Friday Feed Zone - Nak'd Bars

Whenever I venture out on my bike or for a long walk, I make sure I have some food in the bag. Sure, I'm often in an urban setting, but it's good to get in the habit of packing snacks just incase you choose to toddle off further afield.

I am also trying to be healthier than I might have been a few years back. Instead of packing a Mars bar, the residue of my quarter life crisis means that I'm more inclined to go for something sans e-numbers and chemical crap. 

Something I love to pack is a Nak'd bar. These are vegan friendly natural bars which are basically smooched together food. A combination of dates, cashews and berries are cold pressed (to retain nutrients) into tasty little morsels. 

The range is pretty diverse with flavours such as Rhubarb & Custard and Berry Blast, but my all time favourite is Cocoa Orange. 

The natural bars are easy on the stomach, pack an energy burst, and also can get squished at the bottom of your pack or in the back of your jersey and still taste pretty darn good. 

If you are so inclined you can order them for delivery throughout Europe by visiting their website - http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk - but if, like me, you live in Switzerland, make a friend in France (no delivery here just yet). 

Tiny Adventure - Snowshoe Walking in Megève

I don't like the idea of skiing. I'll be honest, I've tried it once and it terrified me. I also don't really understand a sport that involves the use of lifts. I prefer things that I can complete under my own steam, and that don't involve tiny enclosed spaces dangling precariously from string. 

With that said I still like the odd toddle up a mountain. And one thing to try if you don't like snowboarding or skiing is the joyous pursuit of snowshoe walking. 

This weekend we headed into the mountains around Megève and took on a circular walk near the resort of Cuchet. 

Snowshoe walking is rather brilliant. Firstly, it's a lovely way to get out and enjoy nature with little investment. Renting the raquettes costs very little, or alternatively we picked ours up at Lidl. True story, under 100chf for two pairs. Secondly, it is a blooming good work out. Our route saw us climb over 300m in altitude, walk almost 8km, and earn us a vin chaud and carb heavy post walk dinner. Thirdly, you stumble upon amazing views, old abandoned chalets and the odd dog in a jumper - all fantastic perks of getting up the mountain. 

But the best thing for me is that there is little chance of injury. I can just strap on my snowshoes and head out into the snow knowing I'm likely to come back with my ACL intact, and honestly I can't say the same for skiing. 

For more details of snowshoe routes in and around Megève, take a look here. 

Tiny Adventure - Snowtubing in Switzerland

Sometimes you have to find time, in a busy schedule, to just try something ridiculous. That's what we were thinking when we headed to the mountains for a couple of hours of Snowtubing.

Snowtubing, for the uninitiated, is an activity where you whizz down carefully carved runs in an inflatable tube. It's ridiculous, but it's also a lot of fun. 

You can check out the video we made below, and details of where we went can be found here. 

Friday Feed Zone - DIY Powerade

Welcome to the first Friday Feed Zone. This is going to be a weekly feature on the blog, and over time it'll give you ideas and recipes on homemade sports nutrition as well as suggesting some products that go into my pack whenever I venture out. 

Now don't get me wrong, there are a ton of excellent products on the market, but if you want something cheaper and more natural then homemade is definitely the way forward.

To start us off we have a classic - homemade Powerade. Unlike the shop bought stuff, this contains fresh fruit, herbal infusions and a lot less sugar (and it's natural fruit sugar not refined sugar).

Check out the recipe below, and if you've got any of your own recipes you'd like to share then get in touch.

Homemade Powerade

Homemade Powerade on the left.
Slightly darker in colour, but that's due to the lack of artificial colouring

Here's what you need - 

1. 1 teabag - orange flavour
2. 1 tsp honey
3. 400ml water, boiled
4. 1 pinch rock salt
5. 2 oranges

Method -

Make a cup of tea with some of the water, and the teabag. Brew as per the instructions on your teabag or to your taste. I personally find the stronger the better, as it will be diluted down later.

