We're Having a Party for MS Research!

At long last, we're having a party at the office, and it's for a great cause. This fall I'm going to be riding my bicycle in a fundraising event for Multiple Sclerosis (MS 150). We need your support! Attend the party or donate online. Please help support us in this mission.

We'll be showing The Triplets of Belleville and making smoothies on a bike powered blender! Who wouldn't give money for that! Help us raise money for the fight against MS.

Event Info: August 27, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. (doors @ 7:00 p.m.) Donations will be accepted, LARGE and small.

:::EVENT FLYER:::

Can't come but still want to donate? Visit our MS 150 page.

5 Ways to Avoid Being Struck by Lightning

More than a couple of times as a kid, I was stubborn to come in for shelter during a lightning storm. I just came across some useful tips for those of us who ride in lightning prone areas. Here are some tips to limit your 1 in 3000 chance of being struck in your lifetime by lightning, specifically for cyclists:

1. Obey the "30/30" rule. When lightning is seen, count the time until thunder is heard. If it's 30 seconds or less, seek shelter immediately. Storms can move at 50 mph (80 kph). Stay protected for 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder because lightning can occur 10 miles (16 km) from the storm center.

2. Get inside. The safest places are a substantial building or a car with a metal roof. As the National Weather Service advises, "When thunder roars, go indoors."

3. Get down. If you're caught in the open, get into a ravine or ditch. If there are none and bolts are hitting all around, get away from your bike and make yourself small by squatting on the balls of your feet or kneeling with your toes touching the ground. Experts say this posture may prevent lighting from passing through your heart. Get down right now if a thunderstorm is near and you feel your hair stand on end.

4. Avoid lone trees and isolated stands of trees. Low bushes are safer shelter.

5. Avoid metal objects. This includes fences, guardrails and especially anything tall such as flagpoles and power stanchions. It also includes your bicycle. Even carbon bikes still have some metal.

** Reposted from roadbikerider.com

How do TDF Riders Keep 5000-6000 Calories per Day Clean, Nutritious, and Tasty?

The amount of calories that Tour de France riders have to eat is fairly staggering. Somewhere in the ballpark of 5000 to 6000 calories per day... and they still lose weight due to the stressful three-week effort. There are lots of ways to get those calories, and some are better than others. In an interview with Alan Lim of Garmin-Slipstream I found some insight into what his team is doing to make sure that the team riders are getting the chance to be as healthy as possible during the challenges of the Tour de France. Here's what I gleaned from the article:

~Hire a team chef to prepare foods with fresh ingredients every day in a super-clean kitchen environment

~Choose foods that improve vitamin and mineral absorption (he cites pineapple)

~Choose foods that are high in antioxidants such as blueberries and cherries

~Choose protein sources like lean chicken and some red meat

~Almond butter is a more nutitious choice than peanut butter (I'd add that raw is better than roasted...)

~Most importantly, choose foods that are not inflammatory to the body. This will aid in recovery, digestion, and healing.

~Aim for a daily diet that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free

To me, this is great information and a great example that this team sets for all athletes. As a group, athletes get pegged as being "carb junkies," avoiding foods with higher nutrition available.

Refining Your Techniques for Road Rash Treatment

Recently I came across a good article that reviewed updated self-treatment guidelines for road rash. Most of us are eager to get our wounds to the point of scabbing over because we associate that with good healing, but, for a variety of reasons, this is only adequate for the smallest of wounds. Helen Iams, MD, staff doctor for the Jelly Belly Pro cycling team has the following advice:

First Response:
~Check for other injuries such as head injuries, gashes, injured joints. (Always have a cell phone handy for Emergency Activation)
~If bleeding from a gash won't stop within 15 minutes of applying pressure evaluate for stitches

In the Field:
~Rinse or wipe the area with sterile or antiseptic products (she recommends Preparation H wipes.) Spraying with water bottles may help remove dirt, but may also deliver bacteria to the wound site.

