Archives for May 2020

Füd – Energy Drink Review

Füd is a new healthy alternative energy drink that claims to be a natural energy boost. I will admit I am not a fan of energy drinks and also not a fan of anything with the consistency of milkshakes or smoothies though I know many are. When I was offered some samples of this new drink I was keen to try.

The drink was developed by Philip Udeh after struggling for years with chronic fatigue due to sickle cell anaemia, looking to create something better than the sugary energy drinks being offered at the time in the market.

If you watch Dragons Den you may have seen the pitch from these guys and also saw that they managed to bag investment from Peter Jones as a result.

So what is in it? Just sparkling water, real fruit juices, natural caffeine and B-vitamins, low calories and vegan friendly.

What did I think of the taste? There are two flavours currently being Berry & Coconut and also Pineapple & Ginger.

So first with the pros:

Now normally what puts me off the most about some energy drinks is the over powering smell and how fizzy some of them are. The berry and coconut flavour definitely smelt stronger but was nice and not off-putting and the pineapple and ginger didn’t have much of a smell.
Natural flavours and no added sugar or sweeteners.
Vegan friendly.
Packaging is nice and simple, all information clearly displayed that you could want as a consumer and recyclable.

And the cons:

I found both flavours had a clear dominant flavour in each with the berry and coconut one tasting mostly of coconut and the pineapple and ginger tasting mostly of ginger. I think I am maybe one of the few people not to like coconut water or similar drinks so this was not a pro for me but I am sure others won’t mind it so much.
I found the flavours quite bland overall.
The taste was actually ok but probably not something I would purchase myself. Not too much flavour but equally not enough and the same with the fizziness, not too fizzy but not still somewhere in between that didn’t seem quite right.
We won’t get into the name……….

I only had one can of each so can’t comment on the effects as that is not enough to form any real result with regards to noticeable difference in feeling, performance etc.

Looking at the composition of the ingredients, and I should state I am not a qualified nutritionist, it would appear that I would not gain anything from switching from my nutrition I currently use for both energy and electrolytes.

If I were given this I would drink it, I didn’t dislike the taste and it was much more palatable than other energy drinks I’ve had, but I wouldn’t buy it myself specifically. Unfortunately not for me but give it a go for yourself and see if you like it maybe?

When you visit the website you can subscribe to their newsletter to get 10% off your first order.

I was gifted the products, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Cycling

Pre Ride Bike Checks

Ready to head out for a bike ride? What do you check before you head off?

I guess the answer has elements that largely depend on what sort of ride you are doing, for example a short local recovery ride would see different items in saddle bags/pockets than an endurance event but some aspects remain the same.

Here is my pre ride checklist:

M Check – if you have not heard of this then you can find more info over at We Are Cycling UK here but it is a quick check you should complete on your bike before riding to ensure everything is in good working order. It is called the M check as the order in which you check makes the shape of the letter M on the bike.
Tyres – I always check that there is no flint from previous rides, tread is not worn, and inflate to the required PSI (pressure per square inch). Depending on the type of bike you are riding, tyre, weather/conditions and personal preference the PSI differs. The PSI will affect the grip on the road as you ride and the rolling resistance. If your tyre does not have enough PSI you will find the tyre doesn’t roll smoothly – the aim is obviously for good grip and resistance. On my road bike I use Continental GP 5000 tyres and run my PSI at 110/120 in good weather and less if it is wet though as I say this is personal preference and you should find a range provided for advice when you purchase your tyre. Some people calculate depending on weight but I have never done that.
Chain – I opt to use a chain from NRG, which I can highly recommend, and these are prepared and waxed so I have no need to add chain lube or check it before I ride. When I am due for further treatment NRG check for wear before they re-wax all chains and will feedback if it is worn out and advise next steps.
Saddle Bag – I did a whole post on what I have in my saddle bag that you can read here but I always check pre ride that everything is in there. If you were unfortunate enough to experience the dreaded ‘p’ word on a previous ride you may need to replace an inner tube and gas canister.
Nutrition – both food and drink and will differ depending on length of ride etc
Tech – always make sure my Di2 is charged (I have found this the hard way when out on a ride and stuck in the wrong gear because I didn’t check!) and Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is charged and ready – I mean if it is not on Strava did it even happen?
Helmet – not a legal requirement but I personally wouldn’t ride without one (more on that here) and so having that ready and fitted properly.

For endurance I would also add:

Top tube bag – easy access for nutrition whilst riding. I use the Topeak Tri bag with cover, and I like having the cover in case weather is bad but also not having to faff about with zips etc whilst riding.
Spares – I would take more inner tubes, gas canisters, spare layers of clothing and lights also either in a bigger saddle bag or in jersey/jacket pockets.
Nutrition – stands to reason you will want more for longer rides although if part of an event they may have stops with food
Tech – my Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is set to beep every 20 minutes to remind me to drink and eat (stop the bonk!).

For commuting I would also add:

Tyres – Further to the above, for my commute I use a gravel bike and on that I use Schwalbe G1 tyres and they run at a much lower PSI of 70.
Lights – I commute early and it can be pretty dark so always one to bang on about being safe and seen, its safety after all! I make sure I have a front and back light, helmet light, arm band with light and fibre flare light as well. I also take cables so I can charge them back up at work ready for my return journey.
Hi vis – again its all about being safe and seen so I have a bag cover and reflective clothing. ProViz have a huge range or items that are great.

Happy riding!

Category: Cycling

How I Chose My Custom Bike Kit

For a while now I have looked at getting some custom bike kit for when I am cycling but then never really pushed it forward until this year.

