"Don't give up the ship!"

Race recap from tri star Timothy O'Donnell 

"Hi everyone,

I am proud to report I took 2nd place last weekend in Immenstadt, 
Germany at the ITU Long Course World Championships.

Racing in Europe is never easy but I could not let the title go 
undefended.  Since I have not raced longer than a half-ironman I knew 
the 4km, 130km, 30km race would be a challenge.  To add to the 
difficulty of the longer distance the bike course was absolutely 
brutal with over 6500 ft of vertical gain and several dangerous 
switchback descents.  While it rained all week when race day came 
around it was sunny and dry making for fantastic race conditions.  I 
started the race in a great position, settling into the front pack of 
the swim.  I exited the water and with a short course style quick 
transition took an early lead on the bike.  Unfortunately I ran into a 
problem as I dropped my chain on the first climb only several 
kilometers into the ride.  To make matters worse the section of the 
hill was about 18% and I had trouble getting going again  I even 
having to run up the hill to a less steep section.  Once I got going I 
had lost over 50 seconds to the leaders.  Much like Contador and 
Schleck in the TdF last month it turns out triathletes don't wait when 
someone drops a chain!

If there is one thing I have learned from my Navy days it is "Don't 
give up the ship."  While I was in a bad position I stayed calm and 
just kept charging.  I rode through the field and joined the three 
leaders about 17km into the ride.  Back in front I settled into a 
rhythm at the front of the race.  I felt great going through the first 
90km and then I started to pay the price for the first 15km of 
catching up.  In the last 40km my inexperience at longer racing 
appeared as I fell off pace and lost what would end up being a 
devastating 5 minutes to the leaders.

When the smoke cleared I entered T2 in sixth position.  Of course I 
stayed true to my motto and did not give up.  I began the run and felt 
absolutely horrible!  I remember saying to myself "if this is what 
Ironmans are going to be I think I'll stick to short course!"  I lost 
some time to the front 5 competitors in the first 5km but I began to 
find my stride.  In a methodical manner I caught the racers in front 
of me, moving into 5th after lap 1 and 4th after lap 2.  I entered the 
final lap in 4th place and while 2nd place was 1:40 up the road I knew 
if I stayed strong I could get there.  On the last lap the difficultly 
of the bike made another appearance as everyone began to stat moving 
backwards.  Before I knew it 2nd place was in sight and with 5km left 
in the run I made the pass and did not look back.

While I was not able to defend my title I was very proud of the fight 
I put up in its defense.  I learned a great deal about long course 
racing and I it was an important step in my progression to Ironman 
racing.  All in all the trip was an invaluable experience!

Feel free to read more and check out the results at www.timothyodonnell.com

Thanks to everyone for your support and remember "Dont give up the 
ship!"

All the best,
Timothy"

Motor Tabs Motorsicles: A How-To

Are you getting tired of ingesting pre-training or pre-race electrolytes by sipping on your bottle? Give yourself a change of pace and enjoy them as a refreshing, frozen treat. These frozen popsicles will be sure to bring back childhood memories and take the rut out of your training routine.

All it takes is a simple 3-step process from start to finish. Let's get started!

Step 1: 

Pick your favorite flavor of Motor Tabs, or do them all! Don't be afraid to mix flavors either... different tabs mixed together actually give a nice change to the palette.

You are going to want to pre-dissolve these tablets in 10 oz. of water, versus the normal recommended 20 oz. of water, for a more flavorful Motorsicle. Adjust the amount depending on desired flavor strength. 10 oz. seemed to be the optimal balance of flavor

Step 2:

Now, you're going to need a popsicle tray for this next step. They shouldn't cost any more than a couple of bucks at your local supermarket! Once the Motor Tabs has fully dissolved, begin to pour into the popsicle tray. Depending on what kind of popsicle tray you've purchased, be sure to leave enough room for the space displaced by the handle/rod combination. Pop them into the freezer after completing this.

Step 3:

Alas, the fruits of your labor are ready to be enjoyed. Remove the popsicle tray from the freezer and pull out one of the handles. However, be sure to check that it is frozen all the way through. You shouldn't see any fluid moving around in there! If you do, set to freeze a little while longer before you can enjoy this awesome treat.

Feel free to let us know what works for you! We want to hear back from our community to see how you guys are enjoying this treat! After all, without the support of you guys, we wouldn't be here! Be sure to find us on Facebook @ Motor Tabs Fluid Replacement Systems and on Twitter @MotorTabs ! 

