GC10 have kindly granted us permission to utilise some of their planning and cycling tips. Maynooth students have been partaking in a Dublin to Galway charity cycle for the last 23 years - so here is some advice from the experts:Preparation Advice for Cyclists
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Training
The way to plan your training is to work backwards from the cycle day so you can plan a progressive program of training sessions allowing for recovery and easy week before the cycle. You should try to do progressively more mileage each week leading up to the cycle, with an increase of ~10% each week. Fitness works on the basis of stress and recovery where the stress is the training load and the recovery period is where the body adapts and gets stronger for the next load. So resting after training is vital. The more you can simulate what you will do on the cycle day the easier you will find it. If you can cycle 50-60 miles in a small group then you should be able to make Galway on the day.When training, cycle in pairs where the road allows this (i.e. where there is a broken white line). Rotate the people on the front of the group every 3-5 minutes depending on the wind to give them a break. Cycling behind somebody saves you 30% effort. The way to rotate cyclists, is for the cyclist on the outside to move forward and into the left ahead of his/her partner this then creates gap for the cyclist behind him to move up alongside him/her at the front of the group.
Equipment
The most important piece of equipment you have is yourself so look after it :-). The best way to ensure this is that you have a safe bike, wear a helmet and ride safely on the road. The following items should be checked on your bike as soon as you can and NOT the morning of the cycle:
Brakes – No harm in investing in new brake blocks (~€10)
Cables – Brake and Gear cables
Tyres – Check for nicks and weakness likely to cause puncture
Chain – Oiled and running smoothly
Gears – Check that are not jumping or causing chain to slip off
Bars – Ensure they are straight and tight
Water-bottle cage – Get one if you don’t have one.
Saddle – Have you got the height checked for you?
It may be best for your local bike shop to help you with the above.
Clothes
The best approach to take is to wear a few layers that can easily be removed. The most important layer is the one next to your skin. A breathable t-shirt is well worth the investment (~30euro) if you intend to do any regular exercise. This will help to keep the moisture of the body preventing you from getting cold if you have to stop. Alternatively try to bring a spare cotton t-shirt and change into it on the long stops when you break for food. Finally try and wear something that is reasonably aerodynamic for your ease and avoid jeans, as they get very heavy when wet and are not suitable for lengthy exercise. A helmet is essential and no cyclist is allowed start without it.
Remember to pack your spare cycling gear in small bag separate to your weekend bag. The cycling bag will brought in a support van and you will have access to it during the cycle (whereas your weekend bag will be brought on the collectors' bus).
Please review the list of recommended clothing/items for The Galway Cycle:
Gloves
Light Rain Jacket
Padded Cycling Shorts / leggings
Helmet (helmets must be professionally fitted)
Warm Footwear
Change of Socks
Water Bottles on your bike
With regard to buying clothes specifically for the cycle, a helmet and cycling shorts are needed. Leggings for warmth are good also; you can make do with tracksuit bottoms although they can be more uncomfortable if they get wet. You do not need to buy a cycling jersey as you will be given a free Galway Cycle cycling jersey on the morning of the cycle, these are great for pockets. You do not need to buy an expensive breathable rain jacket, any light rain jacket that you already have will suffice; it should be small enough that you can stuff it in a back pocket if you are too warm. Warm gloves are essential for winter cycling - again if you don't have specific sports ones wear any that you have already.
Diet
Cycling is an endurance activity and requires a carbohydrate-based diet. There is a well established Fitness Food Pyramid which can be used as a guideline when determining your diet. The pyramid divides food into seven categories: fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates-rich foods, calcium-rich foods, protein-rich foods, healthy fats and junk foods. The foods in the lower layer of the pyramid should form the main part of your diet while those at the top should be eaten in smaller quantities. The pyramid looks like this:
Fruit and Vegetables:
3-5 portions of vegetables a day
2-4 portions of fruit a day
Fruit and Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fibre, which are vital for health, immunity and optimum performance.
Healthy Carbohydrates:
4-6 Portions a day
A diet rich in wholegrain foods – whole-wheat bread, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, porridge oats, beans, lentils and potatoes, maintains high glycogen (stored carbohydrate) levels, needed to fuel exercise activity.
Calcium-rich foods:
2-4 Portions a day
Including dairy products, nuts, pulses and tinned fish in your daily diet is the easiest way to get calcium, which is need for strong bones. This is especially important to help with the prevention of osteoporosis (weakening of the bone density), which females are more at risk at getting than males.
Protein-rich foods:
2-4 Portions a day
Regular exercises need more protein than inactive people as it helps with muscular recovery amongst other things. Examples are lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and diary food can also be counted towards your daily target
Healthy Fats:
2-4 portions a day
The oils found in nuts, seeds, olive oil, sunflower oil and oily fish may improve endurance, recovery as well as protect against heart disease.
Junk Foods
0-1 Portions a day
Biscuits, cakes, puddings, soft drinks, confectionery and crisps should be eaten only in moderation because they supply very few essential nutrients yet lots of calories, processed fats and sugars.
Obviously the above is very idealistic and is not achieved by many but it can be used as a reference point and I don’t expect it to be followed to the letter. The main points with your diet in the short-term are:
Eat more than normal in the 2-3 days prior to cycle, to build up energy stores.
Avoid excessive drinking the night before cycle – if possible!
Don’t eat anything you would not normally do when cycling
After cycle eating within 2hrs of finish helps recovery significantly
Sample Food on the bike: Bananas, Nutri-Grain bars, Fig Rolls, Fruit Cake, Turkish Delight, Liga biscuits!
Dehydration
A quick word on dehydration. 75% of the body’s energy is given off as heat, hence the overheating and sweating that occurs when you exercise. Typically a body will loose approximately 1 litre for every hour exercising, so you should aim to drink 1 litre for every hour you are on the bike. You should drink small amounts regularly as if you wait till you are thirsty then it is too late as this is an early sign of dehydration.
There are lots of commercially available drinks, which you can use during the cycle to help maintain energy levels and to keep you well hydrated. They fall into the following categories:
Hypotonic Drinks – Absorbed faster than water and contains few carbohydrates
Isotonic Drinks – Absorbed as fast as water and provides the ideal compromise between rehydration and refuelling. Lucozade Sport is a good example.
Hypertonic Drinks: Absorbed more slowly than water and is typically used after activity as a recovery drink.
I would suggest that if you want to experiment with any commercially available drinks that you try them out on a training day before the cycle to see how you react to them.
Thanks to Geoffrey Liffey for these tips. If you have any further questions Geoff would be happy to answer them - just contact us and we will put you in touch.
The Maynooth Students For Charity Galway Cycle:
"On the last weekend of every March, over 200 intrepid cyclists and collectors depart at 6am from the National University of Ireland (NUIM) grounds with the ambitious aim of raising money for a worthy cause. The event started by a small group of 10 student cyclists in 23 years ago has now grown into a yearly adventure for approximately 120 cyclists, 100 more collectors, 4 buses, 6 vans, 2 Gardaí and a host of amazed and generous passers-by."
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