Bike Diva

Bike Diva Tries Green Drink Diet

  Above: blend up a green drink for a healthy way to start off your day.

Bike Diva Likes Green Drinks

Last Monday I posted a review of The Healthy Green Drink Diet book to my Cuisine Diva blog: Healthy Green Drink Diet Book. I mentioned in the review that I would be trying to add at least one green drink to my diet, each day, for the first part of the week. I have been wanting to drop a few pounds, and starting my day off with a health infused green drink seemed the perfect way to jump start my weight loss plan.

I find that the key to loosing weight is to keep my metabolism fired up all day long. So instead of eating just a few, large meals each day, I eat many smaller meals throughout the day. I call this kind of eating grazing, because you are eating every couple of hours. This helps to maintain a normal blood sugar level too, as you shouldn't experience any highs or lows with your blood sugar level while eating small amounts of food throughout the day.

Above: The Healthy Green Drink Diet book by Jason Manheim.

Bike Diva's Daily Journal Entries

Here are my daily journal entries of my results from following the Healthy Green Drink Diet.

Monday, April 2nd; Weight - 148.5 Pounds

I started my day by making a Just Peachy smoothie, which is featured on page 67 of The Healthy Green Drink Diet book. I tried to follow the Paleo diet for most of the rest of the day while I was working out of my apartment. I knew I would probably eat regular food that night for dinner, as I was planning on going to my boyfriends house and he isn't currently following any specific eating plan.

• Pre Breakfast - Just Peachy smoothie
• Breakfast - 3 egg omelet with diced Canadian bacon, mushrooms, thyme and garlic
• Cup of coffee after breakfast
• Snack - handful of dried fruit and nuts
• Lunch - green bean salad with red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, celery and tuna
• Snack - 2 slices smoked honey turkey breast with a handful of green grapes and sunflower seeds
• Cup of coffee after getting to my boyfriends house
• Snack - handful of dried fruit and nuts
• Dinner - whole wheat pasta, tomato sauce, ground turkey
• Snack - soy milk chocolate pudding

Summary - it was pretty easy to stick to the Paleo diet while at my apartment. I had a refrigerator and pantry full of healthy food choices. My boyfriend lives with his adult son, so the bachelor's rarely have any food in the house that isn't in a can or a box. I made the pasta, which we ate for dinner, on Sunday night. I would like to drink less coffee, as I put way too much creamer/sweetener in my coffee, which adds too many empty calories to my diet. But I suffer from migraine headaches on occasion and my favorite headache pill contains caffeine, so I'm afraid if I cut out the coffee completely I will have MASSIVE headaches.

Tuesday, April 3rd; Weight - 147.5 Pounds

The smoothie I choose for today was a modified version of the Tropical Sun smoothie which is featured on page 81 of The Healthy Green Drink Diet book. I blended together 1 cup coconut milk, 1 bunch flat leaved parsley, 1 handful spinach, 1 peeled orange, 1 peeled banana and 1 cup of pineapple chunks. This recipe made 2 cups of a pretty sweet tasting green drink. I drank 1 cup before breakfast, and was going to drink the 2nd cup before lunch, but it tasted kind of funky to me when I tried the 2nd cup, so I ended up putting it down the garbage disposal.

• Pre Breakfast - Tropical Sun smoothie
• Breakfast - 2 egg omelet with diced Canadian bacon, mushrooms, thyme and garlic
• Cup of coffee after breakfast
• Snack - sliced carrots, green grapes, 2 slices smoked honey turkey breast
• Lunch - green bean salad with red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, celery and tuna
• Snack - 2 chocolate peanut butter candies, 4 chocolate mint cookies
• Dinner - fish sandwich, french fries, iced tea

Wednesday, April 4th; Weight - 147 Pounds

After eating junk yesterday afternoon and evening, I thought for sure my weight would be right back where I started. But I still managed to lose another half a pound. Going to try REALLY hard today to stick to eating healthy. Late afternoon I made Swedish meatballs and noodles at my apartment. I'll be taking that over to my boyfriends house for dinner tonight.

• Pre Breakfast - grape pear smoothie
• Breakfast - 2 egg omelet with diced Canadian bacon and thyme, leftover scalloped potatoes
• Cup of coffee after breakfast
• Snack - apple cinnamon fruit & grain bar
• Pre Lunch - grape pear smoothie
• Lunch - Swedish meatballs, egg noodles, oven roasted asparagus
• Snack - handful of dried fruit and nuts
• Dinner - Swedish meatballs, egg noodles, oven roasted asparagus
• Snack - peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Thursday, April 5th; Weight - 146.5 Pounds

Last night I felt really bloated and gassy. I think having two smoothies, instead of the usual two, was more than my stomach could handle. So today, I chose to skip the pre-breakfast smoothie, and have a slightly larger breakfast than normal.

I made a smoothie at around 10 AM, to have as a pre-lunch healthy green drink. I made up my own recipe to make a peach yogurt smoothie. I posted the recipe up to my Cuisine Diva blog.

