200k ride What should I eat

[darnok]

I want to do an approx. 200k ride in a day, mostly flat, recreational. I don't have much training for this kind of distance but I have done it several times before and I know I can do it. However, every time I finish very "depleted" (bonking?), no cramps, but very few watts left. What should I eat during the ride to keep my reserves up, or is this this inevitable due to lack of training for the distance?

 

[dhk]

I want to do an approx. 200k ride in a day, mostly flat, recreational. I don't have much training for this kind of distance but I have done it several times before and I know I can do it. However, every time I finish very "depleted" (bonking?), no cramps, but very few watts left. What should I eat during the ride to keep my reserves up, or is this this inevitable due to lack of training for the distance?

Regardless of your training state, eating and drinking properly will help.

First, make sure you're drinking enough water to stay hydrated. You don't want to lose more than 1-2% of your bodyweight during the ride. Up to 1 L/hour could be required if it's hot and humid. I like to drink both water and a sports drink which supplies electrolytes and carbs.

Standard advice on feeding is to consume about 60 grams of carbs/hour. That could be from a sports drink, food, gels, etc. If you're getting 30 grams/hour from a sports drink, then just add another 30 grams or so from other carb sources. I like to have a bit of fat and protein along with the carbs too, but we all like different stuff on long rides.

Just don't eat too much; it doesn't help to burden your digestive system while you're trying to maximize cardio output to your lungs and legs.