Nutrition for Endurance Rides

It doesn't seem all that long ago when I excitedly called my husband to tell him that I had just completed a new long distance bike record: a whopping 16 miles. Seriously; that is not a typo! To me, that was a huge deal as I was preparing for my first super sprint triathlon back in 2006. Today a typical ride is 40-50 miles a day as I roll a minimum of 200 miles a week since racing and century rides have become much more fun. Cycling itself is much different than when training for sprint triathlons and the nutritional needs for each sport is as well.

Coming soon is another first for me and many of my cycling buddies: a cross state ride that encompasses 170 miles from the east coast to the west. That's tens of thousands of crank turns for some 9 hours in the saddle as well as  thousands of calories to be burned. In preparation for this epic ride I have done a goodly amount of research on nutrition for endurance rides and since this is century season, I thought it would be timely to share with other passionate cyclists who may have questions about nutrition on lengthy rides.

How Many Calories Will You Burn?

Based on your body weight and overall mph average, you can calculate how many calories you expect to burn ahead of time. This will help with pre-ride fuel as well as how much to take in per hour in the saddle. The following formula was consistent in the sources I viewed:

 

http://www.coach-hughes.com/resources/calories.html

Of course, weather and topography will change the numbers some but this is a good guideline to use for planning. According to this chart, I can expect to burn over 5,500 calories just while riding. Add back in my normal daily caloric requirement to simply live and my ride day becomes a day that any girl would live for: to take in a whopping 7,000 calories. WOW! (18mph avg. x my weight in kg x 9.8 = # cals per hour needed)

What is the Best Type of Fuel?

According to my own experience and other sources that I found online, gels and other quick nutrients are fine for shorter rides, but endurance events of century status or more need real food as stomach upset can come with "quick foods". Carbohydrates are the very best source of fuel. Approximately 300-400 calories an hour should be consumed to ensure completion of the ride. Bagels, raisins, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, salted nuts and easy to chew fruits are excellent for long rides.Heavy, weighty and fat-laden foods are to be avoided as well as those high in fiber or protein. Foods with a low glycemic index are best also so as not to cause a blood glucose spike that is followed by a crash in your blood sugar.To learn more about fat to carb ratio based on VO2max, read more on this site.

There is much more to completing endurance rides than simply being strong and able to go far. One hopes to complete the ride without duress!  Before you embark on your first (or next) century, brevet or cross-state experience be sure to study up on how to best fuel your body. Those riding with you will appreciate it and you will not only complete the ride but have a good time while doing so.

Fuel right & ride safely!

Sources:

http://tunedintocycling.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/cycling-nutrition-eating-on-the-bike

http://www.livestrong.com/article/5427-eat-healthy-foods-cycling-training/

http://coachlevi.com/nutrition/long-endurance-bike-ride-food-snacks/

http://www.bccclub.org/documents/NutritionforCyclists.html

Soft in the Middle? Not for Long!

Most often when the word 'core' is used, our minds go directly to our middles. Truth be known our core is not only the belly region but the entire area between our shoulders and hips. To review the basics, read this posting: http://www.trainingwithtracy.net/2011/11/core-care-introduction.html

Today I would like to share with you some inexpensive tools you can purchase to help you tighten, tone and strengthen your core and more. These are very affordable, quality and easy to use items that I have bought and used myself, with my clients and referred many others to.

  A 25cm Small Ball 

These can be found at the store we all love to hate: Wal-Mart. In the fitness section you will find this deflated ball in a small box for about $6.00. It  comes with a DVD of exercises, inflation device (OK - it's a glorified short straw) and it is really a good deal. There are dozens of exercises that can be done with this handy, easy-on-the-wallet tool. I keep mine in the great room near my yoga mat so whenever I watch TV, it's there for use. The hardest part might be making yourself do the work but once it's a habit, you will not want to couch potato your way through a show any more.

                                                     The Portable Pilates Bar

I love this thing! Even my 17 year old son thoroughly enjoys using it; there are times that I have to wait for him to get finished with it so I can have my turn. While there is no DVD of instructions it does come with a handy set of directions. It can be found in the same section of Wally World and it should look just like the photo here. Price - about $18.00  Because of it's design, your shoulders, back, hips, abs all work together to pull off the suggested exercises.

Just as with any piece of exercise equipment it does not work by sitting in a corner of the room! My challenge is to use them during commercials if you are a TV viewer. If you don't watch much TV then set an alarm on your phone to remind you to stop what you are doing once a day and have a date with your core. In just a few short weeks you will notice that your posture has improved, you are able to hold in your belly more easily and you will be better balanced on the bike. Do your wrists or hand ever hurt on a ride? Then most definitely up your core work and allow it to help you shift your weight from your hands / shoulders to using your core to support you. 

