Lack of energy while riding for the first hour

nurul

This started about a year ago. For the first hour of a ride I just feel weak, like I am about to bonk. I even got dropped after 10km back in Sept cos I literally had no energy. I normally breakfast brown toast with a poached egg and tea. Been riding since 1989 (the Lemond year!!!) and it wasn't until 2007 that I started feeling like this. After an hour I do recover but within the first hour I can bearly hang on to the wheel of lesser riders. Even now when I am doing base rides at 50-60% of maxHR at a distance of 60-90km I feel weak in the first hour, like my body is just not waking up. Do I really need to overhaul my breakfast nutrition. (Also this feeling occurs whether or not I have had an enormous dinner). Could this be a sign of diabetes?? Both of my parents suffer from diabetes but they were never active sports people. Strange this is happening now after years of riding.

JAPANic

I normally breakfast brown toast with a poached egg and tea.

The tea would act as a diuretic and dehydrate you.
The egg would need a lot of energy to digest. It takes the stomach a long time to get through an egg. There would be no energy benefits from the egg either. Have your egg the night before or in your post ride meal.
The toast is a start but you'd burn that up getting your bicycle ready to ride and getting dressed.

You need a bit more fast energy in your breakfast. (or warm up for an hour)
Throw in a banana and some apple. More toast. I will down a can of cola if I am feeling a lack of energy.
Warm up before you start... takes a while to get warmed up, especially with no energy in your breakfast.
Your body would be switching to fat burning after the first 40 minutes and that's why you feel better then.

stevechow

This started about a year ago. For the first hour of a ride I just feel weak, like I am about to bonk. I even got dropped after 10km back in Sept cos I literally had no energy. I normally breakfast brown toast with a poached egg and tea. Been riding since 1989 (the Lemond year!!!) and it wasn't until 2007 that I started feeling like this. After an hour I do recover but within the first hour I can bearly hang on to the wheel of lesser riders. Even now when I am doing base rides at 50-60% of maxHR at a distance of 60-90km I feel weak in the first hour, like my body is just not waking up. Do I really need to overhaul my breakfast nutrition. (Also this feeling occurs whether or not I have had an enormous dinner). Could this be a sign of diabetes?? Both of my parents suffer from diabetes but they were never active sports people. Strange this is happening now after years of riding.
Maybe your body is tired...try to take 10 days rest just do nothing and relax...no sports or running... see if it goes better :p just only walking and do lots of walking...

michaelbaker

This started about a year ago. For the first hour of a ride I just feel weak, like I am about to bonk. I even got dropped after 10km back in Sept cos I literally had no energy. I normally breakfast brown toast with a poached egg and tea. Been riding since 1989 (the Lemond year!!!) and it wasn't until 2007 that I started feeling like this. After an hour I do recover but within the first hour I can bearly hang on to the wheel of lesser riders. Even now when I am doing base rides at 50-60% of maxHR at a distance of 60-90km I feel weak in the first hour, like my body is just not waking up. Do I really need to overhaul my breakfast nutrition. (Also this feeling occurs whether or not I have had an enormous dinner). Could this be a sign of diabetes?? Both of my parents suffer from diabetes but they were never active sports people. Strange this is happening now after years of riding.i fully recommend the breaskfast i have...as your concerns stood out to me a bit, because i have a simular problem...yet i'm only 19. (born in 1989 the lemond year)
I'd feel a bit drained/energyless for the first 5-10miles of the ride...it feels like my body needs to break into its own energy supplys to use them.
Infact i still get it a bit...but i can keep up with my mates np then after a while i break away nd leave em behind :)

But anyway... the best breakfast to help this is a slow release carb breakfast...then the energy food just 20min before the ride.
best results in my opinion.

Over an hour before ride - 3 weetobix's (only enough milk to soak the weetobix)
after that your getting ready-getting into kit, getting your stuff.

Then prepare an energy drink...buy a high energy powder suppliment from a health food shop ie. H&Barrack and mix - make your energy drink. (don't have my tub of the stuff to hand...something like 'ISO energy'. in a silver tub. with a tennis player on the front of it lol.
take the recommended dose 20min before you set off.
Take 1 Iron tablet (again from a health food shop)
Eat an orange...(which is natural pure vit C, works for me...essential for iron absorbtion)

And then your off and full of energy.
Have a bottle of water with that high energy powder mixed with it...fairly diluted. and a bottle of water, keep hydrated etc (am sure you already know)

i hope this works for you, as it does for me. Solved my 'initially slow to get started' problem. i know the feeling...feels like your legs are a bit heavy and lactic acid pain is more present for a while, on hills etc for the first 20-30min of cycling.

Also drop your gears... get your legs spinning at a fairly high cadency 80+..
get the blood flowing round your body. breath deeply, muscles need all the oxygen.

Rcyclist

"Could this be a sign of diabetes?? Both of my parents suffer from diabetes but they were never active sports people. Strange this is happening now after years of riding.[/QUOTE]

Hey nurul,

You should go have it checked out by the doctor for you to be sure. But in terms of lack of energy, I have been going through a similar phase. I have lack of endurance and concentration in the middle of the track. You can first of try to switch around your diet and try to consume a different variety of foods. But if it is during a ride, you can try different supplements to boost your performance during your ride. I was recommended by a friend to take Amino Vital supplements which are helpful during a track in boosting up energy and concentration. You give that a try and see how the switch works.

-R