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CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS

Last updated: 8/16/2010

Post Ride Recovery and Your Training Program

Ask a cyclist about their training program and you will hear about mileage, intervals, and nutritional secrets. Only
recently has post ride recovery made it onto the list of priorities. Yet successful cyclists know that preparation for
the next ride begins even as the current one is being completed.

POST EXERCISE FATIGUE

A cyclist may experience 4 distinct types of fatigue.

The bonk (fatigue resulting from muscle glycogen depletion) usually develops 1 to 2 hours into a ride. It is
a particular problem if "on the bike" glucose supplements are not used to extend internal muscle glycogen
stores.
Post ride fatigue is a normal response to several hours of vigorous exercise and indicates we are pushing
our training limits. It leads to improved performance the next time out.
Over reaching is the next step up - the fatigue we feel at the end of a particularly hard week of riding. It
is really just an extension of #2, and will, with recovery, make us faster and stronger.
Overtraining is the debilitating and often long term (lasting weeks to months) fatigue which limits rather
than stimulates improvement in performance.

A regular rider needs to routinely assess his or her level of post ride fatigue, trying to walk the fine line separating
post exercise fatigue (necessary if one is pushing themself) and overtraining (which can only hinder future
performance). Although it may seem paradoxical, structured rest is a key component of all training programs and
may actually be one of the toughest training choices you'll have to make. To minimize the risk of overtraining, you
should include at least one and occasionally two rest days per week along with a day of easy spinning.

Over reaching is a normal part of the training cycle. It may require several extra (and unplanned) recovery days.
But if you find that your performance is not improving with several extra recovery days, it's time to take a break
from riding and switch to alternative aerobic activities (at 70% maximum heart rate to maintain your
cardiovascular fitness). To push ahead is to risk a level of overtraining which may require a month or two off the
bike to recover.

NUTRITION

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for all cyclists who push themselves, while fats are more important
in slower, endurance events. Protein is not an energy source, but maintains and repairs cells and tissue.

The "bonk" occurs when the body's stores of carbohydrate (glycogen in the liver and muscles) is depleted and
the exercising muscle shifts to fat metabolism as its primary source of energy. Occasionally overtraining may be
the result of failing to adequately replace the muscle glycogen depleted as a result of daily training with the onset
of what might be considered a chronic bonk type situation - or at least bonking much earlier in a ride than usual.
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this is particularly a risk at the elite athlete level where there may be multiple training sessions (or competitions)
per day, and limited time to eat.

To minimize the risk of early bonking and chronic glycogen depletion as a possible cause of overtraining, it is
important to maximize your body glycogen stores by using dietary carbohydrates to your advantage before,
during, and after a ride:

eating a high carbohydrate diet in the days and hours before your ride
using carbohydrate supplements while riding
using the immediate post ride recovery interval to begin rebuilding carbohydrate stores.

For the pre ride period, the traditional carbohydrate loading program (which traditionally includes a carbohydrate
depletion phase for several days followed by forcing carbohydrates for the 3 days immediately prior to the
event)to maximize glycogen stores is not essential. A high carbohydrate diet alone (without a preceding
carbohydrate depletion phase) will provide 90% of the benefits of the full program while avoiding the digestive
turmoil that can occur during the carbohydrate depletion phase. {NOTE: Although any increase in glycogen
stores WILL increase the DURATION of exercise to fatigue, they WILL NOT increase MAXIMUM
PERFORMANCE (VO2max)}

Maximizing carbohydrate replacement while riding is important for events of more than 2 hours. At least 1 to 2
grams of carbohydrate per minute can be absorbed and metabolized to supplement pre ride body glycogen
stores. This additional carbohydrate fuel will prolong the time to the bonk. In extreme events such as the Tour de
France, as much as 50% of the daily energy expenditures can be provided by supplements taken while on the
bike.

