What Do You Eat?

I usually carbo load the night before a century with a large pasta meal a couple of hours before bed. I don't stuff myself, but I eat until I'm full. Breakfast is a few egg whites, bagel, juice, 2-3 cups of coffee. I drink approx. 20 ounces of water before getting on the bike. I drink Gatorade, watered down to half strength, exclusively while on the bike. 20 miles in or so, I'll have a baked potato(almost overcooked), or two. Maybe a bananna or bagel 10-20 miles later. 60 miles or so I need something halfway substantial, usually a turkey, cheese, lettuce sandwich or two, eaten slowly over a 15 minute period. I always carry peanut butter powerbars. Sometimes I eat one or two of them somewhere along the way on a century. Around 80 miles or so it's whatever I can force down. Usually something easy on the stomach. Still trying to figure out the perfect 80 mile food. I try to eat enough so that I'm not ravenous immediately after the ride. I like to come down from it and then eat a good meal (meat and potatos, or rice, home made burritos, burgers, whatever) an hour or so after. Then I'm usually pretty well shot for the day. I will feel allright, but don't ask me to jump through hoops for the rest of the day after a century.

Yojimbo_ said:

Sorry if this has been addressed before, but I'm new here......

After a reasonably long ride (~ 100 km say), I feel strong when I get home but I soon feel terrible a bit later. My pulse shoots up, I feel dizzy and weak, sometimes I feel cold, and I usually get a headache.

I used to think this was due to dehydration - but I was drinking tons of water. Next I thought maybe I'm losing too much salt, so I switched to a special drink (e-Load). Not a whole lot of difference, so now I've decided it must be insufficient food.

This then leads me to the question on what do you folks eat, how much, and when? Let's imagine you are doing a fairly long ride (80 - 160 km, or 50 - 100 miles). Don't be shy now.

Take a hot shower and nap. It does help.

Soo-re