5 AM Workouts - How to fuel up?

[Bigbananabike]

Now the only thing I eat at 4.30 - 6AM is my PILLOW(while dreaming of eating marshmellows!!)

 

[koffee brown]

Does anyone else workout first thing in the morning? How do you fuel up before starting the workout? I don't have more than 15 minutes between the time I wake up and the start of my ride so I generally have some water and maybe a GU. Anyone have suggestions as to light EARLY morning foods?

Well, you could wake up earlier?

I have to commute to get to work, and my commute is just over an hour (75- 80 min), and I need to be at work by 5am. Actually, 4:45am is preferable, and in a few weeks, we'll be opening up an half hour earlier, so I will be getting here at 4:30 am. That means my current wake up time will move from 2:45am to about 2:30 am (I plan to ride faster to make up the last 15 min that I couldn't possibly get up for anyway). With a start that early, plus I need to open, and I can't leave the desk until another staff person gets here at around 9 am, means that I have to make the time to eat. And it is pretty hilly in these parts, so I can't afford to gulp down just anything!

So, having said that, for food, I usually ensure that I have a large glass of juice before I leave. I also get a breakfast bar (you can get a box for a couple of bucks) and chow down on that. If I need something additional, I also have bagals, and I can eat a bagal with some light cream cheese. That is always enough to get me going and revved up enough to get to work.

I wouldn't go with nothing in the stomach. That's like trying to drive a car on empty. Without fuel in my stomach, I definitely notice a decrease in my speed, and I also do feel a bit sluggish, even though the ride itself for me is a bit chilly and brisk with the temperature and wind. I also notice I have a more difficult time getting up hills, but I also know the biochemical facts as to why that happens.

My thoughts are to wake up 30 minutes ahead of time and get some food in your system before you head out. Even if you eat a meal higher in complex carbs, it will still take time for you to digest it and get the benefits of the fuel. If you're leaving out that early in the morning with only 15 minutes between the time you open your eyes to the time you throw your leg over your bike, you're better off having a glass of juice and some Gu and gatorade to fuel you. They are simple carbs and will hit your bloodstream right away and get you the energy you need to start your ride. Then as you're on your way out, have a powerbar and let that kick in for the last part of your ride when the simple sugars have spiked in your blood stream and their effects begin to decline.

Good luck! I like morning rides, though sometimes, I do want to just sleep in...

Koffee