Food and stops on long rides

cusimar9

I'll be cycling Scotland over 5 days in September, to finish a LEJOG I started last year. I wonder if I could ask your opinions on what strategy I should take with regards to stops and food.

Luckily I'll be supported this year, so I can take the bare minimum on the bike and keep all manner of supplies in the car.

I'm still 'learning' and I'm far from a fast rider. If I can average 10mph over distances longer than 50 miles, I'm happy. Yesterday I cycled 62 miles and stopped for an hour half way round. My quads where in pretty bad shape when I started off again and it took about 45 minutes for me to settle back into a stride. A few weeks ago I was getting quite bad cramp after eating but I haven't had that for a while so I guess I'm now used to eating on the move.

I can cycle shorter distances without stopping at all, currently I can go 25 miles before stopping, and up to about 40 miles with only say 5 minutes to stop. But over distances of over 50 miles my total stopping time increases exponentially. Last year cycling 90 miles I was stopping for around 4 hours.

My question is should I be trying to stop only momentarily for food etc or should I stick to a more relaxed approach and take half hour breaks here and there?

Also, any advice on food would be very appreciated. Last year we were eating anything and everything on the move, with maybe 3 bottles of lucozade to help us out. This year should I eat and drink better? Maybe these gels I keep hearing about, or drinking ONLY lucozade rather than water?

Any advice would be appreciated

lloyd_bower

Not done the LEJOG but done a few similar length tours abroad. I prefer to take small snacks along rather than stopping for a longish break.

Fruit cake or similar, malt loaf, dried bananas are my regular staples, and I get by with just normal water and have never bothered with energy drinks.

andymiller

You could try doing some stretches before you set off again.

If you need to stop for 4 hours then you're trying to do too much.

Yes you need to eat better. Lucozade and gels provide a quick hit of sugar but they aren't any good for sustained energy (which may be why you are needing to stop more often the further you go). Energy drinks have a role to play as a top up: you'd be better off drinking all water rather than all Lucozade. Muesli bars and malt loaf are reasonably good for snacking, but equally you need to eat a proper meal or two (eg sandwiches with wholemeal bread, say). If you want to do some research look for foods with a low glycaemic index - this means they release energy slowly.

richa

cusimar9 wrote:

I can cycle shorter distances without stopping at all, currently I can go 25 miles before stopping, and up to about 40 miles with only say 5 minutes to stop. But over distances of over 50 miles my total stopping time increases exponentially. Last year cycling 90 miles I was stopping for around 4 hours.

Why are you stopping? Exhaustion, Tiredness, Boredom, Seat Pains, Hunger, etc...

I am not the fitest and on say the Dragon ride (110 miles) was stopped for 15mins in 7hrs. I think that needing to stop after 25miles and for 4hrs durring a 90 mile ride means that something needs to be addressed.

How fast are you riding for 25 miles & 90 miles?

cusimar9

A typical example of the cycling we were doing last year would be as follows:

Cycling Time: 8hrs
Total Time: 12hrs
Total Distance: 101miles
Average Speed: 12.8mph

As I say I'm not a very competent cyclist, I'd actually only been cycling for about 2 months before the LEJOG attempt last year. This year I've put more training in.

I stop literally just for a bit of a breather and a lie down, I can't imagine spending 7 hours on the bike with only 15 minutes rest. If I was fitter I'm sure that would be different.

andymiller

cusimar9 wrote:

A typical example of the cycling we were doing last year would be as follows:

Cycling Time: 8hrs
Total Time: 12hrs
Total Distance: 101miles
Average Speed: 12.8mph

As I say I'm not a very competent cyclist, I'd actually only been cycling for about 2 months before the LEJOG attempt last year. This year I've put more training in.

I stop literally just for a bit of a breather and a lie down, I can't imagine spending 7 hours on the bike with only 15 minutes rest. If I was fitter I'm sure that would be different.

I think you're trying to do too much - 100 miles is quite a lot especially if your're doing it day after day (and fuelled by Lucozade). Why not set yourself more realistic targets - eg 60 miles a day and maybe build up from there.

cusimar9

Thanks Andy I realise now its a lot of miles so for the Scotland leg I've revised the stops as follows:

Gretna -> Kilmarnock 81.7 miles
Kilmarnock -> Ineraray 80 miles
Inveraray -> Fort William 71.7 miles
Fort William -> Alness 85.4 miles
Alness -> John O Groats 101 miles

Still a lot of distance but with some luck nothing to challenge the 109 miles we covered in one day over Cornwall, Devon and Dartmoor :shock:

So to summarise... you guys think I shouldn't really be stopping if I can help it, and when I do it shouldn't be for long?

richa

It's a Tour, so enjoy it. Stop if you fancy it. It's up to you.

However, I think you shouldn't need to stop for 4 hrs in 12.

72-85ish miles is going to take approx 5:45-6:45hrs.

Howabout something like...

> 2+hrs
> Coffee Stop (20mins)
> 2hrs
> Lunch Stop (40mins)
> 2hrs

Make sure you keep warm when stopped. This will help to stop you stiffening up.

cusimar9

Thanks Rich that's useful I'll try and go with that. Last night I did 31 miles in 2:25 stopping only for a loo break. I should also point out I live in Sheffield and its far from flat here. Good for training but bad for getting the times down.

cusimar9

By the way I just read your Etape Du Tour blog, very impressive!