• Breakfast - 2 egg omelet with diced Canadian bacon and sauteed mushrooms, English muffin
• Cup of coffee after breakfast
• Pre Lunch - peach yogurt smoothie
• Snack - apple cinnamon fruit & grain bar
• Lunch - peach yogurt smoothie
• Snack - handfull of dried fruit and nuts
• Dinner - Swedish meatballs, egg noodles, oven roasted asparagus

Above: add some spinach to a blender full of water, frozen peaches, carrots, and a container of peach yogurt for a delicious green drink yogurt smoothie.

Bike Diva's Opinion

I weighed myself first thing Friday morning, the scale said I was down to 146 poudns, so I managed to lose 2.5 pounds over 4 days, while consuming a heatlhy green drink first thing in the morning. I spent the 3 day Easter weekend at my boyfriends house and decided not to continue with the daily Green Diet Drink over the weekend. It's kind of hard cooking/making food at the bachelor pad, and we had a few social events planned over the weekend and didn't want to be bothered with trying to fit the green drink diet into our plans.

The added benefit of incorporating smoothies and/or homemade juices into your diet is that they are made from raw, unprocessed, uncooked food. You should also try and purchase organic ingredients for your green drinks, as many fruits and vegetables have high levels of pesticides and other chemicals.

Consuming a green drink, into your daily nutrition plan, is a great way to add healthy fruits and vegetables to your diet. It also makes a great start to a stricter diet plan for anyone looking to drop a few pounds of unwatned weight. 

Take care,
Lynn Smythe, AKA the Bike Diva

Amateur Athletes Yearly Racing & Training Budget

Above: Just a small sampling of the shoes a runner will go through in a typical year.

Budget Your Athletic Expenses

Although I've been a cyclist for about 7 years, 2011 will be the beginning of my 4th race season. I started running about 3 years ago, when I decided I wanted to start competing in duathlons and a few half marathons.

Somewhere along the way I decided to look into possible sponsorship opportunities. I was born in 1963, so my racing age will be 48 years old for the 2011 race season. I wasn't expecting much, at my advanced age, and not being an Olympic hopeful, but I figured nothing ventured is nothing gained and sent out a few sponsorship proposals. Read my article How to Find Sponsorship Opportunities for details on how to write a sponsorship proposal and find sponsorship opportunities.

Now that I have a few years of racing under my belt, I am realizing I am quite young. I've raced against girls in their late 60's and men in their late 70's, and they are still kicking butt! You are never too old to start racing. I think the fact that I participate in so many races, over 20 this year, and am a freelance writer with two sports related blogs, probably helps my chances of getting sponsored.

Above: Examples of a few personal care products used by athletes.

Yearly Athletic Budget

For 2011 I am looking into possibly getting a few monetary sponsorships. Right now my sponsorships are either in the form of free gear or a Pro Deal Discount on products. But I have quite a few expenses and would like to be able to compete in the USAT Duathlon National Championships which take place in Tucson, Arizona in 2011 and 2012. So I decided to come up with an athlete budget which I could include in my sponsorship proposal, to show potential sponsors where their $$ contributions are needed.

Lynn Smythe Yearly Athlete Budget

1. Race entry fees
2. Gas and vehicle expenses
3. Meals
4. Personal trainer and/or coaching fees
5. Club memberships
6. Books and Magazine subscriptions
7. Nutrition and hydration
8. Personal care products
9. Shoes and clothing
10. Bike equipment and maintenance
11. Airfare
12. Bike shipping
13. Hotels

Above: Two aero hydration systems by Profile Designs.

Break Down of Athlete's Expenses

1. Race entry fees. I like to go over the previous years races, decide which ones I want to race in next year, drop the races I didn't enjoy, and add a list of new races I'd like to participate in for the upcoming race season. Local 5k events aren't too bad; around $25-$40 per race, but some of my bigger events, like the Miami Man half Ironman duathlon cost $280 or more to enter. My 2010 race entry fees came out to around $1,000.

2. Gas or vehicle expense. Might just be easier to figure out your total miles driving to and from your events and then figure on a per mile rate for gas and vehicle maintenance. In 2010 the IRS is allowing you to deduct 50 cents per mile as a business vehicle expenses. I'm not saying you can deduct 50 cents per mile on your tax return for all the driving to/from your events; I'm just trying to figure out a way to guesstimate your athletic related vehicle expenses for the year. 

3. Meals. Some of my events are an hour or more drive to and from my house. I try to bring all my necessary fluids and food with me, but sometimes you just have to pull into the nearest convenience store for a cold drink or stop at a restaurant on your way home to enjoy some real food. Gel packs, shot blocks and electrolyte drinks get old after awhile. And if you are getting a hotel room a day or two before events that are further away, you will definitely want to figure out your cost of meals, drinks and snacks while away from home.

4. Personal trainer and/or coaches fees. I started with a cycling coach at the beginning of the year. He was a great coach, but as my main focus is on duathlon racing (run-bike-run) a cycling coach really wasn't what I was looking for. The coaching was also done online and through phone calls, I am more of a one-on-one type of person. I started going to a personal trainer a few months ago, to work on my upper body and core strength and I absolutely love it. I was working out at home a few times a week, but having the weights and equipment right next to my laundry room just didn't work out that well. I always felt guilty about working out when there was a huge mountain of stinky clothes staring at me.

