Nutrition on long rides
Tracey_Smith
Posts: 199
Hi Everyone
When i do the sportives food is supplied along the way but what I'm hoping for is advice on what to take with me when I do a long ride on my own (50+ miles). I can't do gels, they make me sick, they go so far down then I spend the next 20+ minutes trying to cough it back up. Not ladylike at all!!!
There are masses of bars out there but wondered what rocked your boat? Or do you make up your own food, if so what. I can't do banana's when exercising and bread is also out.
Any help / advice woulf be greatly appreciated x
When i do the sportives food is supplied along the way but what I'm hoping for is advice on what to take with me when I do a long ride on my own (50+ miles). I can't do gels, they make me sick, they go so far down then I spend the next 20+ minutes trying to cough it back up. Not ladylike at all!!!
There are masses of bars out there but wondered what rocked your boat? Or do you make up your own food, if so what. I can't do banana's when exercising and bread is also out.
Any help / advice woulf be greatly appreciated x
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Replies
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I don't do well with carbs, so I eat Quest Protein Bars. Occasionally, if I feel like I'm going to bonk, I'll eat carbs in the form of some sort of candy, but I always hate how I feel afterwards.
Hopefully, you can find something that works for you.0 -
Of the bars, The Clif bars are one of the most palatable ones I've come across - most of the ones I've tried have actually been pleasant enough that it's been difficult to keep them just for riding tbh! Other than that, I'm a pretty keen advocate of the Torq Fitness stuff - they do a handy "sampler box" - http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/acatalog/torq_energy_bars.html - with 2 of each of their flavours, enough to at least give 'em a try.
But to be honest, the main advice for ny of this stuff is "try it out in training" - last thing you want is to find that they're great until you eat the 4th one, at which point they give you enough gas that if it were to ignite, you'd rocket to the summit of M.Ventoux sans Bicyclette
Personally, I've not much experience of long rides on this kind of fuel - when I was doing longer stuff - 12 and 24H TT's - gels weren't around, powerbars had just been launched (and were bloody horrible!) and you rode through the night on cheese and ham butties, or, for audax'es it'd be tinned mango's and rice-pudding It's a wonder I ever finished, really
(I should say - I don't really use any of the "energy stuff" at the moment - I'll take a couple of gels along "just in case" now i've started ramping up the miles a bit, but as my ridings mainly for weight loss purposes, and I'm generally only 4-5 miles from home at any one time, if i get the bonk, hey, I get the bonk and just ride home - thinking about all those fat cells melting away :ewww:)0 -
But to be honest, the main advice for ny of this stuff is "try it out in training" - last thing you want is to find that they're great until you eat the 4th one, at which point they give you enough gas that if it were to ignite, you'd rocket to the summit of M.Ventoux sans Bicyclette
Ha ha, not a pretty sight.0 -
I can get away with energy + electrolyte drinks up to 50 miles, but in terms of food on the go, flapjack works best for me. I like the chocolate or yoghurt coated ones best. I hate gels (fruit phlegm).
One thing I've observed is that the more people use "specialist" nutrition, the more problems they seem have. Most of the really hardcore people I've met seem to use "normal" food as much as possible. I try to eat what I fancy. This was my "breakfast", 100km into a 600km brevet. Went down a treat, but not so good on the go. Maybe a Cornetto would work.
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I don't know if I consider Shot Bloks gel but I sure like them and have no trouble digesting as they are small. Kind of like a jelly bean. There is also Sport beans out there that you can gradually take. One thing nice about either is you don't have to take the whole bag or bloks at the same time so getting sick is not something I ever experience. Another good thing is mixing crazins and almonds together.0
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I bring along only normal foods. Carrot sticks, apples, oranges, string cheese, dried fruits and nuts, homemade energy bars if I have them and I'll usually add something with bread in there but you mentioned you can't do bread. I don't eat sugar so anything premade (sports drinks & energy bars) is out for me. If it's a cold day, I will actually bring along hot soup (broth based) in a thermos for somewhere down the line. That always hits the spot! I usually stop for lunch somewhere during the ride if I have the opportunity but that doesn't always happen.0
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Hiya Tracey,
Everybody will likely have their own opinion, but I am fond of the following:
* Cliff Mojo Trail Mix bars, two for every 50 miles
* Lots of water, amounts of which I find varies on the temperature. Hotter, I need to tote more or have a verified, planned water refill source available somewhere around the middle of the ride.