Rise to the Occasion!

You will rise to the performance & health level that you choose.
In the quest to help you spark you on your path to improved vitality...

You Don't Know Squat?!  Then Know Squat!Watch people walk.  Look at the posture.  Good gait while walking and strong posture is
imperative when it comes to being agile, mobile and therefore capable of taking on more
stress/load.  There are a lot of people who "exercise" but can't do a deep squat.  I see
alleged "yoga" takers who would fall down if they were asked to squat deep.  Bottom
line - if your bottom can break parallel on a squat with your shoulders up and weight
centered, that's a good start!  The Squat is a fundamental, critical component to building
the rest of your program.  Can't squat?  Can't do much else then.

Nutrient DensityI get asked to look at more wrappers, ingredient lists and food options than that Man v. Food
guy (great show by the way).  What most of you are really asking is "will this food make me
fat," or "is this healthy for me."  Here is what I look for when consuming ALL foods:  How dense
is the nutrient makeup of the food?  Example:  a piece of white bread is not nutrient dense. 
Broccoli is.  Both carbs but way more density in the broccoli plus you get a boost of vitamins
and essential chemical components that will add to the nutrient value of the food.  The next
time you get ready to suck down something, think of how packed it is with nutrients.  And ask
yourself what your body will do with that food (how it will affect and support your health and
performance goals.)

Get Strong, Lift HeavyTo get strong, you gotta lift heavy.  That's it.  You don't get stronger by doing 20 reps of the
inner/outer thigh machine after you do a few bicep curls.  You do get strong by learning and
progressing at movements like the push-up, squat, deadlift, pull-up and other compound
movements.  Stretching, "core" work, LSD (long slow duration) cardio work and "power
walking" just delay the inevitable decline.  Power is the end game.  There are no excuses
for not lifting heavy.  Regardless of where you are at right now, you can progress and see
marked results by focusing on getting stronger.  Most are just afraid.  Fear is easily overcome
and you will soon ask yourself why you didn't do this sooner. Plus you'll like the thinner waist,
increased metabolism and better energy!

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens (Jimi Hendrix)
Celebrate the fact you have the potential to find more potential!
- Doug Katona

Don't Wait For Something To Happen! Make It Happen NOW!

It feels good to feel good.

Eating is A Gauge
Train harder and more consistent and you will eat healthier.  Training smart = eating clean.
Food is fuel...when you train well, you will not crave sugars, you will crave what your body
needs - lean protein and nutrient-dense foods.  If you're looking for a diet or for a quick-fix,
chances are you are also inconsistent with training or not training with sufficient intensity.
Result - you feel tired, hungry (mainly for carbs) or less motivated to get done what you
need to get done.  So...get it done!

The Engine In Review
By popular demand...here is my Q & D (quick and dirty) on the 4 parts to the Engine.  When
we say engine in an athlete, we often refer to their physical abilities that are developed...
those are the easy things to get.  So, for your reading/contemplating pleasure, here are
the 4 key pieces that determine how powerful your Engine is (in order from easiest to
train to the hardest:  (remember, this is for endurance-related sports)
1.  Leg Strength
2.  Power Output
3.  Lung Capacity
4.  The Mind - this is where most athletes/fitness athletes miss the opportunity.  Call it what
you want (dedication, desire, suffer threshold, intent) but if you remember that no physical
action happens without a mental action first then you'll begin to understand...

Just Meat It
All meat ain't meat.  Chicken can be about as healthy as milk these days.  Beef can have
the same amount of fat as a doughnut.  Buy lean meat. It packs protein and is very nutrient
dense.  It helps build lean tissue, maintain metabolism, keep energy level and helps with
recovery.  Read the labels!  Go organic, grass-fed and avoid the hormones.  Then take a
look at the saturated fat and keep it under 3.0g per serving. 

Delay training...then delay getting to your goal.  If you wait...well, then weight.

- Doug Katona

Testimonials on How To Save a Life

Here is what fellow athlete and MotorTabs user Bob Burnes had to say to us.
 

"I am never without my beloved Motortabs at the track. Once again, no BONK. I started drinking some MotorTabs a few hours prior to racing and I just don't suffer from the BONK or muscle stiffness. I love it. 

I don't know if I've told you or not, but MotorTabs is being credited with helping a man survive. I was going to school to become a police officer in Orange, CA last November. During the arrest and control portion of the class a fellow officer became very ill. I recognized the symptoms as dehydration and the start of heat exhaustion. I had him chew on a bit of MotorTabs then I put the rest in a bottle of water. I gave him two more to take with him to the hospital as he was carried off by ambulance.

