Project Creatine

Guest

Welcome to the official launch of "Project Creatine"

Objective

The objective of this little experiment is to establish whether creatine actually has an effect on training for endurance sports and whether the effect is noticable.

Project Creatine will run for a period of 4 weeks, starting today and ending on June 28th.

The first week is a control.  Therefore, the subject, (i.e. me) will not take any supplementation other than my usual carbohydrate drink (which is Energy Dynamics Octane).  I will initiate a dosage of creatine from June 10th.

The Subject

Lab Rat - 29 year old male- 77,5kgs (as of June 2), 173cms tall, Body fat @ 8% (as of May 27).  Own Index 58 (as of June 2)

Equipment

Bike - Sintesi
HRM - Polar M21

Stats
Last ride = June 2 (pm): 31.2km TT over undulating hills from Midrand to Rock Cottage, Ave spd 30.6 - Ave HR - 166bpm
(30% fat usage).  Max HR sighted 183bpm.

Felt a little demotivated due to shocking weather over weekend.  Felt strong on the hills except on long 5km climb.  Legs fatigued due to strength training done June 2 (am).

Let me know if you need more details.

Guest

Shouldn't you also monitor liquid intake during the TT? Just guessing...

BTW, nice Project, I eagerly await the results!

Guest

How did you calculate fat utilization?

Guest

My Polar HRM did ;D .  I don't actually know what the importance of this reading actually is but it is an indication of how hard I worked.  (And consistent)

If I cruise without much effort, I usually get a reading of 50%.
A normal training ride with a bit of effort gives a 40-45% reading and a hard ride usually results in a 30 - 35% reading.  I've only been below 30% once during a run whereby my ave HR was 183bpm over 17minutes.  Reading was 20%.  I've never been able to push myself that hard on my bike.  Legs not strong enough.

Vo2

Your HRM probably calculates the 'fat utilisation' from total calories burnt?

__________________
Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

Guest

DAY 2

Had to attend an early meeting, so no training today.  Seem to be running a bit low on vitamins (hence a break-out on face)  (I'll take multivitamins tomorrow).  Feet cold.

Have to drop girlfriend off at the airport this afternoon, so no Kyalami either.  Not a good day for project creatine.

Didn't even bother with an OwnIndex.  (sulk. . . :'( )

Guest

Day 3

Due to drinking spree last night, I decided to take an easy ride in and around Midrand and Rooihuiskraal.  Rode alone and kept pace moderate.  (If I knew I'd have been this thirsty, I would have drank more last night) ;D

Training
Did 35kms at an average of 27km.  Felt quite comfortable, but did not work hard on hills do HR recovered from 171bpm to below 140bpm quickly  (About 30 secs)  (No real testers on this route).  Ave HR - 141bpm (50% fat util)  (Do you want Kcals burnt?)  

Wanted to do some work at Kyalami this pm, but have meeting scheduled for 5 o clock.  Bummer.

Tomorrow morning will be a better indication.

Diet

Did not eat breakfast before ride.  Had a club sandwich for dinner and pasta for lunch yesterday, so diet still wayward.  Took 5 Spirulina pills and one Bettaway Multivitamin.  (See previous posting).

Guest

Looking good, keep up the good work!

Guest

Day 4


Got to bed early enough and a good night's sleep.  Up at 4:15 and ready to rumble.

Training

Bunch consisted of 10 people.  First half of the ride was even easier than yesterday's ride.  I decided to only use the big chainring.  Halfway through ride, some guys decided to work it up the two testing hills.  I was pipped at the top of the first one but was feeling strong.  With proper gearing, I'm sure I would've had him. ;D  Recovered from 187bpm to about 150 in 35 secs.  (It was dark so I had to watch where I was going)
Took on the Jan Smuts hill in the big chain ring.  The same bugger ripped it all the way to the top closely contested by the Rat.  (I cannot tell a lie.  I had to change to the small chainring 50 meters from the summit.)  HR recovered from 195bpm to 140bpm in 1min 20 secs.  (I stopped and waited for one of the ladies who was dropped on the hill)

The aforementioned lady and I worked quite hard for the following 10kms trying to catch the bunch.  Unfortunately, she could not maintain the pace and we had to concede.

Caught up to the bunch on Sandton Drive and had an easy ride in.

Overall I felt strong, but the pace of the ride was not testing enough to test overall condition.

Stats :  Dist = 40.47km / Ave Spd = 27.3 / Ave Hr 140 / 1160KCals @ 45% fat use / Drank 500ml Octane.

