In article <
[email protected]>, BianchiDude
<
[email protected]> wrote:
>After a training ride, usually an hour or greater, I get home, cool down and a half-hour later, I'm
>cranky and irritable.
>
>I've searched the groups on this subject, but have come up empty. My guess is that it is some form
>of low blood sugar. If that is the case, will a recovery drink like Endurox help? Right now I use
>Gatorade or PowerAid (sp?) during and after exercise, but it doesn't do the trick.
Eat real food, like a meal. If you find yourself sugar-crashing then maybe quit consuming so much
(simple) sugary stuff...?
Also, I don't know about your level of fitness or how hard your rides are, but for most people an
hour-long ride shouldn't be enough to cause a serious low-energy problem unless you didn't eat
enough before the ride or the ride is super brutal, very high temperature, etc. An hour or two-hour
ride is not long enough for me to drink anything but water.
A lot of people start out with the idea they don't like eating before a ride, but I think it's
exactly the right thing to do and this practice has many converts among people who do much riding.
This is basically what works for me:
1. Eat some real food within an hour of leaving for the ride. If this is no fun for you, start
small, toast & water. I usually do ceral, toast, and coffee and then straight onto the bike.
2. On a ride of 1-2 hours drink water. On a ride of 2+ hours or if it's super hard, or hot out, I
might do a waterbottle of gatorade and another waterbottle of plain water. Keep in mind that
blasting your road rash with gatorade is "less fun". On 2-4 hour rides I usually eat an energy
bar or two and on anything longer or in cold weather I usually forego the energy bars and eat a
sandwich and other real food. I find more than 2 energy bars consumed on a ride generally makes
me gassy and grumpy. Any ride where I'm planning to do a real lunch stop I bring a real lunch.
3. Get back home, snack and drink (even if it's just crackers and water). Within about 30 minutes
I'm making real food. If the ride was easy I basically make a meal as soon as I get back. If the
ride was long/hard I sit around and quiver for a few minutes and cool off before eating.
Low blood sugar is also something you can talk to your physician about. They have some really fun
tests you can do... mmm Glucola...
--Paul