The commonness and appearance of stomach issues while competing in endurance sport is a problematic one. It can easily turn an enjoyable brick session into an unpleasant one or put you in a sticky situation in your race. But there is light at the end of the tunnel!!

If we can understand the principles of how much and how often we can take on carbohydrate as well as the variables that can affect gastro-intestinal discomfort (GID), we can easily solve these issues.

Why?

Understanding the “why” for needing to take on carbohydrate is possibly the most important pillar the in foundation of whether you feel you “should” or “should not” eat.

Here we can easily see that by taking on carbohydrate one is able to maintain blood glucose levels and keep performing exercise for another hour over that of a non-carbohydrate placebo. The maintenance of blood glucose is what enables us to keep the intensity of exercise going especially past the 2-hour point.

So, if you’re going to be racing for while or out riding for longer than 2 hours then you eating on the bike is incredibly important and influential on your ability to perform and should be considered.

How Much?

Knowing how much we can take on board during a race or per hour will be one of the most enlightening bits of information we can get.

The amount we take on during activity is dictated by three main things;

1. Maximal Absorption rates
2. Intensity of exercise
3. Duration of exercise

Item No. 1 – comes first as it dictates the rest. There is a fixed amount of glucose and fructose we can absorb per and anything over this will start to wreak havoc for your stomach.

• Glucose – 1g/per min or 60g/per hour
• Fructose – 0.5g/per min or 30g/per hour

Individually the amount you can take of each is shown but they both use multiple transporters or trains if you will, to pass through the intestine wall, meaning we can combine the two and have up to 90g/ per hour.

Item No. 2 – The intensity of exercise determines two things; the first is the higher intensity the higher requirement for carbohydrate to be able to maintain performance output. This is because stored carbohydrate in the form of muscle glycogen is used at a faster rate. So we require a higher intake of carbohydrate to maintain blood glucose (60-90g/per hour). BUT it should be noted the higher the intensity the less blood flows to the stomach potentially increasing GID this is trainable though and

And finally, No. 3 – Duration also plays a big role with the requirement for carbohydrate being less so when exercise lasts less than an hour (like a crit race) but if looking at an Ironman ranging between the elite at 8/9 hours and the amateur at possibly around 16 hours then eating become massively more important.

How Often?

I personally performed research into the frequency of carbohydrate between one big feed and 3 smaller feeds but overall performance was equivocal– some participants performed better or the same with no detriment. But we did see the trend of lower heart rate and rate of perceived exertion.

Off the back of this smaller feedings of 20g every 20minutes or 30g every 30minutes would be both convenient/manageable frequency to hit your target amounts

Variables you possibly hadn’t considered

Other factors that influence stomach issues are listed here and aren’t within the scope of this piece to elaborate on, so I will leave you with these until next time.

• Heat
• Hydration status
• Fibre intake
• Dairy intake
• Fat intake

It’s exciting stuff when you can read about awesome foods that can help you perform better and become more epic! Tart cherry juice- notably the Montmorency variety has had a growing number of studies devoted to it and I’m going to tell you how!

But how can it really help us!? Well it’s been shown to be most effective in two main areas; Recovery and Sleep. Tart cherry juice is high in polyphenols, in particular flavonoids and anthocyanins, which have high anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are high in melatonin.

Recovery –It’s been found that taking tart cherry juice will actually improve muscle force production and reduce muscle soreness post exercise compared with not taking it.

How to take for Recovery – Take 30ml concentrate mixed with water within 30mins after exercise.

Get inventive and take it with you post workout shake blending it with some frozen bananas and berries and some whey protein to ultimately boost your recovery!

Sleep – Due to the high amount of melatonin found in tart cherry juice it’s easy to see why it aids sleep as melatonin is critical to the cycles of deep sleep and studies have found that there were significant increases in time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency with cherry juice supplementation.

How to take for improved sleep – Take 30ml concentrate with 250ml water 30mins before sleep

Where do I get it from? Healthspan Elite are the official suppliers of Team Sky, with batch tested products and their cherry juice concentrate is just what it says on the tin, 100% cherries.

Where it really shines! – Personally I think these cherries really shine when you’re doing a sportive or event that takes place over multiple days or after a really intense training session and recovery for the next day is paramount!

If you’re doing a multi-day event, I would recommend taking 30ml x2 a day for 4 days’ pre-event and on each of the race days following would be the most beneficial.

I wouldn’t take it just normally though as it may blunt mitochondrial adaption which is the foundation of improving your aerobic capacity

Knowing what foods are great and how to make them taste absolutely epic is so important in helping you improve and get stronger and faster.

