The night before a marathon, two athletes eat the same bowl of pasta. One is simply topping up their glycogen. The other has spent days creating the physiological conditions to store far more of it. Giles Elmore explains the science behind true carbohydrate loading, why a single pasta dinner is not enough, and how getting it right can improve endurance performance by 2-3% and delay fatigue by up to 20%.

Most endurance athletes focus on what they consume during a ride, but the real work of adaptation happens afterwards. In this piece, Giles Elmore (BSc Hons, MRSPH) explains why protein is one of the most important nutrients in an endurance athlete's diet. Drawing on current research, he makes the case that protein supports muscle repair, training adaptation, and long-term performance in ways that carbohydrates simply cannot. Whether you are managing body composition, training through a heavy block, or simply trying to recover well enough to ride again tomorrow, getting your protein right matters more than most cyclists realise.

Gels shouldn't be a rescue solution

When it comes to carbohydrate availability and performance, timing matters far more than most cyclists realise. Taking a gel midway through a ride does not simply refill glycogen by the time fatigue appears, levels have often been falling for some time. Once muscle glycogen becomes significantly depleted, performance may not fully recover even when carbohydrates are consumed. Fuelling during exercise should not be reactive. It should be treated as preservation.

Why You Run Out of Fast Fuel Before You Run Out of Energy

That moment on the final climb when the power simply isn't there is rarely about fitness. More often, it's about fuel. The body runs on two primary energy sources - fat and carbohydrate - but they are not interchangeable. Fat is abundant but slow. Carbohydrate is limited but fast. As intensity rises, the body shifts toward carbohydrate not by choice, but by necessity. When glycogen runs low, you don't stop - you just slow down. Understanding the difference between these two fuels, and how to manage them, is the foundation of smarter riding.

The idea of fasted riding has a certain irresistible logic: roll out of bed, grab a coffee, skip breakfast, and head out to burn “pure fat.” It sounds wonderfully efficient, almost too good to ignore. But while the physiology behind fasted training is real, the story of fat loss is far bigger than what happens during a single morning ride. The body is clever, adaptive, and far less predictable than the simple maths on your bike computer.

That Monday morning heaviness isn't just about the ride itself—it's about what happens after. Giles Elmore explains why proper recovery nutrition matters for every cyclist, from once-a-week riders to daily trainers, and how carbohydrate, protein, and hydration work together to help your body complete the adaptation process that began on the bike.

Carbohydrates and protein dominate cycling nutrition discussions, but micronutrients are the unsung heroes that make performance possible. Vitamins and minerals enable energy production, oxygen delivery, and recovery. Without adequate intake, training feels harder, progress stalls, and consistency suffers—especially for time-pressed weekend warriors. This article explores why iron, vitamin D, magnesium, and B-vitamins matter more than most cyclists realise, and why food variety trumps supplementation.

Almost every cyclist has a story about under-fuelling during a big ride, but rarely do athletes link poor performance with dehydration. That's because it's deceptive—creeping in slowly as elevated heart rate, heavy legs, or harder climbs. Research shows losing just 1–2% of body mass through sweat can reduce performance by up to 40%. Hydration is cycling's silent saboteur, quietly eroding performance kilometre by kilometre. Before your next ride, ask yourself: have you thought about your hydration?

Paul and Tim (Harkness) raced the Surrey League handicap series tonight on the Kitsmead Lane circuit, near Chertsey.

Tim started in the 4th group and Paul started in the 5th and final group of 2nd cats and one 1st cat.