I started out going to the personal trainer twice a week for 1/2 hour at a time, but I have recently gone to 3x per week. Personal trainers are NOT cheap. Mine charges $80 per hour for individual sessions or $70 per hour if you sign up for 3 hours at a time. So it costs me $210 every two weeks for 6 half hour sessions. So assuming I don't take any time off for vacations, my yearly personal training budget comes to $5,460 - YIKES! My cycling coach only charged $50 per month plus a yearly $100 setup fee; but the triathlon multisport coaches I've been researching charge anywhere from $200 to $400 per month, so I guess my personal trainer fees aren't that far out of line.

5. Club Memberships. Do you belong to any cycling, running or triathlon clubs? My husband and I belong to a couple of local bike clubs which charge a yearly membership fee to each of their members. One of the bike clubs is through a local bike shop. You get a 20% store wide discount, excluding bikes, for being a member of the club. Definitely worth the $30 yearly family membership fee.

Above: Fluid makes a great protein/carb recovery drink to have after your intense training sessions and races.

6. Books and Magazine Subscriptions. I go to the bookstore every few weeks to see which issues of my favorite magazines have come out. It can get a bit pricey to buy individual copies of magazines, so you might want to look into getting a yearly subscription to your favorites. I subscribe to Triathlon Magazine, but still buy individual copies of certain issues of Inside Triathlon, Trail Runner and Runner's World. I might eventually get subscriptions to those magazines in the future.

Have you purchased any sports related books to help with your training and racing? Keep records of your yearly purchases and figure that into your athletic budget. I am a book NUT, I try to find discounted copies of books through Amazon.com and occasionally get free review copies of sports books to review for my Bike Diva and Run Diva blogs.

I am relatively new to racing, so right now I'm in the sponge stage. I can't get enough of cycling, running and triathlon magazines and books. Here is a list of books I purchased in 2010:

• The Triathlete's Training Bible
• Zinn & the Art of Triathlon Bikes
• The Athlete's Plate
• Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
• Racing Weight
• Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running
• Marathon; The Ultimate Training Guide
• Training and Racing with a Power Meter
• The Slow Fat Triathlete
• Shape Up with the Slow Fat Triathlete
• The Triathlete's Guide to Bike Training
• The Triathlete's Guide to Run Training

7. Nutrition and hydration. For all your sports related food and drinks. Electrolyte powders, salt tablets, recovery drinks, protein bars, gel packs, shot blocks, etc... I go through a ton of this stuff every year. I have a few sponsors that have given me a Pro Deal Discount on various nutrition products so I have a closet full of nutrition and hydration products on hand at all times. In lieu of sponsorship, try buying in bulk, i.e. full cases and canisters of products instead of individual packages.

8. Personal care products. Do I have to spell it out for you? Here is a list of some of the personal care products I use on a regular basis:

• Chamois butter - to prevent chaffing and saddle sores while on the bike
• Body Glide - to prevent chaffing while running.
• Sun screen - I live in south east Florida and go through a TON of sunscreen each year.
• Lip gloss - I try to use one with a SPF of 15 or higher.
• Bio Freeze - or similar product. To rub on sore muscles during and after long training sessions and century bike rides.
• Adult wipes - Action wipes or similar product. To do a quick wipe down of muck and grime after riding. Especially nice if you are out on the mountain bike trails, miles away from indoor plumbing. 
• Travel size Kleenix. I can't tell you how many races I've been to and there is no toilet paper in the porta-potties. I've even been to events with indoor plumbing, and again no tp when you need it. Maybe guys can get away with the shake it off and put your junk back in your shorts method, but most girls need a bit of paper to get the job done. TMI?

9. Shoes and clothing. Figure out you yearly expenses for cycling shoes, running shoes, running hats, socks, jogging bras, shorts, tops, racing uniforms, etc... I go through a ton of running shoes per year, but my road bike shoes and triathlon bike shoes should last a couple of years. Clothing and equipment eventually wears out and will need to be replaced. I also figure out expenses for things like compression sleeves and quick laces into this category. And do you need to put your sponsorship logos on your race uniforms? Then you will need to research companies that will make customized clothing for you at a decent price.

Above: Most runners, cyclists and triathletes will want to invest in a good run and/or bike computer with heart rate monitor.

