Cycling for charity: Training key to healthy journey: doctor

Dubai: Jalal Bin Thaneya’s 5,000-km ride will be gruelling and boring at times but it will not affect his health if he has trained properly, a doctor said.

“He is young, so there will be no adverse impact on the heart,” said Dr Lalit Uchil, specialist physician at Mediclinic, Al Sufouh.

The Emirati — who does not smoke and has no known risk factors — will cycle 150km every day.

He will be riding mostly on flat terrain and has trained for his long journey across the Gulf states.

The doctor warned that if the training is not done properly to prepare him for the ordeal, he will suffer from muscle pain and exhaustion.

“Eating nutritious food is important,” said the doctor, advising that Jalal should carry dates with him as even a few dates pack a large amount of calories.

He should be snacking and eating a bite or two of food every 15 minutes, sportsmen advise.

Cyclists advise that a rider should drink at least one bottle of water per hour.

“He will need to drink double the amount of water he would normally drink,” said the doctor.

On an average we are required to drink 3 litres of water, so Jalal will have double it to 6 litres.

Water intake

Every system in the body depends on water, and a lack of water will lead to dehydration and that will drain him of energy, the doctor said.

As the terrain will be monotonous, the doctor suggested that he carry music with him.

“He could easily fall asleep and this [the music] would keep him awake,” he said.

Jalal plans to rest during the afternoon and ride through the night. Many of the roads he will travelling in the night will be dark and there will be long stretches with only the desert landscape on both sides.