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Recovery for Long-Distance Cyclists, Part 1
Sports nutrition for optimal muscle recovery, applied to typical long-distance events by Ed Burke, Ph.D. and John Hughes [ Recovery for Long-Distance Cyclists: Part 1 | Part 2 ] Long-distance cyclists love to ride all day and then get up the
next morning to ride many more miles. Ultra competitors may only
get a few hours sleep between long days of riding. Long-distance
cyclists, because of all the miles on the bike, place more stress
on their bodies than most athletes. At the same time ultra cyclists
have less time to recover than riders doing shorter events. How
can long-distance cyclists optimize recovery in the time available?
This two-part article will cover: Sports Nutrition For Optimal Muscle Recovery A) Theory We'll start by reviewing the scientific recommendations for sports nutrition and then will apply them to long-distance touring and multi-day racing. 1) Replenishing fluids and replacing electrolytes Studies show that drinking plain water is not as effective in maintaining fluid balance as drinking a sports drink. The carbohydrate and sodium in a sports drink work together to increase water absorption in the intestinal wall. Further, the addition of sodium to the drink stimulates thirst, so you drink more. “Drinking plain water is not as effective in maintaining fluid balance as drinking a sports drink.” Fluid and electrolyte maintenance starts on the bike. During any ride of more than an hour, you should consume plenty of sports drink. A good sports drink contains 14 - 19 grams of carbs / 8 oz. (6-8% concentration) and at least 50 to 75 mg. of sodium / 8 oz. At a minimum, you should drink at least 8 oz. every 15 minutes during the ride, more if it’s hot and/or you are riding hard. Which drink is best? The one that you like to drink, since most commercial drinks fall within these ranges for carbohydrate and sodium content. During the ride, try to drink enough so that your body weight is stable. That may not be possible in hot conditions and/or if you are riding hard. After the ride consume enough fluid to restore your body weight. Because plain water will satisfy thirst before the body is fully hydrated, your favorite sports drink is also the beverage of choice after a ride. Avoid carbonated drinks when you are thirsty; they may cause you to feel prematurely full before you’ve drunk enough. Ultra riders particularly need sodium. Each liter of sweat contains approximately 1 gm of sodium which must be replaced. Beverages with that much sodium taste awful, so you'll need to supplement from other sources. Good sources include tomato juice, salty (low-fat) crackers and adding salt to your meals. 2) Replenishing muscle glycogen When consuming this many calories while riding it should be in easily digestible type foods: sports drinks, gels, bars, fruit, liquid meal replacements, etc. During long, hard rides it is very difficult to eat enough on the bike to match the caloric expenditure. So it is important to after the ride to replenish glycogen stores. Studies have shown that riders who consume carbohydrates within two hours after a ride replenish glycogen stored more completely. Consuming some protein with the carbohydrates can increases glycogen replacement by 30%. The optimum muscle recovery ratio appears to be four grams of carbohydrate to one gram of protein. However, consuming too much protein will delay gastric emptying, as will eating fat. “Riders who consume carbohydrates within two hours after a ride replenish glycogen stored more completely.” During the first two hours after a ride, try to consume 1 gm of carbohydrate / lb. of body weight and some protein in the 4:1 ratio. For example, a 125 lb. cyclist should consume about 125 grams of carbohydrate and 31 grams of protein. A rider weighing 175 lbs should consume about 175 grams of carbohydrate and 44 grams of protein. One gram of carbohydrate yields four calories of energy; protein produces four calories; fat yields nine calories per gram. The 125 lb. cyclist should eat 500 calories of carbohydrates and 125 calories of protein after the ride. The 175 lb. cyclist should consume 700 calories of carbohydrates and 175 calories of protein within 60 minutes after getting off the bike. Select carbohydrates with a high-glycemic index, which will cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly. Examples include bagels, baked potatoes, bread, crackers, glucose, honey, and sports drinks sweetened with sugar. Whether the carbohydrate is in solid or liquid form does not seem to be important for absorption. A healthy snack after you get off the bike will start the re-fueling process. Continue re-fueling with dinner, an evening snack and breakfast. These meals should provide 4 - 6 grams of carbohydrate / lb. of body weight. A 125 lb. rider exercising strenuously should consume 500 - 750 grams of carbohydrates (2,000 - 3,000 calories). A 175 lb. rider should eat 700 - 1050 grams of carbs (2800 - 4200 calories). The carbohydrates should total 65 - 70% of your intake, with 15% of the calories coming from protein and 15 - 20% from fat. 3) Rebuilding