10. Bike equipment and maintenance. Unless you are a pro cyclist or triathlete, you shouldn't need to get a new bike every year. But your bike will need at least a yearly tune up, unless you know how to do that yourself, and certain items on your bike will need replacing and/or upgrading on a regular basis. I own three bikes, a Felt Breed single speed cyclocross bike, a Trek Madone 6.5 carbon fiber road bike and a Cervelo P2C triathlon bike. Right now I do all my racing on the tri bike, so I only figure in expenses for that bike into my yearly racing budget. Here's a few items to consider adding to your yearly bike budget:

• Tune ups - yearly or more often if you do a lot of racing
• Tubes and CO2 cartridges - unless you are blessed with never getting a flat tire, you will need a few inner tubes during the year. I ride clincher tires on my tri bike, if you ride tubular tires, you can eliminate this expense.
• Tires - tires don't last forever, I usually replace mine at least once per year. And you might want a couple of sets of tires depending on the various training and racing conditions you will encounter throughout the year. I race with red Michelin Pro 3 Race tires on my tri bike, they retail for around $55 to $65 each; that's over $100 per set of tires. But these tires last FOREVER!
• Misc. bike components - water bottles, water bottle holders, bike bags, lights, etc... You should be able to get a few years out of these items, but they will eventually need replacing. And my dishwasher occasionally melts my water bottles, or the bottles get launched into never-never-land when you hit a big bump.
• Helmets - I wear a road bike helmet for training and one of those funky aero helmets while racing. I crashed on my road bike a few months ago, no big deal, but after a close examination of my helmet I noticed three hairline cracks. That helmet got trashed and I had to get a new helmet. Good road bike helmets can cost upwards of $100, my current helmet retails for around $185, and my aero helmet was around $300. Luckily I have a Pro Deal discount from Rudy Project for cycling helmets and sunglasses.
• Sunglasses. I guess this could be put in the clothing and shoe category but good cycling and running glasses can cost a bit of $$$$. I put sunglasses in the bike expense category, all my sunglasses are cycling specific but can also be used for running. Most of my sunglasses have interchangeable lenses so I can change out the lens depending on weather/sunlight conditions.
• Bike upgrades. New set of wheels, aerobars, etc... I've got some really nice bikes, but I'm always drooling over the latest and greatest equipment upgrades I see in magazines.
• Electronic gadgets. Cycling computer, run computer, multisport computer. I was using a Garmin Edge 305 cycle computer while biking, and a Tech40 run computer while running and walking. I recently misplaced the cycle computer, and as I have a birthday coming up, I decide to indulge in my wish to own a Garmin Forerunner 310XT multisport computer with heart rate monitor. It is pretty cool. It is water proof and can be used for run, bike or swim workouts. It even has a multisport setting, which will be perfect for recording all my data during my duathlon races. This piece of equipment, while pricey, should last you many years. The Garmin Forerunner 310XT retails for around $400, shop around online to find the best price.

11. Airfare. Are you doing any out of state or out of country events? Then you will want to figure in airline expenses into your yearly budget.

12. Bike shipping. Again, you only need to figure this expense in if you are flying to out of state or out of country events. Check the ads in the back of triathlon magazines or do a search online for bike shipping companies. Might be cheaper and more secure than having the airlines ship your bike.

13. Hotels. For far away events. Out of state, out of country, or even in state events that are more than a few hours drive from your home.

Above: The Bike Diva's road bike prior to upgrading the wheels. I crashed on this bike at the beginning of the year and tacoed the back wheel. I'm now riding this bike with a pair of Easton EA90 SLX road bike wheels - NICE!

Contact the Bike Diva

Leave me a comment at the end of this blog post. I would love to hear about your yearly athletic budget. Are there any major categories that I've forgotten that you think should be added into a typical athletes budget? Maybe conferences and clinics? I guess if you are traveling to Interbike or attending a special training session by a famous athlete/coach you will want to add that into your budget.

After writing this blog post, I realize I have caviar dreams and champagne wishes on a happy meal budget. Do most amateur athletes have similar expenses or am I pro racer wanna be!?! Luckily my freelance writing income covers most of my training and racing expenses, but I was really hoping to start saving up that $$ to use a a down payment on a house in North Carolina. Bummer.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Vincero Design Magnetic Bike Bottle Mount

I was recently contacted by Vincero Design, asking me if I'd like to test out their new hydration system. Their bottle mount system uses rare earth magnets on both the bottle and bottle mount. You attach their Edge 16 carbon composite mount to your bike frame, then attach either their 20 or 24 ounce Stratus bottle to the bottle mount. It sounded like a unique way to attach a water bottle to a bike, so I asked them to send me a sample to try out on my road bike.

 

Above: Vincero Designs Stratus 24 water bottle and Edge 16 carbon composite bottle mount.

Pros and Cons

Pro: I like the sleek design of the Edge 16 bottle mount. With the water bottle installed on the bike, that's all you see. There is no water bottle bracket sticking out from your bike frame. 

Pro: I like the Stratus 24 water bottle. It has a no spill valve, all you have to do is give a slight squeeze to get the water into your mouth. No more fumbling with opening and closing the bottle valve; instant hydration while riding.

Con: The second time I tested out this system on my road bike, I hit a bump, my knee barely brushed the bottle and the bottle got launched. Luckily I was the last one in the pace line, or the bottle might have become a liability as cyclists tried to avoid running it over.I have NEVER had a bottle eject from any of my bikes before while using a traditional water bottle holder. I currently own three bikes, a single speed cyclocross, my Trek Madone road bike and a Cervelo P2 triathlon bike. So I do quite a bit of biking and have used various hydration systems over the years but this is the first time I launched a bottle while riding.

