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Sports Nutrition
Energy Gels & Cycling
Like running and triathlon, the sport of cycling also encompasses a wide range of distances, terrain and styles (road biking, mountain biking, cyclo-cross, track racing, etc). Outlined below are suggestions on how to use Carb-BOOM! and Pro-BOOM! within the two most common bicycle categories - road cycling and mountain biking.
Note: All mentions of the words 'gel' or 'gel packets' below are in reference to Carb-BOOM! carbohydrate energy gels Pro-BOOM! gel information is clearly defined and only found in the 'post-race' sections.
Cycling
Half Century (50 miles)
Pre-Ride: Eat a high carbohydrate breakfast (toast, bagels, hashbrowns, etc) at least 1 - 2 hours prior to your ride start. If you have trouble eating breakfast on the morning of the half century (due to nerves, etc) try consuming 2 gel packs about 1-1 1/2 hours prior to the start of the race.
During the ride: Eat your first gel one hour into the ride. Consume subsequent gels every 45 minutes-1 hour thereafter. Drink one bottle of fluids (water and/or sports drink) every hour.
Post-Ride: After being in the saddle for 2 to 3 hours it's important not to ignore your nutritional needs after exercise. The timeframe 0-4 hours after the finish of your half century is the most optimal time to replenish carbohydrate stores in the body. Eat 1-2 packets of Pro-BOOM! Recovery Gel immediately to 30 minutes after stopping in order to begin the rebuilding and repairing process. For complete details, review the article, Nutrition Recovery: Priming the Pump for Tomorrow and our guide on How to Use Pro-BOOM! Recovery Gel.
Full Century (100 miles)
Pre-Ride: At this distance you're most likely in for a long day's work, so fuel your body accordingly. Look to consume a big breakfast 2-3 hours before the start of the ride. Timing is important, try not to eat a large meal too close to the start as you want to ensure that digestion is complete. Make sure you've got lots of carbohydrates included (pancakes, bagels, toast, hashbrowns, etc).
During the ride: Eat your first gel one hour into the ride. Consume subsequent gels every 45 minutes - 1 hour thereafter. As for fluids, here's a good tip we like to suggest: Fill one of your bottles with water and the other with your favorite sport drink. Alternate between the two, shooting for a total fluid intake of at least 24oz per hour. Refill your bottles at the aid stations to ensure you always have a steady supply of both on hand. If your stomach can handle it, also consider eating an energy bar or fruit (banana, grapes, etc) at the halfway point of the ride to get in a few extra calories.
Post-Ride: Same recommendation as for a half century.the early hours after a long ride is the most optimal time to replenish carbohydrate stores in the body and to rebuild damaged muscle tissue. Make sure to eat a high carbohydrate meal in this critical time window, and don't forget the protein too! Depending on your body weight, eat 1-2 packets of Pro-BOOM! Recovery Gel immediately after the finish and have a good 'feeding plan' in place for the next 4+ hours. For complete details, review the article, Nutrition Recovery: Priming the Pump for Tomorrow and our guide on How to Use Pro-BOOM! Recovery Gel.
Mountain Biking
The off-road terrain of mountain biking (steep hills, sharp curves, single track trails, irregular surface) require a different level of energy output than the flat, predictable smooth graded surfaces that confront the road cyclist. The nutrition requirements for mountain biking are therefore slightly different. Trail riding is an intermittent, high intensity level of exercise that typically requires a more frequent rate of gel and water consumption than road biking. Aim for consuming 1 Carb-BOOM! every 30-45 minutes and at least 24 oz of fluids (water/sport drink) per hour to maintain adequate blood glucose and hydration levels.
Additional tips:
Keep in mind that every athlete is different. You'll need to experiment to find your body's optimal regimen for gel and fluid intake. Pack gels with you on several rides and try taking them at different times and in different amounts to determine what system works best for you.
Bikers have access to several good ways of carrying gels on a ride. First and foremost, pockets are sewn into the back of cycling jerseys for a reason, throw a few packets in there for safe keeping. Secondly, consider gel flasks -- they hold 4-6 servings of gel and are an efficient way to carry your fuel. Flasks can be easily mounted on a handlebar with a bracket. Thirdly, many riders like to tape the top of a gel packet 'tear-away' directly to the stem or top tube. Attached in this fashion, gels can be ripped off and eaten with one smooth motion.
Water, water, water! Make sure to drink at least a cup of water with each gel to wash it down and help with hydration levels.
If you have not yet tried caffeine as part of your training/racing nutrition regimen it is worth giving it a shot. You may see an improvement in your running times as a result. Caffeine can be advantageous to endurance exercise by sparing glycogen stores; helping muscle contractions and providing that little extra mental perk so needed during a gruelling race. Vanilla Orange and Chocolate Cherry are the only Carb BOOM! flavors that contain caffeine, with approximately 50 mg per packet. This is roughly equivalent to aup of regular drip coffee. Learn more by reviewing the article, Fast Facts on Caffeine: Performance Benefits for Athletes.
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