| The body's main store of energy is called Glycogen | | | | stop. The second sign is that lactic acid will build up in |
| (Pronounced gly-ko-gen), Glycogen consists of lots of | | | | your legs, even if you aren't pushing yourself very hard. |
| glucose molecules joined together to form a chain. | | | | If you know how fast you usually cycle down a |
| Stocking up your glycogen stores is crucial for your | | | | particular section of your route, and you notice your |
| road bike training. | | | | legs are burning trying to keep up that speed, you are |
| When you eat carbohydrates, your body stores them | | | | more than likely going to hit the wall. |
| as glycogen. There are two types of Carbohydrates, | | | | The third sign is hunger, you should not be hungry at |
| simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are | | | | any point during your ride (remember the golden rule, |
| individual glucose molecules, and are metabolised | | | | eat before you are hungry, drink before you are |
| quickly. That is why cyclists eat a mars bar or | | | | thirsty). |
| something else sugary when they feel like they will hit | | | | The final sign is severe fatigue, you will feel weak, |
| the wall, it gives you a quick spike of energy to keep | | | | hungry, your legs will be screaming at you, and you will |
| you going that little bit longer. | | | | struggle just to hold 15mph on the flat. This really isn't |
| If all you ate was mars bars before a long ride or road | | | | pleasant, and you want to avoid it at all costs. If you |
| bike training session, you would run out of energy | | | | are cycling in a group, don't be embarrassed to tell |
| quickly, since the glucose will be burned off quickly. | | | | someone you are running out of energy. If the people |
| You could keep going if you ate a continuous supply of | | | | in your group put you down, or make you feel stupid |
| mars bars during the ride (but you would need the will | | | | for running out of energy, you should really find another |
| power to eat 40 mars bars! I did that in one weekend | | | | group to train with. |
| once, but that's another story!). | | | | After your ride, or road bike training session, you need |
| Before a long ride, or hard road bike training session, | | | | to eat plenty of complex carbohydrates to refill your |
| you need to eat complex carbohydrates, such as | | | | glycogen stores. You will also need to eat a fair |
| pasta and potatoes. Complex carbohydrates are | | | | amount of protein to help your muscles rebuild and |
| metabolised slower by your body, since the enzymes | | | | recover. |
| need to break the bonds between the glucose | | | | To figure out how much carbohydrates you should |
| molecules. Since the complex carbohydrates are | | | | consume, you need to know how many calories you |
| metabolised slower, you have a continuous supply on | | | | expect to burn on the ride and your body weight in kg. |
| energy available. Eating lots of carbohydrates leading | | | | The number of grams of carbohydrates your body |
| up to an event is known as carbo-loading. | | | | can store is 15g per kg of body weight. I weigh 62kg, |
| During a ride you need to eat both simple and complex | | | | so my body has a capacity of 930g. Each gram of |
| carbohydrates. Cereal and energy bars are perfect | | | | carbohydrate releases 4 calories, so my body can |
| for this, preferably ones with lots of oats, fruit and nuts | | | | store 3720 calories. |
| in them. Someone in my club used to keep some | | | | Say I knew I was going to burn 5000 calories (roughly |
| boiled potatoes in their jersey pocket! (Whatever | | | | a Century ride), and I had loaded my body with |
| works for you is fine!) | | | | carbohydrates, I would still be 1280 calories short, which |
| If you don't eat during a ride, or road bike training | | | | is 320g of carbohydrates. If I consumed 50g in the |
| session, your glycogen stores will eventually run out, | | | | morning, I would still need to carry 270g of |
| and you will hit the wall/bonk/knock (There are so | | | | carbohydrates, or about 10 energy bars. |
| many different terms for this). If you have had this | | | | Here are two formulae to simplify the above: |
| happen to you before, you will know it's a very | | | | Grams of carbohydrates you should consume on your |
| unpleasant experience. If you are in a race and this | | | | carbo-loading days = Body Weight in KG * 15 |
| happens, you're done, you will more than likely have to | | | | Grams of carbohydrates you should bring on your ride |
| drop out, and have a slow, uncomfortable journey | | | | = (number of calories you will burn / 4) - (Grams |
| home. | | | | consumed on carbo-loading days) - (Grams consumed |
| The first sign that your glycogen stores are running | | | | for breakfast) |
| low is that you will start to get shaky. However, if you | | | | There is more information about road bike training on |
| are on the bike, you probably wont notice unless you | | | | my lens and hub page. |