Top Tips Make sure you start your ride fully hydrated. If you are setting off in the morning, try and have at least 500 ml of fluid from waking to the start. Drink so that your urine is straw coloured. Your body will always try to keep the levels of sugars and salts in your cellular fluid balanced. Just drinking water stimulates your kidneys to produce more urine to keep the concentrations of sugars and salts the same. This means it takes longer for you to rehydrate properly. Using an electrolyte drink such as GO Hydro helps with fluid retention as it provides the optimal dose of sodium, at a concentration of 300 mg per 500 ml of fluid. Isotonic fluids are balanced with carbohydrates and electrolytes to enhance water delivery during exercise. Use GO Electrolyte for sessions longer than 90 minutes in duration. Keep your beverages cooler by storing them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before you set off. Just make sure you don’t allow them to freeze! Drink 500-1000 ml per hour. How much you need depends on your sweat rate and how hard you are working. You’re going to have to refill your bottles after the first 90 minutes to two hours. Try and carry some sachets of GO Electrolyte or GO Hydro in your back pocket to avoid having to just buy water or glucose-based drinks whilst you’re out. If you are racing or training abroad, try and arrive at least 3 days early to give yourself time to acclimatise. Don’t get frustrated and push yourself too hard if you cannot match your normal pace or power output in the heat. This is a normal physiological response to heat stress. You will find that your heart rate will be higher at a given work rate in hotter conditions. Make sure you cover up to stop you from burning your skin. A collared jersey with short sleeves protects the back of your neck and your shoulders. Use suncream on your most exposed areas in particular. Your nose, tops of ears, forearms, and tops of legs all catch the sun easily on your bike. Use a good quality, high factor “once a day” suncream to protect you whilst you’re out all day. Written By Ted Munson (Performance Nutritionist) Ted is a Performance Nutritionist here at Science in Sport.
