Spring has Sprung!

Well, it's not quite spring yet. But today does mark the beginning of daylight savings time. I'll admit that I do not understand why we push our clocks forward---explanations of saving fuel during the Second World War, allowing farmers more time to bring their crops to market, etc., just don't make sense to me. Though I will gladly enjoy another hour of daylight tonight!

Over the past 17 years I have celebrated the beginning of daylight savings with a late afternoon run or ride. There is something so great about be 40 minutes into a 90 minute session so late in the day. I guess I see it as my own pagan ritual, celebrating the gods of endorphins and sunlight. This afternoon winter will be crushed under the weight of the sun. Let summer and warm weather training begin!

As the mercury does begin to climb, I'd like to share a couple bits of advice for your spring and summer workouts.

1) Always wear sunscreen. I am very good about doing this now in my old age, but rarely applied any sunblock while in my 20s. At the very least, wear a hat while running and---of course---wear a helmet while riding.

If you're shopping around for a sunscreen, look for one that is both UVA and UVB protective and has both organic (chemical) and inorganic (metal) sun block components. My own personal favorite is Watermans SPF 55. While it costs more than a bargain brand sunblock, it is a full spectrum sunscreen and stays on throughout a 6 hour paddle, an 8 hour mountain bike and a 3 hour trail run. Truly amazing stuff.

2) Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. If you're out for a short workout, water will usually suffice. But anything longer than 60 minutes may require a sports drink; longer than 90 minutes definitely requires a sports drink. There are so many out there, endorsed by everyone from basketball players to NASCAR drivers to ultra runners.

How do you choose? There are 3 components you should seek in a sports drink.

First, water. Duh!!

Second, electrolytes. All major brands differ slightly on ratios of potassium to sodium to magnesium. While there is an abundance of research, there is still much debate as to how much and in what ratios. My own view is that the ratio is in large part dependent upon the rest of the athlete's diet. If you are like most Americans, you consume far more sodium than potassium, so your sports drink should be biased towards potassium.

Third and finally, you need easily digestible carbohydrates. This can be difficult to find. Take a stroll down the aisles of the local 7-11 and read the labels of all of the sports drinks--every one of them contains fructose as the primary or only sugar. For an athlete, fructose is a terrible choice mid-workout. It cannot be absorbed into the cells without first being processed by the liver. This additional step delays how quickly and how well it works.

My own choice is powdered Gatorade. I can mix it with water to my own desired consistency, it has a great sodium:potassium ratio, and unlike its bottled cousin, fructose is not the primary ingredient. And better still, it's cheap!

3) Recovery drinks. I was a little sad a few years ago when researchers let my secret recovery drink "out of the bag". For over 15 years I have used chocolate milk as a recovery drink. Powered chocolate with nonfat milk has a nearly perfect profile of carbohydrate and protein (4:1 ratio) for rapid absorption into depleted and exhausted muscle cells. You can skip buying those expensive and (often) ineffective recovery drinks, and get a tin of Nesquik instead.

Enjoy tonight's run/ride/swim/paddle/walk/workout. Hopefully your weather is as perfect as it is here in Orange County. Our penance for this great day: your alarm will be ringing an hour earlier tomorrow morning. Enjoy tomorrow's cup of coffee...hopefully it will help.