What should I be eating?

[Donna]

Hi all,

Out once a week doing 25-30 miles which is fine. Did my first 40 miles and felt really tired the day after.

I have no idea about what I should be eating before, after or during my bike rides.

I was out about 5 hours for the 40 miles, only took a sarnie and couple of bananas. Got a 54 mile event in august, and havent a clue what i should eat?

Can you guys give me some pointers please as to what i should eat, what i should buy etc.?

ta

Donna

 

[vernon]

Jelly babies (150g) nibbled regularly plus 3 - 4 bananas get me round a 100km Audax route.

I'll also get through anything between 1.5 and 5 litres of flui epending on the weather and exertion levels.

Mind you, I'll have had a large bowl of porridge an hour or so before the ride.

At the end of an Audax I'll usually have one of those chilled Frij milkshake thingies - apparently they are decent recovery drinks.

 

[Flanker37]

there was an article about this a couple of months ago in Cycling Active, i'll dig it out again and post the findings. But off the top of my head their most recommended food for your jersey pocket is a pack of fig rolls. figs have a load of what you need apparently dont forget to supplement your water intake too with electrolytes & carbohydrates. You need to replace the salt you lose when you sweat. I think you should be drinking a litre of water for every hour you ride.

I'll get back to you on the rest

 

[colinr]

Cake, eat cake and enjoy yourself.

I would eat something fairly carb heavy (probably pasta) the night before. Eggs on toast for breakfast. Then bananas and jelly babies with a stop for a sandwich / chips / cake. If I was being 'serious' I'd take gel bars.

Lots of fluid too, if you dehydrate you'll feel tired.

 

[BrumJim]

Recovery is fitness, rather than nutrition, so you will feel better the next day the more that you do those 40 milers.

I'd go for a pint of beer option - helps you relax and get a good night's sleep, and you've earned it. No more than a couple, mind you - don't want the diuretic effect making its presence felt.

 

[fungusmctavish]

If I'm doing a big ride then I will try and have Pasta the night before. For brekkie I will have( about 1 1/2 hrs before I ride) porridge with a spoon of honey and banana or prunes with a big mug of coffee and a large juice.

Anything between 30-50 miles I'll take 2 750ml zipvit/ high 5 energy drinks. 1 gel ( for just in case) and 1-2 dr lam rice cakes. 1-2 slices home made flap jack ( all depending on if I want a savory/ sweet day.

Try not to go down the route of eating just sugar ladened sweets as you'll end up having a sugar rush followed by the crash as your body makes to much insulin to cope. Get used to using foods with complex carbs for energy so rices, oats , wheatgerm snacks etc.. that way you will get a continued release rather than peak and troughs. And look to have something to eat every 45 mins roughly and you'll get through your ride fine.

The main thing though as all ready mentioned it fluids. its easy to get into a rythmn and forget to drink especially when the weathers not hot. The hotter it is the more fluid you may need. When It was hot in May I went through 1.5 litres in less than 20 miles so I now carry a spare couple of nuun tablets when the weather is particularly hot.

 

[jimboalee]

I'm riding a 100km Audax this Sunday.

Weather forecast is about 23 C with a 20mphish wind coming in from the SW.

I'll be riding slow. About a six hour trip.

1550 kCals ( 1 off 12" meat laden pizza for Sat supper and several slices of marmalade laden toast before the ride ).

But get this....

6.6 litres of water !! That's half a litre every 5 miles...

I've rechecked my calcs and there doesn't appear to be an error.

I can't believe 2.75 g/min H2O loss

I've heared of footballers losing 3 kg of fluids in 90 minutes, so it could well be correct.

 

[Arch]

At the end of an Audax I'll usually have one of those chilled Frij milkshake thingies - apparently they are decent recovery drinks.

Ooh! Goody! I like them - chocolate of course....

I'm a cafe rider, so my nutrition mostly involves things on toast and cake. If I'm feeling strong willed, I'll take some raisins to nibble on - I don't love them, but I've come to not hate them.

 

[Rob3rt]

Some malt loaf (Soreen) cling filmed to the top tube so you can just tear it off at will. This works for me.

When you get home, half a pint of milk.

 

[jimboalee]

I'm riding a 100km Audax this Sunday.

Weather forecast is about 23 C with a 20mphish wind coming in from the SW.

I'll be riding slow. About a six hour trip.

1550 kCals ( 1 off 12" meat laden pizza for Sat supper and several slices of marmalade laden toast before the ride ).

But get this....

6.6 litres of water !! That's half a litre every 5 miles...

I've rechecked my calcs and there doesn't appear to be an error.

I can't believe 2.75 g/min H2O loss

I've heared of footballers losing 3 kg of fluids in 90 minutes, so it could well be correct.

This is strange, and unexpected.

The details above are for the 110 km ride on a 33lb 'slicked up' MTB.

I checked the weather and there is chance I will be riding my SWorks, which is half the weight ( 16 1/2 lb ).

Strangely, and prob' by sheer coincidence, the nutritional and H2O requirements are V close to Half

It just so happens the latest ambient temp forecast is 20 C . Higher or lower and the kCals difference ceases to be half.

Weird.

 

[Flanker37]

Some malt loaf (Soreen) cling filmed to the top tube so you can just tear it off at will. This works for me.

When you get home, half a pint of milk.

yup i was going to mention this one too. I think this one was mentioned in Cycling Plus mag not Active

 

[hotmetal]

Just been out today for 60 miles. (8 miles to meet everyone, then 45 miles at 19.5 average (phew!) and then 8 miles home).

My breakfast consisted of a big bowl of porridge oats, some nuts and dried apricots, a mug of milk, plus 2 pints of orange juice mixed with water cos I knew it was going to be hot today. On the ride I took 750ml of SIS 'Go' electrolyte, but didn't take any food with me.

Got home and immediately drank another mug of milk mixed with chocolate powder for recovery purposes, plus 2 pints of orange juice mixed with water.

Which seems to suggest to me that one drink bottle isn't enough for caning it around in the sun all morning, but a decent brekkie sorts you out for 3 hours until you get home.

@ Jimboallee: "I've rechecked my calcs and there doesn't appear to be an error."

What calcs? How do you calculate how much water you will need? Is there some on-line thingy or a tried'n'trusted formula? My above answer clearly proves that I have no idea!!