Sad Fact: We aren’t meant to ride bikes. We aren’t meant to swim, or ski. Arguably, the only sport we are meant for is running, but even then, we’re only meant to run away from animals that may be chasing us down, not for 26.2 miles. This is why resting is important. You need to give your muscles and mind a break from grueling and strenuous workouts. They need to recover.
Which takes us into the second rest day of the tour. This final rest day is appropriately placed right before four back-to-back mountain stages, including the epic Alpe d’Huez. Today the riders are most likely holed up in their hotel rooms, getting rubs, laying with their legs raised up high and packed in compression, while team chefs and doctors are carefully calculating their caloric and nutrient needs to feel tip top for tomorrow.
Diet is very important on a rest day. Every bite of food and sip of drink is meticulously measured to refresh the riders without overdoing anything. After days of tough racing in hot conditions, the riders use today to top off their glycogen stores and rehydrate with electrolytes. They have a single day to come back from any deficiencies.
So how can you fuel to recover? Use a recovery mix. Recovery mixes work best when you take them directly after exercise. You have a 30-minute window when you body’s metabolism is on overdrive and you can basically mainline all the nutrients to rehydrate, repair and replenish muscles straight to the places that need them most.
Fluid Recovery is one of our favorites because it tastes natural and is easy to digest. It contains no lactose or gluten and has no artificial colors or flavoring. Its unique blend of carbohydrates, proteins, L-glutamine, electrolytes and Vitamin C work in harmony together. This gives you a major recovery benefit over taking each of these supplements on their own.
Simply speaking, taking a day off the bike and recovering is an unfortunate necessity if you wanna be your best.