5 Ways to Recover Faster (Part 2) By Lynn Clay, Sports Nutrition Consultant

Benefit from Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

BCAAs are a sub-group of amino acids which make up the most abundant amino acids in human muscle tissue.  Amino acids are simply building blocks of protein.  They can be found in many foods and in greatest amounts in high protein foods such as eggs, milk and meat.  Today these super amino acids can also be found in protein and carbohydrate sports drinks too.  A study in the International Journal of sports nutrition and exercise metabolism, Dec 2007, looked at the effect of a branched chain amino acid (BCAA) drink on markers (indicators) of muscle damage after endurance exercise.  The researchers compared drinking a BCAA drink with an equal calorie carbohydrate drink and a zero-calorie flavoured water, during exercise.  They found that all measured markers of fatigue were reduced in the BCAA supplemented group, indicating that BCAAs provide great support for recovery when taken on board during exercise.  The easiest way to achieve this is via a fortified sports drink.

Juice your joints

As you train harder for longer it becomes even more important to protect and cushion the joints.  When we tear or damage our tissue, as we do with the nature of training, our body reacts by producing glucosamine (this naturally occurs in tendons, ligaments and cartilage) to form new connective molecules.  Glucosamine’s main function in the body is to stimulate the growth of cartilage, and to hydrate tendons and ligaments protecting them from injury.  The body normally manufactures this miracle hydrator and protector and nominal amounts are obtained from our diets, but with production levels diminishing with age or with excessive training glucosamine supply can fall short of demand leaving our joints, tendons and ligaments vulnerable.  By adding glucosamine to the diet in the form of a supplement, this increases the synthesis of a substance called chondroitin.  Chondroitin keeps the cartilage filled with fluid, nourishing and hydrating it, both of which are vital in keeping it healthy, flexible and strong.  When looking for a glucosamine joint formula, ideally select a product combining glucosamine and chondroitin which in combination will work to restore synovial fluid and tissues in and around the joint, as well as between the vertebrae of the spine, acting to cushion the bones, tendons and ligaments from damage. The ideal combination is 520mg of glucosamine and 300mg of chondroitin per day, which can be found in formulas such as ‘Ache Free’, found in all good health food shops.

If you weren’t addressing any of these recovery factors, gradually employing them will likely lead to a dramatic improvement in recovery.  Even just getting the fundamentals of energy and hydration right, however, will leave you with more energy to train.  You can then more than imagine a body be strong and fit right through the summer months. 

5 ways to recover faster (Part 1) by Lynn Clay, Sports Nutrition Consultant

If you are tempted to get out on the bike a bit more in the spring and summer months and make the most of the weather, it is important to support your training well with a diet that will provide energy and help you to recover a little better.  Imagine being able to pick up the pace at the end of a long ride or simply make a cycle that you regularly miss due to fatigue. Well, here are some simple solutions to help you to avoid lead legs or simply to speed up your recovery and ensure you can still put in some quality mileage. Lynn clay explains.

Balance calories

One of the most important factors in training preparation and recovery is simply ensuring that you are consuming adequate calories.  When adding mileage it is worth considering how many extra calories you will burn as you add on the miles.  You may be tempted to take a fast-track to weight loss, by upping the cycling dramatically and keeping calories stable.  It is more sensible however, to add calories as you add mileage, so that you are not left in a heap at the end of a tough weeks training.  After all, what good is that if you are then out for a week due to a cold or general lethargy.    Even for a 60kg female cycling at an average speed of 15mph, average calories expended per mile are around 40, so gently up your calorie intake as you increase your mileage to stay strong.

Calculate carbohydrate

Ensuring you are eating carbohydrate in each meal will keep your energy stores full for training and provide immune system support too.  Opt for low glycemic carbohydrates in your daily food and high glycemic carbohydrates around exercise.  Ideally aim for at least 5 grams of carbohydrate for each kilogram you weigh and consume this daily from a variety of sources.  Ensure you include carbohydrate straight after exercise, whether in a drink or food source.  Ideally combine carbohydrate with protein as research shows an improvement in glycogen replenishment (stored carbohydrate levels) when carbohydrate and protein are consumed together.  If it is not easy to transport a post-training meal opt for a sports nutrition formula such as ‘Recovermax’, available from GNC or at www.maximuscle.com. Simply including this post exercise fuel replenishment will make a big difference to muscle soreness and energy recovery.

Hurry and Hydrate

Dehydration can have a huge impact on performance and immune health.  Just 3% dehydration can decrease power and co-ordination by 15%.  Just think how much training effort you put in to improve your performance and by simply not drinking enough fluid all of this hard work can be negated.  General hydration guidelines are to consume 2 – 3 litres of fluid per day however this will need to be complimented with extra fluid around exercise.  Ideally for runs lasting longer than 45 minutes, opt for a carbohydrate drink to supply additional energy and improve hydration.  Once duration is greater than 90 minutes an electrolyte drink should be selected to replace salts lost in sweat.   Approximately 0.75 litres of fluid should be added per hour of exercise in moderate climates.  If you are lucky enough to be escaping for some training in the sun, increase this to 1 – 1.2 litres per hour of exercise.  Rehydrating the body after exercise will also reduce inflammation in the body, improving the recovery process.

