Brand New MotorTabs Apparel For 2010!

Motor Tabs is excited to bring you a new lineup of apparel for the 2010 racing season! We've revamped our t-shirt design with the new Motor Tabs look and are offering both a short sleeved and long sleeved model. Also new for this year is our hat and beanie! The hat is available in black and the beanie will be available in 3 colors including black, cream, and asparagus!
If you are interested in ordering any of the items, feel free to shoot us an email over at info@motortabs.com and we'll be more than happy to help you out!

MOTOR TABS Marquee Athlete Michellie Jones Opens 2010 With a Bang!!

A great season opener for many professinals and a chance to test fitness resulted in a stellar field at the Desert Classic Duathlon.

Samantha McGlone reprised her 2005 title with a one minute margin of victory over Michellie Jones at the Desert Classic Duathlon in Phoenix, Arizona Sunday.


Samantha McGlone, the 2005 Desert Classic winner, started her day with a 20:47 split on the 3.5-mile trail run which put her 42 seconds behind Tucson neighbor and 2002 ITU World Champion Leanda Cave of Great Britain, 35 seconds behind Swiss Xterra star Renata Bucher, 13 seconds behind Michellie Jones, 12 seconds behind Marisa Asplund, and 4 seconds behind Linsey Corbin.

McGlone then took charge with a second-best 55:55 bike that took 49 seconds back from Jones and 51 seconds from Cave and 4:09 from Bucher while Angela Naeth surged with a race-best 55:24 bike.

McGlone then held off Michellie Jones by one minute at the line with a 1:36:00 time. Naeth placed third, nine seconds back of Jones.

Desert Classic Duathlon
Phoenix, Arizona
February 28, 2010
R 3.5 mi./ b 21 mi./ R 2.7 mi.

Results

Pro Men

1. Chris Foster (Redondo Beach CA) 1:23:57
2. Ben Hoffman (Durango CO) 1:25:53
3. Matthew Sheeks (Woodinville VA) 1:26:02
4. Ryan Guiliano (Schaumburg IL) 1:26:29
5. Chris Ganter (Philadelphia PA) 1:29:49
6. Brendan Halpin (Missoula MT) 1:33:30
7. Stephen Slabodnick (Chandler AZ) 1:37:39
8. Derek Yorek (Alamosa CO) 2:51:00

Pro women

1. Samantha McGlone (CAN - Tucson AZ) 1:36:00
2. Michellie Jones (AUS - Carlsbad CA) 1:37:00
3. Angela Naeth (CAN) 1:37:09
4. Leanda Cave (GBR – Tucson AZ) 1:37:28
5. Lisa Ribes (Tucson AZ) 1:38:42
6. Marisa Asplund (Durango CO) 1:40:05
7. Renata Bucher (SUI) 1:41:25
8. Kathy Rakel (Litchfield Park AZ) 1:41:59
9. Linsey Corbin (Missoula MT) 1:42:57
10. Anne Curi Preisig (Falmouth MA) 1:45:18

BMW-Bianchi Off to a Stellar Start!

MotorTabs is a proud sponsor of the BMW-Bianchi cycling team! Here is what the team manager has to say about the start of their season.

"We got off to a great start in the early season races in the Southeast. We had two riders line up for the Wolfpack race - one day after the first event was cancelled due to snow, the team won the second race in Chapel Hill! Sarah Caravella, our newest weapon, forced a breakaway and then demolished her two companions in the uphill finish to claim the team's first win of the year. Cora Olson won the field sprint for 4th. The following weekend we sent four riders to the Greenville Training Series in South Carolina. Cora was our go-to girl this time, and after attacking from the gun, another new recruit Kate Ross countered with a solo move. When Kate was brought back Cora broke away and was never seen by the pack again thanks to the work of Kate, Deb Whitmore and myself to keep the chase under control. Cora won over her sole breakaway companion with relative ease. Unfortunately the rest of the team didn't have much luck in a dangerous bunch sprint. The next day Cora finished 4th in the BMW Performance Center criterium. Our marketing efforts are going well, and our new VIP Supporters Club has attracted 10 members so far. Our fan base is also growing, and between Twitter and Facebook we have over 1500 "fans"! Our next races will be the rest of the Greenville Training Series as our riders prepare for the start of the National Racing Calendar. Thanks to our fundraising efforts, we can field a full team at the Redlands Classic in California next month for the first time in our 7-year history. Cora Olson, Sarah Caravella, Kate Ross, Kathleen Billington and Rachel Warner will form the basis of the team with a few guest riders to complete the roster. Again, thank you for all of your support of our team!"

