Cafe stop food

simwilli

After stopping for food on our sunday club runs i'm finding that straight after the food stop i feel really flat (as if i'm hitting the wall). I normally pull round after having a energy bar and a couple of gels but sometimes takes up to 20 miles to start feeling ok. I normal have beens on toast and a coffee at the cafe stop.

Any suggestions??

bristolpete

Drop the beans on toast and eat on the way to the coffee stop.

Have a hot chocolate, not coffee and perhaps a slice of fruit cake.

Just my opinion.

t.m.h.n.e.t

More carbs, very few in beans on toast.

phreak

simwilli wrote:

After stopping for food on our sunday club runs i'm finding that straight after the food stop i feel really flat (as if i'm hitting the wall). I normally pull round after having a energy bar and a couple of gels but sometimes takes up to 20 miles to start feeling ok. I normal have beens on toast and a coffee at the cafe stop.

Any suggestions??

Just out of interest, how far are you riding?

dw300

Could this have less to do with hitting the wall, and the composition of the snack, and more to do with having a huge belly full of food?

I presume being a cafe portion that we're talking a couple of rounds of bread and about 400g of beans (about a tins worth)?

Half of that would be plenty if you want to still have beans on toast. But lighter, more easily digested food might be a better bet.

I also hate stopping during a ride and find it hard to get warmed up again, but that's regardless of the food situation. Could this be something to do with stopping suddenly after an extended hard effort? Would winding down for 10mins coming up to the stop help?

phreak

That's kinda what I was wondering. Not sure how far he's riding but a cafe meal + a bar + gels is a fair amount of food unless you're going a long way or riding very hard.

That said though I suspect it's more that your muscles have stiffened up a bit due to your break.

simwilli

The club runs are usually anything from 40 - 50 miles each way

TheEnglishman

dw300 wrote:

Could this have less to do with hitting the wall, and the composition of the snack, and more to do with having a huge belly full of food?

That was my immediate thought as well. Quite possibly thick cut stodgy white bread, half a pack of marge spread all over then, as you say, a tin of beans on top.

While I'm not knocking this (almost a perfect brekky with a couple of sausages) I'm not sure I'd want to cycle somewhere, chin on the bars, bum in the air, straight after eating it.

simwilli

I forgot to mention i don't feel bloated or full, i feel really empty?

dw300

simwilli wrote:

I forgot to mention i don't feel bloated or full, i feel really empty?

Yeh, but you could have a nice big stomach that accommodates that meal easily enough .. but if your body decides it'd rather divert it's energy to digestion rather than your legs then it could have an effect. Only way to find out is try something different.

vorsprung

It's normal to not go as fast after stopping and eating

If you don't want this to happen, either don't stop or if you must stop for a short time and don't eat anything!

Alternatively, your group should all go slow for 20 minutes after eating to allow time for digestion

Herbsman

Have a tea cake instead

ShutUpLegs

Has anyone pm'd Soni for some diet advice :?: