Advice for first ever 100 mile sportive

alanmcn1

Hi all

some help and tips required. Doing the great Notts bike ride in less than 2 weeks, first ever sportive and first ever 100 mile ride. It's an 8am start on a Sunday morning, so set out at 8am yesterday on a 100Km training ride. Had big dinner Saturday night and toast with peanut butter and jam at 7.20 before I set off. However I knocked at 80km, despite having 2 litres of SISgo and a couple of energy bars.

Any advice on what and when i should eat on morning of ride, and how much food and drink to take with me?

Cheers chaps

Tom Butcher

I'd have a bit more in the morning if I were you - bowl of porridge or just some cereal and a banana. Other than that just stuff your pockets with food and eat a little and often starting quite early. I doubt you suffered through lack of food yesterday though as you seem to have had quite a bit for the length of the ride.

Toks

alanmcn1 wrote:

Hi all

some help and tips required. Doing the great Notts bike ride in less than 2 weeks, first ever sportive and first ever 100 mile ride. It's an 8am start on a Sunday morning, so set out at 8am yesterday on a 100Km training ride. Had big dinner Saturday night and toast with peanut butter and jam at 7.20 before I set off. However I knocked at 80km, despite having 2 litres of SISgo and a couple of energy bars.

Any advice on what and when i should eat on morning of ride, and how much food and drink to take with me?

Cheers chaps

Right in no particular order

1. Start off real steady and begin munching from at least the 45min-60min mark. As a novice/beginner at 70Kilograms in weight, for example, you should be consuming 70grams in carbs per hour. Fitter riders with better glycogen storage will not need to follow this rule.

2. Take advantage of big groups and sit in behind faster riders.

3. Pace yourselves on the climbs. Overzealousness in the early-middle stages of the ride will result in you struggling later on.

4. Don't eat food on the day that you haven't eaten before, especially if you have a sensitive stomach

5. Keep drinking and eating in sips and mini bites

6. Keep eating and drinking in sips and mini bites

7. If you need to take a day or 2 off before the ride do it 2/3 days before. Eg thurs/frid and then go for a gentle 30-40min spin on the Saturday.

8. Porridge is always a good one on the morning of the ride, cereal etc. But leave your stomach free between 6-8am on the day.

9. Enjoy it, enjoy it, enjoy it

10. Try not to grind away in big gears cause your legs will tire later on in the ride.

11. Take the opportunity to load up at feed stations and eat something a little different

12. Stay positive and motivated throughout

13. Check your bike thoroughly before the ride

14. Take a few essentials in case of trouble: 2 innertubes, pump, cash.cc card, mobile phone even

Have a good one

alanmcn1

Blimey

ta for the extensive advice. I am certain I knocked yesterday and not struggeld with distance as i do that length of ride (80Km) quite a bit, but it put the willies up me for my sportive.

Will go for big pasta sat night, porridge at 6am on the day, and carry about 10kg of bananas and energy bars

Alan