Fuelling for winter training

dieselengine

After 6 months (effectively completely) away from riding due to ITB/fib head/calf problems, these are now 95% sorted.

I have lost all fitness so I am starting from scratch again. Annoying after riding for over 20 years without problem, but just grateful to be back on the bike. I also coincides with base winter training anyway

I am using the sister publication of the comic as the training plan (Cycling Fitness Winter edition - the plan for newbies or those returning after a long lay off). It says the speed of the rides is embarrassingly slow. They are not wrong! The 1st block includes (for me), rides upto to 2-3 hrs at a max HR of around 135bpm. I find it immensley hard to keep this low, but I am getting there.

The question is over the use of energy drinks and post rides drinks. Previously through trial and error, I know High 5 serves me well during rides, and SIS Rego after rides.

However, these rides are seriously low level, and I don't want to be overdoing the ride and post ride calories/excessive carbo's through energy/recovery drinks, leading to fat gain (I have enough of that already).

That said, for rides of over an hour I have seen it suggested that energy drinks are necessary. Is this so even for low level work? If so, do I need to do post ride drinks too?

I would welcome any guidance please.

Cheers,

Jon

Pokerface

You don't need the energy drink DURING the ride. A post-ride recovery drink can be useful - just subtract those calories from your daily intake.

If your muscles are sore/tired after a ride (even a slow one) then the recovery drink will help speed up the recovery process, etc. It's always a good idea to top up with some protein and carbs after a ride - to prepare for the next one, especially if you are riding on a regular basis.

Anonymous

I do my low level rides on empty, then eat after the first hour, then every hour on the hour, usually a banana then whatever I fancy.

During I usually have some Ribena with some electrolyte powder in. (dead cheap from MyProtein)

Recovery is just some fruit (banana or raisins usually) and a protein shake.

freehub

I did 70 miles hilly today, around 4000ft ascent, one Mars Bar.

I've got a huge bag of protein that I've stopped using for now as I'm convinced it was somehow slowing me down.

Anonymous

freehub wrote:

I've got a huge bag of protein that I've stopped using for now as I'm convinced it was somehow slowing me down.

You aren't supposed to carry it around...

simon_e

dieselengine wrote:

for rides of over an hour I have seen it suggested that energy drinks are necessary. Is this so even for low level work? If so, do I need to do post ride drinks too?

I'd suggest that post-ride drinks (or food) are only worthwhile if you've had a particularly hard training session - an hour or more of intervals, for instance. The mix of carbs and protein plus vitamins etc can aid muscle recovery and repair. But don't assume that for most people branded products are necessarily any better than a homemade banana smoothie, tuna sandwich or Jim's recipes at http://www.jibbering.com/sports/

Energy drinks may be worth using if you're out on a long ride but they are merely a convenient way to ingest calories. On a fast training run or reliability ride this may be a good idea (less fiddling with bars or flapjacks and the fluid is digested more easily than solid food) but they're certainly not a necessity. A 50/50 mix of fruit juice and water is still an 'energy drink' (in the sense that it has some calories and you drink it) and for low intensity rides I'd say that's as much as you'd need. Take a snickers or cereal bar if you feel the need for something to nibble.