As before my advice on nutrition and hydration for events such as the Wicklow are based on sports science but adjusted for what I have found works for me, the club athlete.
The following notes are a starting point from which to base your fuelling strategy, while identifying some of the key components and looking at some of the myths. As with training etc this subject area is so huge all I can provide here is a brief overview of some of the main points.

Point 1…….practice in training your fuelling plan during the weeks and months prior to your event, and don’t use anything you haven’t tried before on the day. This may sound obvious however many people (including me!) have tried that special ingredient on event day because it will give us the edge, and ended the day with an upset stomach or such like. Its really just not worth it.
Point 2……….a 2% drop in hydration will result in a 20% drop in performance. This is often quoted to athletes and may be a generalization; however it is worth bearing in mind that without adequate hydration any nutritional strategy will be compromised. The body will not be able to absorb the nutrients, the metabolism will slow down and your ability to ride will be restricted……and you will feel awful.
My hydration plan usually revolves around drinking 750mls per hour of exercise (I usually weigh approx 76 kgs , if your much heavier or lighter than this or sweat excessively you may be wise to adjust the fluid intake). On particularly hot days I will drink more than this.
Make sure that you start drinking and eating very early in the ride, if you leave it until you feel thirsty or hungry you will never catch up without stopping for a considerable time.
Make sure you use a product that you like the taste of…again this sounds obvious but if you don’t like the taste you won’t drink it especially after 5 or 6 hours. I have tried many of the drink products out there and about 5 years ago found the one that really works for me, however during the later stages of rides like the Etape I needed to force myself to drink it.
There are so many products on the market all claiming to be the latest rocket fuel, that it can be mind blowing. You have to like the taste, from that point I use a 6-7% carbohydrate solution, this provides the energy source. There is some research that suggests during events such as the Wicklow as you approach the later stages you should take on board a higher strength solution. Although I understand the theory behind this I have never been able to stomach the stronger solution, and just stick to 6-7%. The product I use also provides electrolytes; these are the salts that regulate the bodies’ ability to absorb water and nutrients. I like to have the electrolytes as an insurance policy for both the absorption issues and prevention of cramps. Again some research suggests that you don’t need to take the electrolytes as the body is good at hanging on to them, I’m not so sure.
Point 3 …as I mentioned the key is to start early. I start eating and drinking little and often from the start of the event. As with drinks the array of nutritional products on the market is huge. Most well trained athletes are able to absorb approx 60-70grms of carbohydrate per hour, so it can be argued that taking on board more than this is a waste. With the combination of drinks and food I use during an event I will usually take onboard considerably more than this, again for me this is an insurance policy, however don’t just follow this blindly as I’m sure that for some people using certain products this strategy would lead to stomach problems…….practice, practice before hand.
The food that works form me is energy bars that have carbs and some protein, bananas and jelly beans for the first half of the ride. From then on I find solid food hard to get down so I switch to a gel product, which I take 1 every 30 mins again these provide carbs and electrolytes, also the product I use has only a mild flavor and can be taken without a drink.
I have met riders that swear by a range of different foods from flapjack to ham sandwiches to salt and vinegar crisps (how he managed to get those in his mouth while riding is still a mystery to me).
Remember the keys are to practice your plan; don’t try anything new on event day. Make sure you start eating and drinking early. Use things that you like the taste of……for a prolonged period.

A note on a couple of products that are becoming increasingly popular.
Caffeine…….This is starting to appear in more and more nutritional products. It is claimed to give you that extra burst of energy and possibly increase fat metabolism.
I did a literature review last year and could find no evidence clinically or sports related that supported the increased fat metabolism with caffeine use. The stimulant effect of caffeine on the nervous system does appear well supported, however this appears to be at high doses and of short duration. The effects of taking this type of product over a long duration event are unclear. My only experience of a caffeine product was 2 gels I took towards the end of the 2007 Etape (please refer to Point 1) Having taken the gels within a short space of time I certainly got a huge buzz, I’m still unsure if this was due to the desent of the Col du Perysourde or the caffeine, whichever I almost lost it twice on the way down and had a banging headache for about 2 hours post event.
Creatine…. There is evidence that creatine can improve maximal or high intensity exercise performance. In cycling this has been demonstrated in repeated short intensity sprint or climbing efforts. I tried creatine on two different occasions a few years ago. This involved a period of loading and a 6 week maintenance phase. Although I can’t claim my experience to be a clinical trial, what I did find on both occasions was that I suffered from hamstring cramps, not something I had ever had problems with before or since so I stopped using the product. The literature does recognize that cramps can be a side effect for some people. Some researchers indicate that fish and red meat in the diet can provide approx the same amount of creatine as most studies recommend for the maintanence phase.

So in conclusion if you haven’t got your nutrition and hydration sorted already now is the time to start planning and practicing……summer is just around the corner.

All The Best,
Chris Simpson.