Con: It's hard to get the bottle to sit securely in the holder. The earth magnet is quite strong, but unless you have the bottle perfectly lined up with the holder, the bottle might not be completely attached to your bike. While I'm training/racing, I don't have time to look down at my water bottle to make sure I'm placing it back on the bottle mount securely. With a regular water bottle holder you can feel when the bottle hits the top of the holder and slide the bottle in without having to look to make sure you've lined it up correctly.

Neutral: Weight savings? The Edge 16 carbon composite mount only weighs in at 16 grams. But my plastic water bottle holder only weigh 36 grams. A difference of 20 grams is just not that big a deal, sorry. Carbon fiber water bottle holders weigh around 23 grams, but usually cost a ridiculous amount of $$, so I'll stick to my plastic water bottle holders that are available in every color of the rainbow.

Above: The Bike Diva's Trek Madone 6.5 road bike. Traditional hard plastic water bottle holder on the left, Vincero Design's Edge 16 carbon composite mount and Stratus 24 bottle on the right.

Bike Diva's Final Verdict

I really do like the Vincero Design water bottle design. Their water bottles have a patented silicon valve, and doesn't leak, even when held upside down. However; I am not at all impressed with their magnetic bottle mount.

I just checked the packaging on the Edge 16 bottle mount and found the following warning:

"Always stop your bike in a safe place before attempting to remove the bottle from the mount or beginning to drink."

Really!?! What planet are you from? When I'm training and/or racing I need hydration on the go. I don't have time to stop to take a drink from my water bottle. I just grab the bottle while I'm riding. Having to stop to grab your water bottle is like cycling 101 - being a newbie and not having the skills or confidence to be able to reach down for you water bottle unless you are stopped at a stop sign or red light. Get real!

Above: Close up of traditional water bottle holder on the left and Vincero Designs Edge 16 bottle mount on the right. The Edge 16 carbon composite mount is almost invisible once you place the water bottle on the mount.

Additional Information

Vincero Design offers a hydration package which can be purchased from their website. The package includes the Stratus 24 water bottle and Edge 16 mount for a price of $46.95.

Website: www.vincero-design.com

Facebook page: Vincero Design

Contact the Bike Diva

Have you used the Edge 16 bottle mount system on your bike? I would like to hear your reviews; good or bad on how you liked the system. There are many good reviews of the system on their Facebook page, so maybe I am just the exception for not being impressed with it. But as a freelance writer, I am contacted by many companies wanting to send me their products for review. I only give my honest opinion on the products, and never sugar coat the review just because I received the product for free.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Johnny Rockets Restaurant Via Bike Delivery

PRESS RELEASE

Bicycle Delivery Boosts Business for Johnny Rockets Chestnut Street Location

Home of the Original Hamburger Now Brings Burgers to Businesses, in San Francisco

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- San Franciscans living and working within ten-blocks of the Johnny Rockets restaurant, on Chestnut Street, can now have their favorite all-American menu items delivered for free, with the purchase of $10 or more. Known for its authentic Original Hamburgers, American Fries, and hand-dipped shakes, this is the first West Coast Johnny Rockets to unveil a bicycle delivery service.

 (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/LA59903 )
 (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/LA59903 )

The Chestnut Street restaurant serves and delivers classic American food to guests in the Marina and Cow Hollow neighborhoods, between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., daily. All of Johnny Rockets' San Francisco locations also introduced new menus this year, which feature the brand's timeless menu classics and healthy dining options that include chicken sandwiches, Boca Burgers®, turkey burgers and salads.

Beyond first-rate delivery and customer service, all of Johnny Rockets' San Francisco restaurants feature Niman Ranch beef, which is vegetarian-fed and sustainably raised with no hormones or antibiotics. All Niman Ranch beef is USDA Choice or Prime, ideally marbled and remarkably tender. It complements the premium ingredients currently featured in other Johnny Rockets favorites.

"San Francisco is known as one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the country and we are proud to show Johnny Rockets' commitment to sustainability and traffic reduction," said Johnny Rockets Franchise Owner Matt Johnson. "We have always prepared our food with the finest ingredients, but the addition of the premium Niman Ranch beef attests to how our company caters to the desires and needs of the local community, while the new bicycle delivery service provides a convenient way for San Franciscans to enjoy their Johnny Rockets' favorites."

Added Johnny Rockets Director of Field Marketing, Lisa Bass, "Serving the highest quality of beef available and offering unique delivery services are among the notable benchmarks for our San Francisco market. These new options help us accommodate to the ever-changing needs of our customers, while staying true to our classic American offerings."

For more information about Johnny Rockets franchising partnership opportunities go to www.johnnyrockets.com.

