Energy and Hydration

evo3ben

Over a 1 or 2 hours race, is it best to use a hydration drink or an energy drink?

I have been using the High5 Zero electrolyte tablets over the past few months and seem to get on with them better than other products used in the past.
I have been looking into the High5 4:1 energy source powder and cant help but think this would be more benificial during a race giving you energy on tap from start to finish.

njee20

4:1 contains protein, I'd only use that for consecutive days of riding, just normal Source would be better for racing.

Zero will stop you cramping, but not give you energy, if it's only an hour you'll probably be ok, or you could take gels or something. Source contains some electrolytes, but IME doesn't stop cramp. I use source with a few drops of Elete Water, seems to work well.

evo3ben

8) will give that a go, cheers!

middleagedmaninlycra

What would you recommend for six consecutive days of very hard riding (average about 70km per day with 1,600m climbing). I'm not racing but doing an Alps mountain bike crossing for charity. I often get really bad cramps after a long ride and want to avoid this as well as use my energy in the best way.

.blitz

njee's suggestions work pretty well during the ride, it's important to take on a steady supply of carbs and keep very hydrated. Caffeine can regulate energy output and reduce the sensations of fatigue. Most people will benefit from 3 mg per kg of body weight per hour for events over one hour which is quite a lot when there's typically 100mg in a 2oz cup of expresso.

I also find For Goodness Shakes very beneficial when it comes to multi-day rides.

Cold water shower/bath also great for sore muscles

Sleep

If possible, try and break up the route into a couple of hard days followed by a shorter, easier day

Good luck!

middleagedmaninlycra

Thanks blitz, that's very helpful. Unfortunately, there are no really easy days, just different degrees of hard!

You can see an overview of the route here if you're interested:

http://middleagedmaninlycra.com/2011/06 ... -cannibal/