Since I last blogged here, I have some cool news to share with you.

First, I teamed up with a couple of my colleagues to compete in the LA Triathlon this fall. Yeah, that’s a mile swim, a 40K time trial on the bike followed by a 10K run.  I was the team’s cyclist and I finished just over 1:08.  My goal for next year – break the hour barrier for the 40K.  That means biking at a pace of nearly 25 miles per hour for the course.

Second, Paramount Farms has now partnered with one of the nation’s leading men’s professional cycling teams—Team Garmin Slipsteam as well as the Adageo Energy pro cycling team -to help spread the word about the healthfulness of Wonderful Pistachios® and POM Wonderful® for anyone who is trying to “eek” the most out of their body on an extended ride and get the most out of their workouts.

I recently had the good fortune to ride with a couple of the Garmin guys including Christian van de Velde, an American professional cyclist.  I quickly learned the difference between Joe Amateur and the pros.  It wasn’t pretty.  We climbed Latigo Canyon in Malibu, an 11-mile climb that has a constant five to six percent grade. I don’t think these guys broke out of their zone 1 (at 50% to 60% of maximum heart rate) and I spent the entire climb (over 45 minutes) in my zone 5 (at 90% to 100% of maximum heart rate).

Needless to say, by the top of the climb my body was carbohydrate-depleted, and I was pedaling squares.  Thanks to the Garmin guys for doing their best to tow me home.

From all the time I’ve spent talking with the cycling pros, I’ve learned that recovery is as important as how much and how hard they ride.  There is just no way to push hard day after day without optimal recovery between workouts.  And, optimal hydration and nutrition are key for recovery post-workout.  In addition to replenishing fluids lost with sweat, research shows that athletes also require carbohydrates and protein after exercise to help refill glycogen (source of energy most often used for exercise) stores and repair muscle breakdown respectively. 

Some studies also show that antioxidants may play a role in tempering the muscular damage that occurs during strenuous endurance or strength training.  Pistachios have a greater antioxidant capacity than green tea and more than most nuts.  They also offer a balance of important electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride which are often lost during strenuous exercise or hot weather. 

Mark Masten

Every year, Mark watches the 21 stages of the Tour De France and frequently ponders the amount of suffering the cyclists endure - greatest athletes in the world!  This motivates him to push harder and suffer more.