Hill intervals are where your heart rate rises, your legs go to work, and you train your ability to sustain a high effort when the road tilts upward. It can feel tough, and that’s why it can be an advantage to plan your energy intake so you can better maintain a steady effort from the first to the last repetition.
Here you get a concrete guide on how to plan your energy before, during, and after hill intervals. The goal is to have a practical strategy so you can keep consistent pressure on the pedals and still have something left for the final repetitions.
Why hill intervals require extra energy
Hill intervals are targeted, intensive training. You work against gravity at high intensity and often close to your VO2 max or FTP. This means, among other things, that:
- The body primarily uses carbohydrate as fuel
- Calorie burn per minute is typically higher than on flat, easy riding
- Each repetition can help reduce glycogen stores in the muscles
Intervals around 90 percent of your max heart rate, which you often hit on longer climbs, can help develop your aerobic capacity and your ability to work at high intensity—when you can keep the intensity stable throughout the entire session. Therefore, it can be relevant to have an energy plan that matches the workload.
If you take in too little energy along the way, you will typically experience:
- Dropping watts, especially in the last sets
- Heavy legs and a harder time increasing the pace over the top
- Less stable technique, for example fluctuating cadence or more riding out of the saddle, which can increase the load
That’s why it often comes down to two things: carbohydrates for the work in the muscles, plus fluids and electrolytes for fluid balance.
Before the hill-interval session
What you do in the hours before training matters for how you experience the session when the road points upward. An appropriate intake of carbohydrates can make it easier to hold a consistent effort in the intervals.
How to eat 1 to 3 hours before
If you’ve eaten a regular meal two to three hours before training—for example rye bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes combined with a bit of protein and fat—your glycogen stores are usually well supported for a 45 to 75 minute hill-interval session.
If you train early, or it’s been a long time since your last meal, you may benefit from:
- Eating a smaller carbohydrate-rich snack meal 60 to 90 minutes before, for example fruit, a bun with honey, or oatmeal
- Supplementing with liquid carbohydrates in the hours leading up to training, for example a light mix of energy powder in your bottle
A concrete option can be Carbo Race Electrolyte in your bottle if you want a practical way to get carbohydrates and electrolytes in connection with a hard session. You can see a variant here: Carbo Race electrolyte
Caffeine used thoughtfully
Caffeine can, for some, contribute to increased alertness and make perceived exertion feel lower at the same wattage. Many choose caffeine 30 to 60 minutes before the first interval.
- Start cautiously if you’re not used to caffeine in connection with training
- Practice both with and without caffeine so you find out what suits you
Energy during hill intervals
During the session itself, it can be relevant to aim for a steady intake of carbohydrates while also getting fluids and electrolytes. This can help you more easily maintain a consistent effort in both the first and the last interval.
Gels for quick energy on the climbs
Energy gels can be practical for hill intervals because they contain fast-available carbohydrates and are easy to consume—even when the pace is high. They take up minimal space in your pockets and can be taken both before and between intervals.
A simple plan can be:
- One gel 5 to 10 minutes before the first hard interval
- Then about one gel every 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the length and intensity of the session
You can find different variants of energy gels here: energy gels for hill intervals
Chews as energy in small bites
If you prefer to chew your energy or prefer small doses at a time, energy chews can be an alternative. They are easy to handle on the descents between intervals.
- Eat one to two pieces on each descent as part of the active recovery
- Use them as a supplement to or instead of gels, depending on what your stomach tolerates best
A concrete example is PurePower Chews Fruit Mix, which is developed to be easy to chew, even when your heart rate is high: energy chews you can dose between intervals
Sports drink when you want to combine energy and fluids
If you do many repetitions or ride in hot conditions, a carbohydrate electrolyte drink can be a practical solution where you get carbohydrates, fluids, and salts in the same drink.
- Drink small sips during the breaks to support a steady intake of fluids and carbohydrates
- Replace some of the salt you sweat out via the electrolyte content
Carbo Race Electrolyte is an example of a sports drink that can suit both short and longer sessions where you ride intensely on climbs.
If you want to understand the difference between an energy drink and a sports drink, you can read this guide: guide to cycling under 60 minutes
Example energy plan for 60 minutes of hill intervals
Below you’ll see an example of how a hill session of about an hour can be structured and how you can time your energy along the way.
- 15 minutes of easy warm-up
- Six repetitions of three-minute climbing at 90 to 100 percent of FTP with three minutes of easy descending between each
- 10 to 15 minutes of cool-down
A simple energy plan could look like this:
Before training
- Light meal one to three hours before training
- 250 to 500 milliliters of water or a mild energy drink before you get on the bike
Warm-up from 0 to 15 minutes
- Small sips of water or Carbo Race during the warm-up
- One gel about 5 to 10 minutes before the first interval, if you use gels
During the intervals
- Drink small sips on the way down the climbs
- Choose either one to two gels spread across the entire session, or one bag of chews where you take two to three pieces in each or every other break
After the last interval
- Drink the rest of your bottle during your cool-down
- Plan a good meal after training to support normal recovery for the next training session
If you only want to bring one type of energy, you can for example:
- Use only gels with one before the first interval and one halfway through, plus water or a thin electrolyte drink in your bottle
- Use only sports drink with a slightly higher carbohydrate concentration and take small sips at each break
If your stomach reacts along the way, you can:
- Reduce the amount per intake and instead take smaller amounts more often
- Avoid mixing too many products at once until you know what works best for you
You can read more about how to plan your energy for different types of cycling training here: how to plan energy for cycling
Fluids and electrolytes for the final repetitions
On hot days or on the indoor trainer, you may find yourself lacking reserves even though you’ve consumed both food and gels. In some cases, this may be related to fluids and electrolytes.
- You lose fluid through sweat
- You lose electrolytes such as sodium and magnesium
Low fluid and salt intake can be linked to, among other things:
- A greater feeling of fatigue
- Higher heart rate at the same wattage
- A greater tendency for cramps in some people
Here, products with electrolytes can be part of your plan. For example, you can:
- Mix water with Hydro Tabs if you primarily get energy from gels or chews
- Use a carbohydrate electrolyte drink if you want both carbohydrates and electrolytes in the same bottle
See the selection of Hydro Tabs here: Hydro Tabs for fluid balance
If you want to dive deeper into what electrolytes mean for your training, you can read this guide: everything you need to know about electrolytes
After the hill-interval session
When you’re done with a hard hill session, you’ve typically used both energy and fluids. The next step is to prioritize food and fluids so you’re ready again.
- Eat a meal with both carbohydrates and protein within a couple of hours after training
- Restore fluid balance with water and possibly electrolytes if you’ve sweated a lot
- Listen to your body and plan an easier day after especially heavy interval sessions to support an appropriate training load
If hill intervals are a regular part of your training, it may make sense to look at your overall sports nutrition for cycling. Here you’ll find products targeted at cyclists and other endurance athletes: sports nutrition for cycling
How to get stable energy for hill intervals
An energy and hydration strategy for hill intervals doesn’t have to be complicated. The most important thing is that you have a plan you’ve tested in training and that suits you and your stomach.
- Ensure a solid carbohydrate foundation before you start
- Use fast-absorbing carbohydrates like gels or chews when intensity is high
- Combine with fluids and electrolytes so you can better maintain a consistent effort in the final repetitions
- Keep your energy plan simple and adjust it as you get to know your body better
With a well-thought-out plan for energy and hydration, you can complete your hill intervals with high quality and work purposefully toward your sporting goals.