How cyclists train for the big race

A good diet and lots of pedaling get racers ready for Raleigh Criterium

If you've paid attention to the Tour de France over the past few years -- and most of us have with the race being won by Americans the past eight years -- you may be under the impression that cyclists are physiological automatons. Every movement meticulously examined in a wind tunnel for aerodynamics, every morsel of food prescribed for maximum fuel efficiency.

While bike racing does require long hours in the saddle (five or six hours for an average day on the Tour) and gobbles up a lot of energy (up to 9,000 calories a day, on the Tour's more demanding stages), the 100 or so cyclists coming to town for Friday night's 2007 Raleigh Downtown Criterium generally take a less regimented approach.

"I'm not much into weighing my food or measuring out cups of cereal or ounces of milk," says Terry Huss, a local cyclist who has been racing two years.

"Usually, my body will tell me what I need," says Huss, who lives in Johnston County and races for the Raleigh All-Stars Cycling Team.

In general, most racers say they subscribe to the currently accepted nutritional profile for racers: The daily diet should consist of 65 percent carbohydrates (for fuel), 15 percent proteins (especially helpful for recovering from a race or training) and 20 percent fat.

"There's really nothing special," says Charlie Storm, a cycling coach based in Sanford. "Just eat a well-rounded diet. There's none of that pasta hoopla you used to hear about. Get plenty of protein, plenty of vitamins."

Pedal, pedal, pedal

Competitive cyclists may not spend a lot of time thinking about their diets, but all of them must spend a lot of time on the bike.

By day, Terry Huss works in information technology for Novo Nordisk in Research Triangle Park. By late afternoons, evenings and weekends, he's riding his bike. For 18 to 20 hours a week or longer, for 200 to 250 miles a week or more.

His big training day is Tuesday. That's when he joins an elite group of local racers for a ride led by local cycling legend David LeDuc. Referred to in local cycling circles as "The Old Man," LeDuc won the master's world championship for road racing in 2001. Now 56, LeDuc still races and plans to be in the pack Friday night.

"It's my most intense effort for the week," says Huss of the Tuesday ride, which covers 65 miles in about 2 hours and 45 minutes, frequently reaching speeds of 35 to 37 mph.

"The purpose of the ride," says Kirk Port, a local racer who is also an organizer of Friday night's race, "is to increase VO2 max." (Cyclespeak for lung capacity.)

"The rest is just junk miles," Huss says of his other training. "Junk" as in 50- to 55-mile rides throughout Johnston and Harnett counties.

Laura Bowles' training at this point of the season isn't quite as intense. That's because the Asheville cyclist rides pro for the Advil/Chapstick team and races every week during the season.

"From November through February I'll put in 25 hours a week on the bike," says Bowles, who is 25. Now, she may do one long training ride -- an hour to an hour and a half -- during the week, but mostly do causal riding around Asheville -- to the coffee shop or to Asheville Velo Sports, where she works as a cycling coach.

This week, for instance, she was planning to take Monday and Tuesday off, ride for maybe an hour and a half Wednesday, drive to Raleigh today and meet the rest of her team, flying in from around the country, then do a short ride race morning.

"We'll do some short sprints," she says. "Open up our legs a little."

Don't eat weird

Storm is a longtime racer (he placed third at the first Raleigh Criterium, in 2005) and currently coaches aspiring racing cyclists through Storm Endurance in Sanford. About the most specific bit of nutritional advice he offers: "Don't eat anything weird on race day."

Huss describes himself as "maniacal" about his diet. "I'm always catching flak from my family that I don't eat enough or that I eat too much."

Yet his diet is pretty mainstream: cereal, pancakes, maybe oatmeal for breakfast, a baked potato or pasta for dinner, yogurt and an energy bar or two during the day.

"I've never found that I'm eating too much," says Huss. "Sometimes I may suffer from a lack of nutrition and be a little sluggish." He listens to his body and makes adjustments.

Bowles is likewise attuned to what works for her. "I eat healthy. I eat a lot of vegetables, whole grains, fish, eggs."

And she doesn't let a lifestyle that keeps her on the road a lot derail her.

Many of the out-of-town racers in Friday's criterium will stay with "host families." The free lodging helps cut down on expenses, but it also lets the cyclists maintain their nutritional routine. No risking botulism at the hotel restaurant for them.

"They have freezers; we can cook our own stuff," says Bowles, who studied nutrition while attending Appalachian State University.

Race day nutrition is especially important for cyclists in a criterium. In a longer road race, such as the Tour de France, cyclists can eat throughout the race. In a fast-paced criterium, they'll need to meet most of their fuel needs a good three hours before the race.

Bowles says she may put some electrolyte powder in her water bottle for the race, but solid food is out of the question.

"You're constantly out of breath," she says. "You can't eat."