When he got back from the hospital he left a message for me. The doctors informed him that the officer's survival rate was greatly increased because he was able to get much needed electrolytes, minerals, and salts back into his system quickly. The doctors took a look at the MotorTabs and we're impressed. Instead of hooking him up to IVs right away, they allowed him to cool down naturally and drink two more MotorTabs over a period of two hours. The next day, his color was better, he was well hydrated, and did well in the class despite the heat."

Power Starts In The Mind: by Doug Katouna

Regardless of what you tell yourself, you alone decide how you feel, perform and look.

Happy In Decline? 
On my group ride Sunday (Como Street), I found myself in the lead group of about 15 riders
(out of about 85 that started).  Lots of ugly going on.  Then I looked around at the top of
the final climb (now only about 10 of us left).  Only 1 fire breather under 35 years old!  Why?
Wisdom.  Experience.  Consistent training.  Passion for the sport.  Fight.  Fun.  I bet some
of the younger guys that got dropped (and maybe some older ones too) had some good
excuses (dog ate my homework, too much of not enough, not enough sleep 3 months ago).
None of us 35+ guys were thinking about our age when it was Go Time.  As you age, why
not think about drawing on your expansive base of everything (see the Why? above) and
put it to use.  Do you?  No decline as you mature, only more tools in your arsenal to use!

Lift.  Run.  Ride.  Who the F Cares?
How strong is your weakness?  If you ride good, can you run good too?  Can you do some
endurance in the morning then knock out some heavy shoulder press in the afternoon? 
What are you good at (fitness/sport related, not at Bingo or gardening)?  But more importantly,
what area of your performance/fitness do you need to work at?  That tells me more about
an athlete's potential than anything else.  Target yourself to be able to perform efficiently
at multiple skills that require varying degrees of load, time and power requirements.
Then, whatever the activity or workout, you'll lick your chops instead of getting your chops
kicked in.

L.O.W. Losers
28.  101.  0.  The last FAC email I sent out included my Lean Out Week shred routine.  28
of you did it faithfully, 101 pounds lost and 0 surprises from me.  Bottom line - if you want
to get lean, you can.  Read that line again.  Get it done or it will be harder to get it done.

Coffee & Coconut
Coffee is a food group (I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere???!!!).  Coconut is quickly
becoming the new power substance over soy and other genetically-modified junk touted
as healthy.  Well, now there is Coconut Creamer for your bean!  Yep, I have done my
own brutal field tests over the last month (had to drink some good coffee while I sampled
the Hazelnut, French Vanilla repeatedly).  It's an athletic alternative to other creamers.

Experience is not what happens to a man, it is what a man does with what happens to him.
(A. Huxley)

If you wait for the motivation or the right time to get where you want to be, then
you will get lost in the abyss of opportunity.

- Doug Katona

Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team: Still On Fire

It seems that the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling team is really loving MotorTabs as their choice for race fuel. With all the victories they've been racking up, they can't be wrong. Here is what their team directors have to say about it:

“If you’re training or racing with just water, it’s like putting 85 octane into a Formula 1 car. You’re the Formula 1 car, so use the right fuel. MotorTabs is the best option out there and our choice for electrolyte replenishment. I make sure 100% of the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling team uses MotorTabs for training and racing. When using it, there’s less chance of cramping and the product aids in water absorption for better hydration.”

Steve Owens

General Manager & Technical Director

Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team

CEO, Colorado Premier Training

Results Are In! MotorTabs In Full Effect @ San Dimas Stage Race!

The San Dimas Stage Race, which took place in San Dimas, California, fared well for MotorTabs sponsored athletes! Here is a quick excerpt from SCVelo about what it had to offer:

"– World class professional and talented amateur cyclists from around the world are once again gearing up to compete in the 11th annual San Dimas Stage Race. The race, hosted by local bike club SC Velo, is scheduled for March 19th, 20th, and 21st. Three exciting stages of racing are planned as well as a Kids Race on the last day. Over 800 amateur and professional cyclists are expected to compete for cash prizes. The San Dimas Stage Race has grown and matured from its modest beginning in 2000 to become well known and highly regarded within the cycling community."

MotorTabs is a proud sponsor in 2010 of both the Bahati Foundation and Big Orange Racing cycling groups. Hilton Clarke was the winner of the pro criterium at the SDSR, racing under Rahsaan Bahati and the Bahati Foundation team.

