Ruby cycles for the female Australian pro cycling team Roxsolt Attaquer. I’ve been lucky enough to work with her over the last few months. Ruby’s been killing it in her races, and is about to head off to the US and Europe for their summer cycling season. Ruby’s been kind enough to write about her experiences with cycling and ‘why nutrition is part of my training’ for me to share with you….I’m a 24 year old female full time cyclist who works part time at a bike shop. I have been riding since 12 years old and have competed in NZ, Australia, and Europe.
When I fell in love with cycling.
I first hopped on the bike to do track cycling for fun. Watching it on the television in the Athens Olympics, it looked like a good time and totally different to your usual advertised sports, so I told my dad I’d like to give it a go. I love how tough it is and extremely dynamic with a lot more to it than what most people think. I’m constantly learning and the sport is always evolving. It probably wasn’t until the under 19 category where I started to take it more seriously and dedicate my time to train for. For the past 6 years I’ve been competing in road cycling only.
Why nutrition is part of my training
Cycling burns a lot of energy. Your body has to spend 15-20 hours on the bike per week. It’s a lot of strength, cardio, and endurance, which can burn you out quickly if not done correctly. You’re also often out in open conditions with the weather if it’s hot or cold. This can put your body in more of a vulnerable state. You want to be somewhat light but strong at the same time which can become a fine line between being underweight which can dampen your immune system. Once the training is done, this is where good nutrition can give you the right nutrients to keep you healthy.
Thanks to the help of Chloe, having the right nutrients has kept my body strong, lean, and with a stronger immune system. There’s no point training your butt off if your body can’t back up the efforts and becoming run down. It’s not only a physical benefit. I’ve gotten more knowledge about food, it’s also stopped me from being lazy and skipping my veges. I cook more, and you always feel good about yourself when you’ve prepared a yummy, healthy meal. You only have one life and one body so give it the fuel it needs!
Now when I go into racing, not only I can I say I’ve done all of my training, had plenty of rest, but also my nutrition has been good leading up to the day.
If you want to learn more about Ruby, check out her insta page!