Recovery food dilemma

-maccer-

Hi,

To explain (this is probably a bit of a silly query!), I am taking part in a Malin to Mizen cycle over a period of 5 days. We are supported by a van which will drive behind all cyclists. Abilities vary somewhat in the group so I reckon there could be over an hours gap between the first group arriving at the destination and the second group.

I realise that it is very important to get food into you immediately after finishing your days cycling, especially considering it is going to be a multi day event. It is likely that we are soaked/mucky and also have the bikes with us so I doubt hoping straight off the bike and into a restaurant would be an option. We could put food in the van but if you are in the first group arriving at the destination then you might have to wait an hour.

I reckon the best option is to run into the local shop in the town we arrive in and buy some suitable food to eat straight away. Maybe some pre-packed cold pasta and mullerrice yogurts? Obvioulsy the food we are looking for will have to be readily available in any corner shop and we will need a substantial amount of it.

Do people think that the buying food in the local shop option is the best one? If not what other options could we consider?

If yes, what foods do people recommend?

Thanks in advance....

Caroline_ie

Chocolate Milk ( The fresh kind is best )

-maccer-

Thanks for the response Caroline,

Would some solid food also not be required though??

Captain Havoc

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Chocolate Milk ( The fresh kind is best )

If choco-milk isn't available normal milk is still good but choco is preferred.

blorg

I don't think an hour will kill you, you can have a shower, etc. I think the general advice is to eat a proper meal within two hours of finishing.

rottenhat

blorg wrote: »

I think the general advice is to eat a proper meal within two hours of finishing.

I think the general advice is to have something to eat as soon as possible followed by a proper meal within the next couple of hours. Whatever you eat should have some protein with the carbs so the idea of yoghurts and pasta is not a bad starting point. Nor is chocolate milk.

niceonetom

I've seen some articles say that getting fluids and calories on board with in the first 20 minutes is most effective - but that may be for the elite athlete.

I second the chocolate milk suggestion. For recovery you need sugars that will get into your system fairly fast so cold pasta isn't really the thing. Chocolate milk (or normal milk and something sweet) will be plenty until the stragglers arrive. Drink some water too.

Then have a decent meal.

rottenhat

niceonetom wrote: »

I second the chocolate milk suggestion. For recovery you need sugars that will get into your system fairly fast so cold pasta isn't really the thing.

Eating pasta (or white bread or potatoes) is very close to eating simple sugars - it digests very quickly and might be more palatable than something sweet after a day on the bike consuming the usual drinks and bars.

Lumen

Ice cream is very rejuvenating.

Good ice cream has low fat content and a decent amount of protein, although not sure what's in the stuff you get from a shop.

blorg

rottenhat wrote: »

I think the general advice is to have something to eat as soon as possible followed by a proper meal within the next couple of hours. Whatever you eat should have some protein with the carbs so the idea of yoghurts and pasta is not a bad starting point. Nor is chocolate milk.

Sure, just going from my own experience, I would often have left an hour or more after a hard cycle before eating... Indeed the Marmotte I had several before dinner as I was back four hours before emty I did eat a snack.

I guess I would just be saying no need to stuff yourself the second you step off the bike, if everyone is going to be together within a reasonable time period a small snack before having dinner together will be fine... Doing a five day cycle like this it would be a pity to all be eating at seperate times.

dub_skav

i could be wrong but i'm assuming you won't be doing a tt every day. If you are not going flat out then the requirement to eat immediately is not as great. As others have said a snack of any description should be fine, even a sandwich for example. Then have a good meal with the others when they arrive

eggie

Maxi Muscle - Viper recovery shake. Gets carbs, glycogen, proteins back into the muscles quickly and does make a difference.

Get a bottle of water in the shop and put a scoop in and shake, drink within 20 mins of finishing cycle, you'll be buzzing again after an hour and wont feel as lethargic the next morning.

Continue to eat as normal, its a supplement not a meal replacement.

Edit: the cheapest place to get is in the vitamin shop on wexford street across from DIT. Thinks it s about 20 euro, dont remember exactly, large tub but can take some out and put into smaller container for travelling on bike.

-maccer-

Guys thanks very much for the responses, some great advice there.

I read this from cptips.com:

"take advantage of the glycogen repletion window that is open in the 4 hours immediately following vigorous exercise. During this time, any carbohydrates you eat will be converted into muscle glycogen at 3 times the normal rate - and some data suggests there is a 50% fall in this super charged repletion rate by 2 hours with a return to a normal repletion rate by 4 hours. (Ivy JL et al,J Appl Physiol 1988 Apr;64(4):1480-5). The slowing rate of glycogen storage occurs even when plasma glucose and insulin levels remain elevated with oral supplements. After this initial 4 hours, muscle glycogen stores are replenished at a rate of approximately 5% per hour. And while it may require up to 48 hours for complete muscle glycogen replacement following a 2 hour ride, for all practical purposes glycogen stores are almost completely rebuilt in the first 24 hours post event. But for the athlete who is on a daily training schedule, or is in a multiday event, the glycogen window can be used to get a jump on the normal repletion process and minimize the chance of gradually developing chronic glycogen depletion (and the fatigue that goes along with it)."