On top of that, Greg Leibert of the Big Orange Racing team finished victoriously as the winner of the GC at the SDSR! Congratulations to both teams and we'll be here to support you through the season!

BMW-Bianchi Update

From one of our sponsored teams, BMW-Bianchi, here is what Laura Weislo had to say! Thanks to the crew for keeping us posted!

"Our 2010 BMW-Bianchi team camp in Cleveland, South Carolina was a
brilliant success and we thank you all for your gracious support that
makes the team possible.
After a horrible winter, spring finally sprang for the team camp and we
enjoyed clear skies and warm weather for our gathering.

On Saturday, the team arrived en masse, all 12 BMW-Bianchi members
causing a brief panic for the other women warming up on the course when
they saw us coming. I reassured them that we weren't entering all of the
team, just half, for the River Falls road race. Unfortunately for them,
we only needed half the team to dominate the race.
With Cora Olson, Deb Whitmore, Lauren Shirock, Kathleen Billington, Kate
Ross, Rachel Warner and Sarah Caravella controlling the race, it wasn't
long before the action started.

Deb was the first agressor, and when she was brought back, KB set a
fierce tempo on the climb which set up Kate for the counter-attack. Kate
stayed away for 15 miles before Veronique Labonte, down from Quebec,
went off in pursuit, bringing along Lees McRae riders Cinthia Lehner and
Erica Zaveta, Giselle Weeks of Team Headstrong and our own Sarah Caravella.

Kate was caught, briefly dropped and then fought her way back to the
lead group to help Sarah on the final lap. With her teammate there to
help, Sarah was able to match all the attacks up the hill coming into
the finish and then sprint to victory ahead of Labonte, Lehner and
Weeks. Kate held on for fifth while Rachel cleaned up the field sprint
for 9th behind the remnants of the earlier split.

The team enjoyed a fabulous group ride on Sunday in the foothills of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, with the Caesar's Head climb as the final
challenge of the day. Sarah, Rachel, Kathleen and Cora proved they were
ready to take on the Redlands Classic in two weeks with amazing
performances on the climb.

We've got a big surprise on our roster for the first NRC event in
Redlands, California but we're not quite ready to announce it yet.
Needless to say, we're going to have a great team and could have a
pretty good shot at winning some jerseys!"

"Bahati Foundation sweeps Merco Downtown Grand Prix"

MotorTabs is a proud sponsor of the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team! This past weekend they were over at the Merco Downtown Criterium. Here is what PodiumInsight had to say about the race.


With two of the top sprinters in North America, the Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team executed perfect tactics at the Merco Downtown Criterium.
“We have Rahsaan Bahati, Hilton Clarke, the top sprinters in America, top 2, on a good day they can beat anybody. We had those two guys in the background, waiting and we have the upper hand. We’ll be aggressive, put ourselves in the move but if it doesn’t work, we have Rahsaan and Hilton and if it does stay away guys like myself can take their chance.” said winner Matty Rice.

Matty Rice (Bahati Foundation) celebrates his win at Merco Downtown Grand Prix

And it worked. Rice attacked his breakmates on the final lap to get the win, his second victory in two weeks after a four year dry spell while Rahsaan Bahati and Hilton Clarke took the field sprint to make it a sweep for the new team.
“It was a great feeling to come out of the corner and know that we were going to get 1-2-3, what a way to start a season.” smiled Bahati. “I think we’re going to have a great season and hopefully this pattern continues.”
Fans at the race known for its chicane and breaks were treated today to a battle between a break and a chasing field in the 40-mile/50-lap Men Pro/1/2 race. Did the field wait too long to chase? Would the break attack each other? All these questions were answered in the final 12 laps of the race.
Immediately from the start, California Giant Specialized went hunting for primes with both Andrew Talansky and Steve Reaney each getting a small gap before being swallowed up by the field. Six laps into the race, it was BISSELL’s Andy Jacques-Maynes who made a move. He was quickly joined by Tim Johnson (United Healthcare-Maxxis) and Jared Barilleaux (CalGiant). One lap later, Charlie Avis of Trek-Livestrong U23 bridged up while Jorge Alvarado (Bahati Foundation) made his way across  after four more laps.
With a gap of thirty seconds at 35 laps to go, the Yahoo! Cycling Team started to chase in earnest, finally reeling the break in with 29 laps to go.
Shuffling, re-shuffling slowed the pace for the next couple of laps and then it was game on agian as speeds ramped up with A. Jacques-Maynes, Will Dugan (Team Type 1), Max Jenkins (United Healthcare-Maxxis), Carson Miller (Veloforma) and Will Routley (Jelly Belly) each attacking but nothing stuck.
Meanwhile Bahati was surfing the back of the field. “It’s just how it goes here, the right mix goes off the front and all of a sudden, you turn around on the homestretch and there’s no one in sight, and alright it’s our turn today.” he explained.

