Fueling For Ultramarathon Mountain Cycling

At Saturday, we remain devoted to bolstering athletic prowess through meticulously tailored sports nutrition. Today, we turn our attention towards intra-workout nutrition, a pivotal part in heightening the performance of ultramarathon mountain cyclists. We'll delve into topics such as carbohydrates, caffeine, and whey protein.

The Pivotal Function of Carbohydrates in Ultramarathon Mountain Cycling

Training time sees a crucial role being played by exogenous carbohydrates, with sugar in particular being of notable importance. These carbohydrates operate predominantly to conserve glycogen in the muscles and liver, thereby facilitating the attainment of higher power outputs. This effective strategy culminates in more robust training stimuli and promotes substantial training adaptations.

The specific type and amount of carbohydrates consumed carry significant weight. A combination of glucose and fructose typically proves advantageous because their absorption occurs via different transporters – the SGLT-1 transporter for glucose and the GLUT-5 transporter for fructose. Keeping a glucose to fructose ratio from 2:1 to 1:1 helps stimulate dual absorption, enhancing carbohydrate digestion rates per hour and notably reducing the likelihood of gastrointestinal (GI) issues.

For endurance sports like ultramarathon mountain cycling, the suggested intake spans between 30g to 150g of carbohydrates per hour. The precise quantity depends on the intensity and duration of the training, along with individual digestive tolerance. For shorter durations, a lower hourly intake might suffice, particularly if a carbohydrate-rich meal is scheduled post-training.

For training scheduled first thing in the morning, not dawn, an additional carbohydrate intake about 20 minutes before the session starts could prove beneficial. This helps in maintaining a steady blood glucose level, ensuring an efficient training session without a sudden dip in blood sugar levels. Convenient options like sports drinks can be used, but even ordinary table sugar is effective.

Caffeine

Caffeine has a substantial impact on performance enhancement in training durations between 30 to 120 minutes. The suggested dosage is about 3-9mg per kg of body weight. To maintain optimal caffeine levels in the bloodstream, it's recommended to consume smaller, regular doses of around 0.5-1mg/kg each hour during the training or cycling event.

Diet Restrictions and Gastric Emptying

Monitoring your dietary fiber and fat intake during training is critical as these can decelerate digestion and potentially trigger GI issues. Additionally, the carbohydrate concentration significantly impacts gastric emptying rates. Optimal rates are typically reached with carbohydrate concentrations of 10-14%. For activities exceeding 5 hours, solutions with 6-10% carbohydrates are recommended. The intake of whey should also be controlled. While proteins are acceptable, it's recommended to choose BCAAs or whey protein isolate or hydrolysate to minimize the risk of GI distress due to reduced blood flow during intense exercise.

Conclusion

To wrap up, constructing a suitable intra-workout fueling strategy is paramount for peak performance and inducing noticeable training improvements. A crucial part of this strategy is ensuring sufficient carbohydrate intake, ideally a mix of glucose and fructose. Incorporating caffeine can also significantly boost performance levels. Lastly, due to individual physiological variances, nutritional strategies should be personalized for optimal performance and recovery results.