TORQ energy ~ Endurance Fuel
I've
been using TORQ products since 2004 when I needed something to help me
get through the gruelling
UCI Golden Bike Series
I needed something that was going to work
in the freezing cold and wind of March's Tour of Flanders and the 30
degrees heat of Italy's Felice Gimondi and Spain's Quebrantahuesos.
I've been around for a long time and,
believe me, I've drunk and eaten my way through nearly all the products
out there.
Some are great in the cold, others are
good in the heat. Some products are really tasty when you first
throw them down your throat in the winter. But after seven hours
in the saddle and eating them climbing mountains in hot, humid
conditions, they lose their appeal. And that is probably the most
dangerous, self-inflicted thing you can have happen to you as a cyclist.
If you're approaching the descent (or the
climb) of the
Galibier, the Portalet, the Tourmalet or the Izoard, then you don't want
to have low blood sugar, through lack of appetite and enter a full-on descent
without your full-on concentration. I've seen so many people tumble
on final descents, it's not funny. Especially when it's self
inflicted and can easily be prevented.
So nutrition, taste and composition are
very, very, very important. It's as important as your training,
because without it, your training counts for nothing. Okay, pre-amble over, here's the info
on a product that has many surprises and has to be worth a look.

What is it?
TORQ energy is a naturally flavoured, high carb, energy
powder, that you mix with water to deliver sustained energy to your
muscles during your training and competition.
It's composed of a
research-proven mix of 2:1 maltodextrin-fructose formulation that has
been shown to increase carbohydrate delivery by 40%. (Wallis et al
2005).
Maltodextrin is often referred to as a glucose polymer. A glucose polymer's molecular
profile optimises the long-term energy properties of complex
carbohydrates, without the need to consume bulky starch-rich foods.
Which is good for people like us who have to eat and exercise on the go.
There's no half-time in a bike race!
Bulky foods take longer to
digest because they contain fibre, important, but useless as a sport-enhancing
nutrient. They also fill and bloat your stomach making
movement and sport in particular more difficult. No bulk equals
easier digestion; you don't need to be a sports scientist to work that
one out.
TORQ energy, when diluted
with the correct amount of water, delivers a sustained supply of glucose
to the working muscle. It contains no colouring, artificial
sweeteners, flavouring or preservatives. It's lightly flavoured,
refreshing and more importantly these days, natural. It comes in
Natural flavour (nothing) or Grapefruit, Lime & Lemon, Orange
and now Vanilla.
As mentioned earlier, there are no
artificial sweeteners (so no aspartame (check your labels)) only natural
flavourings, and no colourings added. These products are as
natural as you can get.
The "flavoured" versions contain
electrolytes to preserve muscle function and replace minerals lost
through sweating. These help maintain your performance at the top
end of your physical limits for as long as possible.
The
"natural" and "organic" versions do not contain electrolytes, so
can be used to top up carb levels (when carbo loading) without overdoing
the sodium, potassium magnesium intake. Again, always check your
food labelling.
When should I use TORQ energy?
Use it as a supplement to your regular nutrition during heavy
training/racing periods. Sometimes it is just impossible to get
enough calories from a regular diet to fuel your performance. 4 level
scoops of TORQ energy dissolved in 750ml of water is equivalent in energy
to a medium sized bowl of pasta.
TORQ energy can also be added
to all sorts of regular food; preferably the natural flavour! Sprinkle it onto your breakfast
cereal, or add to your favourite sweet or savoury recipes.
You are
unlikely to notice that it has been added, yet it will enhance
significantly the
carbohydrate content of the food. If you do use it
in this way, ensure that you
drink plenty of extra water as this is necessary for effective
glycogen storage.
Recovery Supplement
The optimal "window of opportunity" for maximising nutrition recovery is
the twenty minutes immediately upon ceasing exercise. Enzyme activity is
elevated, and this is the best time to get carbohydrate into your system.
This is why you see pro's
eating in the last 10-20k of a stage race. It's not for the
finishing sprint, it's to load the stomach ready to digest upon
completion of the stage and start the recovery for tomorrow's onslaught.
Solid food isn't always appealing at this time so
it's possible to use a
dedicated recovery supplement or use TORQ energy.
For optimal recovery, aim to
consume 1gram of TORQ energy per kilogram body weight, immediately after exercise and repeat this
procedure every 2 hours for the next 4-6 hours.
However, after the
initial recovery period, and you've had your shower, in my opinion solid food may be a
more palatable and cheaper alternative.
Use TORQ to kick start your
recovery. Prepare the bottle before you leave home and get it down
your throat as quickly as possible post exercise. Then start the
recovery process running while you're in the shower washing your bits.
Carbo Loading
Research has shown that if you elevate your carbohydrate
intake for the days leading up to an event, you will super-charge your
muscles with glycogen. Obviously, if you've done everything else
right you will enhance your performance and extend your time to
exhaustion.
There are a variety of
carbohydrate loading methods, but as a guide, aim to consume 8-10g of
carbohydrate per kg bodyweight per day for the 3 days leading up to your
key event. During this time, every effort should be made to keep
fat intake as low as possible and exercise volume should be light.
Please note that these figures represent the recommended amount of total
carbohydrate, so use supplements such as TORQ to help you achieve
these levels. And don't do it for every
event every weekend!

Nutritional Info
Ingredients:
Maltodextrin (60%),
Fructose (30%)
Electrolytes ~ Sodium, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium
Nutritional Information (per
100grams):
Energy (Kcal) 384
Energy (Kj) 1605
Carbohydrate 96g
Fat 0g
Protein 0g
Dairy free, wheat free and nut free.
And obviously independently tested against all substance lists to ISO
17025 standards.
Where can I get some?
See the boys at
Big Maggy's
by clicking the link on the right, visiting the shop, or calling them on
01534 729 900
I've been using the Pink
Grapefruit version and I think that at last I've found a product that I
can drink all day that doesn't leave me wishing it wasn't sweet and
sickly. Because it's neither. It's really refreshing,
different and it works, for me at least.
Having said that, as part of
this test, the Vanilla's my new favourite!