Part of training is learning about nutrition and trying out different foods and sports drinks so that come event day, your stomach's not surprised by what enters. And so that you're not surprised by ... what comes out.
Since Saturday was a buddy ride, we had to be self sufficient. No SAG (support and gear), so I packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a power bar, 3 Aussie Bites, and sport jelly beans. Ya, I later realized I had way too much food for our (relatively) short ride. What I neglected to pack, however, was a salty snack. Proper hydration involves replacing both water and salt lost during exercise. Well, since I brought way too much food, I shared my PB&J with Chani, who shared her bag of potato chips with me. Thanks Chani, because I am a lover of all things potato! And my body needed it.
What I forgot though ... was that I get the same reaction every time I eat potato chips ~ one HUGE-MONGOUS pimple on the apple of my cheek! And sure enough, as consistent as usual, as if to remind me of my greasy indulgence the previous day - the acne attacked. Guess I have to find an alternative source of sodium.
Something else I discovered several weeks ago (but was too embarrassed to blog about) ~ our need for potassium. I always knew bananas were good for you if you suffered from leg cramps, but I didn't know it's because bananas are high in potassium. (That's not the embarrassing part.)
Back at the Dry Creek ride, which was almost 4 weeks ago, my left calf felt odd for some reason. I knew it wasn't a cramp, so I kind of stretched it out and just shook it off. It went away. Someone who thought I might be having a cramp mentioned that dried apricots are really high in potassium and great to keep in your jersey pocket in case you feel a cramp coming on.
Well, that tip stayed with me as I geared up for our next coached ride, the 39-mile Sonoma Ride. I emptied a package of dried apricots into a ziploc bag and slid it into my right jersey pocket. As we rode, we made periodic stops to regroup, rest, and replenish our energy. Each time we stopped I ate a few apricots ... just to make sure I didn't cramp up. What I didn't realize was that by the time our ride was over, I'd eaten more than half the bag. What I also didn't realize was that not only are apricots a good source of potassium, they're also a good source of fiber ;-)
When I got home, my stomach started feeling really weird ... and then the rest ... well, use your imagination. Let's just say - I'm glad I didn't test the apricots out on event day!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment