Overtraining - A Reality?

2012-02-17

Maryke Van Zyl, Woolworth's Nutritionist and 2012 Absa Cape Epic entrant, gives riders some basic nutrition tips to ensure you keep your immune system strong: A good friend once said that rest is one of the most important parts of training! Maryke says she "now knows why he said that." 

So here’s the thing, Maryke just loves being on the bike.  Luckily, most of her friends also ride, and so much of herbest socialising is also connected to her favourite sport.  So Maryke never thought that she could get to a point of not enjoying mountain biking.  But she did - and apparently the reason for this is called ‘overtraining’.  Unfortunately, Maryke experienced this for the first time while riding one of the toughest one day mountain bike races in the Western Cape.  Starting a race with tired legs is pretty much a disaster – especially if you know you have 121 km to go!  

So how did she get into this state? Maryke had had four weeks of hard training without resting to thank. The first signs that she was suffering from overtraining were there a few weeks before the race.  Maryke's legs weren't recovering properly; She was feeling tired and grumpy; and a chronic sore throat and ears made it clear there was a drop in her immune system. But because of her love for the sport and the urgency to train for the Absa Cape Epic, Maryke kept on riding, and only realised her need for rest too late. 

An exhausted rider having a rest at the Woolworth's Recovery Zone 

A good friend once said that rest is one of the most important parts of training! Maryke says she "now knows why he said that."  Feeding your body with the right nutrients to assist in optimal recovery and immune support is also essential. 

• Make sure you eat enough.  Athletes who don’t take in enough energy, especially from carbohydrates, suffer from impaired performance and poor adaptation to training.  Low energy intake may be harmful to the brain, reproductive, metabolic and immune functions, as well as to bone health. 

• Eat enough fruit and vegetables: At least 5 – 6 portions per day. Fruit and vegetables are high in mixtures of phytochemicals, which are “non-nutritive” substances in plants that provide health protection benefits. 

• The phytochemicals also provide the colour, taste and aroma to fruits and vegetables, so be sure to include deep-coloured types such as beetroot, berries, pumpkin, tomato and spinach; as well as allium and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, garlic and kale. 

• Zinc and selenium are two nutrients that have been shown to play a role in supporting the immune system. Whole grains, nuts, lentils, avocado, fish and shellfish are good sources of these nutrients. 

• Studies have shown that omega 3 fatty acids also play a beneficial role in supporting the immune system. Try to include food sources rich in omega 3 daily such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel, pilchards, sardines, herring), omega 3 enriched eggs or yogurt. If you don’t get enough from your daily diet, consider the use of an omega 3 (fish oil or krill oil) supplement. 

• Take a probiotic supplement daily. This will not only help to ensure your gut stays healthy, but can also assist in giving your immune system a boost. Lactobacillus acidophilus, the good bacteria often used in probiotic supplements have been shown to activate an immune response to antigens and have also been known for their protection in mucosal infections commonly found in fatigued athletes.  

       Woolworth's Recovery Zone hand out Recovery packs with a perfectly balanced meal for someone who has just completed a stage on the Absa Cape Epic route.