Finally, take advantage of the glycogen repletion window that is open in the 4 hours immediately following
vigorous exercise. During this time, any carbohydrates you eat will be converted into muscle glycogen at 3 times
the normal rate - and some data suggests there is a 50% fall in this super charged repletion rate by 2 hours with a
return to a normal repletion rate by 4 hours. (Ivy JL et al,J Appl Physiol 1988 Apr;64(4):1480-5). The slowing
rate of glycogen storage occurs even when plasma glucose and insulin levels remain elevated with oral
supplements. It has been suggested that the initial elevated replacement rate is insulin independent, while the
slowing at 4 hours is a shift to the normal insulin supported muscle cell absorption rate.

After this initial 4 hours, muscle glycogen stores are replenished at a rate of approximately 5% per hour. And
while it may require up to 48 hours for complete muscle glycogen replacement following a 2 hour ride, for all
practical purposes glycogen stores are almost completely rebuilt in the first 24 hours post event. But for the
athlete who is on a daily training schedule, or is in a multiday event, the glycogen window can be used to get a
jump on the normal repletion process and minimize the chance of gradually developing chronic glycogen
depletion (and the fatigue that goes along with it).

How much glucose is enough during this 4 hour interval? Most studies have suggested that you can
incorporate 3 grams of carbohydrate per kg of body weight during this 4 hours and up to 10 grams per kg
over the post ride 24 hour period.

Is more better? Although the rate of CHO incorporation begins to fall at 2 hours, taking all the CHO in the
first few hours may not be the answer as there appears to be a maximum repletion rate in the
neighborhood of 1.5 grams of CHO per kg body weight per 2 hour period.

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Is the type of carbohydrate important? Glucose and sucrose appear to be of equal value while there is
some evidence that fructose is less beneficial.

Will the addition of protein to a carbohydrate drink facilitate glycogen repletion during this glycogen
window (compared to a pure glucose drink alone)? Although it had been originally been suggested in
1992 that the addition of protein to a carbohydrate supplement would enhance the rate of muscle glycogen
resynthesis after endurance exercise (Zawadzki et al., J. Appl.Physiol. 72: 1854-1859, 1992), Roy et al (J
Appl Physiol 1998 Mar;84(3):890-6) provided evidence that the difference was not protein per se, but
the fact that the two drinks were not Calorically equal. Van Hall (J Appl Physiol 2000 May;88(5):1631-6)
also supported that finding when they demonstrated the failure of the co-ingestion of carbohydrate and
protein, compared with ingestion of carbohydrate alone, to increase leg glucose uptake or glycogen
resynthesis rate further when carbohydrate was ingested in sufficient amounts every 15 min to induce an
optimal rate of glycogen resynthesis.

But the latest study, done in runners, looked at the ultimate test - performance itself. This study did
demonstrate an improvement in a second run, done the same day (not 24 hours later) with a post event
CHO-Protein supplement versus CHO alone. What can we make of these studies?

Protein Calories cannot replace CHO Calories, so don't skimp.

Protein added to a calorically adequate CHO drink appears to promote early glycogen replacement
and support repetitive performance - especially if the 2nd event will occur less than 24 hours after
the first.

Does it make a difference how one eats their Calories in the 24 hour post exercise period? Burke LM et
al could not show a difference in postexercise glycogen storage over 24 h when a high-carbohydrate diet
was eaten as multiple small snacks or as large meals. However there did appear to be some advantage of
eating carbohydrates with a high glycemic index.

So what does all this mean? Aim to drink or eat 3 grams of carbohydrate per kg of body weight over the four
hours after exercise - but use some common sense in spreading it over the full four hours - at most 1.0 gm of
carbohydrate per kg body weight per hour (at 4 Calories per gram, this would be approximately 200 Calories
per hour for the average rider). If you have trouble eating after exercising, a recovery drink that contains complex
carbohydrate will maximize the Caloric density of the drink and help you get in the carbohydrate Calories. And if
you can't find those liquid carbs at the end of the ride? Don't worry, you can catch up on your muscle
glycogen repletion by eating a high carbohydrate diet over the next 24 hours.

