Long Rides & Energy
Options
cpaman87
Posts: 193 Member
I am trying to prepare for a 64 mile ride. Have been doing 25 - 30 miles lately. When I try to do 40 I seem to be running out of steam. There are many energy products on the market but I am completely unfamiliar with them. What works for you?
0
Replies
-
Of course, hydration is key to not bonking, so water is important. Other than that, I go with ZipFizz and Clif bars. The ZipFizz has some caffeine for quick energy and lots of B-vitamins for longer-lasting energy. The Clif bar is for the protein. I stop for a rest about half way through my ride, no matter how long it is to eat the bar and sip on the drink throughout the ride. Keep up the good work and good luck on your ride.0
-
I generally carry 3 bottles for longer rides. 1 bottle has a GU per every 45 mins to an hour I plan to be riding that I dilute in water. The other two have Ironman Perform in them. If an exceedingly hot or humid day I'll take a couple Salt Stick capsules with me in my bento box.0
-
Nuun.
The end.0 -
I'm also interested in these responses. I've started eating some Clif Shotbloks every hour or so during my rides and i really like them, but i was wondering what other, more substantial, things people are eating.0
-
I carry 3 water bottles (hydrate-drink often whether you want to or not), cliff bars (protien-mid way to re-fuel), dried fruit (carbs-quick shot of energy when I'm getting sluggish) & shot blocks (electrolytes-really hot sweaty days). The real key for me is hydration, once you fall behind you can't catch back up, so you have to drink before you get thirsty. The best advice I got before my first big ride was... If you are riding with experienced riders, do as they do, drink when they drink, eat when they eat. Good luck!
Also try out products before your big ride. Nothing worse than gastro intestinal distress and no toilet paper. GU and Gatorade are rough on my system after about 60 miles, but I've found the shot blocks work for me.0 -
Nuun.
The end.
Nuun is an electrolyte tablet. It has no carbs or stimulants (caffeine) so I'm not sure how this addresses the energy issue. Not to mention Nuun has sorbitol in it as a sweetener. Sorbitol is a diuretic. Be careful if you're a heavy sweater or prone to cramps in using this product.0 -
I really like Hammer Heed. Energy and electrolytes. I also use gel shots. They are disgusting but do the job.0
-
Road or Mountain? Elevation Profile?
I love Carborocket, you should give it a try: https://carborocket.com/333-Half-Evil-Endurance-Fuel0 -
I am making a list of things to try. Thanks for the input.0
-
I would recommend reading rules 6 and 91.
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/
Seriously though on 40 miles I will do some overnight oats with a TBSP of honey or agave syrup before I leave.0 -
I use Shot Bloks every 20-30 minutes of riding or so, and add a Honey Stinger Waffle or pull apart a Clif Bar if I'm going to be out for an hour or more. Also, I hydrate every 15 minutes or so, depending how far on the face of the sun I'm riding, I'll carry a bottle of G2 Gatorade in one of my bottles, often cut in half. Eat before you are hungry, drink before you are thirsty. It took me awhile to train myself to remember to do this, but it totally makes a difference.0
-
For 40 miles I'll carry 1 banana and 2 bottles of water. Depending on temp I may only use 1 bottle.
For 100 miles I'll carry 2 bottles of water, 1 bottle of Perpetuem, 2 bananas, 3 gels.
Nutrition is really going to be very individual so I'd recommend carrying more than you think you need. Better to have enough than to run out. I'd really look to get in about 200-300 cals per hour for multiple hour rides.0 -
I'm also interested in these responses. I've started eating some Clif Shotbloks every hour or so during my rides and i really like them, but i was wondering what other, more substantial, things people are eating.
I use the Cliff Shot Bloks also. The amount you take should correspond with what you are burning. Carbs is equivalent to the fuel tank in your car. I don't care how strong you are you have to refill you tank on longer rides. Me thinks you are light on how many you take. Do some research I wish I could find an article I read a while back, maybe I can that talked about refueling while riding long distances.
As for water I drink 16 oz of water or a 50/50 mixture of gatorade or equivalent every hour. So on longer rides such as when I do the 100 miles I have to make sure there is stops or support.0 -
Also on special occasions I use "Uncrustables"
Keep them frozen and throw one in your jersey pocket. By the time you're ready to eat it has thawed and you have a great easy PB&J to eat. No muss, no fuss.0 -
I'm also interested in these responses. I've started eating some Clif Shotbloks every hour or so during my rides and i really like them, but i was wondering what other, more substantial, things people are eating.
I use the Cliff Shot Bloks also. The amount you take should correspond with what you are burning. Carbs is equivalent to the fuel tank in your car. I don't care how strong you are you have to refill you tank on longer rides. Me thinks you are light on how many you take. Do some research I wish I could find an article I read a while back, maybe I can that talked about refueling while riding long distances.
As for water I drink 16 oz of water or a 50/50 mixture of gatorade or equivalent every hour. So on longer rides such as when I do the 100 miles I have to make sure there is stops or support.
Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to start using the approach of taking more than I think I need, and eating before the hunger kicks in. One of my buddies at my LBS thought I might like the stinger waffles and I'm going to see how the Clif bars suit me as well.
0 -
Bananas............0
-
Oh I left something out: any supplemental nutrition, on my part, will be taken before the ride-- for me, that's half a protein / energy bar. Subjectively, 40 miles isn't long enough (two and a half hours or so) to worry about anything more than hydration, and even then if I needed energy for a longer ride I'd swap one Nuun bottle for FRS bottle.Nuun is an electrolyte tablet. It has no carbs or stimulants (caffeine) so I'm not sure how this addresses the energy issue. Not to mention Nuun has sorbitol in it as a sweetener. Sorbitol is a diuretic. Be careful if you're a heavy sweater or prone to cramps in using this product.
On the run, however, as it's gotten much warmer I've had to include a gu for anything longer than 7.9 miles. Thing about a lot of things is I've seen some people not tolerate the gels very well the first couple times (it goes in and comes right back out).
In a way I don't look at it as managing energy so much as managing fatigue (and the pain that goes with it). To that end I am also wont to employ a naproxen sodium + b-12 cocktail pre long run/long ride.0 -
I am trying to prepare for a 64 mile ride. Have been doing 25 - 30 miles lately. When I try to do 40 I seem to be running out of steam. There are many energy products on the market but I am completely unfamiliar with them. What works for you?
Google 'bonking' and understand the symptoms and try to avoid them. If you have ever bonked on a ride you will never want to again. Stayed fueled as most have said on here. Your body burns both fat and carbos. At higher paced speeds it is mostly carbos doing the fueling and you will need to refuel often. The suggestions you have sought out vary on the kinds of fuel, but the key is to stayed fueled. Most events have evenly spaced rest stations so you should stop at each one and refuel. You will be on the saddle about 3 1/2 to 4 hours so don't forget your butt and lube up.0 -
All sounds too complicated to me... if you're actually racing (like ironman or a crit) then go for gels + electrolyte, but otherwise get a bento box for the front of your bike and fill it with wrapped up 1/2 sandwiches, and eat something every hour. Put a couple of high sugar candies in there just incase you need a boost, but otherwise you should be good on regular food, plus a lot of water. I like cheese sandwiches because you get some salt from the cheese, but it might not work for you.
it's important for me to have it in clear sight, to remind me to eat. Putting it in a saddlebag or my jersey pocket and I tend to forget.0 -
Banana, Fig Newtons, and usually carry a Clif Bar if needed.0
