eating before a big ride?

[bill garner]

I have a ride coming up in April over two days and approximately 182 miles. My question is what kind of Carbs should I eat,how much when to start etc. I have been told to start on Wednesday before the ride on Saturday. 1st day is about 100 mile,2nd 82 miles. The second day will be mostly hills and I am afraid I will have a mojor bonk and won't make it. Any suggestions on the types of food?

 

[Aztec]

What you eat DURING the ride will be much more important than what you eat on the days immediately before the ride. No amount of food on Friday will keep you from bonking on Saturday.

So... just eat healthy, with a nice normal balance of complex carbs, moderate fat and protein.

You could try what Charmichael refers to as a depletion ride a few days before. The idea is you put in some miles, run down your glycogen stores, then carb up heavily. Supposedly increases your glycogen storage temporarily.

 

[bill garner]

Originally posted by Aztec
What you eat DURING the ride will be much more important than what you eat on the days immediately before the ride. No amount of food on Friday will keep you from bonking on Saturday.

So... just eat healthy, with a nice normal balance of complex carbs, moderate fat and protein.

You could try what Charmichael refers to as a depletion ride a few days before. The idea is you put in some miles, run down your glycogen stores, then carb up heavily. Supposedly increases your glycogen storage temporarily.

OK, then my question turns to this. On longer rides I have been eating in the morning bagel(s) lean ham,whole banana, and my vitamin supplement. During the ride I have been drinking fluids eating another banana and eating one to two zone bars and sometimes a GU.

My problem has become if I have hills at the end of the ride, I am barely making them including small hills that are not a problem early on.

What am I doing wrong? I appreciate your earlier answer.

 

[dhk]

Sounds like you're not doing anything wrong. I'd say the hills at the end of a long ride are tougher for most everyone, unless they've done a lot of long distance training.

Did my first century of the season yesterday, and returning over the hills at mile 95-98 was definately tougher than the same ones going out at mile 2-5. My longest ride so far this season was 60 miles, so expected to suffer some past this point....and did. I didn't bonk, but noticed that my HR was just staying higher after mile 70 as the fatigue set in. My legs felt OK, but I was running 80% HR and over for the last couple of hours vs. 70-75% for the first half. Only fix I know for this is more long hilly rides.....a Century a month is my goal this year.

I can't eat much at the reststops without feeling it on the next hill. I'm better off topping up the Powerade bottle, maybe having some small portion of fruit or a fig newton or two, stuff something in the jersey and get back on the bike. A steady flow of carbs or sip of sugar drink every 10-15 minutes work better for me.

 

[bill garner]

Originally posted by dhk
Sounds like you're not doing anything wrong. I'd say the hills at the end of a long ride are tougher for most everyone, unless they've done a lot of long distance training.

Did my first century of the season yesterday, and returning over the hills at mile 95-98 was definately tougher than the same ones going out at mile 2-5. My longest ride so far this season was 60 miles, so expected to suffer some past this point....and did. I didn't bonk, but noticed that my HR was just staying higher after mile 70 as the fatigue set in. My legs felt OK, but I was running 80% HR and over for the last couple of hours vs. 70-75% for the first half. Only fix I know for this is more long hilly rides.....a Century a month is my goal this year.

I can't eat much at the reststops without feeling it on the next hill. I'm better off topping up the Powerade bottle, maybe having some small portion of fruit or a fig newton or two, stuff something in the jersey and get back on the bike. A steady flow of carbs or sip of sugar drink every 10-15 minutes work better for me.

You are probably correct. The ride this happened on was 76 miles (longest one yet) and I went from an average speed of over 17 down to about 15 when I was finished. I just noticed that my recovery is terrible after I climb and my quads and sometimes my knees are killing me on the crest.

 

[Nitromike]

Originally posted by bill garner
I have a ride coming up in April over two days and approximately 182 miles. My question is what kind of Carbs should I eat,how much when to start etc. I have been told to start on Wednesday before the ride on Saturday. 1st day is about 100 mile,2nd 82 miles. The second day will be mostly hills and I am afraid I will have a mojor bonk and won't make it. Any suggestions on the types of food?

MS150, good luck maybe I'll run into you out there.

Food, carbo load the night before definitely .. gonna be a big pasta night for me. During the ride I'll prolly suck down 1 bottle of Cytomax per hour, 1 Gu, and whatever I scavange at the rest stops we actually stop at. You can also make a few PB&J's and stuff them in your jersey pockets, good energy food that goes down and stays down easy for most people. You riding with a team or solo?

 

[bill garner]

Originally posted by Nitromike
MS150, good luck maybe I'll run into you out there.

Food, carbo load the night before definitely .. gonna be a big pasta night for me. During the ride I'll prolly suck down 1 bottle of Cytomax per hour, 1 Gu, and whatever I scavange at the rest stops we actually stop at. You can also make a few PB&J's and stuff them in your jersey pockets, good energy food that goes down and stays down easy for most people. You riding with a team or solo?