Remove the teabag, add a pinch of salt (preferably one with trace elements on potassium and magnesium) and the honey (artisan honey from Walthamstow is not essential, but it is lovely).

Juice the orange, and add to the tea mixture.

Top up with boiled water to make 500ml. Cool and store in the fridge until required. It will keep for approximately 5 days.

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The Homemade Powerade contains approximately 60 calories per 500ml. The real stuff weighs in at slightly more at 85 calories per 500ml. What I prefer though is that the homemade version contains natural sugars that occur in honey and fruit juice, whereas the Powerade is packed with high fructose corn syrups which the body will struggle to digest. 

There is a similar level of salts between the two drinks, and the honey (in the homemade version) and the processed sugars (in the original version) contain carbohydrates to give you the energy to finish your adventure. 

Homemade Powerade is also great because it is not only good for you, it's good for your wallet and the environment. After making 500ml of Homemade Powerade I have spent approximately 2CHF, and have two halves of an orange and a tea bag to go into the compost. Had I bought a Powerade, I'd have three E-numbers whizzing around my body, with a shed load of artificial sweeteners to boot. And I'd have a wasted sports bottle and a 3CHF shaped dent in my wallet. They both taste really similar, and keep as long in the fridge. So as if you needed anymore encouragement, go and make one...

Tiny Adventure - Bobsleighing in Austria

If someone wearing a lycra onesie approached me, reached into their trousers, produced an egg and asked me to 'kiss it', readers, be warned, I probably would. 

I grew up in the 90s, and one of my favourite films around this time was Cool Runnings. The idea of a Jamaican bobsleigh team caught my imagination and I decided I wanted to try that. But let's be honest, you don't often find bobsleigh tracks in South East England where I grew up. 

Fast forward a few years (okay, almost 20), and I found myself stood at the top of the Olympic run in Igls, Austria. Innsbruck hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics (as well as the 2012 Youth Olympics), so the city knows a few things about world class bobsleigh run. 

Four people crammed into the bobsleigh, and enjoyed under a minute of descent followed quickly by the adrenaline buzz. The feeling is much like a roller coaster or a waterside, with the added knowledge that there is no track or cushioning water, just metre upon metre of relentless ice to which your only connection in gravity. Cool. 

Once we'd had our adventure all that was left to do was take a picture of the famous bobsleigh bandits, and warm up with a glühwein. 

Tiny Adventure - Skijoring in Switzerland

This weekend I was in Nax, a pretty little village in the Valais area of Switzerland. Nax is about 30mins drive from it's more famous neighbour Verbier, and shares the same dramatic views over the Swiss Alps.

We were staying in a little hotel on the edge of town, and made the most of the short break by taking in as much outdoor adventure as possible. The area has all the usual winter sports on offer, but in addition it has something relatively rare.

My wife, who is obsessed with horses, got to fulfil a lifelong dream by going skijoring. Skijoring is essentially like waterskiing. That is if the water was snow and the boat was a horse. You're pulled behind a charging horse, controlling them with long reins, as they canter through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery. 

And if you think that sounds fun, check out the video we made.

Breaking In a Brook's Saddle - the first few kilometers

I finally did it, I've bought a Brook's saddle. 

Now I know for some people the idea of throwing 100CHF at your bike would be quite a simple transaction. For me, however, it was a long and protracted decision-making process. That's a lot of money to me, and I wasn't convinced it would improve bum-comfort levels enough to warrant the price tag.

My two main concerns were a) which saddle should I buy to make the most of my money, and b) how long will it take to "break in" before I feel the benefits?

Now the internet is a wonderful thing, but when it comes to the world of saddles it is quite confusing. For every ten people raving about their B17's, there are the same amount moaning about how much their arse still hurts six months into breaking in their saddle. There are also a heck of a lot of people talking up their Fizik saddles, or their Bontrager, or even just their good old Selle Royal, so really is a Brook's saddle just an expensive accessory? Let's be honest, they are aesthically beautiful, so was I just being shallow even just considering them? Goodness knows I'm a sucker for a good-looking bike.

