Nutrition Blog - Energy from bread

POSTED: May 22, 2013

You enjoy cycling, but don’t feel great? Maybe you love bread, but it doesn’t love you!?

Bread is a wonderful food. Why then do many people feel bloated, lethargic and sapped of energy after eating it?

Although wheat has been part of our diet for thousands of years, the digestive problems associated with bread have increased rapidly since the 1960’s. This coincides nicely with the invention of the Chorley Wood bread making process (CBP) – a triumph of technology which produces over 80% of the “bread” in the shops today.

If you make bread at home, in the traditional way, you need only four ingredients – flour, water, yeast (or natural yeasts in a sourdough bread) and salt. You also need time – to knead the dough and for the bread to prove and rise and bake. Time is money in the food manufacturing industry and the CBP uses a new strain of wheat, high speed mixing, flour improving additives and enzymes to slice away the production time. The end result is bread without a crust, but with phenomenal volume and lightness, and a soft squishy texture that can last for several weeks before the chemical preservatives can no longer hold back the growth of mould. This is British bread. It is cheap, easy to produce, with a long shelf life – a dream product for the food manufacturers.

The CBP celebrates its 50th birthday last year (so pappy birthday to them). White sliced, wholemeal or granary – it’s all the same, if it is made by the high speed, automated, process. In contrast, real bread should appeal to all of your senses - sight, smell, touch, sound and taste. Traditional crusty white bread has a definite flavour and texture. Just spread with butter for a divine combination. Quality wholemeal bread is a good source of fibre and also B vitamins. These vitamins are vital for the energy metabolism. They act as a spark to release the energy from the foods you have eaten, and put a spring back into your step on the way to the pool. Thanks to the efforts of The Real Bread Campaign, there are a growing number of artisan bakers producing the real thing. If you want to enjoy eating bread, and not suffer from it, seek out a traditional loaf made by the growing number of artisan bakers across the country.

The Campaign website (www.realbreadcampaign.org) has a map of bakers around the UK. As you drive to Balmoral, along Deeside, you will pass two places where you can buy “slow” bread; the Newton Dee shop at Bieldside and the Crannach Bakery and Coffee Shop at Cambus O May. The latter serves home made soups and sandwiches - which come with Doug’s fresh bread, from his new wood fired oven. You can also buy some loaves to take away. Sourdough bread or bread made from an ancient variety of wheat, known as spelt, are traditional foods which can energise your system. These are not gluten or wheat free, but people who suffered from digestive problems and irritable bowel system, often find that they can enjoy this wonderful food again.

Dr Chris Fenn
Nutrition Consultant & Speaker
www.chrisfenn.com

50km Route Description

POSTED: May 15, 2013

Bike Balmoral 50km Challenge Route 2013

The Swire 50km Challenge is an exciting new route for 2013 and we are delighted to offer a single lap course, covering some of Royal Deeside’s most stunning areas, with unrivalled access to the Balmoral Estate.

The route starts in front of the iconic Balmoral Castle and follows the forest path alongside the River Dee, before turning into the Woods of Garmaddie and rising steeply on the forest tracks and crossing the Gelder Burn at Michie’s Bridge.

Continuing through the Balmoral estate, the route exits the Castle grounds at Easter Balmoral before joining the B976 for approx 9km, turning right after Loch Ullachie and returning onto forest trails.

There are some short climbs and fast descents as you cycle through the Alltcailleach Forest on good forest tracks. Towards the end of this section there is a short section of singletrack approx 1.2km, where care should be taken.

The Challenge route then enters Glen Muick adjacent to the river, passing Inchnabobart and onwards to the checkpoint at Allt Na Giubhsaich.  Here there will be a chance to refill at a Water Stop before the big climb ahead.  Look out for the large herd of deer can often be seen grazing close to the Visitor Centre.

Once you leave the checkpoint, follow the track through the woods until you reach the main Lochnagar Path.  The route climbs steeply for nearly 300metres and passing above the minor gorge of Clais Rathadan and curving round to the right.  You will be rewarded with fine views across to Lochnagar and Meikle Pap to the right and Loch Muick behind you.

The main walking track to Lochnagar curves of to the left, stay on the main track, where you will begin a fast and steep descent of nearly 5km. Stay on this track until you reach a marshalled fork in the tracks.  Turning left you will then cross the Gelder Burn for a second time and cyle round the side of Ripe Hill, descending towards Connachat Cottage and retracing your tracks back towards the grand finish in front of the Castle.

This route has been designed to test your endurance and mountain biking skills, the single loop is designed for those who are fit and who mountain bike regularly.  If you like hills, then this is the route for you, with over 1,110 metres of climbing!

Terrain:  Forest and Hill Tracks with a short road section on a B road.

Distance: 50km

Ascent: 1,110 metres

Event Timings

POSTED: May 10, 2013

Access to Balmoral Grounds will be via the Easter Balmoral Gate,  all participants will be sent a Car Park pass, which must be displayed on your windscreen in order to gain access to the castle grounds. Please Note that there are no registrations allowed on the day.

Timings for the day are as follows:

• 0800      Car Park and Registration Opens

• 0900      50KM Registration Closes
  

• 0915       Pre-Event Briefing for 50km Individuals and Teams

• 0930       50KM  Event - Mass Start

• 0930       Registration for Scenic Route Closes

• 0945        Pre-Event Briefing for Scenic Route

• 1000        Scenic Route Start

There will be Catering facilities and toilets available on site at the start/finish area.