* 12 ounces of 60% Powerade 40% water every 50 miles. Sometimes I increase the Powerade ratio. Depends on my mood.
That is the "bare minimum" for me, but then I also scrounge if there is store at a rest stop, grab a brownie, a cookie, restock on Powerade, etc. Since on longer rides I am burning a ton of calories, I eat what I see fit and what my body is telling me it wants out there. But I always carry at least the minimum of whatever I think I might need. In the rural areas I ride in, you never know when a store is going to bite the dust and not be open. If it's hot, I will definitely try and verify at least a water refill stop on longer rides.
Be safe and have a blast!0 -
I really love Lunabars and Larabars except sometimes they are a little rough on my stomach while riding. I am trying to do more of the gels even though they really are nasty. The gels are so easy on the tummy and they instantly make me feel better. I keep one bottle that's just water and one that is water with a Nuun tablet.
When I am done with a long ride I immediately head out for a huge lunch and copious amounts of beer.0 -
I eat a couple of bananas before a long ride and take one with me just incase the tea shops are closed.
I figure that if they are the preferred energy food for lots of pro tennis players they must be good. Also they are pre wrapped so easy to carry.
I am very bad at keeping up with hydration and have taken to setting up a beeper alarm on my watch to remind me to drink. Usually just flat Coke on a long ride.0 -
Hi Everyone
Many thanks for the advice, looks like I need to start trying things out asap, might even try making my own x0 -
The story line for long rides is "Drink before you're thirsty and eat before you're hungry" - once you get behind the power curve it is very hard to recover. For me, I don't worry too much about food for rides much under 50 but as you go out to much higher mileages then nutrition and hydration management become paramount. I usually do a fair amount of training in the summer solo on longer rides so I focus on being largely self-contained. Bananas and Cliff bars seem to work well on the longer rides but you have to manage the volume of stuff you haul as well as the weight - I use Shotblox (glucose gels) for quick energy but don't need them very often - I usually carry them for others who might be starting to bonk on longer rides with me. I used to also consume gatorade kind of drinks in the water bottles (sugars plus electrolytes) but have switched to just electrolyte replacement drinks on long rides (NUUN is my current chemical choice). Of course, stopping for a double espresso once or twice during a ride is no cause for shame! Try some things out and see what works for you - for the longer rides, people seem to be very individualistic on what works for them - so hearing someone else is doing something is no guarantee it would work for you; but it just might! So experiment, have fun, and report back - maybe we'll all learn a new trick or two!!0
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I am going to try making my own stuff this year...bought a book called "The Feed Zone Cookbook" that looks like it has some good ideas.
For rides over 30, I usually have Hammer Heed in one of my water bottles. For longer rides I will take a refill of the powder (100 cal/scoop). It is not too sweet and sits well for me. The Shot Blocks and Honey Stinger equivalent work well too.
If I need something more substantial than just sugar, I love the Bonk Breaker Bars. They are dairy and gluten free and no digestions problems what so ever. Problem is they are TOO good and expensive.0 -
I can't do gels, they make me sick, they go so far down then I spend the next 20+ minutes trying to cough it back up. Not ladylike at all!!!
Been there. Done that!! It was on a run, but the effect was the same.
I love me some good ol' fashion PBJ - I make them on those round Sandwich Thins put it in a zip lock baggie, shove it in my back pocket and it's so so good in the middle of long ride. I also like LunaBars, and ShotBlocks or Honey Stinger chews (very different consistentcy than the gels), and I've always got a bottle of Nuun (Kona Cola is my fav but hard to find).0 -
The mini bags of Haribo's are good for longer rides too!0
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I am going to try making my own stuff this year...bought a book called "The Feed Zone Cookbook" that looks like it has some good ideas.