But consider that Brook's have been making saddles since 1882, and they've never changed their designs, you realise there might be something in it. Surely Brook's would have died out ages ago if they were shifting shonky saddles? So the decision was made, I was going to buy one, but...

Which Brook's saddle should I buy?

I found Lovely Bicycle's post on the subject ridiculously helpful, and as a result plonked for a B17-S Standard Lady's saddle. In honey. 

How long will it take to break in?

Well, here's the thing, it was remarkably comfortable instantly. I treated it with Brook's own Proofide, which had no noticeable effects other than making the saddle darker in colour and a little slippery for a few hours (when mixed with Lycra shorts). But on day one we spent 42km together, with no pain or uncomfortableness.

Now everywhere, including Brook's website, say that it can take 100 to 1000 miles to break it in. Which seems a odd way of measuring, given that one person's 100 miles is one day, another is a year. So I am going to keep tabs on what it looks like and how it softens, as I spent more hours using it. Hopefully that will give future customers an idea of how long the breaking in process will take.

I'll link future updates back to this blog post so be sure to check back. 

Cycling in Innsbruck (or how I almost got knocked off my bike, headbutting a bee)

I'm celebrating Easter in Austria. Which is slightly odd. Back in England I would have cranked up my blood sugar devouring Cream Eggs, and then gone about my day. 

However, Austria being a catholic country, means it goes bat shit crazy for Jesus, and bunnies and eggs. I've eaten my body weight in Jesus hard boiled, brightly colored eggs and wash it down with copious amounts of strong continental lager over the past few days. My blood has been replaced by liquid Milka and I've decapted a farm full of Lindt bunnies and hens. 

Needless to say, today I need to get on the bike, and get that chocolate circulatory system aworkin'.

Cycling in Tirol, one of the regions of Austria, is crazy easy. There are copious amounts of well designed and wonderfully executed bike paths. They are all signposted really well, whether they are segregated or road side. The lanes are always given priority at lights and dangerous junctions. It really is a revelation. 

What's also pretty awesome are the things you find along the way, like this tool station which operates on trust. You don't pay, but simply put the tools back when you are done. And if you need a new tube for your 'rad-service', well look no further than the vending machines along the way. 

Without really realising I cycled 30km along the river Inn today, making the most if these excellent faculties. The only incident came from a bee who decided to head butt me when I was traveling at 25kmh. Bam, right in the eye, causing a bit of temporary blindness and almost throwing me from my bike. I didn't mind. I was just happy to be out and riding. 

I wasn't the only one. In fact families, Lycra louts and normal people we're whizzing up and down the riverside route. Makes you think doesn't it? If every town priorities cycle paths, how many people would benefit?

Atomkraft? Nein danke. More cycle paths like this? Ja bitte!

Left of the Lake - how to train for a 180km bike ride...

I'm planning on cycling 180km around Lake Geneva for my birthday. You can read more about this here.

But if you fancy coming along, or you have your own crazy 180km bike ride to plan for, then here is a training plan that I've put together. 

I've pooled some resources from various publications and the advice of an actual real-life professional, to give a realistic plan that will take you from 10km to 180km in 17 weeks. If you are already able cycle further, then come in later in the plan, progress in weekly increments to Week 4, and then stay there until the middle of July. This'll build up your endurance and consequently your speed. 

The plan works on the idea that you take a short ride on Monday or Tuesday, a slightly longer ride on Wednesday or Thursday, and a massive ride at the weekend. Work out your days so that you have at least one rest day between rides, and also make sure you eat right or this will be horrible. Remember, it's supposed to be fun. 

Anyway, here is the plan... 

If you want a PDF copy of the plan or you have any questions, then drop me a line.

See you in August!