-Laura Weislo BMW-Bianchi team manager

MOTOR TABS Fuels Rookie Cyclist on Grueling Three-Day Tour!

February 11, 2010
By Kelley Gast

I am pretty new to the cycling circuit. In training with my coach she mentioned a ride in Puerto Rico called La Vuelta which is over 375 miles in
3 days. So back in August she said "let's do it" and reluctantly I agreed.
No sooner had I signed up then she backed out of the ride due to other agreements in her coaching career. What's a girl going to do, RIDE!
So I stepped up to the challenge and started seriously training. She turned me on to Motor Tabs during my training and I certainly loved them but didn't understand the importance until the serious training in the gym left my dehydrated and exhausted. I then began drinking them all the time to replenish electrolyte imbalances to perform better. Now I was hooked. I never had that sticky sweet taste like Gatorade (or other sports drinks) and the taste is light and refreshing. Only a long distance athlete knows how badly your mouth can feel after you have the wrong sugar drink. That's why I love Motor Tabs! I tracked down a bunch of Motor Tabs for this upcoming ride and if I had not prepared I know I would have not made it. I arrive in Puerto Rico for this ride on a Tuesday evening. I walk the city in the heat and humidity on Wednesday. I even drank Motor Tabs to keep me replenished after the heat was more than I was used to. Thursday was an optional 40-mile prelude to make sure the bike was good after the airplane ride. I drank seven bottles of fluid due to being in the heat, humidity and multiple stops in the sun and then called Sellers to get some electrolyte tips! I thought I must be dehydrating from travel, weather and other circumstances and was worried about the upcoming ride.
Day 1 - San Juan to Ponce was 148 miles with 4,180 in elevation gain in the heat and humidity. I kept it together and finished strong. Other people were dehydrated but I drank at least 2 Motor Tabs per hour and my 72 oz. Camelbak was a constant source every 10 minutes.
Day 2 - Woke up feeling great! Ponce to Mayaguez was 93 miles with 3,439 in elevation with temperatures in the 90's and once again I remained fully hydrated. I rested and put those feet in the air and made sure that on the last big day I would ride strong.
Day 3 - Mayaguez to San Juan was 139 miles with 4,236 in elevation gain in the high 90's and I remained strong again. Never had a cramp, never felt badly and certainly by the 3rd day I should have been on my behind but I stayed true to my scheduled hourly routine of Motor Tabs.
After reviewing my Garmin and realizing that I totaled over 432 miles with my added City tour and completing 13,091 in total elevation gain over 4 days without EVER cramping, feeling dehydrated and overall feeling great each day, no one can believe that this girl finished a ride like this! While I saw people scraping the bottom of the pretzel barrel for salt, looking behind me to see guys in better shape than me drafting me, people on the side of the road cramped and others massaging their legs while riding I felt like I was cheating since I was feeling so great!
Of course the highlight was seeing those big guys behind me lined up so I could bring them home! Awesome experience not to be overlooked by the way I felt from listening to my coach and working with the Motor Tabs products prior to this ride. I am hooked for good, keep them coming!

Food For Fuel!

Are You Flying in February?...Chew on This!
In this first shot for you, let's look at nutrient density and athletic eating...
By Doug Katona

Eat For Fuel
Whatever you put in your pie-hole should be supportive of your (physical/emotional) goals. Ask yourself this
question the next time you crave a bagel (aka Nasty Food in Disguise) - How nutrient dense is the material?
In other words - the calories should have a direct application to function. An example would be that if you
ate an avocado, you would give it a thumbs up because it is an essential fatty acid and provides energy.
If you are sucking down potatoes, then you would see me sitting on your shoulder saying there are better
sources of complex carbohydrate that are more nutrient dense!

Food Pyramid Flip
The Food Pyramid should be flipped upside down. Then it would make sense. Grains, starches, breads, pastas should
be at the top (eat very little amounts of these) and lean meats, nuts, healthy oils and veggies/fruits should be
consumed with more regularity. The idea is to consume foods that are thermogenic in nature - 100 calories of
a piece of whole wheat toast is not the same as 100 calories of salmon. The 100 calories of salmon get "burned
though" by the body - there is more energy required to "process" the salmon. So, the net affect of the 100 calories
of the salmon gets almost nullified. The toast is well, basically a poor return on the calories. Eat toast. Be toast.

Train a lot, Eat a lot?
This is a good one. Some exercisers and athletes just can't seem to get very lean. Or maybe they just can't seem
to get that muscle definition they desire. Must be the genes, right? Nope. Must be age, right? Double nope.
Some people train a little but eat a lot. If you do some moderate exercise, it doesn't mean you have the green
light to destroy a bag of chips. Train with enough intensity and power, then you can get away with a cheat meal
once in awhile. But better to err on the side of eating for energy and performance.