Salmon is one of the most AWESOME foods out there that is really going to help make a difference in your diet. There is a lot you probably already know about salmon like how it’s high in protein which has a profound influence on being able to stimulate the creation of new muscle fibres. It also aids recovery, prevents the loss of lean tissue and helps you feel fuller for longer so you’re not reaching out for a few cheeky biscuits while at the office!

But there is more too about salmon, for example it is high in omega-3 essential fatty acids. Now omega 3’s gets shouted out quite a lot for being “good for you” but what exactly are they good for and how are they going to help you?

You have the things we already know like, reducing cardiovascular disease, improving insulin sensitivity (great news for type II diabetics) and improving cognitive (brain) development-oh and they’re anti-inflammatory.

But what is even more relevant to us is that recent studies have shown that having Omega-3s with adequate amino acid intake increases muscle protein synthesis or the creation of new muscle! Which is great news to help aid you in recovery and building lean tissue. Try to have it at least 3 a week.

Here is an EPIC recipe you need to try to help get that salmon in your diet and wow your friends at dinner;

Sweet Soy Sauce Salmon

Ingredients;

• Salmon
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• 1tsp grated fresh ginger
• Small handful fresh coriander
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• Pinch of salt & pepper

CHOP finely coriander and garlic

COMBINE all ingredients in a bowl

DUNK salmon fillets in

FRY skin side down on a medium heat for around 4 mins

FLIP and fry top for about 3mins or till fully cooked

BASTE with remaining sauce as you cook

SERVE

Ahh dark chocolate! Luxuriously tasty and surprisingly good for you! And believe it or not, it is!

There are two great effects that you can make use of to help you with your performance or recovery!

Dark chocolate is high in Flavanols which has been shown to increase the amount of available nitric oxide in the body.

What does this mean?

Increases in nitric oxide can help reduce oxygen demands on the body. Research shows that cyclists consuming 40g dark chocolate a day for 14 days used less oxygen when cycling at a moderate pace and also covered more distance in a two-minute flat-out time trial! EPIC news!

If you have a race or event coming up this may be worth considering, plus who doesn’t enjoy a cheeky bit of chocolate!

What else is Dark chocolate great for?

Dark chocolate is also high in anti-oxidants, which are a great anti-inflammatory tool to help aid in recovery! Perfect to have after a race or event and especially if it’s one that’s over a few days.

It is probably not best to eat it after normal training though as taking lots of anti-oxidants (including things like vitamin C) can reduce the adaptions you gain from that session.

A great and tasty way to incorporate dark chocolate into your diet would be to make these EPIC truffles -a recipe I’ve created just for you:

Ingredients;

• 75g – 70% or higher dark chocolate
• 100g Yoghurt – Full fat or low fat
• 35g whey (flavoured or unflavoured)
• Coating of your choice – Cocoa, desiccated coconut, ground flaxseed etc.

*I recommend Green & Blacks chocolate and Fage Total yogurt*

MELT Chocolate

MIX all ingredients together

LEAVE to set in the fridge

TAKE out and shape into balls

ROLL in coating

DONE

If made into 10 cheesecake truffles (per truffle)

• 67kcal
• 1g Carb
• 5g Protein
• 2g Fat

*used full fat yogurt here

Coffee- that early morning pre-ride java! Coffee is obviously and most notably full of caffeine, one of the most proven performance enhancing aids that is easily bought and consumed

It’s been shown to increase performance in endurance, peak power output, time to exhaustion by up to 7%, it’s muscle glycogen (stored carbohydrate) sparing AND caffeine post training when taken together with carbohydrate further improves the speed at which you replenish those emptied stores, which can be hugely important when training twice a day or if doing an event over several days

How much?

To really feel like you’re flying taking at least 3-6mg per kg bodyweight is recommended with no additional performance enhancement effects over 6mg

When to take it?

Taking your caffeine hit 60 minutes’ prior will ensure optimal absorption but 15-30 minutes has been shown to be just as effective – ultimately think when you want it kicking in – is it from the get go or a little way in?

Taking an additional intake mid-way has been noted to improve subsequent performance If you’re doing a prolonged ride.

Myth Bust – Caffeine doesn’t increase dehydration, though it is a diuretic and the frequency of going to the toilet should be noted, several studies have failed to show any change in sweat rate, total water loss, or negative change in fluid balance that would adversely affect performance, even under conditions of heat stress.

Buying out?

