National road race champion and Worlds medalist Ryan Mullen shares his food tips; invaluable information in here. Above, photographed by Toby Watson winning his U23 and senior combined road title last June. You can follow Mullen on his personal Twitter account or on his Facebook page.
By Brian Canty
Ryan Mullen is one of the brightest talents to emerge from Ireland in recent years, having won a silver medal in the U23 time trial at the World Road Championships last September.
And having finished 4th in the individual pursuit at the elite World Track Championships last year, he will be a big medal hope for Ireland when those championships come around again in four weeks time in France.
The reigning national road race champion enjoys competing on the boards and revels in the camaraderie in the Irish camp.
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But watching his weight before, during and after competition is something he says he has to keep a tight eye on.
So when some of the other An Post-Chainreaction riders opted for cake after dinner at the team training camp in Calpe last week, Mullen went for an orange.
“No desserts until after Paris,” he said, referring to the upcoming Worlds.
Here he talks us through a typical day’s nutrition when competing on the track.
And he also offers us some general information on his nutrition, invaluable for riders of all abilities irrespective of goals.
Breakfast
“I generally go for something smaller than what I’d eat if I was racing on the road because I’m only racing for four minutes (on the track) as opposed to six hours.
“I roughly know what porridge looks like in weight. So for the track I’d normally have 50-60 grams of porridge (that’s not a lot folks - Ed), cooked in water because it cooks quicker.
“I prefer the taste of it too and it has less calories than milk as well.
“I might throw a few sultanas through it and then I’ll have two boiled eggs.”
Pre-race
“I’d generally be racing in the afternoon so I’ll always have a pre-race snack; something like rice and some chicken or some fish.
“A bit of fruit as well and leading up to the race I’ll fire a few gels into me and whatever I think I need; bars or whatever.
“When you’re in the hot countries like Colombia you need to stay hydrated all the time.
"So I’d have a couple of litres of water a day with some electrolyte tablets, that sort of stuff.”
Post-race
“I’m not a fan of protein shakes (above); they just don’t agree with my stomach.
"So I generally have a banana or something straight after the ride.
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“And then as soon as I go back to the hotel I’ll get my protein and carbs in and fish too.
Dinner
“I reckon I face buffets around 50 per cent of the year," he says of the meal offerings in many hotels he stays in with the Irish track team and An Post-Chainreaction.
“I’ve learned what I need and what I don’t need.
“So I usually keep it simple; more fish or chicken and some veg, but there’s lots of carbs in veg!”
“I’ve made the mistake before of coming away from a buffet and I’d have gained two kilos in the week but it’s really easy for me now.
“At the World Championships in Ponferrada I went there at race weight and by the time I left I was two kilos overweight!”
Anything else?
“I try not to eat after 7.30pm because I find it just lies in my stomach when I’m in bed.
“A small snack like a Greek yoghurt or something around 8 or 9pm usually keeps me ticking over until the morning.
“I always try to stay away from foods with a high GI (Glycaemic Index)."
Glycemic Index (GI) is a measurement carried out on carbohydrate-containing foods and their impact on our blood sugar.
Foods that are white, including processed foods made with white flour and white sugar, tend to have a high-GI.
Generally, the less processed a carbohydrate, the more likely it is to have a low-GI score.
Low-GI foods provide natural, slowly released energy and include: wholemeal pasta, skinless chicken (above), fish and most other seafood, most forms of beef, cabbage, green and runner beans, chickpeas, hummus, lentils, unsweetened muesli, peppers, porridge oats, quorn, tomatoes, peas and mushrooms, among many others.
High-GI foods include, among many others; bagels, white rice, biscuits, refined breakfast cereals, brown and white sliced bread, cereal bars, jellybeans, melons, popcorn, rice cakes, soft drinks, parsnips, croissants and potatoes.
Mullen continues: “I’m usually good about my diet and don't find it too difficult, staying disciplined. I'm just used to it I guess.
“The Irish camp are always very good when we're away.
"They take no chances with the meat because of the risk of clenbuterol; and the same with the water.
“At the World Championships last year we had the Garmin chef Sean Fowler and he was just incredible. I wouldn’t say no to having him around all the time!”
Note: Nutrition/diet interviews with riders, as with stories such as the 'my training week' series, are intended to offer insight into how some of Ireland's top riders prepare. Readers seeking to formulate training programmes or diet/nutrition plans should devise them in consultation with a coach or other trained professionals.
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