For more than 20 years, FitLine has been supporting cycling sports in Germany trough a cooperation with the German Cycling Federation BDR e.V. BDR is the national governing body of cycle racing in Germany and represents more than 139.000 members, among them many elite road, MTB, track, and cyclo-cross riders.
One of the absolute elite of this exceptional discipline is pro athlete Elisabeth Brandau. She is not only a multiple-time German cyclo-cross champion, but also manger of her own elite cycling team and mother of two little boys. Despite this busy schedule, she took her time to share some insights from the world of pro cycling and to tell more about the importance of nutrition in her day-to-day training and during race season.
Elisabeth, you’ve successfully defended your title in the German cyclo-cross Championships just recently – congratulations! What else is on your bucket list for 2018?
I focus on cross-country now. Up next is the Albstadt World Cup in the middle of May and after that several A World Cup on the MTB leading up towards the XCO World Cup in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
How do you prepare for a race? Got any insider tips for our readers on how to boost their workout and get ready for the summer season?
During my training, I focus on the next races and also on the race track. I always try to have full mental focus on my training and also on the physical strain. Also, I am convinced that if you want your training to be effective, your body has to be supplied with the right nutrition. My diet and the nutrients that I add are very important to me. Training is an extra stress factor that adds up to already existing ones. That’s why you need to make sure that you get all the nutrients your body needs.
What do you look for in sports nutrition?
For me, it’s important to eat enough vegetables so that I am supplied with minerals, vitamins and also amino acids from especially combined proteins that can be found in potatoes, eggs or legumes. When you do intense competitive sports and heavy exercising, you need to eat carbohydrates too. I get my carbs from for example rice or millet, as I try to avoid food that contains gluten to the greatest possible extent.
How do you incorporate FitLine products in your training and nutrition plan? Do you see long-term results and effects after having used the products for several years?
I use the products when we’re out and about with the BDR national team, depending on training intensity. Also, they help to improve your regeneration. In the long run, they really helped my immune system to keep me fit so I could train for races nonstop. By now, my team mates swear by the products too.
What is your favourite FitLine product and why?
I think minerals like Restorate are most important.
Besides elite-level racing and managing your own team, you’re also a mom of two boys. What helped you to return to competition after having children?
I simply never stopped. During my pregnancy, I continued to train, but of course I listened to my gut feeling and didn’t go too hard. I never lost sight of my goals or stopped to work towards them. Also, the motivation of the national team and my husband meant a lot to me.
And finally: What do you love most about your sport and what keeps you going?
The great thing about MTB sports is that you can train on your own, but also as a team. You’re out in nature, but at the same time you’re flexible to vary your training schedule so it never gets boring. For me, it’s a challenge to push my limits every day and just like many athletes, I need challenges in my life that I can and want to achieve. And I love my own MTB team EBE-Racing Team, that shares this passion.
Thank you very much for the interesting insights!
