The Hidden Cost of Micro-Efforts — and How BICARRB Helps
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In endurance sport, we often talk about sustained efforts. Holding pace, surviving the burn and finishing strong.
But anyone who's raced knows the real damage often comes from the micro-efforts early in the race:
- ✔ A burst to clear a barrier.
- ✔ A surge to hold position.
- ✔ A quick sprint out of a tight corner.
- ✔ A jump to close a gap.
These moments are short, often just seconds or less, but they’re explosive, anaerobic, and costly. They spike muscle power, disrupt rhythm, and silently chip away at performance.
It's one aspect where Sodium Bicarbonate (bicarb) can help.
Buffering the Bursts
FLYCARB’s BICARRB helps your body buffer the acid produced during these intense bursts of effort, even when they’re short and frequent. Bicarb works by soaking up the acidity that builds up during anaerobic efforts. That means:
- Faster recovery between efforts
- The ability to hold form later in the race / event
In events full of these micro-efforts, it’s often the second half of the race where the real advantage shows up.
BICARRB over the barriers
Take Phil Norman, who this weekend reclaimed his British Steeplechase title in a dramatic sprint finish.
In the steeplechase, every barrier is a micro-effort. Every water jump is a burst of power. The cumulative cost is brutal. But with BICARRB, Phil was able to stay smooth, recover between jumps, and still have enough left to explode down the final straight. He outkicked top-class rivals to take the win.
Elena Kelety: BICARRB over the Hurdles
In Berlin, Elena Kelety ran the best race of her life (so far!) in the 400m hurdles, taking silver at the German National Championships and clocking a PB of 54.68.
The 400m hurdles is textbook micro-effort territory: ten bursts over ten hurdles, with minimal recovery time. Every clearance spikes lactate.
But with BICARRB in her system, Elena was able to hold form through the final 100m, that’s where most athletes unravel. She powered through, just 0.03 off the World Championship standard.
Micro-Efforts Add Up
Whether you’re a hurdler, steeplechaser, cyclocross rider, or middle-distance runner, these bursts matter. Over the course of a race, they add up fast. If you don’t buffer them, they bite you later.