Endurance athletes rely on carbohydrates for peak performance. To achieve speed, ensuring your body has sufficient sugar is crucial. This involves consuming 60-90 grams of carbs per hour while cycling. Whether you have a demanding training session or event, these carbohydrate tips can enhance your performance.

For more insights on carbs and cycling, check out Ask A Cycling Coach Ep 244

The Role of Carbohydrates and Glucose

Glucose is fundamental for endurance performance as it is utilized by the mitochondria to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy source for cycling. All forms of carbohydrates you consume are eventually converted into glucose and released into the blood. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver when not immediately required by the body.

By training, you can increase the storage capacity of glycogen in your muscles. This stored glycogen is converted back into glucose as needed to fuel your physical exertion. Managing these energy stores effectively is crucial for optimal endurance performance, emphasizing the importance of the quantity and timing of your carbohydrate intake.

Utilization of Carbohydrates

The amount of glucose utilized depends on the intensity of your cycling session. Higher intensity activities rely more on glucose for quick energy. It becomes increasingly important to consume sufficient carbs per hour for longer rides.

During exercise, glycogen synthesis is minimal, indicating that the priority is immediate fuel for working muscles rather than energy storage. The rate of carb absorption and storage as glycogen varies based on depletion levels, activity intensity, and the type of carbs consumed.

Carbohydrate Intake Before Your Ride

Prior to your workout or event, consuming carbs is essential for optimal performance. Ensuring adequate glycogen levels in the liver and muscles is crucial for the upcoming physical efforts. Eating regular meals well in advance can help fully replenish glycogen stores.

In addition to fueling your ride, consuming carbs in advance offers multiple benefits, including reduced risk of gastrointestinal distress and the opportunity to emphasize nutritional content like minerals and vitamins. Carb loading can also be beneficial for significant training sessions or events.

Carb Absorption Timing: Carb absorption before your ride depends on glycogen levels, ingestion speed, and carb type, with lower glycogen levels leading to faster absorption.

Recommended Meal: Consuming complex carbohydrates 3-4 hours pre-event aids in sustained energy release. Adjust the timing based on the carb complexity. This timeframe allows for effective digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate Consumption During Your Ride

Consuming carbs during your ride fuels your working muscles. Opt for simple carbohydrates for quick energy release and absorption.

Carb Absorption Timing: During the ride, absorption speed depends on exercise intensity. Simple sugars like glucose and fructose are absorbed within 15-20 minutes.

Determining Carbs Intake per Hour of Cycling

Glucose and fructose follow different metabolic pathways in the body. Finding the ideal carb intake per hour for cycling involves striking a balance between these two sugars. Initially, aiming for 60-90 grams per hour with a 2:1 glucose to fructose ratio has been recommended, but recent studies suggest higher absorption rates using a 1:1 ratio.

Strategies for Meeting Carbohydrate Goals per Hour

Starting with 60-90 grams of carbs per hour is a common approach due to good tolerance levels among many athletes. Gradually increasing intake is advised. Here are three ways to achieve the recommended carb intake:

• One bottle of high-carb drink mix (e.g., SiS Beta Fuel – 80g)
• One bottle of medium-carb drink mix (e.g., Skratch Labs Hydration Mix – 21g) and two GU Energy Gels (e.g., Hoppy Trails – 46g)
• One bottle of Precision Hydration PH 500 (18g) and one packet of Clif Blok Energy Chew (48g)

Recommended Eating Approach: Incorporate sports drinks and gels during your ride to meet carb requirements. Aim for carb intake every 15-30 minutes to maintain energy levels. Consuming a gel before your event start can kickstart your nutrition, but timing is crucial to avoid adverse effects.

Individual tolerance to carb intake varies, and exceeding your absorption capacity may lead to discomfort. Experiment with different strategies during training to find what works best for you.

Carbohydrate Intake After Your Ride

Post-activity, replenishing glycogen stores with carbs is vital for recovery and readiness for subsequent rides. This can be achieved through recovery drinks or regular meals.

Recommended Timing: Following exercise, the body can efficiently process and store carbohydrates for about 30-40 minutes at an accelerated rate. This rate gradually decreases but remains elevated for up to 48 hours, particularly in glycogen-depleted conditions. Adding protein in a 4:1 ratio enhances glycogen replenishment and muscle repair.

Recommended Meal: Ideally, consume carbs immediately after to jumpstart glycogen restoration. Opt for nutrient-dense options, such as a balanced meal. In real-world scenarios, a recovery drink or mix can serve as a quick replenishment solution before a proper meal.

By incorporating these strategies, you can optimize your carbohydrate intake to support your body’s energy requirements. Remember that individual responses vary, and continuous experimentation and adaptation are key to refining your nutrition plan over time.

For more insights on cycling training, tune in to Ask a Cycling Coach – the podcast dedicated to improving your cycling performance. New episodes are available weekly.