Giro d’Italia winners, amateur cyclists seeking warmer climes and the sportive conqueror all share one major thing: recovery. Without proper recovery, you don’t give your muscles adequate opportunity to rebuild and any benefit gained from those hours in the saddle will be lost. Furthermore, the effect of poor recovery may not just be felt the next day, but the days after it also, ruining your chances of holding your GC position, summiting tomorrow’s Majorcan mountain or even making it up the stairs without groaning in the workplace. Below, are a few tips to prevent these dreaded scenarios.
It’s never too early to think about recovery
Your recovery starts in the saddle where you should do you best to avoid dehydration and hunger. The symptoms can take a while to appear, but can really hamper your recovery as the body needs nutrients and water to repair muscle damage and glycogen deficit following a ride. SIS hydro tablets dissolved in water will keep you hydrated and replace the electrolytes the body loses through sweat. The Coca-Cola flavoured SiS tablets contain caffeine, so provides an energy boost as well.
Science in Sport Hydro Tablets (Coca-Cola and Caffeine)
Feed your fuel tank
They say that if you leave it until you are hungry to eat on the bike, then you’ve left it too late, so it’s important to top up on food. Think of your body like an engine; it needs fuel to keep going, and woe betide you should let it run to empty. Energy bars provide slow burning carbohydrate which not only top up your fuel tank, but prevent the onset of a post-ride hunger crash which can dramatically affect recovery.
Put your feet up
The 30 minutes following your ride are vital for maximising recovery. This is the period when the muscles are warm and your heart is still beating at a higher rate allowing for maximum circulation of carbohydrate and protein through the body. Within this window, there is not necessarily the time to cook a protein and carbohydrate rich meal, so you can either prepare the food in advance or take a recovery drink on board. These powders dissolved in water or milk contain a protein and carbohydrate mix that tastes nice and goes down easily, which is exactly what you need after a hard ride. With the shake fuelling your recovery, you can take it one step further by lying down and raising your legs above the level of your heart to aid the circulation in your muscles. Another way to maximise recovery off the bike is a massage. Now, we can’t all afford the services of a massage therapist, but a great alternative is a foam roller which will stimulate blood flow and begin to iron out any niggles after your effort.
Whether you’re gunning to win a Grand Tour, reach the next Majorcan summit, or simply ascend the office stairs, remember to stay hydrated and fed during and after your ride. Keep in mind the timing of your eating and try to set aside some time to look after your legs. All these steps will take you one step closer to achieving your goals.
