Early commute, what to eat first?

bertberr

Will soon be starting a 23 mile commute each way, and will probably have to be on the road by 6.30/6.45am each day.

My concern is having enough energy to complete this without being able to fully fuel myself before leaving. I usually eat 90mins to 2 hours before a long w/end ride, but if I did that on a work day I'd be getting up at 4.45am...

Any suggestions as to how I could ensure reasonable performance at this time of the day?

P.S: I'm not a full-on racer / time-trialler... in fact I'm only just getting back into road cycling, so 46 miles a day on top of a 10 hour day is a little daunting at present :shock:

cloggsy

I'd say protein, protein, protein...

I normally have a Whey Protein shake about 30 minutes before I set off and that does the trick. You can always take a bit of something with you to eat when you arrive too; maybe porridge or something?

Best of luck with the commute!

the_spooks

I'm cycling a similar distance and find my cereal, occasional toast and peanut butter and coffee enough. When I get to work I have a flapjack and either a rego shake or another caffeine hit. Before cycling home I have a carb drink about 20 mins before and it gets me home ok.

bertberr

OK, sounds like I might be worrying unnecessarilly here...

@ the Spooks - do you trough that lot down just before you hop on the bike? If so, isn't it a wee bit uncomfortable in the gut dept' as you get pedalling?

the_spooks

Normally eat around 40 mins before my cycle and take first 2 miles easyish. I ain't the most experienced cyclist in the world though lol

richVSrich

cloggsy wrote:

I'd say protein, protein, protein...

I normally have a Whey Protein shake about 30 minutes before I set off and that does the trick. You can always take a bit of something with you to eat when you arrive too; maybe porridge or something?

Best of luck with the commute!

i thought it was the other way around? carbs before excercise, protein after?

try and eat some stuff first thing when you wake up - without waking up extra early!..not easy i know..maybe a little bit of porridge with golden syrup / toast with peanut butter...depends what you like i guess..maybe fill the water bottle with some squash?

#7rider

Try porridge soon as you wake up, good slow release food, energy drink and take flapjack or banana with you on ride.

If you're really rushed wholemeal toast with honey or jam.

I guess it really depends on how used you are to eating so early and how hard you ride your commute.

Twostage

I'm assuming you've built your miles up rather than going straight for a 46 mile daily otherwise tiredness is going to be the bigger problem.
I commute 23 in the morning and I have muesli and coffee which I suppose is about 1/2 hour before I set off. I take a dilute drink with me but end up only having a couple of swigs.

KonaMike

I have a bowl of Weetabix about an hour before I leave and then a Banana about 15 minutes before I go out the door !

joelsim

I have Weetabix about 10 minutes before I leave on my 13 miler. Not a problem at all.

MichaelW

You get used to eating breakfast before a ride. I would take an extra hr in bed rather than get up to eat in advance.
I used to have a bowl of museli, then changed to toast and peanut butter/marmite/honey/humus.
As long as you dont stuff yourself silly, its perfectly OK to eat then start riding within 15 mins.

kieranb

I agree with most here, I used to do a 25 mile each way commute, I just had my normal breakfast of tea and weetabix (2 or 3 bricks?) about 15min before heading out (I still do this on the weekends for my long rides) It's not too much food to give you that bloated feeling. Take a bottle of water & a bite to eat (banana, bar) or energy drink as well though for back up.

rubertoe

I have to eat before my 12 mile commute - i have a bowl of porridge and a cup of tea and it gets eaten about 10-15 minutes before i leave and then i just have something when i get to work! normally a banana.

I used to just eat when i got to work - but now find that i can do without it - but i definatly wouldnt be getting out of bed earlier to eat before a commute - sleep is just as important as food.

CarlosDSanchez

Hi, I also commute 23 miles each way and I just have a regular breakfast - cerial or toast and take a drink with me. I get up at about 5.40 and leave aim to be out of the door by 6.20. I've never had a problem, but I find I'm pretty hungry when I get in to work so tend to have a soreen on the go throughout the morning.

Greggyr

Stanley222 wrote:

I cycle 15 miles to work and dont bother eating anything until I get there and then have breakfast - unless you are going at light speed you'll be fine!
Failing that just eat a fig biscuit or something similar when getting ready

+1

joelsim

You see there was a bloke in full kit yesterday on an expensive looking Colnago road bike and he was amazed that a bloke on a Boardman mountain bike was keeping up with him. It was quite funny to watch.

I suspect he hadn't had his Weetabix.

MichaelW

I spot a gap in the marketplace for a breakfast cereal bar that you can eat in the shower. Do supermarkets put it in the biscuit isle, the cereal isle or the shower gel isle?

option_click

25 miles each way for me.

Never enough time for breakfast before I leave for work, so generally have some porridge once I've arrived.

forcutty

Option Click wrote:

25 miles each way for me.

Never enough time for breakfast before I leave for work, so generally have some porridge once I've arrived.

Me too
But i just have a flapjack and a cup of coffee

Santa cruzing

I cant get going in the morning without some fuel, up at 5.45, small bowl of muesli with a light sprinkle of sugar and a pint of water does me. Leave at 6.25 for a 15 miler with a bit of climbing.

everybody is different though, so experiment a bit and find what works for you. For the first few rides I would take something with you to nibble just incase

bertberr

Some good suggestions there, thanks everyone.

I'll be taking it easy for the first few days as I've never ridden 46 miles / day on consecutive days before :?

Then you've got the Devon hills

rickyrider

Santa cruzing wrote:

everybody is different though, so experiment a bit and find what works for you. For the first few rides I would take something with you to nibble just incase

Agree with that - just see what works for you. Like some others here, I'm quite happy to just gulp a glass of fruit juice and ride my 21 mile commute on that. Then big bowl of porridge and banana when I get in.

Paul E

I MTFU and go for it

tomBux2

Don't know how anyone can get up and go on an empty stomache. Have 1 or 2 bananas with yoghurt & granola about 1/2 and hour before cycling then 2 slices of peanut butter on toast when I get to work. This gets me to lunch without too much snacking.

tc345

I have a big bowl of swiss muesli, two slices of toast, a cup of tea and some water for hydration. Usually eaten about 630 before setting off at 7. I occasionally belch up some food during the ride but then that's just a mid ride snack!

EKE_38BPM

Porridge before you leave a banana on the way and water to keep everything flowing nicely.
Then when you get to work, have another breakfast.
Then elevenses.
Then lunch.
Then a post lunch snack.
Then a cereal bar before you get back on the bike.
Then dinner.
Then a post dinner snack.
Then something before you go to bed.
Sleep like a baby.
Wake and repeat.

Drink lots of water all through the day. Fruit makes good snacks. Carbs before a ride, protein after.

CakeLovinBeast

bertberr wrote:

Then you've got the Devon hills

There certainly seems to be a lot of them!

I'm about to start the same, so interested to hear how you get on. I have the choice of a 17mi "hilly" ride, or a 21mi "flatter" one...

Koncordski

I get up at 6:50 for a 7:15am departure then an 18 mile ride to work. Current food regime that seems to work is 2 weetabix with a splash of milk with an espresso if i remember to switch the machine on. :roll:

On the ride i just take a bottle with 50/50 mix of water and OJ. Then a porridge and some fruit when i get to work.