As a race day advantage, the benefits of using PreRace are obvious. What you may not know, however, is that using PreRace in training is when you’ll gain the most significant advantages.
Basic physiology principals are used in everyday training. Research shows that systematically pushing your body past its normal limit, recovering and then doing it again forces your body to adapt to this new pace or output. Your body adapts by repairing torn muscle tissue, increasing mitochondria, increasing vascularization and various other physiological adaptations. You become faster and can handle longer workouts. This is the basis of ALL Training. PreRace allows you to push yourself significantly past your normal limits.
How PreRace works:
PreRace ‘stimulates’ several systems in your body which allow you to push harder than normal. Caffeine is the main driver of the formula and most understand the benefits and experience of using caffeine prior to exercise. While caffeine alone is great when used appropriately, the PreRace formula delivers other key ingredients that work together to increase mental stamina, time to exhaustion and maximum workload.
PreRace also contains Quercetin, a plant derived flavanol that has been shown to enhance the effects of caffeine. Quercetin has also been shown to increased energy via mitochondria stimulation and is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties. In addition PreRace contains L-Taurine, to increase cardiac output by improving stroke volume in the heart. Essentially the heart is able to pump more blood through more powerful contractions. Citrulline Malate is also included because its a powerful nitric oxide booster. Stimulating nitric oxide causes your blood vessels to vaso-dilate, so they are larger. Large blood vessels allows for more blood to be pumped through your body, which effectively delivers more oxygen to your muscles. Lastly, we have added a neuro-stimulant blend consisting of catechins, DMAE and Theobromine that helps you remain focused.
1) Stimulant via Caffeine, Quercetin. Benefit: More drive for your workouts.
2) Improved Cardiac Output via L-Taurine Benefit: Stronger heart contractions means more blood driven through your blood vessels.
3) Vaso-Dilation via Citrulline Malate, a Nitric Oxide stimulant Benefit: More blood can circulate.
4) Neuro Stimulant via DMAE, Theobromine, Catachin. Benefit: Focus, positive mental energy.
PreRace Clinical Study
South Dakota State University conducted an independent study on PreRace to determine its effectiveness on cycling endurance. The double-blind placebo controlled study used seven trained cyclists and had them go to exhaustion in a 40K Time Trial. Each cyclist performed two 40K TT’s to exhaustion. On the first TT the cyclist consumed either a placebo or PreRace mixed with one serving of EFS 30 minutes prior to doing a 40K TT. One week later each cyclist would switch the protocol and receive the opposite of what he/she received the previous week.
RESULTS:
-The PreRace trial was 3′ 20″ faster in a 40k TT than without
-The PreRace group increased their watts by 15
-The PreRace group had an increase in work output
-There was no significant change in heart rate
-There was no significant increase in RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)
As you can see from the results of this study, PreRace did exactly as it was formulated to do. What is most impressive is that performance and watts increased significantly yet there was no change to heart rate or rate of perceived exertion.
HOW TO BEST USE PRERACE
Now that you understand how PreRace works, you can learn how to use this to your advantage. As a race day advantage PreRace is obvious, its in training where the benefit can become more permanent and/or more adaptive. Basic physiology principals are used in everyday training that goes something like this. Systematically push your body past its normal limit so your body adapts to this new pace or output. Recover. Do it again. In time your body will adapt to this new pace or output by repairing torn muscle tissue, increasing mitochondria, increasing vascularization and various other physiological adaptations. You become faster and can handle longer workouts. This is the basis of ALL Training.
Use PreRace systematically all year long in key workouts that require you to push past your normal limits. Once a week, incorporate a workout that requires a pace or distance that is beyond your comfort zone and use PreRace to help you push past that. Make sure you give yourself enough time to recover from the workout. This is critical. If you aren’t fully recovered from this workout, you won’t realize the benefits of this strategy, so be vigilant in your recovery.
RaceDay Recommendation:
- Races of three hours or less consume PreRace 15-30 minutes prior to your race.
- For races greater than three hours athletes must decide how best to dose PreRace. Some athletes can handle stimulants over many hours, some cannot. For those athlete who are more sensitive to stimulants consider using PreRace for the final couple hours of the race where it matters most.
PreRace Powder vs PreRace Prototype capsules
This is more a matter of preference than anything else. For some, adding PreRace powder to any drink they like is very convenient. Many like to put a scoop right into the EFS Liquid Shot flask or their EFS drink. For others, capsules are more convenient, easier to take, easier to carry and take the flavor obstacle out of the equation. PreRace powder will get absorbed faster and because it is a 5.5g scoop there is simply more active ingredients per serving than the 3 capsules. For long distance racing some athletes may prefer taking a three capsules periodically throughout the event. The powder is great for certain circumstances and the capsule is great for other situations. In the end it comes down to personal preference.
www.firstendurance.co.nz
