DaveInDenver said:
Never had a coach, so I'm in the dark. I trend towards endurance races, since I'm not super fast but stubborn. How do you eat for those? I eat equal carb and protein thinking that I need to refuel and rebuild.
Maybe it's because I've been doing it so long, but I think cycling nutrition is easy. You have to understand just a couple basic concepts and eating for the bike is pretty strait forward. Your three key macronutrients are pretty obvious; carbs, protein and fat. You really have to have all three. The balance depends on the time of year, and/or the objective of your fueling by week or by day.
For longer events like road races or endurance mnt events, carbs are key. Especially during those days of long training miles. When you log big miles you have to help your body replace glycogen stores and carbs do just that. When you do short, intense miles like those cyclocross races, you do a great deal of fiber damage to muscles and protein helps rebuild or repair that damage.
As it relates to replacing glycogen stores, there is a very brief window of opportunity. If you introduce glycogens (carbs) into your system within 45 minutes after a hard workout, you stand an excellent chance of having the glycogen stores in your muscles up to snuff by the next day. Outside of that window your body struggles to replace those stores and it can be a few days before you catch up.
This is all nothing new. This was true when I was a kid living at the Olympic Training Center in the Springs during the late 80s. We'd finish a ride and suck down carb rich drinks...yuk. Things have evolved. Now it is encouraged to consume proteins as well to help repair tissue damage quickly. The use of things like Muscle Milk fit that bill. Keeping a steady base line of incoming antioxidants also helps. FRS is my favorite for that need. Before we leave the subject of carbs - The notion of "carbo loading" pretty much died in the mid 90s. However, when I race with my buddies in Italy, they still swear it works. Of course they do...they're Italian!! There is also a new use of "quick carbs" in the form of GU, Power Gel, etc. Even if you're on the edge of a nasty bonk, you can usually suck down a 100 calorie GU pack every 20 minutes and survive even 100 mile road races...I have. Those GU packs are glycogen rocket fuel....quick burn.
As for the balance of the three macro-fuels, fat usually gets allocated 10% of daily intake by most riders. Avocado, olive oil, fat in the proper fish, peanut butter, etc. For me, like most riders, sometimes my carb intake can reach 65% or more as those back to back big miles really suck the glycogen stores bone dry. That's assuming there hasn't been much in the way of super-lactate intensity. The more super-lactate intensity you endure, the more likely you'll need to up the protein levels. So, on back to back days of killer intensity, like during stage races or big ugly training weeks, I up my protein level to maybe 50%. Okay....when off season rolls around, that's the time to really up the protein as a measure of not blowing up like a swollen tick. I can gain pounds quick so moving to 60% protein, 30% carbs and 10% fat helps.
The key is somewhat knowing when you're in aerobic zones and when you've crossed over your lactate threshold and are now doing serious tissue damage. Cyclocross races are 100% super lactate. Base miles are boring and 100% aerobic...carb eaters.
For cycling, this is all pretty much universal. This is the absolute core of cycing nutrition whether you're a Cat 5 beginner or Jan Ullrich, minus the dope. Honestly, I've never heard of cyclist doing much different. One of the coolest things about this...Fausto Coppi was eating this way IN THE 1950s!!!!! Smart dude.