My cycling club Romford CC have used BioRacer for over 5 years now and the kit is such good quality with excellent customer service that they were definitely the brand that came to mind. I deal with club kit for Romford CC and so it was an easy process to get in touch and discuss the idea further with them.

I’d like to think I was an easy customer but they would have to be the judge on that. I knew roughly that I wanted something simple, nothing with an over complicated design or too busy if that makes sense? Of course I wanted my blog logo and colour was no question that I was looking at there being a lot of pink – it is not for everyone but it most definitely is for me!

After speaking with the team I sent over my logo and then pretty much left them with my vague brief for the design knowing I was in capable hands. I was introduced by email to the designer who was dealing with my kit and within a couple of weeks I was sent some ideas.

You are sent a link to the design portal with a password specific to me to see the designs, which are 3D so you can move the image of each piece of kit to see what it looks like from a number of angles.

I think there were only 3 or 4 iterations of the kit including the addition of the strapline for my blog ‘be fearlessly unapologetically you’ being added to the back centre pocket of the jersey and gillet. One design looked a little similar to something else I had seen and they were quick on hand to change.

What I really like about the team is that they are so easy to talk to and bounce ideas off of, always happy to help. They also keep you updated from the start, when the order is placed and when it has been received and sent out.

What I was also impressed with is that the quality was exactly the same as my club kit and kit sent to me that can be ordered off the website. Perhaps this is an odd thing to note but I have experienced first hand before where kit ordered from a brand has a different quality with the custom kit compared to off the shelf range, with custom kit being a lesser quality.

I should note that as I stated I have used BioRacer for a number of years with my cycling club for kit and have also worked with them to review products but all opinions are my own and I chose to work with them on my kit as I know how good it is. So I can highly recommend them if you are looking for either off the shelf kit or custom range. I am incredibly happy with the finished product!

Category: Fitness

A Personal One From Me

This year marks ten years since I had a hysterectomy – getting a little personal with this one.

I won’t go into details but after having our son quite young and then years of pretty horrific gynae experiences it was decided this was the best course of action. And yes all other options had been exhausted (you’d be amazed at the amount of comments I get around this as if it was a throw away decision)!

It took me a long time to really get to grips with this – for my husband and I to go from years of trying to get pregnant including fertility treatment to need this was a massive blow. However, it was the sensible option.

Once I turned 30 I was booked in and one month later it was a done deed. I had what is called a total hysterectomy, which is removal of the uterus, including the cervix. It’s a major operation and whilst I still have my tubes and ovaries recovery was nonetheless a long and depressing road. There was lots of tears, I can only describe it to feeling grief. Having very little mobility as I recovered meant I piled on a lot of weight. I felt sluggish, tired and out of breath all the time but as I was still coming to terms with the op I’d had done I just wallowed in a lot of self pity, which ultimately made it worse, simply compounding the issue.

Earlier this year, in March, I went to a talk at Look Mum No Hands with Jasmijn Muller called Train Like A Woman, which was focused around how to train and work with your hormones in mind. May seem a little odd for someone who has had a hysterectomy to attend but as I still have my tubes and ovaries they continue to make hormones, so whilst I do not have periods I still feel the symptoms and on top of that over the past year I sometimes get hot flashes, and was told by my GP that this is because the surgery may have blocked blood flow to the ovaries, which can also prevent the ovaries from releasing estrogen. The joy of being a woman!

There is a high chance I will experience menopause earlier than the usual average age of early 50s and recently I was talking to a couple of ladies I know who are experiencing perimenopausal or linked symptoms. Perimenopause usually starts in the 40s but can begin earlier for some. It is when the ovaries stop making eggs and a transitional period before menopause but it can last for up to 10 years. One friend made a great point that people have an instinctive reaction to compare themselves to others but that we are all at different stages in our lives and going through different experiences and challenges. Energy levels can reduce but you could be working just as hard, if not harder, to maintain the minimum output.

Lets also not forget hormonal anxiety, which can be debilitating for ladies who were otherwise confident. It can be a huge problem for some people (although not all), as what you used to do instinctively ie group rides with people, can then mean you second guess yourself and your ability to do things, which then affects your cycling and your morale. This was a great point from a friend of mine that I can totally relate to.

Another friend of mine noted that she had been on the pill with artificial hormones for so long that when she came off it at the age of 40 it was a massive shock for her to deal with the peaks and troughs of hormones through the month and heavier periods. Ironically she feels like she knows and understands her body better as a result and wished she had known how to do that 25 years ago!

Another friend I know who has also had a hysterectomy has experienced hot sweats that just came on like a wave and went just as quickly. She also notices lack of energy some days and feels she is definitely more angry on occasion. Weight is another area she has noticed is easy to put on and increasingly harder to keep off.

The symptoms of menopause, and perimenopause, can be reduced through regular exercise and many find exercise to improve quality of life (though of course exercise will not stop these symptoms).

I have personally found over the last year I can cycle one day and feel amazing and super strong and then an easy recovery ride another day can seem like the hardest thing in the world. Something I am sure many people can relate to.

There was an article on BBC News featuring a lady called Emily Barclay called ‘Perimenopause: I went from triathlon training to needing naps’ that can be read from here.

I realise a subject like this is not often talked about but why not? A lot of us don’t identify these symptoms with certain stages of female development and talking about it more will raise awareness, share experiences and advice.

Any questions please feel free to ask as I am more than happy to break down the barriers and talk around this.