And it doesn't have to be pure carbs either. Burke LM et al (J Appl Physiol 1995 Jun;78(6):2187-92) decided
to investigate whether the addition of fat and protein to carbohydrate feedings in the 24 hour post exercise period
affects muscle glycogen storage. Eight well-trained triathletes undertook an exercise trial (2 h at 75% peak O2
consumption, followed by four 30-s sprints) on three occasions, each 1 wk apart. For 24 h after each trial, the
subjects rested and were assigned to the following diets in randomized order: control(C) diet (CHO =
7g/kg/day), added fat and protein (FP) diet (C diet + 1.6 g/kg/day fat + 1.2 g/kg/day protein), and matched-
energy diet [C diet + 4.8g/kg/day additional CHO (Polycose) to match the additional energy in the FP diet].
Meals were eaten at t = 0, 4, 8, and 21 h of recovery. There were no differences between trials in muscle
glycogen storage over 24 h in equal Caloric diets of carbohydrate alone (approx 10 grams of CHO per
kg body wt per 24 hours (sic)) vs. CHO/Pro/fat. (C 85.8, FP 80.5, matched-energy, 87.9 mmol/kg wet wt).

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SPECIFIC POST RIDE (RECOVERY) DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS:

take in 3 to 4 gm carbohydrate/kg BW in the 4 hours post ride - start immediately

if you will be riding again within 24 hours, consider a protein-CHO combination for replacement
complex carbohydrates may offer some advantage in minimizing GI distress from high concentration
sugar drinks
you can be innovative - a recent study suggested that chocolate milk is as good as a complex
carbohydrate drink (but only if you are not lactose intolerant).
you don't need to push beyond 1.5 grams CHO per kg body wt per hour which appears to be an upper
limit to muscle glycogen replacement.
aim for a total of 8 to 10 grams of CHO per kg body weight over the next 24 hours to maximize repletion
of muscle and liver glycogen.

Question: "I am a 33 year old avid cyclist and local racer who trains from 1 to 1.5 hours a day during the week
and 4 to 5 hours on the weekends. I am a fairly strong Cat 4 rider that wants to move up to Cat 3, and wanted
to get some feedback on whether or not I should pursue a protein/carbohydrate recovery drink mix like Endurox
R4/Accelerade to help aid recovery and restore my glycogen levels. I'm sure you're aware of the claims being
made by the various supplement manufacturers of how it can increase performance but I wanted to get your take
on it." --TD

Answer: After a ride it is important to replace muscle glycogen. You can calculate the exact amount by
calculating the Calories you used in the event/ride (see below) so you don't over do and begin to add weight. It is
best to take the replacement carbohydrates early (first 30 minutes), and as simple sugar (glucose) which is
rapidly absorbed (Coke is great).

A little protein may help, but my bias is that 90% of the benefit is in eating CHO of any sort early after the ride
and protein adds only a few extra %. Personally I'd just drink a bit more Coke and let it go at that.

The issue really comes down to whether the cost of those special drinks (with a bit of protein) are justified and
the answer is that it depends on the amount of free cash you have. Your success as a competitor will almost
certainly rest on an overall sound training and eating program, not on the presence of protein in a post ride drink.
And remember, there is always chocolate milk as an option!

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EAT?

Estimating your Caloric replacement needs is always a challenge. And as

CHANGE IN WEIGHT (IN LBS) = (CALORIES BURNED - CALORIES CONSUMED)/3500

you will see the results reflected in the bathroom scales.

Regular physical exercise will help to protect your muscles (at the expense of fat) during periods of negative
Caloric balance so you will not lose significant muscle mass even if you underestimate your Calorie needs.
However, if you overshoot on the Calorie replacement, and especially if you have been exercising at a slow pace
(which will preferentially burn fat Calories while maintaining muscle glycogen stores), any post ride carbohydrate
loading may find muscle glycogen stores already "filled" and any additional carbohydrate Calories will be
converted directly into fat.

