WHAT TO EAT BEFORE A BIG RIDE?

Preparation is everything if you want to nail a long day in the saddle and your nutrition preparation is as important as pumping up your tyres and packing spare tubes. For any ride or race that lasts longer than 90 minutes, starting your ride hydrated and with optimally fuelled muscles is the simplest thing you can do to perform at your best. Not sure what to prepare exactly? Let’s take a ride…

FIRST THINGS FIRST…

Before you start even thinking about your pre-ride nutrition, it’s important to make sure you are eating a nutrient-rich diet every day. Choose a variety of foods from the five food groups (fruit, veg, wholegrains, lean meats/ proteins and dairy) and try to minimise the “extras” (alcohol, sweets and savoury snacks like chips or pastries). Think about making every mouthful count so you are getting the nutrients your body needs every day, in particular the carbs and protein you need to support your training and racing. Carbohydrate is your body’s main source of fuel for training, so make sure you are eating foods containing carbs throughout the day. Eating enough carbohydrate is especially important around training sessions or if you are ramping up the volume of your training. If you’re a weekend warrior, your requirements