400K coming up. What to eat beforehand?

Anonymous

Hi,

Im doing a 250 mile/400k ride (or thereabouts) this weekend, and was wondering what suppliments (food/bars/gels/other) people can recommend stuffing into my jersey/saddle bag

I've got 2 waterbottles which I will fill with some rank drink and 3 deep pockets on my jersey (one fits a whole loaf of soreen easily!).

I am just wondering - what rank powders do you recommend? I've used SIS, but didnt really feel much benefit, but the high5 ones I had on a wiggle sportive seemed much better. (which ones ARE they!?)

Anyone recommend some good bars/energy gels (the SIS ones were actually OK, just didnt taste that nice, and +ve, they didnt upset my tummy)

As we are leaving Fri night (around 2300), what should I be eating during the day? I'm thinking - dont cycle to work (I cant anyway that day), HUGE bowl of porridge for breakfast (golden syrup) and keep on munching carbs till I pop, stop around 6/7?

What should I be munching all day?

Philip Whiteman

Pack in the pasta for meals within 48 hours of starting. Eat a good evening meal before hand but leave a good couple hours before you set off to benefit digestion. As you already mention, a good solid breakfast such as porridge will also provide benefit.

As for carrying food on board:

- I prefer High 5 over SIS. SIS over a prolonged period can cause stomach upset.
- Usual high carb bars and gels.
- Fruit bars are also good in moderation.
- Isotonic tablets to add to water bottles - essential in warm weather.

Word of warning: you will soon start to sicken of sweet foods. So plan some stops at cafes or shops for something a little savoury but try to avoid fatty and protein rich foods.

Anonymous

Thats what I thought, but do you have any more specific suggestions? I don't really have that much time to go and try my faves, but I would be most grateful if you knew the bars/powders/gels which you know/use and love, so I can pick up a load.

Cheers

Philip Whiteman

It is all a matter of preference but here goes:

Solids:

9bar http://www.9-bar.co.uk/ available from most supermarkets / health food shops
Clif Bar. available from many sports shops and Wiggle
Fruitina http://www.frutina.com/fruit_bars.html available from Holland and Barrett

Drinks:

High 5 gels
Nuun or High 5 Isotonic Tablets. Some with and without caffiene. Caffiene should be consumed later on during the ride.

En route:

A sandwich to settle the stomach.

Caffiene

Avoid all caffiene drinks and products in the days leading up to the events. When you start to tire on the ride, then start using caffiene gels to wake you up. Oh, and I forget, Proplus for when you are really really tired.

edhornby

ok, here's briefly what I did for the coast to coast

day before I ate normal breakfast and lunch, with healthy snacks when I wanted them and a big pasta meal in the evening, I didn't drink booze and got some good kip the night before

I ate a heaty breakfast, bananas in the van on the way to the start; during the ride homemade flapjack, bananas and the odd imitation snickers (from sainsburys) if I needed a sugar hit or for variety. Sandwiches and crisps at lunchtime. pub meal in the evening, the same on day 2. drinks were nuun tablets for electrolytes as these are easy to make up when needed and don't have carb content as I got carbs from food

I didn't bother with gels as they are expensive and normal foods get close enough for non-race situations

vorsprung

Like Philip says it is all a matter of preference and finding out from experience what works for you

Before the ride I will over eat the day before and have a big breakfast
I will take L Carnitine with meals immediately before

During the ride I usually drink water with just Hammer Nutrition Endurolyte powder added. I've used Nuun tablets before too, but electrolyte powder is cheaper
I will eat homemade flapjack, cheese sandwiches, the odd banana and nut flavoured tracker bars as I ride

At lunchtime I will try and stop for lunch, at evening meal time stop for a meal, breakfast time too. Also I will have a snack at 11pm and 2am

If i feel a bit low powered as far as food is concerned, I will mix up a dose of All Sports Amino Load recovery drink and knock that back in the middle of the ride.

Quite often I will take Hammer Nutrition "anti fatigue caps" during the ride.

Caffeine wise I will try and give up caffeine for a week before. If I have to ride for more than 24 hours usually I will take caffeine tablets + chocolate to keep awake.

I have no idea if the magic supplements like the anti fatigue caps or the L-Carnitine actually work or are placebos but they work for me....see article on my blog

My average speed when moving (not including stops) is usually around 23kph. If you need to go significantly faster than this you will have to adopt a different method to supply the greater food needs.

FransJacques

On the 300k milan sanremo fondo which was run at silly race pace: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90804733 we didn't stop for the first 200kms (first time in my life I've ridden that far without putting a foot down) it was all about gels and more gels. Instead of carryng tons of gel packets, buy a runners bottle which is like a 300ml bottle with a cycling bottle nipple and put about 6 gels in it, I have 2 sich bottles - 1 caffeine and 1 non caffeine. I also measure out a drink that works for me, in this case Zipvit and a mix of Go/SIS as well in case my finicky stomach got sick of one.

Solids are important as well - I don't like bars but budget for 1 an hour.

You need to tell us what kind of pace you're riding at and what kind of access you have to food and what type during the event. B/c maybe yu don't need to carry so much with you.