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 RACE
READY ?
So
you've been out on your bike riding
mostly short distances for some time
now, and you'd like to try something a
little more adventurous. Around the
country there are currently a number of
organized longer events from about 30 km
up to more than 100 km plus, mostly for
cycling related companies & charity.
'Now all
you need to know is how to prepare
yourself
& make sure that your ambitions
don't out-strip your ability's' |
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Trying it on ~
If you are entering an event that is going
to last several hours, you will be well
advised to do a little bit of training. What
you need to develop is muscular endurance,
as well as appropriate feeding and pacing
strategies to get you through the ride. As
you need to ride for a few hours, the pace
will need to be a lot slower than your quick
thrash round the local routes, so get your
body used to longer, slower rides. If you
currently only go out at weekends then we
suggest you try to increase the length of
your weekend rides. There's no need to
replicate the distance for your longer
event, but you will need to get to at least
three quarters of the target distance at
some stage.
Remember - the secret is learning how to
pace yourself over the longer duration, but
if you build up slowly then this should not
be a problem. We also suggest that you try
and get out at least once during the week
for a shorter, faster, more fun ride, to
maintain the skill aspect of your riding. |
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~ Before
the big one ~
Final preparations for the big day are vital
to your success and one of the most
important aspects is diet. If you start an
endurance race with low muscle glycogen
levels then you'll fatigue much sooner. So
how do you make sure that you are loaded
with glycogen ? Firstly, you do not want to
do any long rides within a couple of days of
your event. This would deplete your glycogen
stores. Next in the days leading up to the
event, increase the amount of carbohydrate
you eat. But be careful - most people just
eat more.
You should actually try to substitute high
fat or high protein items with ones that
contain carbohydrates. This is why marathon
runners have a pasta party the night before
a race. Preparation before the event should
include a large meal no more than 4/5 hours
prior to the start, and keeping well
hydrated leading up to the start. |
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During the event ~
One of the most important things to monitor
during the ride is fluid intake.
Unfortunately, the body's thirst system is
slow to respond, so if you feel thirsty then
you've left it to late. This is particularly
important on hot days as dehydration reduces
the body's ability to lose heat through
sweating, leading to an increase in core
body temperature and an elevated pulse.
Ideally, drink something every 10 to 15
minutes. Don't wait until you are thirsty.
Water is O.K., but there are many sports
drinks that are absorbed in the gut more
effectively than water.
During training rides, experiment to find a
drink that you like and that doesn't upset
your stomach. In addition, most sports
drinks contain carbohydrates which you need
to keep going during an event. Follow the
manufacturer's instructions, but if unsure
make the drink more dilute, as this is least
likely to cause you harm. You should also
consider eating energy bars, because after a
couple of hours you'll feel hungry even
though you're getting energy from your
drink. How much do you need? As an absolute
minimum you need 500ml of fluid and one
energy bar for every hour of your ride. If
it's hot, increase fluid intake to 750ml per
hour. Remember: it's no good finishing an
event with water in your bottle and an
energy bar in your pocket, and suffering
from total energy loss...use them up!. |
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Post ride ~
You will most likely be knackered and just
want to lie down after your event, but you
should first consider your hydration status.
Dehydration is potentially dangerous, so
ideally, if you can have a chilled sports
drink and sip it slowly you will greatly
speed up your recovery process. Whatever you
do, DO NOT drink alcohol - it will
only make you more dehydrated. Stick with a
sports drink for the first hour after the
event, as you may not feel like eating solid
food right away. When you're ready for a
meal, eat what you want and then have that
celebratory beer. |
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Will I WIN
. . . No chance ... son
'It's the
taking part that's the fun'
'Keep UK Mountain biking going and enter a
competition' |
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