Get the Grit Out:
~Blanket the area with 4x4 inch gauze pads saturated with Band-Aid antiseptic wash
~Allow to soak a few minutes until the nerve sensation is dulled by lidocaine (Avoid overusing the lidocaine, as it may produce irregular heartbeat.)
~Gently wipe the area with soap and water to remove all bits of dirt/rocks/etc.
~Use liquid Dawn or baby oil to remove road tar
~Avoid using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide since they damage skin cells and may prolong healing

Let the Healing Begin:
~Apply Bacitracin to keep the wound germ free and moist
~Cover with a dressing held on with tape to keep the area protected until oozing slows down
~After the oozing slows in a few days, cover the wound with a protective bandage (Tegaderm (3M) that will keep the wound protected while the new skin develops. Leave them on until they fall off (a week or so)

Other Notes:
~Control pain in the injured area by using ice packs to cool the area.
~Use acetaminophen instead of ibuprofen for pain since ibuprofen can thin the blood and lead to bruising in the area
~Any and all concerns should lead you straight to your doctor for evaluation

MORE READING on this topic can be found in a very nice handout written by Arnie Baker, MD.

We Are Sponsors for Bike the Deschutes for 2nd Year

Last year, my family rode the 20 mile loop in Bike Your Watershed, a local event geared towards getting people to interact with our beautiful local watershed, the Deschutes River. This year, the free event will be held on Sunday, July 26th, 2009. We are proud to sponsor this for our second year. One of the highlights for me from last year was pulling the tag-a-long bike with my daughter while she wore her black velvet dress with faux leopard collar. She had a blast stopping at the feed/water breaks and picking up a handful of pretzels or a Clif Bar. Most of all being out on our bikes as a family sparked more rides like it during 2009, and we've looked forward to getting back out to do it again!

Big Week for Adventure Bound Patients

During the past few weeks, I've had the pleasure of working with several patients who are having the adventures of their lives. While they have done all the hard work of training and preparation, I've been nearby when they've taken spills, tumbles, or tried just a bit too hard... My patients' recent escapades include back-to-back wins at motocross, two Mt. Rainier climb attempts, one Mt. Baker ascent, and the upcoming Cream Puff 100 mountain bike race. In addition to these recent challenges, I've spent a lot of time this spring summer working with athletes involved in bicycle racing, marathons, and endurance racing. Congratulations to all! I feel like a proud papa. Dr. Andy

An Anniversary for Rosser Chiropractic

July 1st got away from me yesterday, and I didn't quite give it all the respect it deserved! We moved into our current location on July 1, 2004 which means we're starting into our 6th year in this location and going strong. Suffice it to say, more has happened during these past five years than any other time in my life. Truly. I offer my thanks to the many precious people who have given us the opportunity to take care of them and be a part of this community. Taking care of people is the most wonderful way I can imagine being able to support my family.

Is Cycling Bad to the Bone... Literally?

I have frequently heard that by the end of the Tour de France, riders end up losing a significant amount of their bone density due to the amount of time on the bikes, the effort, and the stress of the intensity. Most of the blame has been placed on the non-weight bearing aspect of cycling and that cycling lacks the impact forces needed to stimulate the maintainance of bone density.

An article posted yesterday in the New York Times sheds more light on this. Here are some of the conclusions that this review article brings out:

~Competitive riders even in their 20's and 30's have been found to have significant bone loss that borders on osteoporosis.

~Bone loss progresses through the race season and may increase slightly after competion.

~Lighter riders may be more at risk of developing more significant bone loss

~Riders training intensely may have a deficit of calcium even if they are consuming more than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) due to loss in sweat

~Drinking calcium enriched water while exercising may help limit some of the internal chemical environment that causes bone loss

~Racers may want to have periodic bone scans done to determine their bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk status

~Strength training year-round may lessen the impacts of bone loss by stimulating bone building

~Lastly, it's questionable how much this applies to recreational riders who are more apt to include other forms of exercise in their routines, including strength training & walking/running.

