Running out of energy

shamone

Hi, I'm about 6 months in to weekly rides after moving to the Matlock area of Derbyshire (Wessington). I'm up to 30 miles but by the last 5 or so I'm exhausted. Averaging 13.5 mph but it is very hilly, at least it is for me. Yesterday I tried taking some jelly beans for energy, but yet again the last few miles were gruelling.

Any tips as I would like increase the miles.

banana pilot

Wht are you eating pre ride? If I'm going on a long ride the next day, I'll generally go for a pasta dinner, not later than 7pm. In the morning I'll have 3 weetabix in warm milk with some sugar and a banana sliced on top.

Take an energy bar or cereal bar with you and eat after an hour of riding. There's loads of recipes online for homemade energy bars that are half the price and twice the taste of bought ones. It's a good way to involve your partner too...my wife loves making me energy bars knowing they're helping me on my rides.

Lastly, don't be tempted to blast out of the blocks for the first 20 minutes, let yourself warm up slowly and then up the pace when you start to feel warm thighs!

Monty Dog

Make sure you've had something to eat and drink a couple of hours before as well as topping-up every 20-30 minutes during your ride. Waiting until you feel hungry/thirsty is too late as it takes a while for you to digest and for it to reach your bloodstream. If you're only riding once per week, you're not really getting much training effect either - you're only training yourself to ride 30 miles so progress will be slow.

wishitwasallflat

Riding only once a week is not going to work well - for the body to learn that it needs to adapt to exercise it needs more frequent input. Don't get me wrong its better than not going at all - but for fitness improvements (the main way that you will feel better, stronger and have more energy) its far from ideal.

Plenty of sources of advice but Sports Science people I know and work beside talk often about this

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/index.htm

Maybe not cycle specific but the four key underlying training principles of inducing physical adaptation to exercise - mode, frequency, intensity and duration - are universal to all endurance type sports.

shamone

Thanks guys. I've got a turbo so will start riding in the week. If I want to improve my distance is it ok to do shorter rides in the week?

I hadn't thought about food the day before my long ride, so will try some pasta. Do you actually stop and eat on your long rides, or eat while cycling? I might ditch the jelly beans and try something more substantial, like a Snickers.

ShutUpLegs

Try a couple of slices of soreen

banana pilot

Shamone wrote:

Thanks guys. I've got a turbo so will start riding in the week. If I want to improve my distance is it ok to do shorter rides in the week?

I hadn't thought about food the day before my long ride, so will try some pasta. Do you actually stop and eat on your long rides, or eat while cycling? I might ditch the jelly beans and try something more substantial, like a Snickers.

Any ride is better than not riding at all.

As for snickers...great if you've hit the wall and have nothing left to give. Not so hot if its for sustained energy as it's packed with sugar. Remember school? Sugar - big hit, followed by a big slump. Carbs - slow release energy. Try and find something with both.

+1 on Soreen, and there's loads of funky flavours out now to mix it up a bit.

simon_e

Is it lack of energy or lack of fitness, or both?

Don't start too hard, go steady and use the lower ratios uphill, don't grind up climbs. Try including some less hilly rides if you can. Additional midweek activity is good but don't wear yourself out so you are drained by the weekend. Don't fret about average speed, and very few people are at their best in midwinter anyway.

Take a short rest now and again. Eat a little at a time, Snickers is my favourite mid-ride treat. I am not convinced scoffing pasta the night before ("carb loading") makes much difference.

And remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. Or even six weeks.

cyco2

A main ingredient of jelly babies is....

A protein substance derived from collagen, a natural protein present in the tendons, ligaments, and tissues of mammals. It is produced by boiling the connective tissues, bones and skins of animals, usually cows and pigs.

Something nice to think about next time you're chewing on one or two.

nawty

cyco2 wrote:

A main ingredient of jelly babies is....

A protein substance derived from collagen, a natural protein present in the tendons, ligaments, and tissues of mammals. It is produced by boiling the connective tissues, bones and skins of animals, usually cows and pigs.

Something nice to think about next time you're chewing on one or two.

It's called gelatin and is in many many many things (which is why vegetarians bang on about it so much). Not much different to eating the rind on bacon really...

Besides, surely the main ingredient is sugar?

team47b

cyco2 wrote:

A main ingredient of jelly babies is....

A protein substance derived from collagen, a natural protein present in the tendons, ligaments, and tissues of mammals. It is produced by boiling the connective tissues, bones and skins of animals, usually cows and pigs.

Something nice to think about next time you're chewing on one or two.

needed saying though

and as for the other ingredient (sugar is second largest ingredient)...Sugar has been linked to obesity and suspected of being implicated in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, macular degeneration and tooth decay.

Ingredients: Wheat glucose syrup, sugar, water, starch (maize and wheat), gelatine, food acids (citric acid, malic acid), vegetable fat, natural flavours, natural colours (turmeric, carmine, chlorophyll, carotene, paprika oleoresin, anthocyanins)

Eat real food.

cyco2

nawty wrote:

cyco2 wrote:

A main ingredient of jelly babies is....

Besides, surely the main ingredient is sugar?

You're quite right and so am I, so that's is why I wrote what I did. So, take another look and digest. :roll:

leepez

banana pilot wrote:

Shamone wrote:

Thanks guys. I've got a turbo so will start riding in the week. If I want to improve my distance is it ok to do shorter rides in the week?

I hadn't thought about food the day before my long ride, so will try some pasta. Do you actually stop and eat on your long rides, or eat while cycling? I might ditch the jelly beans and try something more substantial, like a Snickers.

