Dartmoor Classic Sportive Nutrition Advice

jmillen

Evening folks

First, I apologise for the length of this post. It started out as a couple of simple questions, but has expanded over the last 15/20 mins....I'm after some beginner sportive nutrition advice please if anyone would be so kind...

I'm taking part in the Dartmoor Classic (the 100km option) in just under 2 weeks time, which has about 7,000 feet of climb. It's my first sportive. I'm just about confident enough to complete the ride in terms of my physical and mental ability (slthough this will be the longest ride I'd have ever completed).

I have however, over the last few weeks been experimenting with what I can eat and/or drink whilst riding. This has come from having a couple of bad experiences during off road charity bike rides where I've just assumed that anything with "energy" in the name will get me through the ride...it really doesn't, but that's another story. So, the only real problems I've experienced on a bike seem to be caused by my poor choice and/or preparation of suitable food and drink for the event. Something which I'm keen to put right.

I appreciate that nutrition is a very personal thing, and what works for you, may be totally the opposite for me etc, but I'm just after some opinions really as to whether what I'm planning sounds reasonable.

Before

Decent breakfast. Porridge, banana, some dried fruit...etc

During

2 x 750ml bottles - one with High5 Zero Sports drink (I've found these to be very light on my stomach), and the other with plain water. Two questions here....Firstly, the feed station is mid-distance, so lets just assume I take 3 hours to get there... am I cutting myself short of fluids over that duration? Secondly, as the High5 is the Zero version, it doesn't appear to have much in the way of carbs. Should I look to substitute this for something else, or can I add a little something to it ? I would obviously re-fill my drinks bottles at the feed station.

Food wise - Tracker bars and locally produced flapjack. I believe the tracker bars have about 23g of carbs in them, assuming that a similar weight of flapjack would contain similar carbs, would it be enough to just eat one of each of these for each hour on the bike? Wondering if I should also have some other bits and pieces with me, although not really sure what, just to top up the tank.

I was planning on carry 1 or 2 energy gels with me, but only for use if absolutely necessary towards the end.

I know it sounds like I'm getting bogged down, and that I should just get on my bike and enjoy my first sportive, but that's actually why I want to try and get this right. I don't want to spend the whole ride in agony and risk not finishing because I've not eaten correctly.

I'd really appreciate peoples view/comments/experiences on the above. I'm hoping it'll help to make the ride enjoyable, rather than bearable.

Many thanks in advance

mr_dobbo

Hello jmillen, I'm looking a bit deeper into ride nutrition as I do longer hillier rides and was asking similar questions to you, this thread has a lot of good advice that I'll be giving a go over the next few weeks.

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=12859161

Hope it's of help, you sound like you're eating better than I was already though, I was fueled by chocolate.

johnr76

I did the 100km as my first sportive last year. I had a big plate of pasta the night before and as you suggest I had a bowl of porridge in the morning.

All I took with me on the route was a banana and a 'tracker' bar with two bottle - one with water and the other with water and a Nuun tablet.

This was seemed to get to the feed station which is well stocked with energy gels, drinks, and plenty of pasties and cake. The second half of the route was a lot easier and I didn't eat anything other than a second banana until the end.

It's a great ride so try and enjoy it and not worry too much.

Hopefully the weather gets a bit better.

jim453

Definitely ensure the flapjack is locally produced. This is vitally important.

Slack

Unfortunately there are so many permutations to your dilemma.

It really depends on how much intensity you're going to apply for this event.....are you just going for a nice day out, or going for a target time.

The High5 Zero tabs are for electrolyte replacement only, which will be a good idea if it's hot. I personally would graze on your Trackers/flap jacks early on into the ride, like after the first 45mins and may be supplement these with a gel before you reach the feed station. Holne hill is tough, so perhaps plan to take a gel on board after that beast.

It is probably better to front load your day with solid proper food, so gobble up a pasty at the feed station, along with another gel. It might also be worth taking an energy drink, in a sachet in your back pocket, for making up a bottle full at the feed station - this will then keep you topped up for the remainder of the ride. i.e. only use the energy drink stuff later on in the day, just to get you home...that said the latter stage (last 10miles) are relatively gentle!

I'm doing the 100mile variant and will be munching on peanut butter sandwiches, pepperoni sticks and the odd gel for the first part, switching over to energy drink for the remaining 40miles.

jmillen

Thanks for the replies

The priority is to finish, but if I'm honest, I'd like to do it in 6 hours or under. Yeah, I got up Holne a couple of weeks back, but did struggle for the next few miles afterwards

I'm liking the sound of the feed station. I was worried it was just going to be full of energy bars and such like but it's good to hear they have some "proper" food as well.

Deegs

Whoo... in at the deep end, then?

I'd be very happy indeed if I finish in 6hrs. 12.30am as I write in Somerset and the rain beating hard on the window. . . sigh. . . aren't we going to have fun in a few hours

Mikey23

I think the weather was kind in the end. I drove down the a38 from Exeter to Plymouth along the southern edge of the moor last night about midnight and conditions were quite appalling. Heavy rain and strong wind it was difficult enough to drive let alone cycle. I hope you had a good one ... X

FoldingJoe

How'd you go JM?

Weather was a bit grey and miserable to start with and the headwind into Princetown feed station wasn't required, but then the sun broke through and then last 15miles were great.

Great event with wonderful organisation. Unfortunately saw some nasty spills on wet cattle grids but that's going to happen in that type of weather.