This bicycle race photo was taken at the Oklahoma Senior Olympics 2003 at Mohawk Park in Tulsa.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Bicycling Medicine - Review
Whole Earth, Spring, 1999
by J. Baldwin

BICYCLING MEDICINE
Cycling Nutrition
Physiology and Injury Prevention and Treatment for Riders of All Levels
Arnie Baker, M.D. 1998

How do you prevent or correct saddle sores, aching knees, and numb hands? Which medications are useful and which are merely fads? What exercises build stamina and prevent injury? What's the best fuel? Should you ride when you have a cold? The important stuff you need to know about becoming a reliable, powerful bike motor is attended here. The adviser is experienced. His fee is modest. No appointment needed; the Doctor is IN.

"If you are thirsty, you are dehydrated. Your body responds to dehydration with a sense of thirst, so dehydration has already happened. Also, the older we get, the slower our body's thirst response becomes....

If you are riding in cool weather, one water bottle an hour is the standard recommendation. It may or may not be enough.... On average, I leave at 147 pounds and come back at about 142 pounds. If I'm 5 pounds lighter at the end of a ride, it means I am still down more than 2 quarts of fluid.

"We all get a cold or the flu every once in a while. We suffer minor and major health problems. When is it OK to ride, and when should one take time off the bike? ... If you are honest with yourself, you can usually figure out what you should do. Lots of cyclists call me up to ask what they should do. I usually ask them what they think. They almost always know. If you want to ride but think maybe you shouldn't, try riding half the distance you think is reasonable. If you feel OK, complete the ride.

Anaerobic efforts are more difficult when you are ill with a respiratory infection. It's usually a good idea to severely reduce or avoid them.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Point Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

Bicycling Medicine : Cycling Nutrition, Physiology, Injury Prevention and Treatment For Riders of All Levels

REVIEW: Whether you're a novice rider or a championship racer, Bicycling Medicine shows you how to prevent and treat all kinds of bicycling-related aches and pains. Coach Arnie Baker, M.D., explains how to diagnose minor and major problems, offers do-it-yourself solutions, and alerts you to conditions that require a doctor's attention. A special section on bicycling physiology illuminates the demands cycling puts on your body, and thorough discussions of diet, exercise, and nutrition reveal the best ways to keep your performance at its peak.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Arnie Baker, M.D., author of Smart Cycling, is a licensed USCF coach and practicing physician. He has coached racers to more than fifty U.S. National Championships and dozens of United States records. Dr. Baker serves on the fitness board of and is a frequent contributor to Bicycling magazine. A medical consultant to USA Cycling and the USCF, he is also a category 1 USCF racer, a five-time national champion, and a five-time United States record holder.

High-Performance Bicycling Nutrition

Aside from a pleasant diversion for the cyclist, food is a necessity for providing the energy you need to move you and your bike. We discuss the principles of digestion, absorption and metabolism in converting food energy into a form that can be used by the muscle cells.