Two more sleeps until the race.
The miles are logged, the hills have been climbed, and (with complete elation) the speed work is over. So now, with race package in hand, it’s just the waiting game until the start line.
Speaking of the start lines, I feel like I know my way around the start line of a running race. It’s fairly seamless; sure, there’s some elbow knocking and arm brushing, definitely some jostling, and usually someone wearing a costume, but for the most part, it’s an easily navigated experience because everyone is firmly planted on their feet, no one is clipped into anything, and there are no wheels or frames involved. Assembling at the start line of something involving a bunch of people, balancing a bike, and attempting to roll forward in the same direction is rather worrisome to me. I keep thinking about the “accordion effect” that Allan mentioned last week, but instead of it being an accordion, it’s dominoes. And as soon as one person starts to take off and starts to wobble, it’s game over – we’re all splayed on the ground and I’m again haunted by flashbacks of my sister’s knee-through-the-spoke incident.
Having floated my distrust of bikes and starting lines around to a few people, I’ve come to the realization that likely, I’m overthinking it and a better used of my anxiety would be to focus on things like my pre-ride meal, getting my bike ready, deciding what to wear, figuring out my water intake so I stay hydrated throughout the ride. Things like this. And so, as has been par for the course throughout my 60km training program, I’ve called on Allan Prazsky, MEC Envoy, Certified Road Coach, and Executive Director of Triathlon BC, to walk me through my pre-ride jitters.
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Here’s how I envision it: it’s Saturday night, I’m at home, and I’m putting off getting ready for tomorrow’s ride because I’m not even really sure where to begin. Can you walk me through what I need to do from now until the start line to prep for the ride so it doesn’t seem so daunting?
“Inevitably, pre-race jitters will leave you with a scattered, forgetful mind,” warns Allan. “Best practice sees preparation—including everything from the bike, to clothing and food, to morning-of transportation—taking place the night before a big event. Take your time and create a methodical approach to preparation, laying out everything you need, starting from the bottom and ending at the top:
- Cycling shoes, favourite socks
- Knees and leg warmers
- Shorts, jersey, lucky underwear
- Sunglasses, helmet, gloves
- Sunscreen
- Energy drink, water, chews, etc.
I like that idea – as though I could launch myself out of bed on June 23 and, while still on sleep-induced autopilot, be dressed and out the door in 15 minutes. To ensure I don’t leave the house without my ride, I’m guessing I apply the same systematic approach to my bike? “For sure, once you have your wardrobe ready, move onto your bike, checking the following:
- Tires – are they pumped
- Chain – is it clean and lubed
- Nuts and bolts – is everything tight
OK, so now that I can cross my kit and my bike off the to-do list, let’s talk out food. What do you eat before a 60km ride? Is it time for a visit to the Spaghetti Factory?
“Proper fueling is key to success in any sport, regardless of skill level. Because cycling is primarily an endurance sport, nutrition and hydration are essential, before, during and after an event,” explains Allan. “Sixty kilometres is a modest distance. If you have a nutritionally sound diet, carb-loading (likely) won’t be required.”
I can’t say I’m not a little disappointed by this news—they give away free bread, for Pete’s sake!—I guess I’ll stick to the night-before meal suggestions John gave me a few weeks ago. What about the day of? Are there things I should be particularly mindful of?
“Here are some general before, during and after nutrition guidelines to get you through your race day but remember: race day is not the day to experiment. Eat what you know works for you.”
Before Exercise
Overarching tip: Eat something.
- Individual tolerances are important in terms of timing and meal composition, but generally speaking, eat a light, balanced meal about 90 minutes to 2 hours prior to cycling.
- Meals should be carb-rich—to restore liver glycogen that’s depleted by an overnight fast—and relatively low in fat and fibre—to speed stomach-emptying and not irritate nervous guts).
- Some may prefer liquid meals such as meal replacements, shakes or gels.
During Exercise
Overarching Tip: Start hydrating and eating during the first hour of the race. If you get into a hydration deficit, you won’t recover.
- Maintaining hydration is crucial, especially in the heat. As dehydration increases, so does heart rate, core temperature, rate of perceived exertion, ultimately zapping performance.
- Also crucial – energy levels. Consuming on-bike calories will prolong performance at any given intensity. Recommendations are at least 0.6g carbohydrate/per kilogram of body weight/per hour.
- Solids, liquids and gels all work equally well, as does ‘real food.’ Read labels and find what works for you. Ideas could include peanut butter sandwiches, fig bars and baby food.
After Exercise
Overarching Tip: Immediate recovery—within the first ½ hour (but 15 minutes is better)—is important.
- During that 15 – 30 minute, post-exercise window, take in at least 0.6g carbohydrate/per kilogram of body weight/per hour until you’re able to eat a full meal.