What are you waiting for? You need to make a quick trip to the store. Just think: you can even have fun people watching while you are getting something good for yourself - a doubly good use of time!

Well, Blow Me Down! (or not)

Google Images

It takes both guts and brains to ride on a windy day and make it count for something besides a new round of complaints. If you don't think you have either one, read on and perhaps you can muster it up for yourself. Or stop reading now and stay home on days that the winds are kicking around. Keep in mind that those who do face the invisible force and get stronger will become more experienced riders! Two weeks ago I was on a 200K ride with 13 others in huge winds with gusts up to 40mph. Was it hard? You better believe it. Would I do it again? In a heart beat!

Why Guts?

Obviously because it is just plain challenging to ride in big wind. Who really enjoys heading out knowing that they will come back beaten up and exhausted?! Much of the training on windy days is mental. We act on our belief system and if we believe it will be a no-good-horrible-training-ride then it most likely will be. However if we accept it for what it is- an opportunity to grow in strength and perseverance - we will prevail no matter which way it blows. I prefer to think of a difficult ride in the force of nature as a "character ride". Don't fear the wind; learn from it.

Why Brains?

There are ways you can work with the wind instead of fight head-long against it.  Take note of the direction it is coming from and plan your route accordingly. If possible, keep into the crosswind as much as possible. If you can not avoid a headwind, take your route into it first so that you can have a tailwind on your return. To conserve energy, downshift into an easier gear and spin rather than hammering. If in a group, you can echelon or work in a rotating pace line (see link below for good examples). If solo, keep in the drops and reduce the amount of surface that the wind can hit. Be sure to wear skins or a tighter jersey so as not to become a kite. Another help for you to combat the forces that will buffet your body is to remember to tighten your core and relax your shoulders. Allow your arms, shoulders and neck to be your shock absorbers. Straight arms will simply transfer stress to your neck and you will feel much more beaten up by the end. Your engaged core muscles will provide a strong base for you to withstand the gales that try to blow you down.

So the next time you have a ride planned and the Weather Channel reports that your city will have gusts to 20mph, don't cancel your ride. Instead decide that it's going to be a great one then set out to prove it!

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More Reading:
This is an excellent article with video clips of certain techniques for windy rides. Give it a couple of minutes of your time but remember that it is written in Australia where the cars drive on the left side of the road.

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2011/09/know-the-wind/

Here is another source that I have found to have good information.

http://www.cptips.com/windrde.htm

Know When to Say When

Could this be you?!

This phrase caught on when the beer industry decided to educate the consumers as to how to drink responsibly. It's a great reminder! We can apply it to many areas of our lives: our work, play time, meal time, party time and even our training time. Last week's tip was about recognizing the signs of over training. This week we will review methods to employ so that we can prevent it from happening altogether.

Over training has been defined as "A physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual's exercise exceeds their recovery capacity." No doubt we have all trained hard - perhaps to exhaustion time and time again. This is not necessarily over training, but possibly over reaching (as referred to by exercise physiologists). The difference? Recovery time. Allowing the body to heal itself by resting, reloading proper nutrition and allowing soft tissues to repair themselves are all required for proper rest and recovery. Consistent over reaching can lead to over training, so be careful as you push yourself to the next level. 

How to Prevent Over Training

1) Follow a hard training period with an easy spin, keeping your heart rate at no more than 65% of your maximum heart rate (MHR= 220- your age x .65). This is a crucial component of your training and is most often neglected. 

2)  Keep an exercise journal so you can track not only your MPH, AVG, and those all-important numbers but also how you felt as you trained. Over reaching can lead to over training, so put a lid on your training times, distances and exertion level. If you  have an android phone, you may want to check out the Endomondo app. (http://www.endomondo.com)

3) Most importantly, be honest with yourself. Do you secretly dread the next training ride? Do you get defensive if someone questions you about your training? You could be flirting with over training and you think no one sees it, but others just might be able to point it out before you admit it. There is no shame in resting; in fact, we are foolish not to allow our bodies to recovery adequately.

What good is it going to do you to be laid up with physical illness or injury? Have you considered how hard it would be to train from the bed or couch? Train responsibly, train safely, train to excel; just don't train yourself to sickness!

Check back next Wednesday for tips on embracing the winds that accompany you on training rides! 




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Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining
http://cycling.dingdangdo.com/recovery
AFAA Personal Fitness Training: Theory & Practice, Yoke.