Fueling your Ride

What we decide to eat pre, during and post-exercise/race is crucial in our overall performance. Each stage plays a significant role in our future performance and recovery.
The importance of choosing the right fuel for your ride...
  • Do you want to have more energy before, during and after training?
  • Ever bonked on a ride and wondered why?
  • Want to know the importance of carbohydrates, protein and fat for endurance training?
  • Why is it important to replenish electrolytes and how do you do that?
  • How does weather affect you when it comes to fuel and hydration?
  • How much should you hydrate and what type of drink to choose?
  • Do you want to learn what foods are healthy to eat and some simple substitutions?
  • Have you ever found yourself confused about what and when to eat and why it is important?
  • What about if we told you that there is a time and a place for eating butter tarts? We bet we just got your attention!
These are only some of the many frequently asked questions surrounding nutrition and endurance training.


Pre Ride

What we choose to eat prior to training or racing maximizes our endurance potential by “topping off” liver glycogen stores.  This improves performance and increases the amount of time you can exercise before fatigue sets in. Being sure to eat foods that are easily digestible and not heavy on fat or calories is crucial. Equally important is the timing of your meal or snack and this will vary depending on the time of your training or race. 

During the Ride

Fueling while training will improve performance by maintaining blood glucose levels and carbohydrate oxidation. It is important to choose carbohydrates with the highest possible rate of conversion to blood glucose as it will help spare glycogen stores by immediately providing blood sugar for your muscles and brain to use. Experimenting with different types of carbohydrates during your training period is essential in order to choose what works best for you. Hmmmmm….can we say time for a buttertart? I think so!

Post Ride

Refueling after a workout is extremely important. This is the optimal time to replace glycogen stores in order to prepare you for your next training session. Research has shown that there is in fact a window after training or racing where the body is most able to 'uptake' and replace glycogen stores which in turn accelerate the recovery process. It is also important to know that refuelling with protein, fat, vitamins and minerals is equally as necessary. Proteins are the building blocks of the body. Vitamins and minerals help to unlock the energy stored in food so your body can use it as fuel. Fat aids in the absorption of vitamins and phytochemicals and provides padding and protection to our vital organs among other things. These are just a few examples of the importance of macro and micronutrients. Knowing when to refuel and with what foods is crucial and essential at this stage.