Nutrition Failure

Getting old is no fun.  That's what I've come to conclude on the eve of my 39th birthday.

I've been biking for years, but there's no hiding the fact that my biking would improve greatly if I:

1. Biked more often
2. Cut my pizza, burger, and beer intake

#1 I'm always trying.  #2 just isn't going to happen.

Ok, yes, I recognize and acknowledge that my nutrition for riding has never been optimal.  Despite this I've completed and enjoyed century rides, multi-day rides (including a fun three day slog through muddy fire roads across the UP), and all day mountain biking excursions.  Through all of these I've enjoyed the post-ride beers and pizza, and never had to worry about making sure my nutrition was on track.  My blood pressure is great and my cholesterol (last checked about two years ago) was surprising low.

But now I'm apparently old.  I can pinpoint exactly when I got old for you.  It was June 29, 2010.  That marked the first ride where I almost passed out.  I had the spinning head, tunnel vision, whole nine yards - mid ride.  Holy moley was that annoying.  In the past decade, I've ridden 14% grades (very slowly) in France with full paniers and not felt as whipped as I did that day only three miles into an 11 mile ride. Nothing out of the ordinary nutrition-wise for me leading up to the ride, which is why I suspect my age has caught up to me.

Spin setup in the basement with coach Troy

Since that day, it happened three more times - once on a road ride in September, once mountian biking again in November, and this morning...  while spinning with coach Troy!

Again, for all of these, I can't say that my nutrition was particularly bad for any of them.  In fact, it's been actually pretty good these last couple days: yesterday included a veggie burger for lunch, chicken and broccoli stir fry for dinner and a bowl of Special K with blueberries about 15 minutes before the workout this morning (perhaps that wasn't early enough?).

This morning it was the squats that did it.  I did my usual 40-45 minute spin followed by a couple sets of squats which includes isometric squats for 45 seconds.  Boom.  It hit me right after that.

I usually drink about 20-24oz of water during these workouts, but I've been thinking my hydration (and, I'll begrudgingly acknowledge, my nutrition) needs to improve.  So, I've recently been experimenting with this.  But I didn't use it this morning.

That'll teach me, I guess.