About Johnny Rockets

Since 1986, Johnny Rockets has offered the food, fun and friendliness that remind guests of timeless, feel-good Americana. Every Johnny Rockets restaurant serves simple, great-tasting food from a menu of all-American favorites, including juicy hamburgers, classic sandwiches and hand-dipped shakes and malts. It's the place to go for fast, friendly service, flavorful food, uplifting music and relaxed, casual fun. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif., Johnny Rockets has 295 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants in 32 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico and 15 countries, including those found in Six Flags amusement parks and aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Johnny Rockets is currently franchising new restaurants in most markets. To learn more about Johnny Rockets, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/LA59903
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN#13
PRN Photo Desk, [email protected]
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/LA59903

Source: Johnny Rockets

CONTACT: Cozette Phifer Koerber of Johnny Rockets, +1-949-643-6135,
[email protected]; Amy Toosley of Allison & Partners, +1-619-533-7976,
[email protected]

Web Site: http://www.johnnyrockets.com/

Title Sports Drink

Title Sports Drink

I recently had a chance to try Title Sports Drink at my last duathlon race. I participated in the sprint distance duathlon at Mack Cycle Trilogy #3 on Key Biscayne, on Sunday, August 15. As you cross the finish line, there are a number of volunteers waiting to assist you. One volunteer takes the timing chip off your ankle, another one hands you a bottle of water, and at Sunday's race, there were a few more volunteers handing out ice cold sports drinks.

I checked out the label, to make sure it wasn't a brand I don't like. I really can't stand Gatorade, it makes me sick to my stomach, and I don't like the taste. But it was a brand I haven't heard of; Title Sports Drink, so I decide to try it and see how I liked it. I tried the lemon frenzy flavor. It was really refreshing, wasn't too sweet and didn't have that nasty, salty aftertaste like some brands of sports drink have.

All Natural Hydration

Title is available in three flavors; Lemon Frenzy, Optimal Orange and Fierce Berry. Title Sports Drink is an all natural product and contains no artificial coloring. Title also claims to have more electrolytes, and fewer calories and sugar than other brands of sports drinks. Title is sweetened with pure, organic cane sugar and contains zero high fructose corn syrup.

Hydration for Athletes

It was a really hot and humid day, and I sweat a lot, so I cross the finish line in a slightly dehydrated state. I try to drink lots of fluids as soon as I cross the finish line and throughout the remainder of the day. As soon as I cross the finish line, I head right over to the athlete's food tent. I avoid the pancakes and bagels, that's just too dense a food selection for my stomach to handle right after a race. I go right for the fresh fruit: orange slices, watermelon, cantaloupe and bananas.

After I gathered up my bike, and all my racing gear in the transition area, I headed out to the parking lot to drop off all my gear in my mini van, and change into some dry clothes while waiting for the awards ceremony to start. I placed first in the female 45-49 age group, so I stuck around after the race to collect my medal and pose on the podium. I had my recovery drink powder waiting for me in a shake container in the van, so I just added some water and drank it before heading back over to the race area.

I was still really thirsty so I headed back over to the finish line to get a cold bottle of water and see if there were anymore Title Sports Drinks left. I grabbed a bottle of the optimal orange flavor which was also really tasty. Title also makes a berry flavor, but I didn't get a chance to try that one out.

Purchasing Title Sports Drink

Title can be purchased at Walgreen's drug stores and Publix grocery stores throughout Florida. A 20 ounce bottle of Title costs around $1.39. Title's website has a link to an online coupon that you can print out; the coupon is good for $1.00 off a purchase of 5 bottles of Title, or $3.00 off a purchase of 10 bottles.

Additional Information

Title Sports Drink is manufactured by The Electric Beverage Company, based out of Miami, Florida.

• The Electric Beverage Company, Inc.
• 4770 Biscayne Blvd.
• Suite 1480
• Miami, FL 33137

Website: www.titlesportsdrink.com

Facebook page: Title Sports Drink

Twitter: twitter.com/GoForTheTitle

Leave a Comment

How do you stay hydrated during your longer training workouts and during/after races? I would love to hear about your favorite flavor/variety of sports drink. Leave a comment on this blog post with your thoughts and opinions on electrolyte sports drinks. Please, no comments about any of those energy drinks or links to your online shopping cart that sells energy drinks. I moderate all comments, before publishing them to my Bike Diva blog. I will not approve comments with inappropriate links to commercial websites.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Profile Design Aerodrink VS Aquacell

Profile Designs hydration systems: Aerodrink and Aquacell.

I'm relatively new to owning a triathlon bike. I just purchased mine the end of October, 2009, after racing my first season of duathlons. I'm still figuring out all the bells and whistles to add/subtract to the bike, a Cervelo P2C, as I learn more about the multisport lifestyle. 

The smaller reservoir in the Aquacell is removable. You could fill this cell with water, freeze it overnight, then place it in the Aquacell on the way to your race or training session. This would be a great way to keep your fluids cool.

Aerobar Hydration Systems

I mostly race in sprint duathlons and have been using Profile Designs Aerodrink hydration system, which fits between my aerobars. I've been trying to figure out a way to carry more fluid on my tri bike for my longer training rides and races. I'll be doing the 1/2 Ironman duathlon at Miami Man on November 14, which is a 1 mile run - 56 mile bike - 13.1 run event.

I did Miami Man for the first time last year, just a couple of weeks after getting my new tri bike. I know, you're not supposed to go into your key race of the year with new equipment, but what the heck, timing and budget just worked out that way. I placed 3rd Female Masters at  the 2009 Miami Man, not too shabby for someone that just started racing in duathlons in February, 2009.

