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Recently a team asked if we had any cold weather riding tips and whether they should fuel with gels and bars rather than drinks for their base miles when the temperature drops.  When it gets very cold, riders tend not to be so thirsty and sometimes bottles can even freeze which creates more practical obstacles.  However, cold weather riding and modern living conditions can create challenges to hydration status that may have implications from the ability to burn fat to how easy it is to keep fingers warm. Many years ago, I remember working with a Sport Scientist/nutritionist at a...

WHY SUNSCREEN? - SUNBURN is an AVOIDABLE INJURY Sometimes people find the wearing of sunscreen unpleasant when sweating and sometimes justify the abstinence of sunscreen because of a perception that it may interfere with normal sweating and thermoregulation (Ouyang & Schmalenberg, 2015).   Others are caught out by unexpected changes in weather, a failure to appreciate the sun strength, especially at altitude or just the logistical challenges of sport. Even the best can be caught out, in 2014 multiple Tour de France winner Chris Froome suffered severe sunburn whilst training in an experimental mesh backed skinsuit with little UV protection...

Hot weather and indoor training can make it difficult to maintain optimal hydration, dehydration is not healthy but it is always important to remember it is possible to over consume fluids during exercise.  Too much water during exercise can cause the sometimes fatal condition hyponatremia (literally low sodium), often known as water intoxication. One of the adaptations to training is a reduction in the amount of sodium lost in sweat.  However, as sweat rate increases the sweat gland has less time to recover sodium so if you are sweating a lot more than usual you may need to increase consumption....

Let’s face it, who doesn’t look forward to a sunshine filled summer and the chance to get out in the great outdoors unencumbered by layers of warm and waterproof clothing? It is also a chance to get that healthy looking ‘go faster’ tan. There’s a link between attractiveness and skin tone, and as the proliferation of tanning salons on the high street would suggest it’s far from just athletes and sports people that crave that healthy look. However, if you believe a 2014 study ‘A relationship between attractiveness and performance in professional cycling’, an ‘attractiveness’ boosting tan could be the...