Nutrition for endurance training help please

hustled77
hustled77 Posts: 39 Member
edited November 28 in Food and Nutrition
Fitness and Exercise
Hi all any help will be appreciated, I'm a keen mountain biker but been working on some distance cross country trails bridleways footpaths etc. I've been cycling up to five n half hours at a time and using a fructose and electrolyte drink. Which keeps me going and stops cramps etc but is there a better way of fueling, I mean should I be using a carbohydrate drink with protien as a pre and during workout drink?

Replies

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited January 2016
    protein during can be hard to digest during exercise.

    There is no "right" way to do it... the right way is the way that keeps you going and doesn't make you feel like crap. If what you're doing is working, stick with it.
  • hustled77
    hustled77 Posts: 39 Member
    Thanks jack, I've been using the high 5 zero stuff but just brought some prolong from my protien it's basically the same stuff but with a small amount of protien in it aswell. Just wanted to know if I'm on the right track. As long distance work is still kind of new to me. Thanks for your reply
  • nonrg
    nonrg Posts: 73 Member
    edited January 2016
    I'm a mountain biker myself. I start a couple hours before any long ride (20+ miles) with oatmeal, berries and a protein shake. Gives it time to digest.

    During my ride I use a scoop of EFX Karbolyn and 1-2 scoops Beast Sports Aminolytes. I drink this throughout my ride to provide a carb and amino acid/electrolyte source. Karbolyn is killer and great as an alternative to sugar as a carb source.
  • braddad63
    braddad63 Posts: 3 Member
    Hey 'hustled77'-- I'm a 'keen mountain biker' myself, but also do some distance riding. I'm no nutrition expert, but just from personal experience, I'd say you should shift away from the 'fructose & electrolyte' stuff. Burns much faster. So a protein drink may give more long-lasting fuel. Or, perhaps even better is to just eat some solid food/protein & drink plenty of water. When I did an endurance relay mountain bike race a few years ago, one of my teammates gave me a 'protein power ball' kinda thing (size of a big gumball, I think it was made by PowerBar), which seemed to help. I ate it before going out on a lap, & again just drank water. Did seem to help. Energy bars like the aforementioned, & the more palatable Clif Bar (my favorite, more like "real food"), also provide long-lasting energy & some protein.
  • hustled77
    hustled77 Posts: 39 Member
    Braddad
    braddad63 wrote: »
    Hey 'hustled77'-- I'm a 'keen mountain biker' myself, but also do some distance riding. I'm no nutrition expert, but just from personal experience, I'd say you should shift away from the 'fructose & electrolyte' stuff. Burns much faster. So a protein drink may give more long-lasting fuel. Or, perhaps even better is to just eat some solid food/protein & drink plenty of water. When I did an endurance relay mountain bike race a few years ago, one of my teammates gave me a 'protein power ball' kinda thing (size of a big gumball, I think it was made by PowerBar), which seemed to help. I ate it before going out on a lap, & again just drank water. Did seem to help. Energy bars like the aforementioned, & the more palatable Clif Bar (my favorite, more like "real food"), also provide long-lasting energy & some protein.

    Hi Brad thanks for the advise. I use a hydration pack that contains 2 ltr of drink. The electrolyte drink is need I think more in the warmer months but as I say I'm cycling 5/6 hours so need something. Food is not practical whilst riding. I've just purchased some prolong from my protein which is electrolyte / protein and carbs I've changed to this as I was losing muscle. And I put it down to the longer sessions.

    Bye the way nice to meet another mtbkier
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