I'm sure there will be more to come since this topic and discussion has been around for a while. Cheers, Andy

Reflections on the Mental Side of Cycling and Self-Development on the Bike

Most people that I talk to about cycling, especially those who have been in the sport for a while, smile knowingly when I ask about the pain... There are reasons why cyclists constantly talk about suffering, the pain, the fight, etc. to describe riding with intensity. I've come to learn this over several years of dedication to riding and training. What I'm finding is that cycling has become one of the most powerful tools of self-development and mental focus I've ever come across for myself. I don't remember it this way as a kid, of course. All I remember are the fast descents, racing my friends up each hill, and endless summer days.

These days, as a year-round cyclist, I'm very interested in the mental game of cycling. This year has been a more successful year for me in terms of my riding abilities. I've found that I can climb faster, finish training rides with my team, and get dropped less often in races. These are all outward signs of improvement, but I've discovered that they may not all be due to increased physical abilities. I give the credit largely to a deeper understanding of my emotional state on the bike. Of all the things I've learned in the past few years, probably the most important is how to be more relaxed on the bike when the intensity starts heating up and learning how to quiet the distractions.

This is a topic I intend to explore more, and not one that I even planned to write about this morning. It was inspired by my reading of this article by Kevin Todd.

Local Ride TRYBR Makes the Bicycling Magazine Calendar

I was quite proud to see that our local ride the Tenino-Rainier-Yelm-Bucoda Rally (TRYBR) was listed in the August 2009 cue sheet in Bicycling Magazine. Usually I look at the rides and get left thinking how cool it would be to go to some of the fantastic rides listed and how lucky those people are who live local to them... Well, I can get to the TRYBR from my HOUSE! So maybe I will this year. Shamefully, I haven't done it yet!! 100 miles, here I come! August 9, 2009

I Just Signed Up for the MS Ride in September 2009

This year will be the first year that I will be riding in the Washington State Bike MS Ride 2009. I will be riding in honor of several friends, patients, and relatives. I'm just getting started with this now,so there will be more to come. If you want to contribute I would appreciate it! More to come...

Serious Bike Racing in Oly

Since I look forward to this event all year long, it's hard to believe it's now... over! Until next year, anyway. In addition to hosting back to back races that drew athletes from around the region, our team made a powerful showing in sheer numbers and results with many top finishes for the weekend. One of our teammates is a gifted videographer (and magician!) He filmed a short video of our racing on Sunday in Boston Harbor, WA. Great job, Jeff!

Boston Harbor Circuit Race State Cycling Championships from Jeff Evans on Vimeo.

Newspaper Coverage for Upcoming Races

The Valley Athletic Club's cycling team made the front page of The Olympian's sports section today. One of our teammates just passed along the link. Seriously, there will be hundreds of competitors from all levels and ages enjoying bike racing this weekend. The Capital Criterium on Saturday is great for spectators. It's a very tricky course that winds around the front side of the State Capitol Building. Lots of visibility for everyone. Cheers! Andy

Bike Racing in Downtown Oly This Weekend

Olympia will be hopping with bicycle fever this weekend as the Valley Athletic Club hosts the Capital Criterium and the Boston Harbor Circuit Race. Saturday will be a full day of racing for everyone from kids to professional caliber racers. The day kicks off at 9:30 and goes into the evening. The setting for this race is around the beautiful Capitol Campus in Olympia with great viewing for spectators. Heart-pounding excitement!! :) The second race travels the roads around the Boston Harbor area just outside of Downtown Olympia. Many of the racers from the previous day's racing around the capitol will throw down the hammer again on Sunday... Father's Day and all. Racing on Sunday will begin at 9:00 and go into the late afternoon. Again spectators are welcome. The epicenter of fun for this race is Boston Harbor Elementary on Zangle Rd.
Saturday's Schedule
Sunday's Schedule

It's the Middle of May. Do You Know Where Your Lean Muscle Is?

