Sodium is a main electrolyte found in sweat and plays an important role in fluid balance in the body and in athletes’ performance. Sodium loss can vary a lot between individuals and is also pretty stable within an individual too. How do you determine if you are a salty sweater and how much sodium should you consume to keep hydration levels optimized? One thing is certain, and that is the issue of correct hydration and fluid replacement for athletes, so let’s examine this.
During the spring and summer of 2020 I’ve been using and testing the Voom Nutrition energy bars and their super tasty “Recovery Fudge” protein bar. Best of all, they’re more than a replacement for the Mars Bars and I’ve seen my power levels maintained on both long rides and shorter but harder rides. How can they benefit your own cycling?
Over the last thirty five years of cycle racing, I’ve often considered my peers and their contentment at riding the same disciplines, indeed the same races, year in year out. Each to their own and all that, but it’s not for me. It’s probably a Myers-Briggs personality thing. Firstly, I like new experiences; secondly, as a very average amateur athlete, I have never really found a discipline that has offered fame and fortune. Riding the same races over and over again holds little appeal.
Factor Bikes are all about performance and technolological excellence.This young cycling brand aim high and achieve their goals, so it’s no surprise that they’ve opened a showroom in Harrogate – the cycling centre of the UK. And, The ‘Cold Bath Clubhouse’ is already establishing itself as the bike place to be in town – with great coffee too!
To be a good cyclist, you need good shoes. This ensures that you are comfortable and able to utilize maximum power when on the bike. There are specially designed shoes to bring out the best in you!
Need a final boost in your triathlon race/at the foot of a big climb/ at the end of a run or ride? We all do at times,it’s perfectly normal. You seem to have done everything, but for some reason you just feel under power. You’ve followed your nutrition plan, yes – but that doesn’t help at this moment; so what can you do?
The longest road climb in the world is in the majestic hills of Colombia. Quite appropriate really, when you consider that this is where the best climbers come from. Let’s take a look at this amazing route and maybe inspire you to take it on.
Over the last thirty years I’ve raced and trained consistently. From consistent top ten finishes in the CTT British Best All-Rounder competition, through cyclocross and MTB Cross Country. Twenty to thirty starts a year on average. Under normal circumstances, I love my sport and drive home just as euphorically happy after turning myself inside out to hang onto a group in a cross race as I did to score the occasional win against the watch fifteen years ago.
VOOM is a young and vibrant brand from the U.K. and it’s one that has its base firmly in endurance sports, with triathlon, fell running and cycling being sports that the brands key people participate in at a high level. There’s also some good science behind what they do, with their own scientist within the brand team. All sounds good so far then.
I’d better open up by saying that I wasn’t on a drug crazed trip in our capital city. No, I’d simply gone down to London to spend time with our son, a photographic artist who lives in the south of the city. Yes, a man after my own heart, whose apartment is filled with bikes and bike parts, all fixed gear machines, including a folding one! He has other bikes… numerous at the family home, but London is for riding real – and that means fixed gear.
Crank it Up!
Ben Thorpe Photography