What Do You Expect?
Someone told someone who told someone who told me..."He expects a lot from the people he trains (coaches)." Darn
straight on that one. Good coaches and trainers expect a lot from their "athletes." It's what we do. If you are
tentative or unsure if you want to get fit and enjoy your true potential, then only you are preventing you. It's
in you if you want it and if you're willing to cross the line. Don't you expect a lot from yourself? Or are you okay
with just being in "maintenance." I expect this: to see you realize the powerful journey of discovering being
powerful, strong, lean, agile, injury-free, pain-free, internally healthy and emotionally charged up. Is that too
much to expect?!

Is Your Warm-Up a Workout?
I got an email from one of our Thursday night workout animals. Doug, I was laughing last night during the warm-up. My workouts were never as hard as our warm-ups!. Thank you for sneaking me into this shape, it's refreshing! I wondered if
this person was on their 3rd glass of wine but whatever, it's true. Here's a quick-n-dirty warm-up that will turn you
into sweaty Betty but also get your threshold for training increased...
10 Minute Warm-up (Bike or run); This ain't the time to read People Magazine, get to work, get some intensity going.
Shoulder and leg mobility movements....then knock out:
10 Squats, 10 Push-Ups, 10 Lunges, 10 Burpees, 10 Pull-Ups, 10 Sit-ups. 10 Bench Dips. Go train while the others in
the gym think you just did a workout that would make most of them puke in their Reader's Digest.

Power Food Pick: Wild Cod. This coldwater fish is high on protein and essential fat without a truckload of calories. Bake it or grill it and garnish with a little olive oil, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives or a tapenade. Pair it with some
carmelized brussels sprouts and onions, crack a bottle of a crisp sauvignon blanc and you're in business.

I do what I do for you because what you have you already have in you.

Yours in Health,
Doug Katona

Winter Hydration Protocols

By Ronald Mendel, PhD

Does Proper Hydration Play a Significant Role in Training and Performance in Cooler Environmental Conditions?

Now that we’re in the dead of the winter months, how many of you are already changing some of your exercise related habits? In particular, what is your thought process regarding proper hydration and energy needs? Even though winter (colder environmental conditions) is upon us, proper hydration and nutrition should not be ignored. In fact, you might be surprised to know that there are more environmental issues that must be addressed for athletes to maintain their performance levels in the cold than in the heat.

Here’s what we know…..
Cold exposure has been shown to cause fluid losses on the order of 2-5% of body mass (O’brien et al. 1996). Many reasons have been linked to this dehydration induced by cold exposure including reduced voluntary fluid intake, poor access to water, reduced thirst sensitivity, sweating due to exercise and clothing (O’brien et al. 1996, Ramanathan 1964, Freund and Sawka 1996, Wyant and Caron 1983).

Kenefick et al. (2004) examined whether hypohydration (dehydration) altered thermoregulation and cardiovascular responses to exercise in the cold. We know that these responses are altered in the heat, but it was unclear in the cold. The data demonstrated that moderate intensity exercise while dehydrated did not alter metabolic heat production, skin temperature or heat loss. It also did not increase thermoregulatory or cardiovascular strain. Despite these findings, one thing remains clear. It is imperative to maintain hydration status even in cold environments.

From a practical standpoint, prolonged exercise in the cold can still produce heat at a greater rate than heat is lost. This will obviously lead to heat storage and a subsequent increase in core temperature. This increase in core temperature can, and will, be compounded by dehydration due to any one of the reasons noted earlier.

Ventilation (breathing) increases in the cold. Most people don’t realize how much fluid is lost through ventilation even normally. So when ventilation is increased due to cooler temperatures, the amount of fluid loss just from breathing has the potential to be rather significant.

Reduced voluntary intake is also a major factor that may lead to dehydration of athletes while exercising in the cold. Athletes tend to think less about fluids and proper hydration because they don’t perceive themselves to sweat as much when they train in the cooler environment, and therefore, have a tendency to consume less fluids. This may or may not be true depending on the clothing that is worn. An overall reduced sensitivity to thirst is also a contributory factor in not consuming enough fluids while exercising in colder environments.

Also of significance, and maybe even more important than hydration, is the metabolic response to training in cold temperatures. Cold exposure increases the use of carbohydrates as a fuel. Even during light exercise, muscle glycogen decreases at a faster rate in colder temperatures than warm temperatures. This increases reliance on glycogen reduces the ability to exercise at a higher intensity for extended periods of time because carbohydrates fuel intense exercise. Therefore, ingesting fluids and carbohydrates prior to and during exercise in cooler environmental conditions seem to be quite prudent.

