Avoid the cyclists’ slump and feed your body when out on tour. Emily Horton seeks out advice from Rapha ambassador and cycling blogger Nicole Tur
Bonking, I hear you gasp? Before you fall off your saddle, listen up. The word is cyclist slang for hypoglycaemia – when the body’s glycogen stores become exhausted, and blood glucose levels become dangerously low. It leaves the rider extremely weak, hungry and tired. Symptoms include shaking, sweating and dizziness.
You may also experience heart palpitations and anxiety, irritability and confusion. At the very extreme, a bonk can induce a coma, so it’s vitally important that you learn how to avoid one.
With the body only able to store enough glucose to last for about 90 minutes of moderate exercise, the best way is to eat little and often during your ride – even before you start to feel hungry. Luckily, Only Girl in the Club blogger and cycling mum Nicole Tur offered me her top tips to stay in the saddle...
Hydration
Poor hydration leads to reduced performance so I drink 2-3 litres of water per day in the week prior to a big ride. I also try to drink two bottles an hour during it – more when it’s hot. Plus, I drink 500ml of water with added electrolytes with my breakfast on the day. I’ve tried lots of different brands, so find one that works for you.
I like Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix, which, being an all-natural drink, is subtle and easy on the stomach. When I’m riding at a more intense pace, I add Torq Energy high carbohydrate and electrolytes drink to my water. I still eat, but the carbohydrates help with extra energy.
Fat not carbs
If you’re riding a greater distance, it goes without saying you are going to need to put more fuel in your body. During an intensive period of competing last year, I was advised by a qualified expert to get a good source of my energy from good fats, such as avocados, coconut oil, nuts, egg yolks, oily fish and olives. I made some small changes to my daily diet: swapping the banana in my daily protein shake for half an avocado, snacking on nuts and stopping midweek carb loading, although I still eat a pasta meal the night before a big ride.
Tasty bites
If you’re going to be on your bike for a long time – carry food that you enjoy eating. Think about mixing it up, too, so it’s not all sugary sweet and avoid those highs and lows. I prefer homemade food, which you can make quite quickly and store in the fridge. That said, when I’m travelling I love the excellent products from Pedal Bites (thepedalbites.cc), which are based in Ripley, Surrey. Founded by Australian chef and cyclist Riley Kamsler, it offers a variety of pick-me-up foods from morning muesli to ride bites and bars.
It’s also a good idea to carry a couple of emergency gels on your long rides. My preferred brand is Torq and I also like the Skratch Labs Fruit Drops – they’re really easy to eat on the move, (I open the packet and empty them into my Rapha Souplesse jersey which has massive pockets, so there’s no wrestling with the wrapper). Small sandwiches and bananas are also great fuel and surprisingly easy to eat when you’re riding. I like to make small mouthful sized bites for my long distance cycling; the recipe for which you will find below. Experiment to see what works for you and good luck.
Homemade ride food – Nicole’s ‘Maca You Go Faster’ bites
- 1 cup figs (or dates)
- 1 cup dried cranberries (or any dried fruit; not apricots as they can be a bit soft)
- ¾ cup pistachio nuts (almonds are also good)
- 2 tbsp of maca powder
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp Manuka honey
Blend the pistachio nuts in a food processor for about a minute until they form a flour. Add the figs, cranberry and the maca powder and blend again until everything sticks together. Then add the coconut oil, almond butter and honey – and blend again. Once the mixture has become stuck together, scoop it out of the processor and roll out a tablespoon of the mixture into a ball and onto a plate.
Size them to be an easy mouthful, to eat as you ride.
Finally, once all the balls have been made, place them in the freezer for about an hour to set, then store in the fridge. Voila!
If you'd like to learn more about Nicole Tur and her many cycling adventures click here
You can check out more Surrey cycling news and tips here, like our interview with Paralympic gold medalist Darren Kenny
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