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Eat a high carbohydrate diet(60 to 70% carbohydrate, low in fat), the diet that is best for endurance performance
. Do weight training to maintain upper body muscle mass. And keep an eye on the bathroom scale to determine if
you have estimated replacement needs correctly. With a regular exercise program, a modest weight gain should
be in muscle mass and any weight loss from fat.

FLUIDS

Although water does not provide Caloric energy, adequate hydration is at least as important to good athletic
performance as the food you eat. One of the biggest mistakes of many competitive athletes is failing to replace
fluid losses associated with exercise. This is especially the case in cycling as rapid skin evaporation decreases the
sense of perspiring and imparts a false sense of only minimal fluid loss when sweat production and loss through
the lungs can easily exceed 2 quarts per hour. For a successful ride, it is essential that you start off adequately
hydrated, begin fluid replacement early, and drink regularly during the ride. In fact, a South African report on two
groups of cyclists, one consciously rehydrating, the other no, exercising at 90% of their maximum demonstrated a
measurable difference in physical performance as early as 15 minutes into the study.

Total body fluid losses during exercise lead to a diminished plasma volume (the fluid actually circulating within the
blood vessels) as well as a lowered muscle water content. As fluid loss progresses, there is a direct effect on
physiologic function and athletic performance. An unreplaced water loss equal to 2% of base line body weight
will impact heat regulation, at 3% there is a measurable effect on muscle cell contraction times, and when fluid
loss reaches 4% of body weight there is a measurable 5% to 10% drop in performance. In addition, one study
demonstrated that this performance effect can persist for 4 hours after rehydration takes place - emphasizing the
need to anticipate and regularly replace fluid losses. Maintaining plasma volume is one of the hidden keys to
optimal physical performance. So make it a point to weigh yourself both before and after the ride - most
of your weight loss will be fluid, and 2 pounds is equal to 1 quart. A drop of a pound or two won't impair
performance, but a greater drop indicates the need to reassess your on the bike program. And use the post ride
period to begin replacement of any excess losses. If you do so, you will be well rewarded the next time out.

But as a word of warning to those who practice the philosophy of "if a little is good, a lot is better", there are also
risks with overcorrecting the water losses of exercise. There have been reports of hyponatremia (low blood
sodium concentration) with seizures in marathon runners who have over replaced sweat losses (salt and water)
with pure water. And this risk increases for longer events more than 5 hours). Weighing yourself regularly on long
rides will help you tailor YOUR OWN PERSONAL replacement program. A weight gain of more that 1 or 2
pounds will indicate that you are overcorrecting your water losses and may be placing yourself at risk for this
unusual metabolic condition.

QUESTIONS

Question: I am a fairly strong Cat 4 rider that wants to move up to Cat 3 and wanted to get some feedback on
whether or not I should pursue a protein/carbohydrate recovery drink mix like Endurox R4/Accelerade to help
aid recovery and restore my glycogen levels. Up until this point I've just tried to maintain a balanced diet but as
with most Americans, don't always get the best-balanced nutrition after a ride. I'm sure you're aware of the
claims being made by the various supplement manufacturers of how it can increase performance but I wanted to
get your take on it. I've also found a great website, nutritional data.com that I think might help me choose the diet
best suited for a recovery meal.- TD
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Answer: After a ride it is important to replace muscle glycogen. You can calculate the amount by calculating the
Calories you expended in the event/training ride (this is important to avoid over doing and gaining weight). It is
best to take the carbohydrates early (first 30 minutes after the ride) and as a free CHO (which is more rapidly
absorbed - Coke is great).

There is literature that suggests a little protein may help absorb and replenish muscle glycogen, but my bias is that
90% of solution is to take CHO of any sort early, and protein adds only a few additional %. Personally I'd just
drink a bit more soda and let it go at that. The issue is really whether the cost of those special supplement drinks
(with a bit of protein) are justified. And the answer is "It depends" on the amount of free cash you have. Your
success as a competitor will almost certainly rest on an overall sound training and eating program, not on the
presence of protein in a post ride drink.

Cycling Performance Tips

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