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riding tips
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Diet and Hydration!Pre-ride yummies Within two hours of exercise, look for an all-purpose supplement that supplies healthy complex carbohydrates and protein with low simple sugars and fat. Easily digested carbs are best, such as fruit toast, fruit, energy bars, yogurt and some cereals (not the ones with cartoon characters on the box) What to eat en route Your body can only store a one- to two-hour supply of glycogen (muscle fuel). Men can generally go longer without eating or drinking than women can, so it’s important for you to carry food or stop to snack when you’re on a ride. Energy drinks provide fuel in the form of steady complex carbohydrates, and replenish with electrolytes and minerals lost through sweating. Energy bars or gels are best for most types of rides. Always be sure to drink plenty of water, which helps your body more quickly absorb what it needs. What to eat post-ride The effects of glycogen depletion are cumulative, so if you don’t fully replenish the supply after a ride you’ll begin your next one already partially depleted. Your body deserves better treatment! The amount of carbohydrate you need for glycogen stores varies individually. The more carbohydrate you eat, the more glycogen you store. It’s key to replenish within an hour after your ride for best results. Staying hydrated Sweating feels great on a ride. But what goes out, must be put back in. Since you can lose one to two quarts of perspiration an hour, replenishing is key. Drink at least 16 ounces of water, juice or sports drink up to 2 hours before your ride. 5 to 10 minutes before starting exercise, drink 4 to 8 ounces of sports drink or fruit juice. During your ride, drink at least 10 ounces of sports drink every 15-20 minutes. If it’s a hot day, drink more. You can also freeze water or sports drink in your bottles the night before. Fill half way then top it off before your ride. If it’s a cold day, remember to drink fluids to compensate for what’s lost during breathing (cold air is less humid than warm air). Also when it’s cold, you often won’t realize just how much you’re sweating. After a ride, drink fruit juice or sports drink with electrolytes and carbohydrates. Drink a good recovery drink containing water, carbohydrate, some protein and amino acids about 30 minutes after the finish. Signs of dehydration Losing as little as 2% of body weight in fluid loss can cause a rider to experience impaired performance, decrease in endurance, dehydration cramps, loss of coordination and headache. Obviously, not good for riding – so drink up! Signs of heat exhaustion If you’ve crossed over into heat exhaustion, you might experience lethargy, chills, nausea, clammy skin, rapid pulse, dizziness, fatigue and intestinal problems. In acute cases of dehydration, a person could experience hallucinations, no sweating or urinating, swollen tongue (lovely!), heatstroke, unsteady walk, elevated body temperature, confusion, and loss of consciousness. If any of these symptoms occur, get to the hospital ASAP.
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