Make sure your body is sufficiently hydrated before the race to maximize performance and avoid dehydration – Kim Rose Gershow
Hydration is about as important as eating when it comes to cycling. If you’re not properly hydrated it can lead to complications during or after your race including cramp, heat stroke and could even send the body into shock. For races this is even more important, as stressed by Bikemax Level 2 cycling coach Kim Rose Gershow. “Hydration starts the day before your ride,” says Gershow, emphasizing the fact that if you’re not properly hydrated pre-race, your race day hydration may not be able to curtail dehydration complications.
Here she share some of her wisdom about pro pre-race hydration, and what you should avoid to ensure you’re not going into your race dehydrated.
- – Avoid anything with caffeine – it’s a diuretic. This can lead to excessive urination, which may sound good from a weight loss perspective, but is also dangerous, as it will dehydrate you.
- – Keep a jug of water beside your bed on pre-race night and if you wake up overnight, sip from it.
- – On race morning drink about 750ml water or carbohydrate drink one to two hours before the race. The carbohydrate drink contains good elecrolytes, which should be topped up considering you’ll be losing lots of it to sweat during the race.