Here are a couple recommendations for ensuring that you’re properly hydrated prior to the start of a workout or race:

* 80-100 ounces (roughly 2.4 – 3 liters) of water during the four hours prior to the start of the race; ceasing consumption about 20 minutes prior to allow the stomach to empty.

* 500 ml (about 17 ounces) of water about two hours before exercise.

* One liter of water (about 34 ounces) in the two hours prior to the start of the race (about 17 ounces per hour), ceasing consumption about 20 minutes prior to the start.

Each of these recommendations has at least some research backing. Still, you need to determine what works best for your system and the particular logistics of the race or training session ahead. Also, if your workout is in the 2+ hour range or longer, make sure you’re drinking water only (no calories for 3 hours prior to the start!). If it’s under 2 hours then the use of HEED is perfectly acceptable.

Sign up for Endurance News for more Hot Tips!

WOW!!! Where do I start? I can honestly say that Hammer Nutrition’s Cycling Camp is off the charts! First and foremost, the services are five star. The pampering begins with an airport pick up, a full bike set up upon arrival at the Tucson Cycling House, daily bike maintenance after each ride, full sag support on each ride, individualized coaching, and the most in-depth guidance available on fueling, sustained endurance, and nutrition.

The facilities:
The camp is held in Tucson, Arizona where the weather in January is a pleasant 60-70 degrees; perfect for those of us from the East coast who, at that time of the year, are struggling to stay on the trainer or just tired of layering on the 15 lbs of clothes that it takes to keep from getting frostbitten on a local ride! Your home away from home while at the Hammer Camp is the Cycling House. The setting is a suburban, ranch-style home that sleeps between 16-20 individuals. This sprawling retreat is furnished with both an indoor and outdoor fireplace, in-ground pool, and the most dazzling views of snow capped mountains, cactus fields, and breathtaking sunsets known to man. The in-house cooks prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a nutritionally-balanced fashion, while at the same time cutting no corners when it comes to taste.

As for the riding … (smile) …
Tucson and its neighboring counties are a haven of open roads, rolling hills, and mountainous ranges. Whether the ride calls for a from-the-house start, or we travel the ten miles to the city limits via the Hammer van (AKA Big Blue), campers will be treated to what I can only describe as a cyclists dream come true! The roads are free of the congestion that I’m accustomed to here in New York City. Each ride is supported by three pro domestiques and no less than two coaches. There is ample support for strong riders that want to go off the front to blow the cobwebs out to their winter legs while at the same time supporting the camps policy of “no-drop” rides.

If you are looking to work on your pre-season climbing skills, you need not look any further. While most of the riding at camp encompasses an array of rolling hills, false flats, and a number of challenging elevation peaks, the feature ride of Hammer Camp has to be Mount Lemmon! Mount Lemmon is one of the premier climbs in the United States. The 23-mile ride starts out at about 2,500 ft, surrounded by cactus and mesquite trees, and ascends to a January snow-capped 8,198 ft. The reward for all of that climbing is a 40-minute, lightning fast decent that offers ample opportunity to sharpen your high-speed cornering skills.

Hammer products and promotion:
Surprisingly enough, there was absolutely no big sales pitch and no high pressure tactics to purchase the products. Instead, an opportunity to use each of the company’s endurance fuels and supplements free of charge for the entire duration of the camp! What’s more, both Brian Frank (owner) and Steve Born (world-renowned fueling expert) were both on hand to explain the purpose and benefits of each of the products and to provide recommendations for product usage based on each person’s individualized goals and objectives.

After all was said and done, I would, without reservation, highly recommend this pre-season camp to anyone serious about cycling and overall performance enhancement. My experience at the Hammer Nutrition Camp at the Tucson Cycling House far exceeded my expectations. Dollar for dollar, it is an outstanding value and will now serve as my annual pre-season kick off for subsequent training years.

-Lorenzo Brown

Interested? See our camps page for more information.

Go with what got you there! You don’t have to use what’s at the aid stations.

A big fallacy is the notion that you have to rely on what is at an event to get you through your event. You have to remember the 6 P’s – Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

I never go to an event without all the stuff I use in training, and many of my events are going on for hours at a time. Be Prepared. Train it. Race it.

Why spend weeks, if not months, preparing for an event if all that planning and preparation is left up to what some promoter decides to have at their event, for what is just about the most important aspect of your day: how you fuel yourself?

Thanks to sponsored athlete Nate Loman for the Hot Tip (we couldn’t agree more!)

Sign up for Endurance News for more Hot Tips!

As you may know, Soni-Pure hand sanitizer is once again back in the Hammer Nutrition product line, and it really is a uniquely phenomenal product… if you haven’t tried it you really must! Soni-Pure is petroleum-free and alcohol-free so, unlike typical hand sanitizer products, it won’t dry your skin or expose you to harsh chemicals. What it will do is provide an effective defense against germs and bacteria. In fact, Soni-Pure has been shown to kill aerobic bacteria, yeast, mold, and fungi 100% for up to eight hours… that’s right – 8 HOURS! Plus, it doesn’t have that awful chemically odor; in fact, Soni-Pure smells downright pleasant!

With all those benefits attributed to Soni-Pure, it’s no wonder that many people have made it a habit to keep a container in their vehicle(s) at all times, ready to use at a moment’s notice. And when you think about it, given the countless opportunities to be exposed to germs and bacteria, there are equally countless times when Soni-Pure not only comes in handy, it’s a definite necessity. A 2-ounce foam-pump container of Soni-Pure is quite compact, so it’ll easily fit into the center console or glove compartment of your car, truck, or van. It’s super easy to apply but without the mess that can occur using more liquid-y/gel-like hand sanitizers. At $7.95 a bottle, it’s small investment to help defend against germs and bacteria, so keep a bottle of Soni-Pure in your vehicle. You’ll be glad you did!

One of the techniques I’ve used to help with DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) is to follow the “Hammer Whey protein before bed” protocol. It’s worked well for me on several occasions now. I also seem to sleep better too. These last few months I’ve gradually migrated from running to cycling, becoming a daily commuter. The ride is mildly hilly 14 miles each way to the office. When I first started, I was pretty much guaranteed to be sore the next day after the ride home. It’s mostly uphill, so I started with the “Hammer Whey before bedtime” protocol and found out I wasn’t as sore the next day. Within a week, I was able to ride back to back days. Personally, I’ve kept the protocol going, even though I ride 5 days a week and I’m not sore anymore. I just feel better the next day, especially towards the end of the week.

Thanks to Mark S. for this Hot Tip

Sign up for Endurance News for more Hot Tips!

This past weekend Jamie Donaldson took first place at the LOST 118 Mile Endurance Run. Jamie broke the previous course records for both men and women with a time of 18:36:15. The previous men’s record was 21:52:25 and the previous women’s record was 24:45:15.

Message from Jamie:
“I am normally pretty conservative, but I really tried to push the pace and it worked!  I am very excited. I fueled on Perpeteum and Hammer Gel during the race and felt energized the entire way!”

Congratulations to Jamie on her excellent performance!