Bikeway Bicycles in Wappingers Falls put on a great clinic for female cyclists last Friday night and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. The clinic covered training, rider safety, how to fix a flat tire, and my contribution, nutrition. I focused on training and recovery fuel and I demo'd this Strawberry Mint Smoothie. This drink is quick and easy to make and is a refreshing way to refuel after a bike ride or run. Thanks to Ultragen whey-based recovery powder and ZICO Coconut water, this smoothie provides a healhty dose of protein and electrolytes - perfect for replenishing after a hard workout. Fresh mint adds a bright and summery finish to the drink. See the recipe below.
Once the smoothies were passed around, I talked about what to eat during workouts. My big piece of advice here was to keep the calories up before you get hungry. This means if you are going to be at the gym for a long workout, bring a snack and eat it halfway through your workout. This can be a snack like Fusion Mix or a bottle of Chocolate ZICO. Without these mid-workout calories, it's been my experience (and also that of some of the ladies in the crowd), you'll leave the gym starving and then proceed to eat everything in sight (healthy or not). When on a bike, eating solid foods like Fusion Mix isn't always practical, so my favorite way to stay fueled is with First Endurance's EFS liquid shot. I throw a flask in my jersey pocket and start sipping on it after about an hour of riding. During shorter rides, when I don't need the 400 calories that a flask holds, I'll water down the gel so that it is more like a drink. This may not work with all gels, but EFS liquid shot still tastes great, even when mixed with water.
This event really was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to the next opportunity to mix up smoothies for a crowd! Send an email to wassnertwins@gmail.com if you or your tri club or bike shop want to set something up at an upcoming event. Thanks to ZICO and First Endurance for providing the smoothie ingredients and to all of the ladies who attended the event!
--Bec
Strawberry Mint Smoothie
4-5 frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana
1 12 oz. bottle of plain ZICO Coconut water
1 scoop of Ultragen Tropical Punch protein powder
1 handful of fresh mint
1 handful of ice cubes (optional)
Blend the above ingredients and serve right away.