Let’s not forget about those that take their training indoors during the cold times. Environmental conditions may more closely mimic those of summer, but one can still make the argument that hydration is still less of a concern. Because of this, athletes may not properly hydrate themselves prior to training and therefore be setting the stage for sub-optimal training. With potentially higher sweat rates during high intensity indoor training, optimal hydration, adequate carbohydrate intake and replacement of lost electrolytes still remain a priority for optimal performance. Luckily, Motor Tabs fits the bill. Don’t be fooled by the weather outside, let Motor Tabs help you continue to train optimally by providing you with the proper hydration and fuel to be a winner!

MOTOR TABS Help Combat the Flu!!

By Mike Rogan
On a recent ski trip between Christmas and New Years holidays I came down with a nasty stomach flu. Nasty fully describes the symptoms so I need not go into detail. Naturally, as with all flu’s, it left me weak and tired. I could not eat and barely stayed hydrated. After two days, still in the mountains and missing two quality days of ripping on the hill, I was resigned to the fact that my skiing was for another day. On day three I got a call from an old ski buddy from days gone by. He happened to be in Mammoth and asked if I was in town and if we could connect for some runs. I called back to let him know of my condition and that I would call him around noon if I felt better. After the call I was looking in my bag for another item and I found two Fruit Punch (my personal favorite) Motor Tabs from another trip earlier this season. I have used them regularly in the past skiing and riding (bikes). I took one just to get the electrolytes back in my system and to hydrate. After about 45 minutes I called my buddy and we connected for about 3 hours of skiing later that afternoon. I still felt a bit weak and tired, but I was able to go out and rip around instead of being on the couch. The Tabs definitely helped me feel better, settle my stomach and enabled me to go out and ski.

Hunger Ride - December 19th

MOTOR TABS is partnering with Rock N' Road and Second Harvest Food Bank to help feed the poor and displaced in Orange County. During December, if you bring in 3 canned goods or 3 of any other items on the list below, to any of the four local Rock N' Road Cyclery locations, you will receive a Free Rock N' Road Cyclery water bottle. Give a little to those who need it most.

Needed Items: Canned meats, canned fish, beef stew, chili, pasta, macaroni & cheese, rice, beans, Canned fruit & vegetables, canned juices, soups, hot & cold cereals, peanut butter.

We would also like to invite you to come and join our "HUNGER RIDE" December 19th. The ride will be starting at 8:00 a.m. from Rock R' Road's Irvine location at 6282 Irvine Blvd just off the tollway, but please arrive by 7:30. There will be a post-ride breakfast compliments of Chick Fil A.

The ride will head counter clockwise through Santiago Canyon (approx. 33 miles). We will regroup twice on the ride. No one will be left behind. Additional miles will be added afterwords for those really hungry people. Hope to see you there!

For more information visit http://www.rocknroadcyclery.net or call the Irvine Store at 949-733-2453.

Triathlete Powers Up with Motor Tabs

Chris Foster just ended his Triathlon season after achieving great results. Here are a few of the successes he has enjoyed in 2009, and that MOTOR TABS has been proud to be a part of:

• Started and finished all 16 multisport races.
• Won five multisports events.
• Placed in the top ten on all but four races (and not once out of the top 15).
• Raced against at least one (usually more) Olympian in eight of 16 races.
• Traveled to four different countries and eight different states in the US to race.
• Traveled a total of 52,000 miles--enough to travel around the Earth at it's widest point...twice!
• Flew on 48 separate planes.
• Swam over 1.4 million yards (almost 800 miles).
• Trained over 640 hours.
  
  
• 1st Overall Lima, Peru ITU Continental Cup
• 1st Overall Desert Classic Duathlon
• 1st Overall San Diego International Triathlon
• 1st Overall Windsor, Canada Triathlon
• 1st Overall Redondo Beach Triathlon
• 3rd Overall San Jose Pro Challenge
• 4th Overall Columbia International Triathlon
• 5th Overall Ixtapa, Mexico Continental Cup
• 7th Overall Lifetime Fitness Triathlon
• 8th Overall Los Angeles Triathlon
• 9th Overall US Elite Nationals
• 14th Overall Duathlon World Championships

Chris's ultimate goal is to compete in the 2012 Olympics, and he certainly seems to be on track to do just that. Please join us in wishing him continued success!

Athlon Elite

Our friends at Athlon Elite, elite fitness training professionals from California's central coast, have been enjoying Motor Tabs:

Things are going great with the Motor Tabs. People are really liking them... I will be contacting you soon to make another order... These tabs are really helping out our clients. They are a big hit!

Click here for more information about Athlon Elite.