Riding a century

josame

I'm riding a century for the first time soon (well 115 miles but lets not quibble) and I plan on having one stop - what do you recommend that I eat to maximise that one break...I was thinking get as much pasta down me as I can but is that the wrong philosophy

I will be carbo loading leading up to the ride and have a max drink, plus gels and go bars on the way round

mrushton

What are you doing , the Olympic RR? It's a bike ride that the audax community knock out week after week (200k). Eat and drink as you go round and have a decent stop or two. Meat is harder to digest but soup and cake are ok. Unless it's some big deal event I don't think you should worry too much.

amaferanga

I'd definitely recommend NOT stuffing your face with pasta mid-ride. Maybe a sandwich or something half way round, but try to get your calories by eating little and often. Try a muesli bar, bit of soreen, banana or a bit of flapjack every hour or so along with an electrolyte drink.

LeicesterLad

I don't know, because i have never done it, but i imagine eating a shedload of pasta half way around may sit a little heavy on the stomach, and you probably wouldn't see much immediate effect as Pasta needs to be broken down over a longer period of time (hence pasta and carb loading night before). Unsure what to suggest, im sure other will know alot more than me...

josame

mrushton wrote:

What are you doing , the Olympic RR? It's a bike ride that the audax community knock out week after week (200k). Eat and drink as you go round and have a decent stop or two. Meat is harder to digest but soup and cake are ok. Unless it's some big deal event I don't think you should worry too much.

Ok cheers little and often then...

Like the RR gag (I wish) actually it's the ride around london sportive

thanks all donno why I panicked...

mrushton

If you are unsure I'd recommend www.yacf.co.uk (audax thread). My partner regularly used to do 200km+ and she just had a few bar things and stuffed her face at a cafe.

schweiz

On days in the Alps, it's fairly normal for us to stop at a restaurant on club rides and grab a bowl of spaghetti but you don't want to eat too much. We do stop for an hour or so and enjoy our lunch break rather than wolf it down. If you eat too much, too quickly you will get indigestion which will make the second half of the ride uncomfortable.

A few years back during the Alpen Challenge (220km/4000m) we were serve pasta in tomato sauce at the middle feed station. I didn't manage to eat much as then I was worried about time but I did manage a small bowl and it made a welcome change from müesli bars, bananas, gels and the like.

On La Marmote a year later I had only Müesli Bars and Gels and struggled badly in the last quarter of the day. All my training rides had included 'proper' food and I should have stuck with what my stomach was used to.

On a training camp in Spain earlier this year I ended up having an omlette on a baguette due to some bad translation of a menu! I was okay with it but a club mate really struggled so it just depends on what works for you.

Saying all that, i generally try and mix my food up. Bananas, Müesli Bars, Cheese Sandwiches, Haribo and a couple of gels for emergencies can all be found in my pockets. I start off with energy drink, usually get some ice tea or coke on the way and then finish off with water to give my stomach a chance.

Try out differnt foods on your training rides and work out what you can digest and what seems to give you a constant energy supply rather than hitting peaks and troughs.

fastercyclist

I did this distance before.

I went to tesco and brought a) a cheap tray of flapjacks and b) a bag of honey coated cereal. Emptied half the cereal into a container and I took the remainder with the bag it came in with me, just chucked a spoon in as well.

Honey coated stops it from being too dry.

ex-pat scot

Malt loaf, flap jack, banana, jelly babies in your pocket. Eat regularly as you go. Little n often
At the stop - nice cuppa tea - beans on toast perhaps. Sandwich. Pastie. Something different to the stuff you've got in your pockets.
Then more of the pocket stuff as you continue.

fernholt

What ever you decide I would try to do a practice first. It helps a lot. I think the food choices can change depending on how much of a hurry you're in. If like me you try to get round non-stop or with a quick drink stop then it's a struggle. I would personally avoid pasta half-way round but you might fancy it. I was offered it once but couldn't face it.
You should also get your liquids sorted out before hand. You need to hydrate properly the days before and on the ride, if you use energy drinks, they can be very sickly on a 100 mile ride. Best to try it out before hand.

josame

Thanks to all

Cheers