The Importance Of Nutrition When Cycling

Filed Under Cycling

I have never paid much attention to sports nutrition or nutritional supplements when I’ve been cycling, even though I studied Physiology at University.

I think its because I have never cycled long distances – my normal route is about 25 miles, and my “Sunday route” is around the 40 to 50 mile level. I’ve just taken a bottle of water and got on with it.

Doing the 75 mile charity ride was a different kettle of fish, though. I wanted to prepare myself for the extra 30 miles that was beyond my normal training, so I looked into nutritional supplements to take during the cycle.

I was preparing for hot weather (but it turned out quite cool) and also wanted to maintain energy levels for that last one and a half hours.

To prevent cramp and to replace the salts lost when sweating, I bought another water bottle and then added a High5 electrolyte tablet to the water.

I had just water in the other bottle, which was also to help wash down the couple of High5 Energy Gels that I also took along. I didn’t find the gels too bad to eat whilst cycling, but having the water did definitely help.

Did taking these supplements do any good, I wonder? Of course, I don’t know how well I would have done with just water, but I do know that I never really felt short of energy and certainly had no problems with cramp, even though we covered 75 miles at an average speed of 16.6 mph.

What I do know, however, is at the 55 mile stage I took one of the energy gels and I’m sure that I had a welcome energy boost from it. James, my friend who did the ride with me, also said that he felt better having taken one at that point too.

I do think that it is sensible to take electrolytes if you are cycling quite a few miles, particularly if it is hot like it is forecast to be over the next few months. I’m going to take my second water bottle with one of those electrolyte tablets on my normal 25 mile training route from now on.

The energy gels? Well I would certainly take them for longer rides in future, even if they just give me a short term boost.