food, glorious food and 100miles

Mark Alexander

I'm planning my 1st 100 miler tomorrow. Does anyone have any ideas on food, what to eat beforehand and during. (I didn't ask about after as I think I may b dead
I have 1 bottle and a camelbak for liquids. The bottle will have SIS in it and I was planning on taking a gel with an energy bar. that won't be enough though for 5hrs+.

Crapaud

This may be a bit late, but I usually start with a large bowl of porridge. With me I take: 4 sandwiches and a couple of bananas, spare energy drink powder and a gel pack (for emergencies - I bonked once and vowed that it wouldn't happen again!). I usually take some money and stop somewhere for a breather and a scone or two if I think it's necessary. When I get back I eat anything in sight!

Different people have different ideas – it’s a case of finding out what works for you.

TheGreatGatsby

I do 100 miles once a week and find I manage ok by going out before breakfast and taking 1 bottle of water, a couple of bananas and some emergency clif shots just in case. I ind thats all I need really but its all down to how your body works I guess.

Gats

chrisw12

For me the bare minimum I've managed is 1l in a camelback of squash and a bit of psp go plus 750ml of flat coke plus one go bar. This is after a full pasta lucnch and by the end I'm close to the end.

Normally it would be about a 1.25l of squash and 750ml of coke plus two gels and 1 bar.

For what it's worth, I can manage two hour rides with a small drink and three hour rides with only about 600ml. Once I go past three hours I need to drink a lot more as you can see.

My top tips would be if it's your first 100 then plan a garrage stop, it can take a sting out of the mental side and mean you wont have to carry everything in one go.

and

Coke is brilliant in the last hour. I treat a 5 hour ride as a 4 hour ride then an hour on the coke and 'nearly home', the last hour flies by. I think I might be hypersensitive to coke mind.

nmcgann

Mark Alexander wrote:

I'm planning my 1st 100 miler tomorrow. Does anyone have any ideas on food, what to eat beforehand and during. (I didn't ask about after as I think I may b dead
I have 1 bottle and a camelbak for liquids. The bottle will have SIS in it and I was planning on taking a gel with an energy bar. that won't be enough though for 5hrs+.

I use a similar amount of fluids for 100miles, but have an energy bar every hour if a moderately paced ride. A couple of bananas is good too at some point.

A good solid porridge breakfast sets me up a treat with a pasta/rice meal the evening before.

Neil

SteveR_100Milers

Mark, just treat it as a "touring" ride, and stuff your pockets full of bars and bananas. Be prepared to stop at garages for drinks, and like Chris I agree coke (full strength not diet) is easily the best energy drink after about 60 miles, makes you fly for about 20 minutes after a can. I use a camelbak, or did, after the Dragon I'm not going to do so again as its a real pain to lug around 1.5 kgs of water on your back, especially if its hilly.

Mark Alexander

thanks guys, you weren't too late. I awoke to heavy rain which I think that Steve can testify to. My worst problem is more to do with de-hydration than lack of food but i'm a fat bloater I think. I'm considering a little more measured ride later on.

domtyler

I find myself getting a little sick of sweet stuff after five hours or more in the saddle and am toying with the idea of taking a few of those individual cheeses with me on my next big ride. Has anyone else ever done anything like this?
________
Weed vaporizer

hambones

Can I ask are people really doing 100 mile rides in around 5 hours??

chrisw12

You can ask but we wont answer.

I do a 90mile loop in 4:45 so not quite. I'd be closer if it didn't have a few hils and lights and turns and traffic.

To be honest I can't find a loop around here where I can comortably manage 20 miles for 1 hour let alone 5.

SteveR_100Milers

domtyler wrote:

I find myself getting a little sick of sweet stuff after five hours or more in the saddle and am toying with the idea of taking a few of those individual cheeses with me on my next big ride. Has anyone else ever done anything like this?

Ham sarnies. Often take them with malt loaf on a longer ride

TheGreatGatsby

One of my 100 miles routes takes 6.5 hours as there is a 10mile climb that takes an hour + to do! Has a sign top and bottom that says beware extreme Grades ahead! heh hehheh My other 100 mile loop takes about 5.5 hours - relentlessly undulating and up hill in both directions!

Gats

Mark Alexander

well guys, I had a couple of bagles before leaving, took 2L of water in the camelbak, 750ml of SIS PSP22 a gel and a Torq bar. I did blow after 45 miles but for some reason managed to ride through it :?

I did 75 miles in 4h 25. Cardiff, Abrgavenny, where is stumbled upon a TT 10, and thn back via Merthyr I've never gone that distance at that speed before. and am verry chuffd. especialy as most of it was upwards!

Crapaud

domtyler wrote:
I find myself getting a little sick of sweet stuff after five hours or more in the saddle and am toying with the idea of taking a few of those individual cheeses with me on my next big ride. Has anyone else ever done anything like this?

Not individual cheeses, no, but cheese sandwiches and banana sandwiches fueled me across Canada. Everyone else ate peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwiches day in, day out, but after a week I got sick of them. I'm not sure what effect such a fatty fuel source would have in the long term though.

I don't like suger based foods as they don't agree with my stomach. Carbs are better, preferably sarnies with ham or beef and mustard.

Mark Alexander

for those who avoid North America, here goes.
Jam is jelly, and jelly is jello

Only in america flokes

TheGreatGatsby

to add in to the confusing mix - there is also a product over here called jello which is actually a mousse! A bit like angel delight. Its pretty good actually - completely fat free, low cal and a bit of carbs and protein!