"If there is one single thing you can do to improve your health, there is no doubt it is exercise," says Robert Sallis, MD. He's promoting the Exercise is Medicine initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM.) This May marks the second annual Exercise is Medicine Month which was created to promote exercise and increase physical activity during the month of May.

Locally, Kara Nelson-Leone, is promoting fitness solutions for people to do just that: Get and stay active. She works out of her studio in West Olympia called Living Fit. Among several qualifications, she is certified by the International Sports Sciences Association as a Fitness Therapist. In a recent presentation, she points out that adults aged 30+ years begin to lose lean muscle mass at an average rate of 1/2 pound per year, no matter what their activity levels. (Ladies and Gentlemen! Your lean muscle mass is leaving the building!!) Gaining lean muscle through strength training, she continues, can help restore health and quality of life by reversing some of the problems associated with this loss. (ie. Loss of strength, increased bloodpressure, and decreased bone density, among others.)

I had the opportunity to experience some of her training sessions and found them very challenging and to the point. She incorporates high intensity/slow movement training, so most of my sessions were less than 30 minutes. I found my training with her very useful for my cycling since she was using exercises for my upper and lower body and core. I've definately never viewed strength training the same way since those workouts!

Check it out... Build some muscle. May is slipping away.

The Short Story about Sleep and Athletic Recovery

In the June 2009 copy of Bicycling Magazine, Lisa Fields chooses the topic of sleep and athletic recovery and highlighted some things that all of us can benefit from, athletes or not.

The Golden Nuggets:
~Athletes train hard, get too little sleep, and end up complaining of fatigue.

~Chronic sleep deprivation robs the body of deep healing and recovery needed after hard exercise.

~Experts recommend that an athlete in training get 8-10 hours of sleep (compared to current average of 6 hours/night.)

~Deep sleep during the first half of the night stimulates release of growth hormone to accomplishes recovery and muscle repair.

~Waking up too early short cuts REM sleep when the mind refreshes.

~Proper sleep can improve your athletic performance!

I guess really I could have just said that, but people do want to know the details sometimes.

Cheers!

Spending the Day with Dr. Jeff Spencer and Dr. Steven Noble

About halfway through the afternoon today, I got a text from my wife to ask if I'd kissed Dr. Spencer yet. Truth is, this is the third time I've seen his presentation for Erchonia Lasers. The first time I saw him, I turned my office upside-down as the information he shared completely changed the framework of how I thought about my treatment choices. Seeing today's presentation helped deepen my understanding of how the body works, how it heals, what it needs, and what it doesn't need. The techniques that I learned today have been honed by Dr. Spencer in his clinic and in the field while treating world class athletes, including Lance Armstrong and his Tour de France teams. I can't wait to turn my practice on end again.

While I was there, I also got to hang out with my friend and colleague Dr. Steven Noble of Noble Sports Chiropractic in Bellingham, WA. He and I completed our Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) training together in 2007. He had great news to share about the previous weekend of cycling excitement for the WWU team at the Collegiate National Championship in Ft. Collins, CO: First place (Phil Elasser) in the men's criterium and second place (Daisy Phillips) in the women's criterium. Both finished top 5 in the omnium. Dr. Noble has been involved with the team for several years. Kudos Dr. Noble!

Skirting Danger, Hanging On... Ravensdale Road Race Report

On Saturday, May 9, I raced in the Masters C category in the Ravensdale Road Race put on by BuDu Racing. As a beginner, it's still hard for me to judge which races are going to suit me and which ones won't (if there is such a determination for beginners... who don't seem to "fit" many things.) Nonetheless, knowing there weren't a lot of long, steady, steep climbs, I thought I might stick with the group for at least a lap or so in this event, and I was right.

