I'm taking part in a few long distance cycle rides soon from 60 to 100 miles this summer. I was wondering whats the best advice out there for food to eat before, during and after long distance rides to ensure you do not sieze up!
I'm taking part in a few long distance cycle rides soon from 60 to 100 miles this summer. I was wondering whats the best advice out there for food to eat before, during and after long distance rides to ensure you do not sieze up!
All advice appreciated
My first and only long ride was 70ish miles around the isle of wight. I had 2 slices of toast in the morning, and on the way had a mars bar and a hotcross bun.
The human body is capable of more than you think! I ate a ton the next day though.
Breakfast is eight Weetabix, fructose and skimmed milk.
If there's a cafe stop I'll ideally have a toasted teacake and a cup or pot of tea. Then whatever at lunch (with a cup of tea).
Grub in the bar bag to keep me ticking over is normally fig rolls, salted cashews, bananas, fun size Mars bars. Oh, and possibly a flapjack if I'm in the mood. I just have regular tap water in my water bottle.
Maybe crunchy peanut butter on toast when I get back to keep me going before a late Sunday lunch.
Big plate of porridge to start the day (even whilst cycle camping) and then whatever I fancy. After that start I have been known to exist on Trek bars until my evening meal. Plenty of water and Gatorade.
Many of the things you can count, don't count. Many of the things you can't count, really count. - Albert Einstein
Started the day with a bowl-full of "Oatiflakes" (and I mean full) with a pint of semi-skimmed milk and a crushed banana to sweeten (no sugar). I often have porridge, about the same quantity. And a pint of hot water.
After twenty-five miles I stopped for a banana and one of my sandwiches, which comprise wholemeal bread (one slice) and "Cauldron" veggi pate with slices of beetroot.
At Hellifield (35ish miles from home) I had beans on toast with an egg at the station cafe - bucket of tea !!
Somewhere in between there and my destination at Hest Bank (on Morecambe Bay) I ate another Banana and another of my sandwiches, with half of a packet of plain, sea salted potato crisps.
At Hest Bank - at the cafe by the sea, next to the railway - I had egg, chips and beans - bucket of tea !!
On return journey after about 25 miles I ate my remaining two sandwiches and the other half of my packet of crisps.
After that, at about every ten or twelve miles, I had one of my bonk rations. This year my craze is for Kellog's "Elevenses" a soft-baked bar with about 200 calories in each - and in a veriety of flavours - I like the raisin one best.
And then Keighley - 120 miles under my belt, and in the next 7 miles I have to climb from about 400ft to about 1200ft - the hardest part of the day !!! - nothing like Fleet Moss which climbs about the same in about a third the distance, but nearly bed-time by then - I had a large chocolate marzipan bar - about the equivalent of three Thornton's chocolate marzipan bars - and I know from experience that they work a treat. Plenty of water, and they do the work of a performance enhancing drug.
It was a warm day, but not too hot, and there is no severe climbing, but I drank about five litres of water, not including the water with my breakfast and not including the tea.
That's about normal for me on runs like that. I find that 100 miles is like a threshold - I need to feed myself properly if I'm doing more than that.
Some people may say that that's overkill, but anyone who has really bonked knows the value of having plenty blood sugar.
Don't eat bacon, sausage, meat etc or anything fried - even if you have that for breakfast, it's just about processed and ready as blood sugar by the time you get home. Easy to digest grub, and little and often !!! Plenty to drink, and I don't recommend beer on a ride - get home, get your bath, and off to meet the lads at the local.
JohnW wrote:Don't eat bacon, sausage, meat etc or anything fried - even if you have that for breakfast, it's just about processed and ready as blood sugar by the time you get home. Easy to digest grub, and little and often !!! Plenty to drink, and I don't recommend beer on a ride - get home, get your bath, and off to meet the lads at the local.
This is not so, John. If you eat protein with your carbohydrate it slows down the absorbtion of the carbohydrate making it last longer and evening out sugar spikes. I used to subscribe to the little and often, of carbohydrate, and it does work, but found that moderate amounts with protein, much less often work just as well, and are more satisfying. When I'm bike touring, or doing a 100 miler I have a bigger than normal breakfast with fish, or if in a hotel/B&B etc., some of the full English/Irish/Ulster/Yorkshire/Whatever they call it breakfast. I don't eat fried eggs but I'll have rashers, sausages and black pudding. I then don't have to eat anything till lunchtime.