I wouldn't be overly concerned with eating straight after the spin if I didn't have to hop up on the bike the next day again. Way I figure better off taking advantage of the replenishment window mentioned above to make life a little easier.

The whole group will be having dinner together each evening of course.

We definitely won't be doing a tt each day, the pace will be moderate enough I would say.

blorg

-maccer- wrote: »

We definitely won't be doing a tt each day, the pace will be moderate enough I would say.

What you have there about glycogen repletion is true enough, certainly eat a snack after you finish, I just wouldn't get hung up about it... Also bear in mind that eating enough on the bike during each day's ride is probably more important.

Also, the easier the pace gets the less important your glycogen stores as you will metabolise primarily fat at very low intensities.

biomed32

a good idea would be to make some snack bags and keep them with your kit on the support vechial, have bananas or crackers or something like that in them that should tide you over till your meal

ROK ON

As soon as I get home after a reasonably long cycle I tend to go thru following routine.

(1) Drink 0.5-1L of water.
(2) Have a sandwich.
(3) And maybe a bar of chocolate.

Shower / Bath

about two - three hours later have a proper dinner.
If you are very hungry/thirsty when arriving home, you are only really eating to refuel. It is difficult to enjoy a dinner when this is the case, so better have a sandwich, relax and savour your dinner later. I find if I eat a dinner there and then I tend to over eat.

This way, you are less likely to be ravenous when sitting down to eat dinner, thus you (I) will be less likely t eat bad food and overly large portions.

Murph100

I use this straight after :

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/High5_Protein_Recovery_16kg_Tub/5360025039/


They also do it in sachets, which means you can stick one in yer jersey, finish your spin, whack it in your bidon with some water and you're sorted, then get a meal down ya inside 2 hours. Really good stuff, tastes great, even the chocolate with water.

They also do the energy drinks in sachets for fuelling during your ride assuming you have access to water.

Bambaata

as i understad it the first 15 minutes should contain something like chocolate milk or a specific supplement like provon revive (catrb/protein shake). the next 90 mins is then vital to get a meal in and the earlier the better. the longer it goes the slower ur body will absorb and refuel itself and on a multi day activity this is key

kona

Hi-Five is the best Edurance training gear you can get IMO, Ive used it for marathons and cycling, Its great stuff and unlike maximuscle etc, it doesnt taste like ****e and doesnt upset your stomach.

They use fructose which is absorbed better than glucose, so you get more out of it.

www.hifive.co.uk any shop that stocks raleigh will be able to get you the stuff, I think Chainreaction do it too.

I use the 4:1 Edurance drink for recovery, Before I train I use the Xtreme energy. Then I drink protein before I go to bed. Mix it with milk before you go to bed as it releases the protein slower.

Forget chocolate milk and Ice cream, far too much sugar in it, and they wont be absorbed quickly enough, the 15 minutes after your training is, vital, your body is most receptive to foods then.

Murph100

+ 1, the High 5 4:1 is really great stuff for on the bike fuel, and doesn't have that Aspartme sh!t sweetener in it either ( which in ten years time will probably be found responsible for killing half the population )

Lumen

kona wrote: »

I use the 4:1 Endurance drink for recovery, Before I train I use the Xtreme energy. Then I drink protein before I go to bed.

Epiphany!

increasing protein overall actually DECREASES trytophan levels because the tryptophan is outcompeted by the other amino acids...McDougle and colleagues (see The Serotonin System in Autism below) found exacerbation of behaviors such as whirling, flapping, pacing, banging and hitting self, rocking, toe walking and anxiety in more than 50% of adults with autism after tryptophan depletion.

kona

Lumen wrote: »

Epiphany!

Yes but you have to have autism to start off with:rolleyes:

Morgan

Do you really need to have a van trundling slowly behind you as you cycle along? Why not just get the van to drive to the next destination / rest stop? Then all your food / dry clothes will be there waiting for you. If someone needs assistance or a lift then it wouldn't take long for the van to drive back to them.

blorg

Morgan wrote: »

Do you really need to have a van trundling slowly behind you as you cycle along? Why not just get the van to drive to the next destination / rest stop? Then all your food / dry clothes will be there waiting for you. If someone needs assistance or a lift then it wouldn't take long for the van to drive back to them.

I don't know, advantages to having the van close, if you need a quick wheel change they will probably do it better than the neutral service vehicle.