muscle protein Second, during hard exercise if your glycogen stores fall too low, your body may derive up to 10% of its energy from protein. The branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) isoleucine, leucine, and valine can take the place of glucose in the production of energy. However, using protein for energy is not desirable because amino acids that would have been available for muscle repair are diverted for energy. Further, when the level of BCAAs drops, then tryptophan can enter the brain, causing central nervous system fatigue, i.e., sleepiness. Supplementing with BCAAs may improve performance and delay the onset of central fatigue. “When the level of BCAAs drops, then tryptophan can enter the brain, causing central nervous system fatigue, i.e., sleepiness.” Athletes in heavy training do not need great quantities of protein. Consuming 1.2 - 1.6 grams protein / day / lb. of body weight should meet cellular repair and energy needs. A 125 lb. rider should eat 150 - 200 grams of protein per day, while a 175 lb. rider should consume 210 - 280 grams. 4) Reducing muscle and immune-system stress. Research has shown that supplementing with vitamin C can reduce free-radical generation and help to prevent muscle and immune-system damage. Vitamin C also aids in the production of anti-stress hormones and is required for tissue growth and repair. Many researchers recommend 250 - 2500 mg /day. Both the natural and synthetic forms of vitamin C are easily absorbed. Vitamin E prevents damage to cell membranes by inhibiting the oxidation of phospholipids. It also improves circulation, relaxes leg cramps and helps repair tissues. Although the optimum intake has not been determined, consuming up to 1200 IU / day may be helpful. Buy the natural form of vitamin E, which is absorbed about twice as readily the synthetic. The amino acid glutamine is a source of energy for white blood cells and other immune cells. Glutamine is normally manufactured by the body; however, during heavy exercise (and other times of stress) glutamine concentrations in your body decrease significantly. Glutamine is available in foods such as raw spinach and parsley; however, cooking destroys glutamine. Supplementing with glutamine may lessen the effects of overtraining. In order to be effective, the suggested dose is 8 to 20 grams / day. However, because glutamine is expensive some sports drinks only contain milligrams per serving. Ciwujia (Siberian ginseng) is a Chinese herb that stimulates the immune system. Subjects who took ciwujia had few colds during the winter Ciwujia also reduces heart rate during exercise. The reduction in heart rate means that at the same workload, muscle stress is reduced. Studies have also shown that taking ciwujia increases fat metabolism and spares muscle glycogen. B) PRACTICE * calories in = calories burned Either on the bike or afterwards. 1) On the bike Throughout the day, try to maintain adequate intakes of calories, fluids and sodium. During the last hour, instead of hammering in, slow down and start the recovery process: * Drink extra sports drink; arrive at the finish with your bottle(s)
or CamelBak empty! 2) On a multi-day tour such as PAC Tour During the first two hours after you finish: * Drink plenty of sports drink. Although they may taste good,
stay away from the sodas, which may cause you to feel full before
you’re completely rehydrated. At dinner, try to consume 65 - 70% of your calories from carbohydrates, 15% in protein and 15-20% in fat: * Start with a trip to the salad bar, for extra carbohydrates. In your room: * Have a snack before going to bed. Although for many of us, it’s hard to get up in the morning and eat right away, don’t skip breakfast: * Practice going to bed earlier and getting up early enough to
eat a good breakfast before your long training rides. 3) On a multi-day event, such as a 1200 km randonnée or
RAAM. * Know what your calorie, water and sodium requirements are per
hour under the expected conditions. On the bike: * Eat and drink by your watch; every hour ask yourself whether
you’ve met your nutritional targets. Sleep breaks are the only real recovery you get, so you want to take maximum advantage: * Consume at least 1000 calories of carbohydrates and small amounts
of protein and/or fat just before your sleep break. Eat what you
can on the bike in the last hour of riding and eat the rest at the
control. As noted above, try for a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to
protein. Your legs will feel much better when you get up. 4) Relay team events. Peak performance requires pushing your body hard AND allowing time for recovery to repair muscle damage and rebuild energy stores. In the first part of this article we've described how consuming enough water and electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein at the right times can improve your recovery. For more information see Ed Burke's book "Optimal Muscle Recovery" (Avery Publications, 1999). Part II will cover massage, stretching, icing and other recovery techniques. [ Recovery for Long-Distance Cyclists: Part 1 | Part 2 ]
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