by Derek Morrison

You have two shots in the morning to set up your day
With two more mid-morning so that on the pace you stay
In between are the energy gels which are not much to your taste
But they have become essential because they’re also caffeine laced.

After one hour the alertness washes over you as the caffeine comes into play
Your thinking is so much faster as out in front you stay
Your endurance has increased, your stamina is high
So you sink another gel as down the road you fly.

At lunch you try to control the slight tremor and restlessness you feel
Just one more coffee will soon bring that to heel
You are really buzzing now as on your bike you get
No one can catch you as back on the road you set.

But you don’t feel so good as your system feels the effect
Your pulse is now accelerating as the heart starts to object
Where now is all the strength and stamina you earlier so enjoyed
Perhaps time to reflect on the health with which you’ve toyed.

That night you cannot sleep because the drive remains too high
So you toss and you turn on the bed where you lie
More time for reflection on the value of what was done
As the dawn light creeps through the curtains, another day begun.

So on your next ride the caffeine fixes have been cropped
Withdrawal headaches were guaranteed as suddenly you stopped
Performance tails right off with fatigue for many weeks
Until your system adjusted to the absence of caffeine tweaks.

Now caffeine is a legal drug and endurance it certainly enhances
But it has diminishing returns for those who choose to take such chances
And like any drug with overdose it can hit an unexpected spot
Particularly when you don’t know how much caffeine is in a shot. Continue reading →