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Eat Before the Ride
Prehydrate
Eat and Drink During the Ride
Hydrate After the Ride
The Glycogen Window
Foods Providing Carbohydrates
It happened on a long ride in Colorado - the dreaded bonk.
That’s what cyclists call the weakness and sudden fatigue resulting from failure to
eat enough during extended hours in the saddle. Pro racers sometimes lose several minutes
in only two miles on long climbs when they fall victim. In my case, I’d neglected to
carry enough food on a ride in sparsely populated ranch country. An hour after my last
energy bar, I succumbed. One minute I felt great and the next I was pedaling squares,
seeing black spots in front of my eyes and hallucinating bagels. The cows by the side of
the road didn’t know it, but they were in dire danger.
Once the bonk hits, you won’t forget it. So what’s the
solution? Eat and drink lots, of course. But you also have to eat and drink smart.
It’s not just the amount of food and fluids you put down. Timing is crucial too.
Let’s look at five nutritional strategies to help you feel great on the bike for your
whole ride.
Eat Before the Ride
If you do much running,
you know how hard it is to run on a full stomach. Not so with cycling. The smooth pedaling
motion means you can eat shortly before and during rides unless you’re going
flat-out. And you’ll need to start off with a full tank if the ride stretches over 90
minutes because cycling consumes about 40 calories per mile. So about one hour before you
get on the bike, down about 60 grams of carbohydrate if you’re an average-sized
woman, 80 to 100 if you’re a man. How much is that? Most energy bars contain about 40
grams of carbs and a banana packs about 30. Or try a bagel with jam and a handful of
raisins or a fruit bar. (See sidebar for more choices.)
Prehydrate
You need food before the
ride, but you also need to be sufficiently hydrated. Most people are chronically
dehydrated because they drink coffee, a mild diuretic, and they don’t drink enough
water during the workday. So most cyclists start a ride dehydrated - and it only gets
worse. Research shows that it’s difficult to rehydrate with water alone. So drink
copiously all day, and about an hour before the ride, pound down about 16 ounces of a
sports drink. You’ll be able to urinate just before the ride, so you won’t have
to make unwanted pit stops and, more importantly, your fluid levels will be high.
Eat and Drink During the Ride
Drink before you feel
thirsty. Your body’s sensation of thirst lags behind its need for liquid, so when you
feel thirsty, it’s already too late. Make it a habit to reach for your water bottle
every 15 minutes and down four to six ounces (several big swallows). If you forget, set
the alarm on your wristwatch to sound every 15 minutes as a reminder. That beeping alarm
is also a signal to eat. About every 30 minutes, eat the equivalent of half an energy bar
- about 20 grams of carbohydrate. Several fig bars, half a banana or a piece of bagel work
well, too.
Hydrate After the Ride
No matter how much fluid
you ingest while riding, in hot weather you’ll finish the ride depleted. There’s
a simple way to be sure you’ve rehydrated after the ride - simply weigh yourself
before and after, and compare the figures. If you’ve lost weight, it’s water
you’ve sweated out, not fat. (Darn!) You’ll need to drink 20 ounces of fluid for
each pound of bodyweight you’ve lost while pedaling. Keep drinking until your weight
has returned to normal, and your urine is plentiful and pale yellow in color.
The Glycogen Window
One last step - but it
might be the most important. Studies show that your muscles replace their fuel (glycogen)
much faster and more efficiently if you eat plentiful carbohydrates immediately after your
ride. Your goal is to eat 60 grams of carbohydrate (if you're an average-sized woman) or
80 to 100 grams if you’re an average male. Your muscles will refuel best if you down
this chow in the 15 minutes after the ride. The refueling process becomes less efficient
after this two-hour post-ride - glycogen window. Notice that the amount of carbohydrate
you should eat after the ride is similar to what I’ve suggested you consume before
the ride. There’s one exception – research indicates that if you mix four parts
carbohydrate with one part protein, your glycogen stores will top off more quickly.
That’s as simple as having cereal, a banana, and some skim milk for protein after
your ride.
If you follow these five
steps, you’ll feel great while riding and recover faster. But most importantly,
you’ll be able to ride faster and stronger, thus getting a better workout and
building superior fitness. That’s a pretty good reason for doing something we like to
do anyway - is this a great sport or what?
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