My one focus going into this race was to pick a solid wheel and stay on it, no matter what. In this race, I picked my teammate Erik's wheel. I knew he was strong, steady, and has years of racing experience. One of my weaknesses is that I spend a lot of time trying to stay out of people's way, and one way that I am getting through that is to keep clarifying to myself that my objective is to defend my own personal space in the peloton... and... if I pick my wheel right, have a spot that other riders will envy.

By the third lap, I was already surprised to find that I'd made it as far as I had. Besides staying out of the wind, I was also focusing on staying fueled and relaxed, both things that would help get me through ANY 50 mile ride. Then, in an instant, the center of peloton collapsed! I was far enough back that I was able to steer around to the left of the many who had fallen. I quickly attached onto Erik and kept his pace as we weaved through slower riders. We quickly connected back to the lead group which was down to about 20 or so riders. The riders at the front dialed things up until the peloton was strung out into a single-file line. This eventually slowed back to an easier pace and re-formed the group. More and more of the chase group started filling in at the back of the pack and there were soon more than 50 of us.

On the next lap, just after I had come through a sharp corner and straightened up, another crash occurred just a few riders in front of me. It was due to a wheel overlap (most likely) or pedal. Either way, I ended up several feet off the road on the grass, but still upright! It was beginning to feel like cyclocross season had just started again. I accelerated out of the grass, despite having one shoe out of the pedals, but once I got my speed up again, I clicked in easily. (Two cheers for mtn. shoes in a road race! Huzzah! Huzzah!) I caught on to Erik's wheel again, feeling very confident that he would find his way back to the front group, which was speeding away from us. I followed him as he smartly worked thorough the string of riders trying to play the same game we were, and my position proved I'd chosen the best wheel. I found myself once again rejoining the front group.

The rest of the race played out fairly smoothly, I was in the pack, and knew I had the energy left to arrive at the end as long as there weren't any uphill attacks. This, too, proved to be true until the last 200 meters when it felt like my legs gave out. I tried to dial it up through the pain, but the pack began smoothly accelerating away towards the line and crossed about 10 or 15 seconds ahead of me. Though technically, it wasn't a "pack finish," (sorry Erik, in later reflection, I couldn't connect the dots) it was a milestone for me.

Happy Riding, Andy

Washington State Holds Highest Ranking for Bike-Friendliness for 2009

WA state was ranked by the League of American Bicyclists as the top state in the nation for bicycle friendliness. The "friendliness" refers to the state's commitment to promotion of cycling through legislation, policies, and programs for bicycles. It also accounts for the creation of new places to ride, education of motorists and cyclists, and encouraging people to use bicycles for commuting and playing. The announcement is part of the League's kick off to National Bike to Work Week. So... for those of us in Washington, let's show off that new medal by rolling it on two wheels to get to work this week! If you are in Olympia, a great way to do this is to get involved with Intercity Transit's Bike Commuter Contest. I have packets of information/registration materials in the office... it's not too late!

Taylor Phinney Making Some Chiropractic Noise I Like

Taylor Phinney is a guy to envy. Young, talented, destined to greatness... blah, blah, blah... that's all been said in a million places. Even though he's a bit noisy on Twitter, I follow him because there is something very intriguing about his perspectives as an 18 year old living the dream of being a rising star as a cyclist.

During the past week, a few of his postings have caught my eye. In one he posted a picture of his helmet that was broken in a recent bike crash. He goes on to encourage all cyclists to wear helmets, a point that I agree with, for sure. The second one that caught me was a tweet that he sent just after he saw his chiropractor to get "fixed up after his crash." All I could think was... "Oh, yeah. Tell the world Taylor."

For the past seven years, I've been cultivating my crush on Dr. Jeff Spencer's career as a chiropractor working with world class athletes such as Lance Armstrong. This has come in the form of hundreds of hours of reading and seminars, including trainings with Dr. Spencer, himself. Sigh.