordyceps fermentation product enhanced exercise performance and fat oxidation in athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc.2001;33:S164.

8. Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, Vol’skij VB, Korovin YP, Khristich MP, Roslyakova NA, Wikman G. A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work. Phytomedicine. 2003 Mar;10(2-3):95-105.

9. Talbott SM, Zhu JS, Rippe JM. Coryceps enhances endurance in sedentary individuals. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2001;33.

10. Walker TB, Robergs RA. Does Rhodiola rosea possess ergogenic properties?Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Jun;16(3):305-15.

11. Wing SL, Askew EW, Luetkemeier MJ, Ryujin DT, Kamimori GH, Grissom CK. Lack of effect of Rhodiola or oxygenated water supplementation on hypoxemia and oxidative stress. Wilderness Environ Med. 2003 Spring;14(1):9-16.

12. Xu KJ, Zhang SF, Li QX. Preventive and treatment effect of composite Rhodiolae on acute lung injury in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension during extracorporeal circulation. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2003 Sep;23(9):648-50.

13. Zhu JS et al. Improved bioenergy status in animals. J Altern Complement Med. 2001;7:231-240.

14. Zhu JS, Halpern GM, Jones K. The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis: part I. J Altern Complement Med. 1998 Fall;4(3):289-303.

Popularity: 15% [?]

My favorite Ironman distance ride takes in the seven major reservoirs on the east side of the Wasatch. It has the benefit of a fairly even mix of hills and flats. The section from Henefer to Midway has only one major climb. I do my best to stay in the tri bars for this 50 mile section to train my neck, arm and back muscles to cope with the long periods in the tri bars that we experience in most races.

I typically loop the ride from home in Park City (104 miles) leaving out Lost Creek and Deer Creek reservoirs. Starting off from the East Canyon exit off I-80 makes logistical sense if you have somebody to pick you up at Deer Creek (92 miles) and avoids riding on I-80 for about four miles. This is a tough ride which typically takes me about six hours and has no option to cut it shorter. Good places to stop for nutrition and fluids are Henefer (30 miles), Wanship (50 miles), Kamas (66 miles), Midway (85 miles).

If you choose to add Lost Creek Reservoir it will add 30 miles to your ride. Given the time, it is worth enduring a short ride on gravel to the boat ramp for a swim. In my opinion the water is the cleanest and the setting by far the most scenic of any of the reservoirs (think Lake Powell). I typically only include it if I am starting and ending in Wanship. Wanship is an excellent base for a number of reasons including; ample parking at the LDS church or Rail Trail head for a post ride run and is less than a mile from the Rockport reservoir which has easy access from the road for open water swimming.

The Route

Starting at Mountain Dell Reservoir climb up and over Big Mountain to East Canyon Reservoir. At the far end of the reservoir take the right split and head into Henefer. Essentially this is the old East Canyon Olympic tri route which is a sad loss to our list of local events. At Henefer you have a choice to head left for an out and back to Lost Creek Reservoir on the Echo half IM course or take a right towards Echo. At Echo junction cross under I-80 and in quick succession you will knock off Echo Reservoir on the right hand side before Coalville and Rockport Reservoir just after Wanship on the left. I typically head back towards Park City up Brown’s Canyon looking out over Jordanelle Reservoir from the summit. At the base of Browns you have the choice to continue straight through Kamas to Francis where you would make a right onto the Jordanelle tri course passing the Jordanelle Reservoir on the right hand side on your way to Midway. In Midway follow the signs to Soldier Hollow which will be on your right hand side shortly before you reach Deer Creek Reservoir.

Popularity: 22% [?]