easy as you go now........

JimmyK

I had a shocking start to my ride this morning.

I had a big bowl of my home made pasta salad and 2 slices of malt loaf for breakfast. I waited 30 mins and then headed out on a short 30 miler.When i got to the 1st hill , it was as if somebody had their foot on my solar plexus and i was breathing like the clappers, I wonder if I hadnt waited long enough for the food to digest ?

To my point, do any of you start a ride pedalling freely and briskly in terms of cadence and thus minimising the risk of tiring out your legs. But as the ride progresses, put the hammer down a little and then put it down a little more ? My way of thinking is akin to a runner, start out smooth and easier, turn up the gas a little with a higher gear and then save the big guns for the last section. Theres nowt worse than getting to the last 10 miles until home and really feeling it in the thighs , my plan as described would be more geared towards saving your legs for the final push. I could pedal away, jelly babies in back pocket to keep the sugars up and see how it works out. :idea:

The first section of todays ride was just torture, couldnt really breathe deeply at all until the food in my belly allowed me to, but I wouldnt have suffered as much if I had have started out smoothly, and been more concerned with maintaining a steady and user friendly cadence until my muscles had warmed up and food was fully digested.

Is what I described feasible for good performances ? My performance after the 1st stage today was great , but I dont want to go through that bloated belly breathlessness again

JimmyK

3 mph wind forecast for saturday here in n.ireland

Infamous

It's the effort that's important not the cadence, take it easy for 10 mins then ride as planned. It can take me a good solid effort or 2 before I'm fully warmed up.

Looking good for the morning here too, no winds and maybe sunny!

JimmyK

Infamous wrote:

It's the effort that's important not the cadence, take it easy for 10 mins then ride as planned. It can take me a good solid effort or 2 before I'm fully warmed up.

Looking good for the morning here too, no winds and maybe sunny!

unfortunately the very first hill was 1/4 mile away , i was stone cold going up it

Infamous

Go up it slowly or go a different way for 10 mins.

oldwelshman

Why eat so much before a 30 mile ride?
I would feel crap if I ate that much
Bowl of cornflakes or porridge is plenty for a 30 mikle ride. Pasta for breakfast? yuk

sandbag

You set off too early from eating. with a big meal, wait 2 hours.

amaferanga

No-one makes just riding a bike appear as difficult as JimmyK :roll:

Bhima

JimmyK wrote:

Theres nowt worse than getting to the last 10 miles until home and really feeling it in the thighs

There's nothing better!

softlad

oldwelshman wrote:

Why eat so much before a 30 mile ride?
I would feel crap if I ate that much
Bowl of cornflakes or porridge is plenty for a 30 mikle ride. Pasta for breakfast? yuk

+1

amaferanga wrote:

No-one makes just riding a bike appear as difficult as JimmyK :roll:

+1

redddraggon

amaferanga wrote:

No-one makes just riding a bike appear as difficult as JimmyK :roll:

He must be related to Willhub.

bristolpete

Surely you digestive system is battling your legs for blood flow here as that much food is to much before a ride. As others have said, less food, but the right stuff.

If you insist on pasta before a ride, a snack amount, fist sized would surely be more than enough?

smithy1.0

I agree - your body was busy diverting blood to the stomach to aid digestion which was robbing your legs of precious blood flow. You'll get a much better workout by eating something light and easily digestible 1hr beforehand, or just heading out and fueling as needed on the bike. Assuming you have replenished your muscle glycogen following your last workout, you shouldn't need to eat much before a 30miler.

Nothing wrong with pasta before a ride. Just not too much of it if you are going to be riding soon after.

JimmyK

so good ways to replenish muscle glycogen post ride are what ?

SBezza

Simple sugars, with protein to repair the muscles. Most people use a recovery drink, though a milkshake will do the same.

To be honest unless you are doing longer rides a couple of days in a row, or are doing heavy training, eating a normal meal should be fine. It will depend on how often you ride your bike, and at what intensity.

inseine

4 paragraphs of stating the obvious.

JimmyK

because of my health , I do 3 rides per week and these usually vary between 40 - 50 miles on a ride. my cycling average speed is usually between 17.5 bad day to 18.5 mph on a good day, though i did do a 50 miler on a day with virtually no wind at 19.2 mph average ( that sounds so Will doesnt it !! )

im just trying to do the right things pre and post rides so as i can consistently get good perormance when out cycling, and most of all ..................enjoy it .

JimmyK

inseine wrote:

4 paragraphs of stating the obvious.

sorry if we are boring you :roll:

inseine

Didn't mean to be rude, but I think the big meal + starting out too quickly = torture equation can be more susinctly summed up. Most beginners to any sort of excerise have that figured out so I assumed you had your tongue in your cheek.

SBezza

Just to help, tomorrow I will go for a 70 mile ride, probably about 17 to 18 mile average. I will have a bowl of cereal and a banana, and then go out.

During the ride I will have a few Eat Natural bars, as well as energy drink. When I get home I will have a milkshake, or maybe two. I will then have a proper meal about 1 hour later. I will make sure I eat during the evening as well, with a healthy balanced meal.

I will be riding again Monday when I commute home from work. As I eat decently all the time, I don't need any special meals to have enough energy for 4 hours on the bike. If you eat a normal healthy diet, there is not need for anything special.

Headhuunter

As everyone says, way too much food before a 30 miler. I did a 45ish miler this morning and only ate 2 slices of toast and 2 bananas along the way. You may need a bit more than that, but a massive bowl of pasta and 2 slices of malt loaf within 30 mins of a ride, no longer it was tough - I'd need a long kip after all that food!