Eating properly for successful interval training
Interval training will be your most strenuous training activity of the weekly cycle. On other rides you are concentrating on endurance and aerobic development and using oxidative metabolism for most of your energy supply. The focus now shifts to anaerobic metabolism and the use of greater amounts of carbohydrate.
Interval training is not a continuous effort like competition but it still burns a lot of fuel. Generally, rides up to 90min can be completed on existing energy stores. For sessions over 90min plan to replace about 300-500 calories with supplemental carbohydrate to maintain energy levels. This will minimize the depletion of your glycogen stores so there will be less need for replenishment during the recovery period. This is also the time to experiment with new energy sources like drinks and gels to see if they will work on race day.
It is a good idea to have all the solid food in stomach fully digested when you start the hard efforts to avoid the GI (gastrointestinal) distress often associated with working at or above your Vo2 max with food in your stomach.
Fluids are always a concern on rides lasting over 90 minutes. Digestion, thermal regulation, recovery and energy metabolism are all effected by dehydration. Plan on at least 20oz of fluid replacement per hour during your interval session. This is race intensity training so drink early and often.
Daily calorie intake - Eat your normal balanced diet with total calorie intake based on BRM plus the calories needed to support you training activity with about 60% calories from carbohydrates with the balance made up of the usual percentage of fats and proteins.
3 hours before training - Practice you pre-race nutritional plan and eat like you are going into an event. Have your regular meal and take in 60-80 grams of additional carbohydrate (energy drink, gels) 1 hour before you get started. During the warm-up period keep the fluids going.
15 minutes before the first effort - Take in about 25 grams of carbohydrate from easily digestible sources like gels and energy drink to give you blood glucose levels a boost.
During the session - It is best to avoid taking in carbohydrate during intense interval training to avoid any stomach upset but remember to keep drinking. One 20oz bottle per hour at regular intervals should do the trick.
During Recovery - Follow your normal post race routine and start replacing carbohydrate as soon as you are cooled down to replenish muscle glycogen stores. Take in 80-100 grams of carbohydrate and 20-30 oz water in the first 30 minutes after training and keep snacking as needed until you next regular meal.