Any ride is better than not riding at all.

As for snickers...great if you've hit the wall and have nothing left to give. Not so hot if its for sustained energy as it's packed with sugar. Remember school? Sugar - big hit, followed by a big slump. Carbs - slow release energy. Try and find something with both.

+1 on Soreen, and there's loads of funky flavours out now to mix it up a bit.

I find Soreen to be excellent. You can buy a loaf for around £1 at most supermarkets, cut it up into five pieces and then consume one piece every hour when your cycling and your good to go.
I might add a good meal/breakfast 2 hours before you set off is also beneficial.

teisetrotter

Massive bowl of porridge loaded with seeds and dried fruit and some honey. Then I take those little lunch box Soreen loaves with me. I use Zero tablets in my water as I love the taste and they do seem to decrease stitches if I am pushing the speed.

Last thing is weight. I found as I lost it, the easier pushing that bike around got.

supermurph09

Shamone wrote:

Hi, I'm about 6 months in to weekly rides after moving to the Matlock area of Derbyshire (Wessington).

Hi, I live just near you in South Wingfield and can confirm that it is hilly, so its hard not to have to make a big effort from the off, as there always seems to be a decent climb within 1-2 miles of setting off. But as others have said, try not to set off too quickly, I'm sure the turbo will help, I certainly found it made a huge difference to my fitness. Have you heard of the sufferfest downloads? Excellent for the Turbo as they really push you!

For longer rides (over 30 miles) food wise I tend to make sure I've had a healthy breakfast, porridge usually I then stuff a banana, a couple of cereal bars and a few haribo in my jersey pockets. I wont always eat everything but its sometimes comforting knowing you have the option. Hydration is also key so ensure you are well hydrated.

Enjoy!

simon_e

banana pilot wrote:

Remember school? Sugar - big hit, followed by a big slump. Carbs - slow release energy. Try and find something with both.

Mooching around the playground then sitting in the classroom isn't the same as being 2 hours into a ride wearing your winter garb, with another hour to go. The body deals with sugary food differently during prolonged exercise compared to when you're just knocking about.

While I'd be the first to say that the ingredients in a snickers aren't the finest, I don't think one or two a week during a long ride isn't a problem. Anyway, I can give them up any time I want to. I can. Honest!


Must try malt loaf, it's years since I've had one.

banana pilot

Simon E wrote:

banana pilot wrote:

Remember school? Sugar - big hit, followed by a big slump. Carbs - slow release energy. Try and find something with both.

Mooching around the playground then sitting in the classroom isn't the same as being 2 hours into a ride wearing your winter garb, with another hour to go. The body deals with sugary food differently during prolonged exercise compared to when you're just knocking about.

Ha ha! I should have been clearer, I meant school Biology lessons...it was the first thing you ever got taught about energy types and how the body deals with them. My bad for not explaining.

team47b

Really misleading information, poorly explained, bad grammar.

3/10.

Stay behind and write 'sugar is a carb' 100 times

banana pilot

Ah stuff it, just have a doughnut. Loads of sugar and loads of carbs all rolled into one lovely little package. You could probably stretch the jam in the middle to being 1 of your 5 a day if you're really imaginative

shamone

cyco2 wrote:

A main ingredient of jelly babies is....

A protein substance derived from collagen, a natural protein present in the tendons, ligaments, and tissues of mammals. It is produced by boiling the connective tissues, bones and skins of animals, usually cows and pigs.

Something nice to think about next time you're chewing on one or two.

What no horses?

shamone

Supermurph09 wrote:

Shamone wrote:

Hi, I'm about 6 months in to weekly rides after moving to the Matlock area of Derbyshire (Wessington).

Hi, I live just near you in South Wingfield and can confirm that it is hilly, so its hard not to have to make a big effort from the off, as there always seems to be a decent climb within 1-2 miles of setting off. But as others have said, try not to set off too quickly, I'm sure the turbo will help, I certainly found it made a huge difference to my fitness. Have you heard of the sufferfest downloads? Excellent for the Turbo as they really push you!

For longer rides (over 30 miles) food wise I tend to make sure I've had a healthy breakfast, porridge usually I then stuff a banana, a couple of cereal bars and a few haribo in my jersey pockets. I wont always eat everything but its sometimes comforting knowing you have the option. Hydration is also key so ensure you are well hydrated.

Enjoy!

Ate porridge with honey this morning pre-ride. Decided not to climb up to the tops and headed over towards Chesterfield instead, although still had a couple of good ascents near Ogston reservoir. At 17 miles I reached my parents house so stopped for an hour lunch break - is that cheating? Do you guys take a break in the middle of your rides, or just keep on going?

Anyway didn't hit the wall on the way back and managed 37 miles which is the furthest I've done so far

simon_e

Shamone wrote:

Ate porridge with honey this morning pre-ride. Decided not to climb up to the tops and headed over towards Chesterfield instead, although still had a couple of good ascents near Ogston reservoir. At 17 miles I reached my parents house so stopped for an hour lunch break - is that cheating? Do you guys take a break in the middle of your rides, or just keep on going?

Anyway didn't hit the wall on the way back and managed 37 miles which is the furthest I've done so far

Nice one!

Probably a good way to build your strength to incorporate two climbs in a longer ride. As you get fitter you could find a longer way to your parents' house knowing you can have a break and clock up the miles.

If the break works allows you to subsequently ride stronger/further/faster then it's good - it's not cheating because cycling for fun isn't a test. Personally I don't want to stop for long mid-ride, I would find it harder to get warmed up again.