cycling tips: Food and drink
Right, that’s clothing and kit sorted, let’s consider your fuel source. You could spend a fortune on specially formulated sports nutrition, but the truth is you don’t have to. Have a rummage around your cupboards at home and see what’s portable.
1. Stay hydrated. Whether you prefer a water bottle or a hydration backpack, make sure you pack some fluid whenever you’re heading out. You can nearly always find somewhere to refill along the way, and most coffee shops are happy to oblige for free.
2. Avoid the dreaded 'bonk', where your body runs out of fuel and you grind to a painful halt. The body can carry around 90mins worth of glycogen for high-tempo efforts before it needs replenishing, or else will switch to burning fat. The problem with burning fat is that you can’t work at anywhere near the same intensity level. So keep consuming around 100-250 calories every 30mins, whether that’s energy gels, cereal bars or a banana. We like carrot cake, by the way.
3. Cramping is a common complaint when you start riding harder or longer than your body’s used to. One piece of advice often offered is to ensure you replace the electrolytes lost through sweating, either by drinking specially formulated sports drinks, or by making your own (it’s basically fruit juice, water, and a little sugar and salt). No one knows for certain why cramps occur, but this seems to help.
4. A recovery drink after a long, hard ride will help the body repair itself, in conjunction with some rest. Key to this is protein, so aim to consume around 15-20g within 30mins of finishing if possible. There are plenty of premixed recovery drinks on the market, or you can have fun by making some. Our current go-to is: milk, one banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter and some honey, all whizzed up in a blender. Yum.
5. The mid-ride coffee stop is a cherished tradition, and there’s sound scientific reasoning behind it: caffeine has been found to measurably improve your endurance on the bike. Do say: "Espresso doppio, per favore."
1. Stay hydrated. Whether you prefer a water bottle or a hydration backpack, make sure you pack some fluid whenever you’re heading out. You can nearly always find somewhere to refill along the way, and most coffee shops are happy to oblige for free.
2. Avoid the dreaded 'bonk', where your body runs out of fuel and you grind to a painful halt. The body can carry around 90mins worth of glycogen for high-tempo efforts before it needs replenishing, or else will switch to burning fat. The problem with burning fat is that you can’t work at anywhere near the same intensity level. So keep consuming around 100-250 calories every 30mins, whether that’s energy gels, cereal bars or a banana. We like carrot cake, by the way.
3. Cramping is a common complaint when you start riding harder or longer than your body’s used to. One piece of advice often offered is to ensure you replace the electrolytes lost through sweating, either by drinking specially formulated sports drinks, or by making your own (it’s basically fruit juice, water, and a little sugar and salt). No one knows for certain why cramps occur, but this seems to help.
4. A recovery drink after a long, hard ride will help the body repair itself, in conjunction with some rest. Key to this is protein, so aim to consume around 15-20g within 30mins of finishing if possible. There are plenty of premixed recovery drinks on the market, or you can have fun by making some. Our current go-to is: milk, one banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter and some honey, all whizzed up in a blender. Yum.
5. The mid-ride coffee stop is a cherished tradition, and there’s sound scientific reasoning behind it: caffeine has been found to measurably improve your endurance on the bike. Do say: "Espresso doppio, per favore."
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