Yes it is the 150, with everybody out there didn't want to get to technical. Anyway that is a good idea about pb and j. I want to make sure I do the second day in particular and get the big hill and the speed on the other side out of Bastrop.

I am riding with the ABS Screamin Eagles. There are about 50 riders on my team. Made up from the company and some of the Woodlands Cycling Team.

 

[Nitromike]

Originally posted by bill garner
Yes it is the 150, with everybody out there didn't want to get to technical. Anyway that is a good idea about pb and j. I want to make sure I do the second day in particular and get the big hill and the speed on the other side out of Bastrop.

I am riding with the ABS Screamin Eagles. There are about 50 riders on my team. Made up from the company and some of the Woodlands Cycling Team.

I'll be riding with Team GE/Bike Barn, definitely gonna be a blast. I'm thinking about running a 12-25 cassette for the 2nd day instead of the 11-21 I'll run for day 1, some of the hills into Austin through the park would be rough with the 11-21

 

[davidbod]

Eat plenty of carbs like pasta or better yet whole wheat pasta on Thursday. On Friday do the same but make sure you eat early in the late afternoon so you can digest it before the early start on Saturday. On the longer rides like centuries you want to eat early and often, fluids too early and often. I find that around 80-85 miles my body stops wanting to digest food or even liquid sometimes. If you leave it too late you won't get enough food in. Like with fluids if you wait to drink when your thirsty its too late, if you eat only when your hungry it could be too late.

When you get to La Grange go eat something as quick as you can within the first hour. I find I usualy eat 3 times between when I get there and sundown! Stretch also within the first 30 minutes after you get there or better yet get a massage. That helps tremendously with the soreness on day 2. If you have to pay for a massage it will be the best 20 bucks you ever spent.

I'm on TeamBP, Good Luck to both you guys. It should be a great party in Austin at the capitol when its all done, not to mention the usual festivities in La Grange.



On the hills at the end of a long ride you might find your power is gone and you can't stand to climb. Thats normal, just sit and spin

 

[Aztec]

"Eat early and often" is good advice. Keep the tank as full as possible because you are likely draining off fuel faster than you can digest it anyway.

If you want some great stuff, look at Hammer Nutrition's website. Their perpeteum product is excellent for long efforts like you are describing.

 

[bill garner]

Originally posted by Aztec
"Eat early and often" is good advice. Keep the tank as full as possible because you are likely draining off fuel faster than you can digest it anyway.

If you want some great stuff, look at Hammer Nutrition's website. Their perpeteum product is excellent for long efforts like you are describing.

Thanks to everyone for responding. This will be my biggest challenge and I will take all your advice. Based on what I surmised eat early,keep the carbs up with bars or pb and j drink the fluids etc. I am outfitted with two cages, do you think I will need my camel back with the rest stops every 10 miles or so? Reason is my camel is the big one and it weighs a lot when loaded down with water,gu etc.

 

[davidbod]

Originally posted by bill garner
Thanks to everyone for responding. This will be my biggest challenge and I will take all your advice. Based on what I surmised eat early,keep the carbs up with bars or pb and j drink the fluids etc. I am outfitted with two cages, do you think I will need my camel back with the rest stops every 10 miles or so? Reason is my camel is the big one and it weighs a lot when loaded down with water,gu etc.

If you have two bottles and you plan on stopping at several rest stops along the way I would not carry the Camel Back. It adds weight to your back which over the long century will fatigue your back and shoulder muscles. The one thing about the Camel Back is it makes drinking easier so you are more likely to drink often. With the bottle just get into a habit of drinking regularly. If you are in a pace line then make a habit of drinking each time you move to the back and recover.

 

[dhk]

I go with two bottles also: one H2O, one sports drink, and top them off leaving every rest stop. Like to keep them full in case the next stop is out of one or the other.

Also second the need to eat eating plenty of carbs in the days prior to the event, and a good breakfast early. I'm always amazed to see people at the first or second rest stop who are cramming down food because they "didn't have time for breakfast". I think nutrition before the event is probably more important than what you eat during the ride.

 

[bill garner]

Originally posted by dhk
I go with two bottles also: one H2O, one sports drink, and top them off leaving every rest stop. Like to keep them full in case the next stop is out of one or the other.

Also second the need to eat eating plenty of carbs in the days prior to the event, and a good breakfast early. I'm always amazed to see people at the first or second rest stop who are cramming down food because they "didn't have time for breakfast". I think nutrition before the event is probably more important than what you eat during the ride.

My strategy is to go for stop 2(approx 20m) and 3 because my team is the sponser. Then stop at lunch and then 1 or 2 more afterwards till finished. I am currently training between 15 and 20 mile breaks.