- Including protein in the post-event intake is not crucial.
- Drink water, and lots of it.
- Salty snacks or foods will help restore hydration.
Done, I have a bag of pretzels ready to go, post-ride.
Eating and Drinking
As someone who has always struggled with the pre-race eating and “hydrating-during-the-race” side of my athletic performance, what would you say is the biggest benefit to being properly fueled for, and during, a long ride?
“Sustained mental and physical performance,” Allan says without hesitation. “With adequate nutrition, you’ll power over the last hill and have the mental ability to avoid any potential distractions and have an all-star performance.”
And so now you know I need to ask: what is worst-case-scenario of not being properly fueled for the ride? “Yikes, worst case? I would say abysmal performance, zero power output and significant cramping.” Ugh, that sounds terrible. “Exactly. You don’t want to see a DNF (Did Not Finish) beside your name.”
No, I definitely don’t. Not after putting 8 weeks’ worth of training into Sunday’s ride. But what is it about staying hydrated that makes it so imperative to performance?
“Fluids are probably the most neglected aspect of an athlete’s diet. If fluid intake isn’t sufficient, physical performance plummets,” says Allan. “Science has shown that fluid loss of as little as 2-3% of body weight significantly impairs performance. Fluid losses of 7-10% may lead to heat stroke. Or worse.”
So what do those percentages look like on a real person? “For a 150lb athlete, a 2-3% fluid loss results in about 3- 4.5lbs of body weight. Cyclists riding for more than 90 minutes can lose up to 6lbs of body weight, making proper hydration vital. Bottom line: put together a hydration plan and stick to it.”
Let’s Get This Started
Let’s break down the actual event site. I have my bike and kit, I am properly fed and watered, I have applied my sunscreen and donned my heart rate monitor. Now what? Should I do a pre-ride warm-up?
“Warm up routines are quite specific to the individual; however, generally speaking, athletes should arrive at an event with ‘warm’ legs or as close to the start time as possible. In a 60km ride, you might include a 15-minute ride, gradually building intensity, doing a series of short, higher intensity bursts, using high leg speed.”
I then let Allan in on my fear of the domino fall-over. And, in a nutshell, he mocks the fear and lets me know it is very much not a regular start line occurrence. It’s looking like I need to put that one to bed. So, minus the falling, what are some things should I be keeping in mind when assembling at a start line with a bike?
“The finishers of a 60km event aren’t determined in the first 2km. Seed yourself in the pack; if you start further back, great! You’ll have that many more people to pass throughout your ride. Basically, unless you’re out to win, don’t fret about starting positions. Once the gun goes off, there’s no panic. Take your time, clip into your pedals, and roll away, drama free. Think of it as just another day on the bike – you’ve done this hundreds of times in the past.”
It’s Time To Ride
So once I’m out and riding, what role will adrenaline play in all of this? Does it serve as a form of “fuel” for a lot of the ride?
“Adrenaline is a peculiar animal. Some riders thrive under adrenaline, becoming more confident in their ability, while others suffer from adverse effects like gastrointestinal distress and nervousness. I suspect those that thrive in a competitive environment are seasoned athletes, and recognize and embrace the adrenaline jolt associated with competition.”
Speaking of competition, at most I’m used to riding with a pack of 5 or 6 so and I’m a liiiittle worried that my competitive spirit is going to take over and ramp me up to a speed that is way faster than I should really be going. Do you have any advice on how to avoid setting yourself up for failure?
“Depending on the event and the equipment available to each rider, pacing can done through monitoring power (watts), heart rate (bpm), or through perceived exertion (RPE). Everybody wants to finish an event. Some may have loftier speed or time goals than others, but the first order of business is to align your pacing goals with your current level of fitness,” explains Allan. “Sure, it might be possible to hold 40km/h over a given duration, but do you have the fitness to do that? More importantly, have you done it in your training rides? Push yourself on game day, but keep the pace realistic to a level that you can keep from start to finish. Use your heart rate, power or RPE as a speedometer, and aim to go faster in the second half of the event than the first half (also known as a ‘negative split’).”
Any closing words of inspiration to get through tough stretches of the ride? “I am a firm believer in the power of the mind. Sports psychology has proven that positive self-talk is incredibly important in tough times,” says Allan. “Whatever is not going right in a particular moment is, quite likely, going to go away eventually. Self-doubt, the pace is too fast, the road is too bumpy, I suck at hills – send all of these thoughts packing immediately. Feel free to revisit the ride once it’s finished, but when you’re in the saddle and on the bike, it’s all positive, all the time.”
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And on that particularly cheery note, I’m looking riding alongside all of you at the ride on Sunday, June 23.
With wishes for a safe and happy ride …
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