Diet

I had spaghetti bolognaise for dinner last night.  For breakfast (after the ride) I enjoyed a bowl of Oats and 6 spirulina tabs and a multivitamin.  Had a chicken burger and chips for lunch  (Count those calories).  I feel so guilty I'm off to Kyalami this arvi to get those KCals up.

Vo2

LR, are you planning on a creatine loading phase?

__________________
Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

Guest

Hiya VO2. *Huh ??? *Sounds like I should be so let me know how I go about it. *There is still time.

Day 4 (cont)

I went to Kyalami to burn a few extra KCals for the Chicken Burger and Chips. *I'm really glad I did coz I got some quality training in. *It was a bit like intervals, except, there was only one interval.

Training

Decided to ride in the big chainring all the time again and to grind it on the hills. *(I think Clever Guy) suggested this in the "Strong Legs" string.

A couple of really strong looking fellows caught me on the mineshaft so I decided to hook in and see how long I could last. *Geesh. . . *These guys were psyco. *Sprinting off the pack (of 4) and hammering it all the time. *(I was pulling so hard on my pedals up the big hill (B4 the mineshaft) that I pulled it out of the cleat completely. *We sped up the hill at 26kmph, which is pretty fast for that hill. *HR was sitting at 183 and staying there. *There was no rest on the downhill, just one huge sprint back into the bunch.

I felt pretty strong on the ride despite the abuse I was reciving from these guys.  (Who by the way were quite a lot older than I).  Feeling a huge improvement on the hills already, so I don't know how I will measure this on the creatine induced part on this project.

Stats : *Dist : 35.3km / Ave Spd : 36.4 / Ave Hr *174bpm / Kcals 1365 @ 25% fat usage. *Drank 500ml of Powerade. *(Had to improvise) *ps. *Had lean chicken breast and rice for dinner.

Today is a rest day.  

Vo2

Day 4 seemed like a nice session?

Most creatine re-sellers recommend a loading phase of 5 days, altho the gurus reckon it's not really neccessary. Below is an excerpt from the Absolute Creatine website

Everyone who sells creatine wants you to do a loading phase where you take 20 grams a day for the first 5 days. From their standpoint - the more you take - the more they sell. However, unless you are in a hurry...loading is not necessary. Studies have shown that people who load have greater gains than people who take just 5 grams a day after the first 2 weeks. However, after 4 weeks both groups are at an equal level. So, all loading does is just get you to the same point 2 weeks faster. We don't think taking 100 grams in 1 week is worth it if all it does is shave 2 weeks off the process. In the end you are not going to have greater gains with loading.

__________________
Pain is inevitable...suffering is optional

Guest

Thanks VO2.  I think I will load then to cut the time down.  If there is an improvement, I will continue using Creatine, but for the purposes of this experiment, we want to see results as soon as possible.

Day 5

As you know, day 5 was a rest day.  Got a phone call at 9:30 asking me if I wanted to play golf with the boss.  How could I decline?  Had a shocking round.  (Now I know why I ride bikes more often than I swing clubs.  ;D )  Had a couple of Hunters Dry's and a Pizza for dinner.    (ps.  Had a couple of hotdogs for lunch too.)  Not a good diet day.

Guest

Day 6

Club ride.  Started at 5:40 with a warm-up, UP 12th ave in Rivonia.  What a nasty hill.  Did 30km before meeting up with the club.

Training

The ride was at moderate pace and all of it at talking pace.  We had paired up with a riding partner and were rotating the workload as training.  How's this for bad luck.  My riding partner and I were working at the front of the bunch and split out when it was the next pair's turn.  As we got to the back of the bunch, up a hill, his cleat came off his shoe.  He slowed down to see what was wrong so I did too.  When we realised that there was a problem we shouted to the bunch, but they were already too far away to hear, so bye bye.

The two of us rode the rest of the way alone, at talking pace, but I decided to keep using the big chain ring and third gear.  (I think a 15 or 16 tooth).  Thanks Clever Guy, this really works.  I feel much stronger on the hills already.

Met the rest of the club at breakfast.

Stats

Distance : 105km / Ave Spd : 30.1km/h / Ave Hr 144bpm / Kcals : 2844 @ 45% fat use.  Drank just over 1l of Octane.
I felt strong on the ride, especially on the hills.  I must be getting stronger.

Diet
Fruit salad and crossoint (?) and a cappuchino for breakfast.  Had a big lunch with the family, with roast pork, chicken and veggies.  (No skin and no fat/rind)