Gats

nolf

Wow, A) you guys are fast and you don't drink much!

5 hour ride I drink about 2.5 litres, 2 of which will be weak energy drink and also a sandwich or 2. Last 5 hour ride I did 85 miles (inc. 2 climbs).

100 Miler tomorrow and I'm going to take
2 * 800ml bottles of SiS Go (the one thats energy and hydrating)
500ml bottle of powerade,
500ml bottle of water,
1 sachet of SiS Go,
2 sandwiches and some chocolate just in case.
Halfway round (top of the Bwlch) I'll stop at the ice cream van and buy a can of coke and 1 litre of water, I'll probably only need 500ml but just in case.

chrisw12

Nolf: answer to a and b, We're fast because we don't drink much

Your 100 sounds like it has hills. Hills take time and get you hot, avoid at all costs.

Are you out for a training ride or a picnic though?

pb21

Did a 100 yesterday.

I went out with two bottles of energy drink a honey sandwich and a slice of flapjack. I took some money with me so i was able to stop once to buy some water and a second time to buy some more water and some coke,.

nolf

chrisw12 wrote:

Nolf: answer to a and b, We're fast because we don't drink much

Your 100 sounds like it has hills. Hills take time and get you hot, avoid at all costs.

Are you out for a training ride or a picnic though?

To be fair I am still growing...

Also you should see me at home, if I was at home sedentary for 6 hours I'd eat a heck of a lot more than that

Mark Alexander

hambones wrote:

Can I ask are people really doing 100 mile rides in around 5 hours??

In Norfolk I think it's easily doable (it's flat right) but here in SWales we have these hilly things that get in the way.
I'd be happy with 18 mph ave round here. I did my 1st 50 on a verry hilly course with a wheel problem. 100 on a relatively flat course should average over 20mph

SteveR_100Milers

Mark Alexander wrote:

hambones wrote:

Can I ask are people really doing 100 mile rides in around 5 hours??

In Norfolk I think it's easily doable (it's flat right) but here in SWales we have these hilly things that get in the way.
I'd be happy with 18 mph ave round here. I did my 1st 50 on a verry hilly course with a wheel problem. 100 on a relatively flat course should average over 20mph

so why aren't you riding the welsh 100 on sunday then???

Mark Alexander

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

Mark Alexander wrote:

hambones wrote:

Can I ask are people really doing 100 mile rides in around 5 hours??

In Norfolk I think it's easily doable (it's flat right) but here in SWales we have these hilly things that get in the way.
I'd be happy with 18 mph ave round here. I did my 1st 50 on a verry hilly course with a wheel problem. 100 on a relatively flat course should average over 20mph

so why aren't you riding the welsh 100 on sunday then???

when I had a chance to enter, I was working very sunday, in th last week i've stopped
I suppose I could have takn th time off so that excuse is out of the window.

Truth is that this is my 1st year of racing and I'm a fairly caucious person confidence wise. I plan on really going for it next year.

SteveR_100Milers

Mark Alexander wrote:

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

Mark Alexander wrote:

hambones wrote:

Can I ask are people really doing 100 mile rides in around 5 hours??

In Norfolk I think it's easily doable (it's flat right) but here in SWales we have these hilly things that get in the way.
I'd be happy with 18 mph ave round here. I did my 1st 50 on a verry hilly course with a wheel problem. 100 on a relatively flat course should average over 20mph

so why aren't you riding the welsh 100 on sunday then???

when I had a chance to enter, I was working very sunday, in th last week i've stopped
I suppose I could have takn th time off so that excuse is out of the window.

Truth is that this is my 1st year of racing and I'm a fairly caucious person confidence wise. I plan on really going for it next year.

so why not (as I am ) enter the other 2 remaining WCA events that count towrds the champs points: the 12 hours and the hill climb. I'm riding the 100 to see whats its like (ready for next year), the 12 because a friend is and I think it will be fun, and the HC because I will have done all the others (none planned) and I hate hills so its good mental training Your times have come right down in the space of 2-3 months, so use the rest of the season to mash yourself which will help enormously for next year.

oldwelshman

Struggled on the track tonight Steve, only won one event the devil so maybe with all the long miles I have done and after doing London to paris in 3 weeks I should have enterred 12
In the Pinarello Fondo I was struggling until about 60 miles then was flying for last 60 and for split of last section I was in a very fast group

Mark Alexander

12 hrs :shock: yeiks. a friend John-Paul does them and is good. that one is still daunting to me. The silly thing is that in Feb a 10 was daunting (just the thought of racing then) and I now find it odd that i was nervous about a 50 . :P

Steve, you shamed me so I had a look but all the 100's are over. for this year I am now going to go for the hill climbs.

where's good to train for those, nearby?

SteveR_100Milers

The HC is on Llangynidr mountain, so Abergavenny would be reasonably close - come to think of it you rode it since it was the Magic dragon hill climb course. I know what you mean about daunting - I am actually more apprehensive about dieing tomorrow than the 12, but may even stop for lunch at the pub during the 12! (I dont think I would be the only one)

Mark Alexander

I rmember the HC in MD4. We got lost on the way there so I had to rush to th start. the previous time i went up it (I didn't realise I was riding the course!) it beat me and is the only hill that has :oops: in the HC I did it in 17.19 and wasn't happy with it. I am planning some this year. Which are the best to go for? Any ideas.

SteveR_100Milers

Any that don't involve the Tumble