Find Your Elevation

The elevation calculation on your Garmin uses barometric altitude. Leaving from home on rides, I have seen my starting point vary by as much as +/- 100 feet.

A great way to make this more accurate is to enter a starting elevation. First you can find your starting elevation here:

http://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm

Then enter a new elevation point on the Garmin by pressing Menu > GPS > Set Elevation and follow the prompts.

Next time you start from that point, you will see an additional dialog when you press Start on your Garmin 500: "Elevation Point Found". 

Note to my fellow Colavita Riders: The starting elevation of the Deerfield train station lot is 673 feet.

4th of July @ Ft. Sheridan Cemetery

WGaS'ers at HP Bucks pre WWP Ride

WGaS'ers pre WWR

WGaS with the Wounded Warrior Ride

Rules for Eating and Drinking During Exercise

Via the always interesting Dr. Gabe Mirkin:

The rules for eating and drinking during exercise are quite simple. For exercise lasting:

• Less than an hour -- fit athletes do not need to take any food or drink, except they may need water on the hottest days.
• More than an hour -- Take sugared drinks just before you begin and frequently during intense exercise.
• More than three hours -- Take sugared drinks before you begin and frequently during intense exercise. Eat the food of your choice (fruit or sugar- added foods such as whole grain bars, etc.), plus a source of salt. We use potato chips or peanuts. You cannot get enough salt in a drink because it would taste awful.
• More than five hours -- You need water, sugar, salt, and protein and lots of calories. Up to ten percent of the energy to power your muscles during exercise is supplied by protein stored in muscles. However, you do not lose enough muscle to harm performance during exercise until you have been exercising for more than five or six hours. Protein sources include whole grain bars, nuts, meat, fish, chicken, or dairy products.

Read the rest of the article for details and explanations.

The Lost Art of the Group Ride

Via Pablo and seen referenced on facebook, this is a nicely written article on riding in a group and what we all (should) aspire to.