A typical espresso contains 75-80mg of caffeine

Americano –

Small – 2 espresso shots

Medium – 3 espresso shots

Large – 4 espresso shots

For a great pre-ride all in one try this;

Morning Mocha Smoothie

• 1 large frozen banana ~126g
• 40g whey
• 300ml Coffee
• 15g peanut butter
• 1 tbsp cocoa

BLEND

ENJOY

Not up for a coffee? Caffeine tablets and even chewing gum are available now! Having tried both I can say “I’m a fan”- I’m not always in the mood to have a big drink so these work perfectly!

Will Girling – Head nutritionist at ONE Pro Cycling and www.willgirling.com

You might have heard talk that beetroot enhances performance but maybe what isn’t talked about as much is exactly how much you need to eat and how often you ought to eat it to make a difference. Is it “a beet a day helps the pedals fly?”

Not exactly… to really get the most out of beetroot you would find it hard to get the required amount of nitrate needed to get those boosts you’re searching for just by eating normal portions even on a regular basis.

What is nitrate though and how does it help us?

Nitrate consumption helps to reduce the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise so in turn helps to increase time to trial speed and time to exhaustion. Nitrate consumption has seen around a 2.8% improvement in time to completion which can be the difference between first and second.

How much do you need?

800ml of standard beetroot juice would be needed to get the performance enhancing effects which is quite a considerable amount to neck!

Luckily Beetroot concentrate is now available and sold in 70ml shots. You only need to take 140ml to achieve the desired outcome, though this does depend on other factors.

When to take it?

This ultimately depends how well trained an individual you are. If you’re highly trained and compete a lot then I would recommend doing a loading phase of 4 days with 2 x 140ml a day (4 shots total)

Or if you’re not as highly trained taking on board 140ml (2 shots) 2.5 hrs pre event should suffice. This is mainly because there seems to be a suggestion that trained individuals require more nitrate to see a benefit.

Some new studies also suggest that having beetroot post can help recovery too.

Emma Stevenson PhD says “We have conducted a series of recent studies looking at the role of beetroot juice in facilitating recovery following intense exercise. The studies have shown that consuming beetroot juice for three days after a hard bout of exercise can enhance recovery. Participants have reported reduced muscle soreness and in many cases, a faster recovery in muscle power”

Really useful to know if you’re doing a race/event lasting several days and when recovery is key!

It’s been a year and a half now since I bought my “Giant TCX 3” to train and tour Spain and France. Now I’ve really been able to see what it can do I thought I’d give it a review, so you can make a more informed decision on buying this bike or maybe inspire you to get one like it!!

“Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world.” ~ Grant Petersen

Now, Autumn is actually the PERFECT time to go looking for a bike whether you need a new one, or just want to get started! This is down to the fact that all of the next season’s (2015) bikes will be coming in at the new year, so you can get yourself a nice 2014 one at a cheaper and more affordable price without losing out on quality!!

When picking any bike you obviously need to think about what you’re going to be using it for!! Do you want to commute? Leisure ride, tour, race etc…? The options are endless!

The Giant TCX series is a great on-road bike but first and foremost it’s a “cyclo-cross” bike. This is the oldest form of off-road cycling where people cycle across muddy fields and parks but then often have to carry the bike up steep slopes or hop over obstacles so it’s super-light too! Now, I’m not suggesting this is what you’re doing but this shows the versatility of the bike!

There’s more clearance between its frame and wheels which means mud isn’t an issue, and the fact it comes with threaded eyelets to fit mudguards and pannier racks means making the transition from off-road racer to, say, commuter or even tourer that much easier! This bike can pretty much GO ANYWHERE!

“The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine.” ~ John Howard

There are other useful things too! Cyclo-cross bikes’ cassettes also have a wider range so you can get lower gears to make hill ascents that bit easier.

The cyclo-cross bike’s riding position is slightly more upright than a racer, making casual road riding a lot more comfortable. The bike has higher ground clearance which is great when going over fields or dirt tracks but with starts and stops it means you have a little further to go to reach the floor.

This bike in particular, the “TCX 3” is Giant’s introductory bike to this range and provides a great workhorse bike and the Tektro CR720 cantilevers (brakes) provide more leverage and thus better braking than most other cantilever brakes for bikes.

Final Thoughts! I would recommend this bike for a first-time, affordable purchase, commuter or possibly even a winter training bike for more seasoned cyclists, especially given you’re now able to pick one up on eBay for only about £300!

So maybe think about getting a bike, having some adventure, being your own engine, burning some energy and earning an epic meal!! There ain’t no burnin’ without some earnin’!!

Will, that guy who rides in short-shorts!

Get primal, be happy.