BADLANDS : Non-stop ultracycling in Granada

That said, We should start talking about sodium. This mineral is the one that is lost the most during physical exercise and it is for this reason that we must keep in mind that for every liter of water we have to drink one gram of sodium per hour to have a balanced ratio between the liquid and this salt. It must be taken into account that almost all foods or sports supplements provide sodium, so you should establish your strategy by adding.

It must also be clear that not all of us lose the same amounts of salt, and if we add to that the influence of the outside temperature, humidity, level of effort or the clothes we are wearing, it can further lead to increased sweating.

Sodium can be replaced in different ways, such as ingesting capsules, electrolytes dissolved in water, with a chewable or with the content provided by certain gels, gummies and bars. All of them provide you with a small amount of sodium that must be taken into account in the total amount that we have to calculate. 

The most interesting product of 226ERS is HYDRAZERO, because it is a hypotonic drink with a content of 500 mg of sodium in it, and in this way in a 500 or 750 ml bottle you can drink and eat on the bike without needing to ingest more water to be able to digest the food. With this choice it would not be necessary to carry water in drums. 

Another highly recommended option is capsules in double format. SUB9 SALTS ELECTROLYTEYes, either with ginger, to have better digestion, or with caffeine, to be able to spend nights pedaling. The sodium concentration in them is 250 mg each and they should be taken with water.

Lastly, let's not forget CHEW SALTS, a very attractive format that provides 200 mg per tablet, very easy to carry in your jersey or bike bag, for example, to suck for a long time, providing a very pleasant lemon flavor.

Bars, gels and gummies are the ideal complement to drink with HYDRAZERO and happily add more sodium to daily nutrition in Badlands. Taking a single product could be monotonous and boring and the body and brain are better off offering a mix like this.

The 15,000 meters of positive slope will be the last straw that erodes the stone, and it is for this reason that it is unquestionable that carbohydrate replacement is absolutely necessary to be able to continue pedaling in optimal conditions.

A good strategy for this long test is to opt for a medium carbohydrate replacement, rather than a high one, to avoid gastric problems, because there may come a point where the digestive system is not able to assimilate so much food in the form of carbohydrates. This strategy would be based on taking 40 to 80 grams of carbohydrates per hour (the low one would be between 20 and 40 grams and the high one between 80 and 120 grams).

Following a low or medium intake strategy allows the stomach to work with less pressure and also means carrying much less product for self-sufficiency.

If you only eat between 20 and 40 grams of carbohydrates, you have to train it beforehand, because at some point the body may feel empty and you have to teach it to metabolize fats to provide enough energy for the activity.

The appropriate products for this low contribution strategy are ISOTONIC DRINK (18 g), a bar RACE DAY (25 g) or a ISOTONIC GEL (22 g). 

For an average carbohydrate load, which is the most appropriate, it is advisable to combine different sources so as not to saturate the body, such as bars ENDURANCE FUEL BAR or VEGAN OAT BAR with HIGH ENERGY GEL and or liquids such as ISOTONIC DRINK or ENERGY DRINK, depending on how much you want to ingest at any given time.

There are many more products you can take, and it is not a bad idea to make some small changes as a personal 'reward'. If you only take gels you can change to one VEGAN GUMMY or if you take bars RACE DAY have breakfast with a VEGAN OAT BAR to change textures and what you eat so that the stomach also works differently.

Find your best nutrition formula in which you feel most comfortable, you have trained it and you carry as few products as possible with you, although remember that something will always fall or be lost along the way.

Take a look at our website to check everything you will need for Badlands.

Enjoy the road.