I have recently been having problems with hydration and nutrition on the bike. The combination of the weather and trying to put more miles has really taken a toll on me. It doesn’t help that I live in south Florida, and working out during the summer is just painful.
Starting to bike earlier in the day seemed to help a little, but that was not a solution. While doing some research I found this article on hydration and nutrition. It is a presentation by Heather Schwartz from Stanford Hospital and Clinics presented by the University of California. It takes an in depth look at the nutrition needs for avid cyclists.
Overall there are several factors that will help keep you hydrated, and recover faster.
- Knowing what type of fuids work better for you.
- pre-ride nutrition and hydration
- hydration in the saddle
- post ride recovery
One of the most important tools I found was trying to figure out my sweat rate. By knowing how much weight I lost during the ride, looking at the fluids consumed during the ride I found how much I should be drinking during the ride. Of course this is just a base since these variables change according to temperature, elevation and excertion. Using this calculator makes the job easier to get a starting point.