Caution:  If all of your added fluid is water, in extreme circumstances, it is possible to drink too much water, diluting sodium and potassium levels in the body.  This can lead to a condition called hyponatremia commonly known as ‘water poisoning’.  The easiest way to rebalance this during exercise is to use an electrolyte drink.

Hard Times

I have had a hard past few weeks: it’s coursework and exam time. And, I work in a demanding and successful comprehensive school where the pressure is relentless in ensuring we exceed last year’s results. It’s an enjoyable and challenging environment and I have really missed getting out on my bike.

However, riding and racing my mountain bike complements my approach to working.

You see, I am an Assistant Head of English (hence the plagiarised literary titles of all my blogs!) and have a lot of responsibility when it comes to achieving results. But, I have noticed that I have this extra energy and focus in comparison to many of my colleagues and I owe this to being an athlete. Recently, I have spent many after-school hours administering coursework and result predictions. However, all those hours I have spent in the wind, rain, hail on the Kentish marshes and pushing my body to the limit in training and races have paid their dividends in my ability to deal with the pressures brought by my work. I have played hard and can therefore work hard and understand why my Head Teacher is so supportive of the athletes he employs.

The down-side has been that the challenges of my job, I haven’t yet been able to apply to my racing! (Although, the on course aggression fails to rustle me – I teach teenagers, after all!) My most recent race, the British NPS at Drumlanrig Castle was very hard. I began as a teacher and not an elite athlete. I have huge respect for the women who are able to get out there (putting aside their working lives and other external pressures) and compete at such high levels. It’s an art I’ve yet to master … but I will!

I’m a mountain biker.

Oh, I will!

Quality Matters with Carbs

I’ve been gradually increasing the amount of training I’ve been doing on a weekly basis and this has prompted me to reassess my nutritional intake. Up until recently I had viewed carbohydrates as something to limit as much as possible but now with longer rides I am discovering that I need their help more than ever!

Of course, it does make a difference as to the quality of carbs consumed as to how you perform on the bike – complex (low glycemic) or simple (high glycemic). Complex carbohydrates are best generally for any individual, but especially for a cyclist as they provide sustained energy over a longer period of time. Try plenty of fruit and vegetables, brown rice, pasta, wholegrain cereals etc. Before a ride, be it short or long, it is important to fuel-up at least an hour before starting with low glycemic index foods, for example porridge and banana or wholegrain toast and yoghurt.

If your ride is longer than 60 minutes, then refuelling throughout is key to not ‘hitting the wall’. Studies suggest that 30-40g of carbs every 30mins thereafter need to be consumed. However, again it is the type of carbohydrate consumed which is crucial. During a ride, your muscles require instant energy in the form of glycogen – something which the body cannot hold on to over 2000kcal and as such has to be consistently replenished – this can be provided by simple sugars which make energy available after approx 20 minutes; try gels, glucose cereal bars, even jelly babies (well, they worked for me when I was training for and running the marathon).

Equally important to what you eat before and during your ride, is how and what you refuel with post-ride. In order to prepare for your next ride and to help your body replenish its energy stores, it is vital that you refuel within 60 minutes of finishing your ride. Which type of carbs this time? A combination of the two – simple carbs to aid immediate refuelling and complex carbs to provide sustained energy.

Remember – just as imperative is replenishing any fluids lost during the ride. Happy riding and refuelling!

How many hours?!

I've done far too much exercise this week and I don't say that very often!

Sunday - 2 hour 16min ride with trailer and son in tow                                                                 Monday - Rest day                                                                                                                               Tuesday - 45min short spin                                                                                                                 Wednesday - 1hr 48min interval training on bike (hills, fast spinning and speed-work)                            Thursday - 1 hr 26min medium intensity ride with trailer and son                                                           Friday - 2hr round trip commute to nursery/work with backpack, trailer and son                                     Tomorrow - 3 hour medium to high intensity road ride

Total (projected) 11hours 15mins !! A record !

The kiddy trailer is an excellent training tool and probably gives me double the workout! However I do notice that I have to be careful when pushing up hills so as not to strain my knees. Yesterday I did an excellent loop of Milton Keynes which included a long steep drag up to the city centre and a great view of the city and surrounding countryside as a reward. You can't beat that absolutely shattered feeling followed by a rest! My son, however remains completely oblivious to all the hard work his mummy is putting in and sleeps peacefully throughout the entire bike ride! Typical!

Tomorrow it's going to be 20 degrees and sunny so I'll be out there somewhere in Buckinghamshire on my road bike totting up the miles - give me a honk if you see me! :)