PreRace Should be called KickAss
I learned so much attending a recent First Endurance talk by Robert. It was nutrition focused and also FE product focused. The one product I have been a little nervous about trying is the FE PreRace. First off it comes in this tiny little container. You open it up and it smells really bad and is this yellowish powder. In 1 teaspoon of this stuff you get about 2.5 Redbulls worth of caffeine, taurine, and qurcetin. It's BAM. Which, totally made me nervous. Especially on race day, I try not to do anything crazy new. I don't consume caffeine pretty much..EVER, maybe once a month via an occasional chai.
During the talk with Robert he was talking about PreRace and he said, we really didn't name it properly, it's not just for racing. It can be used once a week for that key workout that you really want to do your best on.
When using the PreRace you perform at a higher level, which then requires a bit more recovery, but in the process your body should hopefully adapt physiologically to going just a little faster.
I wanted to try it. It's early season and the right time to try new things.
Chuckie assigns me a weekly "rhythm swim". Rhythm my ass, this swim kickes my butt, and I picked the darn thing. When coach says "pick a 3K set that you will do weekly", there is really nothing you can pick that won't hurt...PIC went with 30X100) My weekly "rhythm set" looks like this:
15x200 in the Meter pool. (<--Meters here folks)
- 1-5 on 3:20
- 6-9 on 3:40
- 10-12 on 3:55
- 13-14 on 4:05
- 15 bust it
Your times are supposed to get faster with each successive set. Mine never seem to. I tend to max out around the 12-13th one. Even with more rest I'm working really hard those last ones.
So, yesterday I put the PreRace (aka KickAss) to test. I mixed a HALF dose (1/2 teaspoon) into a water bottle with 100 calories FE Liquid Shot and filled it about 1/4 with water and some ice. Then I downed it.
It was not good, I'll tell you that right off the bad. It's one of those "get it down" sort of things. I got it down on the way to the pool.
I warmed up and got right into the set. I didn't feel jittery, just ready to go go go.
Holy moly. So, the funny thing about this whole experiment was that while I was swimming the workout I didn't "feel" any different. My perceived exertion was the same, I tried to chill the first ones, and then start to step things up as things went along. But the times were a huge shocker every time I got to the wall.
I didn't really "want" to post my times for all of you to see. Swimming is that sport that I try to be strong, but sometimes I feel a little guarded in. But, you know what, the times paint a crazy story for PreRace so, I'm gonna post them here.
Last week (no PreRace): 3:14, 3:13, 3:14, 3:16, 3:15 3:14, 3:13, 3:07, 3:15 3:14, 3:07, 3:08 3:05, 3:07 3:09YESTERDAY (1 tsp not rounded of PreRace 15 min prior to swim with 100 cal liquid shot): 3:08, 3:08, 3:08, 3:08, 3:08 3:04, 3:07, 3:07, 3:07 3:04, 3:02, 3:02 3:03, 3:03 3:01
Crazy huh? They did a double blind clinical study with PreRace and cyclists were 3 min 17 seconds faster (15 watts) over 40K after using PreRace, all without any increase in heart rate. You can read about it here.
So yes, the main thing I learned is that PreRace amps you up (even 1/2 a scoop) and that it can be used about once a week with added recovery after a key workout, not just "PreRace" (I wonder if the name KickAss is taken?)
I was also VERY productive when I got home after swimming. You can ask PIC about that one. I called her and she was like "Wowah, you are crazy trying to do 5 things at once right now". Don't tell the college kids about it!
I'm off to the Lost Coast this weekend, the next post will be on how to follow along while I run. First Endurance products, Nathan gear, and my FLIP video camera are packed.