For rides over 30, I usually have Hammer Heed in one of my water bottles. For longer rides I will take a refill of the powder (100 cal/scoop). It is not too sweet and sits well for me. The Shot Blocks and Honey Stinger equivalent work well too.
If I need something more substantial than just sugar, I love the Bonk Breaker Bars. They are dairy and gluten free and no digestions problems what so ever. Problem is they are TOO good and expensive.
Let us know what seems to be good in the cookbook The Feed Zone Cookbook - might get some good ideas! Also I haven't tried the Bonk Breaker Bars - any particular source or just your LBS?0 -
I still like the traditional Clif Bars. I particularly love Gu Gels but you said you couldn't do gels. Clif bars have never failed me. And I'd also like to echo the idea of eating before you're hungry--don't get behind the power curve!0
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hammer gel is a natural carb good for about 2 hours. Is not like the jelly beans, If that is what you mean. Jelly beans are not bad if you can tolerate it. There are also electrolyte pills that you can add to water and they help some. Num are better than the hammer gel electrolytes if you can use them. hope this helps. you can always do peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.0
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I don't know if I consider Shot Bloks gel but I sure like them and have no trouble digesting as they are small. Kind of like a jelly bean. There is also Sport beans out there that you can gradually take. One thing nice about either is you don't have to take the whole bag or bloks at the same time so getting sick is not something I ever experience. Another good thing is mixing crazins and almonds together.
Shot Bloks are my choice - black cherry for caffeine, margarita for salt on the extra sweaty days!0 -
My BF has received a free sample of Zipvit Energy Chews, not too keen :frown: . I think the more natural approach may be better but I'll be giving the Clif Bars a go, a mate works in Evans so we have a cheaper supply. x0
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Shot blocks and sport beans. I mix them together and load them in my bento box. For protein, I throw some Lance cracker sandwich thingies in my pocket. Mmm... Peanut butter crackers...
One BIG drawback: At my one and only ironman race, I loaded blocks/beans into my bento box, per usual, as I was setting up my transition. Shortly after putting them in, the skies opened up, and it rained. Hard. For hours. They started the race 1 hour late, I swam, got to my bike (still raining), and my blocks/beans had melted into this gooey disgusting sludgy mass of nastiness. I spent the first half of the bike leg having to dip my fingers into this sludge, and pull out fingerfulls of goo. It was revolting. It took me months before I could eat them again.
Past that, blocks and beans!!! YUM YUM!0 -
Ha ha, sounds like the gels :laugh:and my blocks/beans had melted into this gooey disgusting sludgy mass of nastiness. I spent the first half of the bike leg having to dip my fingers into this sludge, and pull out fingerfulls of goo. It was revolting. It took me months before I could eat them again.0 -
Stinger Waffles are hands down the best thing I've found to carry on rides. A few of these and some shot blocks kept me going through a century.
If you live in Europe, you can find similar waffle cookies in a tube (not individually wrapped) at the market and they're very inexpensive. Since I can't find them in the states, Lance Armstrong gets all of my money.
Stinger Waffles: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004F1LNDI/ref=asc_df_B004F1LNDI1882409?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B004F1LNDI0 -
I've tried a lot of things but when someone I was on a ride with gave me whole grain fig newtons I was hooked. I've been taking more and more "natural" foods and less gels and bars. We take bananas, peanut butter crackers, or a pb &j. Things like that.0
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I am going to try making my own stuff this year...bought a book called "The Feed Zone Cookbook" that looks like it has some good ideas.
For rides over 30, I usually have Hammer Heed in one of my water bottles. For longer rides I will take a refill of the powder (100 cal/scoop). It is not too sweet and sits well for me. The Shot Blocks and Honey Stinger equivalent work well too.
If I need something more substantial than just sugar, I love the Bonk Breaker Bars. They are dairy and gluten free and no digestions problems what so ever. Problem is they are TOO good and expensive.
I just picked up this cookbook and love it so far! I also orded some of the Secret Drink mix and it's been very kind to my stomach. I've tried Lim's rice bars on rides and had no trouble with them.0
This discussion has been closed.