Smaller Aerodrink installed between aerobars.

Affordable Hydration

I went through a ton of fluid during the 56 mile bike portion of Miami Man. It was a really windy day with winds averaging between 18-21 MPH, don't know if that was why I went through so much fluid? It really wasn't that hot out, even by south Florida standards. I am looking for a better way to hydrate without having to stop at every rest stop during the bike ride. I am a bit tight on money right now and had been looking at the Speedfill system and X-labs behind the seat water bottle carriers. But both of those options are over $100 by the time you add all the necessary components.

Larger Aquacell system installed between aerobars.

Profile Designs Hydration Systems

I noticed that my local bike shop, Racer's Edge in Boca Raton, carried Profile Designs dual reservoir Aquacell hydration system. The price was right, MSRP of $34.95 and Racer's Edge price was only $28.75.The guys at Racer's Edge said there might not be enough room between my aerobars to install the Aquacell and to bring my tri bike in to make sure it would fit before buying it.

Vince Damiani at Racer's Edge slightly tweaked my aerobars open just a hair so that the larger Aquacell would fit between my aerobars. I can still use the smaller Aerodrink during my shorter training rides and sprint races. I like having the option to use either system. I plan to carry electrolyte solution in the large compartment, and water in the smaller compartment. When I eat a gel pack, shot block or other solid food, I would rather wash it down with a bit of plain water rather than a flavored electrolyte drink. Lemon lime sports drink mixed with coffee flavored gel is just kind of gross if you want my personal opinion.

Comparison of the Two Hydration Systems

Profile Design Aerodrink

• MSRP: $19.95
• Weight: 171 grams
• Capacity: 32 fluid ounces
• Details: single reservoir cell
• Cap: use with black plastic cap, or yellow plastic net "sponge" AKA splash guard

Profile Design Aquacell

• MSRP: $34.95
• Weight: 310 grams
• Capacity: 50 ounces total; 35 ounces large reservoir, 15 ounces small reservoir
• Details: two reservoir cells; capable of carrying two separate fluids such as water and an electrolyte sports drink
• Cap: use with black plastic cap, or yellow plastic net "sponge" AKA splash guard

Aerodrink bracket by Profile Designs. Attaches between aerobars using Velcro.

Aero Bracket Option

If your triathlon bike has narrow set aerobars, then you should be able to use either of these hydration systems without any additional equipment. Just use a pair of Velcro straps or a couple of industrial strength rubber bands to attach the water bottle between the aerobars. If your tri bike has wider aerobars, you will need to add the Aero Bracket to be able to use either of these hydration systems. I had to have the Profile Design aerobracket fitted to my Cervelo P2C, with a suggested retail price of $11.95. This added another 31 grams of weight to my tri bike.

Additional Information

Once I've gotten a few test rides in using the new Aquacell, I'll post up another review to Bike Diva.

Visit Profile Design online: www.profile-design.com

Facebook: Profile Design

Profile Design products can be found at many bike shops and online retailers such as Nashbar or Tri Sports.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Hammer Nutrition Century Bike Riding Tips

I use a lot of Hammer Nutrition products. I'm on their mailing list and get a variety of training and racing tips sent to me from time-to-time. Their latest email newsletter includes a link to an article on training for a century (100 mile) bike ride.

The article is titled Century Riding; Cycling 100 Miles in One Day on 100 Hours of Training, and was written by Chris Kostman. Here is a link to the article: http://www.hammernutrition.com/downloads/ENews/ENissue69/?page=62

Century Ride Article Highlights

• Improve base fitness
• Get used to long hours in the saddle
• Develop your ability to ride faster
• Prepare for the terrain of your specific century ride
• Dial in your bike and how you fit to it
• Find out which foods and drink work for you on the bike

El Tour de Tucson

My husband and I are getting ready to start training for El Tour de Tucson, which takes place in Tucson, Arizona on November 20. We will be training with the Palm Beach Team in Training cycle team, to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Many of the team members have never completed a century ride before, so I wanted to share the century riding tips, found in the Hammer Nutrition article, with them.

El Tour de Tucson will be the 5th century ride my husband and I have participated in with Team in Training. My husband has the honor of being the coach for this years Tucson cycling team - cool beans! Each team member has pledged to raise a minimum of $3,500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, while training for the 109 mile road bike ride. Here is a link to our fundraising page: pages.teamintraining.org/pb/tucson10/lsmythe

Bike Diva Utilizes Hammer Nutrition Products

Hammer gel - available in 9 flavors. I like using the apple cinnamon flavor in my gel flask. I have a velcro gel flask holder which I can attach to either my road bike, or my triathlon bike. The gel flask is much easier to use, then trying to get an individual gel pack out of your jersey or bike bag, and having to tear open the gel pack, then figuring out what to do with the empty gel pack.

Endurolytes - electrolyte capsules. Helps prevent cramping, especially during long training rides or races and while training and racing in hot weather. I live in SE Florida, endurolytes are a key component of my race day strategy.