Andrew Talansky (CalGiant) setting the pace for 5-rider break

Finally with 14 laps to go, the right composition was found with five riders jumping away. In the break were Rice, Talansky, Iggy Silva (Trek-Livestrong U23), Ben Jacques-Maynes (BISSELL) and Philip Mooney (Yahoo! Cycling Team).
“It’s just how it goes here, the right mix goes off the front and all of a sudden, you turn around on the homestretch and there’s no one in sight, and alright it’s our turn today.” said B. Jacques-Maynes. The gap quickly went up to twenty seconds as everyone pulled through, everyone except Rice that is.
“I worked for the first four laps of the move to get it started. we’ve got Hilton Clarke and Rahsaan Bahati, I had to sit back, if they catch us those guys win and if we stay away, I have a chance myself.” Rice explained.
With no rider in the break, everyone looked to the 9-rider United Healthcare team to assume the chase. With 10 laps to go and a gap of ten seconds, the team massed at the front with Johnson driving the train.

United Healthcare p/b Maxxis train chasing the break

The riders in the break, except for Rice, were still working together hoping it would stick. They also kept their eye on each other and especially on Silva the best sprinter in the small group.
“That’s exactly who I was worried about but to be a good criterium racer, you have to sprint and race hard.” said B. Jacques-Maynes. “Today he had one of the two, but it’s still early in the season.”
“I watched him and Ben go for a couple of primes, Ben got one and Iggy got one, Iggy is quick but he was looking a little tired at the end.” said Talansky.
With 6 laps to go, the gap was twenty-five seconds. After a monster pull by Roman Kilun (United Healthcare), the gap was down to twenty seconds at five laps to go. With two laps to go, it was fifteen seconds on the clock.
On the final lap, Rice made his move right at the start/finish line to drop his breakmates. “Those guys worked for ten miles out there, they worked hard, every lap was getting harder and harder so I was a bit fresher than those guys.” said Rice.
“When he hit I was on the other side of the group, I knew straightaways ‘I’m not able to go for this’ so just hope that they don’t all catch us at the line and we get nothing. I came out with a good place so I can’t complain. “ said B. Jacques-Maynes who finished 6th. “Good workout today, the legs felt better than I expected, the little opener yesterday probably helped.”
“When Matty Rice went, we all just kept rolling through together but he had a pretty good gap and then on the back stretch, we sat up a little, I guess everybody realized that we were not going to catch him and by sitting up there we got caught at the end by the United Healthcare train and the Bahati guys.” commented Talansky.  “After he went, I was hoping we’d get close enough so that I could go, bridge up but that didn’t really happen. He beat me to the punch on that one, pretty much my only option was to attack, that was the plan, and then at the end just try to hold on once we got swarmed.” Talansky finished 7th.
“On the backside of the course we saw Matty was off on his own and me and Rahsaan were actually cheering. We were cheering him on and then we had a job to do to catch the other three, it couldn’t have worked more perfect.” smiled Clarke.

Rahsaan Bahati and Hilton Clarke of Bahati Foundation take field sprint to sweep podium

The pack swarmed the remnants on the break. “We caught them going into the last corner, it was awkward, they were fanned out across the road going into the turn, Hilton went inside, I went outside and we just dragged race to the finish.” said Bahati. “United Heatlthcare did a great job trying to bring the break back, if it wasn’t for those guys, we wouldn’t have been close.”
Top 10 Men Pro/1/2
1. Matthew Rice (Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling)
2. Rahsaan Bahati (Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling)
3. Hilton Clarke   (Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling)
4. Eric Barlevav   (UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis)
5. Cole House (BMC Racing)
6. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes  (BISSELL Pro Cycling)
7. Andrew Talansky  (California Giant Berry Farms/S)
8. Andy Jacques-Maynes  (BISSELL Pro Cycling)
9. Sterling Magnell    (God & Father)
10. Philip Mooney  (Yahoo! Cycling Team)