Eat fairly normally, normal breakfast, stop for mid morning snack; drink toast/toasted t-cake, stop forlunch but do not lunch too heavily; beans on toast should be adequate and have a mid afternoon tea stop esp for the longer rides. Carry some emergency energy food (avoid chocolate it just might hot), fruit, malt loaf or whatever floats your boats, just in case of need. Fill your water bottles with usual drink. Have something to eat when you complete your ride, or a commercial recovery food I use http://www.forgoodnessshakes.com/ Vanilla. I avoid foods that are too fatty; bacon, sausage etc as it gives me indigestion on a ride but we are all different.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
On my LEJOG I'd eat the biggest possible breakfast, the full english with toast, cereal, yoghurt, kippers and anything else on offer. This meant a slow start but would see me through the first four hours till a cake stop, followed by a lighter lunch which was often a baguette or soup and a roll. Flapjacks into the afternoon followed by a big meal and beer in the evening. Quite a lot of energy drinks at the start but I soon went off them and reserved them for emergencies. Snack just before you begin to feel the wobbles coming on and you'll be good. The magazines say 200 calories an hour but I'm in favour of slow release so mars bars are only for getting out of a hole fast.
Eat a good hearty breakfast early enough to let it at least partially digest pre ride. Eat as you ride, little and often. Stop for a break or two if you're not against the clock.
As others have said eat what you fancy, sandwiches, poached egg on toast, beans o t etc. Some people find it hard to eat whilst on a ride so just eat what you can. However even if you're not hungry you should still eat. Otherwise you are in danger of using up your reserves.
Over a period of time you will find out what suits you best and how much you need to eat over a given distance/time.
On very long rides I struggle with eating and often feel sick. I know I will get over it and I have these bad spell from time to time, When they come on I just eat whatever I can.
I had a real craving for Sausages and mash on one ride and it became a complete fixation for about 60 miles. At the next feed station I managed to get sausage and mash, it felt like a lottery win!
Don't forget to drink little and often. Start 10 minutes into the ride. Drink before you are thirsty. Try additives in the drink. There are loads on the market, try a couple to see what you like.
As a last resort I carry energy gels and or Robertsons jelly. If I'm completely done in I will get the instant boost I need from either of these. These are a last result and don't replace good eating on the ride.
There are other good products such as Shot Blocks and similar brands. These help replace the electrolites you will loose. You can munch them as you go. Any good bike shop will stock both these and drink additives.
I also carry an energy bar of some sort just in case.
Ultimately it's what you can comfortably eat and drink en route and pre ride.
I like a pasta supper the night before, porridge for breakfast, beans on toast anywhere I can get it and carry a Soreen malt loaf in the handlebar bag. (But the wife says I'm a pig!) Robinsons Lemon Barley Water mixed fairly weak is good. Don't use sweets or chocolate until the last 10 miles, some people can, but in a few cases the following insulin spike will flatten the rider an hour or less later. On long tours with camping gear I do enjoy a bacon++ fry up for breakfast if I can find one, as Gearoid says it keeps you going all day, I don't do it normally though as I'm plenty fat enough as it is.
I think John W has it right but this is a personal thing. It's important not to forget to eat, because nothing warns you that the knock, bonk, or whatever you like to call it is about to strike. (If it does happen, you will really feel distressed. If you eat something full of energy, you will recover PDQ.) As John W implies, fluids are equally important, something that has not always been recognised among even the top flight of racing cyclists.
Somebody mentioned 'anything you fancy' and that can be important. After a number of hours riding, it's easy to feel that what you've brought to eat is the very last thing you want to eat so your fancy can change. Nowadays, you can usually buy some food and drink at a filling station or convenience shop (assuming your ride is not at the back of beyond.)
Don't be frightened by all this talk of the bonk etc. If you build up gradually to your longer rides, pay attention to how your body reacts to distance cycling. Then when you do your big rides, you'll be laughing.
i have porridge in the morning, then a cereal bar every 10 miles if i go non stop, Drink is just water.if i stop then i'll have a jacket potato or cheese sandwich. works for me. i'd second what thirdcrank says about the appetite change. for last years 200 mile ride i took all my favourite food and ate very little of it, i couldn't face it! ended up buying stuff i don't usually eat, along with several pints of milk.