Heed - electrolyte drink powder. I fill my two water bottles with Heed and use it during training rides and longer races. Available in mandarin, strawberry, melon or lemon-lime.

Recoverite - post workout recovery drink. After intense training sessions, and after all my races, I try to drink a serving of Recoverite within 20 minutes of finishing my workout or race.

Tissue Rejuvenator - I have osteoarthritis, this product helps with joint pain relief and tissue health.

• Reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling.
• Increase joint integrity and mobility.
• Allow decreased NSAID use.

Chromemate -

• Enhance glycogen synthesis for superior recovery.
• May improve cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels.
• Helps curb sugar cravings.

Do you have any century ride training tips you would like to share? Do you have a specific fueling and hydration method that works well for you on long rides? Share your thoughts and tips by commenting to this blog posts.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Bike Nashbar Sale

PowerBar on Sale Up To 50% Off View Items Now View this email online.

Get Sponsored by Sport Beans

Sport Beans are made by the same company that creates Jelly Belly jelly beans. Sport Beans contain a blend of carbohydrates, electrolytes and vitamins and are used by endurance athletes during their intense training routines and races.

Sport Beans are available in the following flavors:

• Berry
• Fruit punch
• Lemon lime
• Orange
• Extreme cherry
• Extreme watermelon
• Assorted mix

The extreme cherry and watermelon flavors contain 50 mg of caffeine. Sport Beans come in 1 ounce resealable packages, which are small enough to fit in your bike bag or the back pocket of your cycling jersey. Sport Beans are available at local cycling, running and multi-sport stores.

Besides sponsoring a pro/elite triathlon team, the National Triathlon Training Camp, there is also a Club Team that amateur/age group athletes can apply to join.

Here's information on the Club Team from their website:If you’re an age-group competitor interested in maximizing your triathlon training and racing experience, you’ve come to the right place! Make your training and racing more fun and rewarding in 2009 by joining Team Sport Beans/NTTC, the hottest team on the circuit! The fee is only $48 for a whole year of great triathlon benefits!

Club Team Benefits Include:

• Official Team Sport Beans/NTTC T-shirt.
• An official Team Sport Beans/NTTC swim cap, water bottle, and cycling cap from Champion System.
• Twelve 1-ounce bags of Sport Beans® from the Jelly Belly Candy Company.
• A Jelly Belly® visor.
• A subscription to the Team Sport Beans/NTTC Newsletter.
• Your name and hometown listed on our Club Team Roster page of the team web site.
• Your race results and photos listed on our Club Team Results page.
• 15% OFF all purchases from our online NTTC Sportshop.
• Discounts on attending NTTC camps, clinics, and tours.
• Discounts on purchases of Rudy Project helmets and sunglasses, Blueseventy wetsuits and swimskins, and Flex-Power Performance Sports Cream.
• 20% off the purchase of Valdora bikes and components.

The club team benefits are worth a whole lot more than the $48 registration fee. I'd like to hear from anyone that is a member of the NTTC Club Team.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Hammer Nutrition New Customer Perks

I've been using a few other brands of sports drink electrolyte powders when I'm out training for my various cycling and running events. This year I've really gotten into racing in duathlons. Hammer Nutrition is one of the sponsors of the duathlons I've been competing in down in south Florida. After crossing the finish line at my races, I head straight for the table with drink coolers. The coolers are filled with various flavors of Hammer's HEED sports drink. I really like the melon flavor.

Hammer Nutrition Products
I recently decided to place an order with Hammer Nutrition for a container of melon HEED, a sampler pack containing one packet of all their gel flavors, and a couple of Hammer water bottles. Hammer Nutrition's gel flavors include: banana, raspberry, chocolate, apple-cinnamon, orange, vanilla, espresso and unflavored.

Being a new customer, I was sent a bunch of free samples along with my order.

Here's what I was sent, along with the items I ordered:

1. Almond raisin energy bar.
2. Cashew coconut chocolate chip energy bar.
3. Sample Hammer balm - natural relief for sore muscles. Ingredients include ginger root, clove oil, arnica flowers, cayenne pepper, extra virgin olive oil and beeswax.
4. Sample seat saver - chamois and anti-chafing cream. Ingredients include calendula, yarrow, chamomile, comfrey, clove oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, olive oil and shea butter.
5. Hammer Nutrition magnet.
6. The Little Red Book - Hammer Nutrition product usage manual.
7. The Endurance Athlete's Guide to Success - 136 page book; everything you need to know about optimum caloric, electrolyte, and fluid intake for training and competition.
8. July 2009 issue Endurance News; Hammer Nutrition's newsletter.

Recovery Drinks
I just placed a second order for Hammer Nutrition products including their Recoverite protein/carbohydrate recovery drink and 2 blender bottles. I'll take the blender bottles, filled with a bit of Recoverite powder to all the training rides and races my husband and I participate in. After our workouts and races, we'll fill the blender bottles with water and drink right away. We like to have a recovery drink immediately following an intense workout session or intense race.

Additional Information
Visit the Hammer Nutrition website for additional information on all their products, events in your area that they sponsor, and information on becoming a sponsored Hammer Nutrition athlete.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva