Do you eat duting a 25m TT
Hurricane151
Posts: 632
as the subject says, do you eat during a 25mile TT?
I have my first 25 on Sunday and was wondering if it is advisable to take a gel with me and if so when's best to consume it taking into account digestion and getting the most out of it.
I'm obviously not taking about carrying bars just a gel, quick and easy.
I have my first 25 on Sunday and was wondering if it is advisable to take a gel with me and if so when's best to consume it taking into account digestion and getting the most out of it.
I'm obviously not taking about carrying bars just a gel, quick and easy.
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Comments
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I sometimes take a caffeine gel at 20 mins in to give me a boost in the last 15 mins or so. Not for the energy, but the caffeine. No idea if it makes a difference. It's quite hard to take at 25 mph+ . I don't have a drink at all,0
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Before attempting a 25m TT you should be able to ride that distance without need of any food, just a water bottle with perhaps some 'sport drink' that contains carbs and electrolytes.
I suggest a good carbs meal several hours before the TT, and perhaps a can of Coca-Cola about 15 minutes before for the caffeine boost.
Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA0 -
no.constantly reavalueating the situation and altering the perceived parameters accordingly0
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No gel.
No drink. exception- if its blisteringly hot, 30+ degrees.
If U got beaten to a placing or the hour by a few seconds, how wood U ever forgive yourself....
Eat porridge 1.5 to 2 hours before your off. Food sorted.
Take a bottle to the start line by all means- start well watered. Then just ridejc0 -
You don't need more than a full tank of petrol to drive 100 miles and the human body can store plenty enough 'fuel' to cope with 25 miles. Eating a gel would be like stopping to get petrol after driving 50 miles............. a complete and utter waste of time. (The same goes for just before a short TT - you don't need a full tank of petrol to drive a short distance - though that doesn't seem to stop people thinking they should eat a gel just before a 10-mile TT.)
Ruth0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:You don't need more than a full tank of petrol to drive 100 miles and the human body can store plenty enough 'fuel' to cope with 25 miles. Eating a gel would be like stopping to get petrol after driving 50 miles............. a complete and utter waste of time. (The same goes for just before a short TT - you don't need a full tank of petrol to drive a short distance - though that doesn't seem to stop people thinking they should eat a gel just before a 10-mile TT.)
Ruth
^^ this. And nicely put as well
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No.........however.......
I know some people, who are much faster than me, that do..........0 -
danowat wrote:No.........however.......
I know some people, who are much faster than me, that do..........
So do you think they are faster because they eat - or because they are fitter ?0 -
The short answer is no.
Your body is more than capable of storing enough fuel to keep you going for that length of time without needing energy gels and the like.
As for water, personal preference really. An hour's hard cycling will dehydrate you and I generally take a small bottle which I might sip from now and again. Maybe try it with and without on different events to see what works for you.
You won't die if you don't have water for an hour, but if you fade badly and really need a drink you'll have learnt something for next time.0 -
No, I don't, but didn't eat enough yesterday and really faded in the last 3 miles (I am not that quick though anyway)
As for the bottle, I still take one for a 25, however, I have always sweated a lot and it's a comfort thing. I used to drink on a 10 when I first started, as I used to feel parched. Now I don't drink at all on a Sporting 13; still trying to build up for a 25...0 -
About drinking or not .......
If you don't drink you will lose a lot of body fluids and will probably be very tired for the rest of the day. You might also be a little bit faster because of not having to fiddle with handling a bottle.
oh... you might also have major problems if you guess wrong and get too de-hydrated.
If you are experienced at TTs, and there is a good reason to really 'punish yourself', then perhaps try not drinking. But have a bottle with you just-in-case.
For learning about TTs, have a bottle and drink as usual. The additional intensity and effort of a TT will be challenging enough, without attempting to reduce your water.
Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA0 -
JayKosta wrote:About drinking or not .......
If you don't drink you will lose a lot of body fluids and will probably be very tired for the rest of the day. You might also be a little bit faster because of not having to fiddle with handling a bottle.
oh... you might also have major problems if you guess wrong and get too de-hydrated.
In a 25? in the UK? :roll:0 -
xscreamsuk wrote:I sometimes take a caffeine gel at 20 mins in to give me a boost in the last 15 mins or so. Not for the energy, but the caffeine. No idea if it makes a difference. It's quite hard to take at 25 mph+ . I don't have a drink at all,
A 35 min 25mile TT? But I don't normally drink in a tt however last year I thought I would try having a gel mid way through with a quick sip of drink........I pb'd however as with almost everything in cycling i will never know if thats what made the difference..0 -
ozzzyosborn206 wrote:xscreamsuk wrote:I sometimes take a caffeine gel at 20 mins in to give me a boost in the last 15 mins or so. Not for the energy, but the caffeine. No idea if it makes a difference. It's quite hard to take at 25 mph+ . I don't have a drink at all,
A 35 min 25mile TT? But I don't normally drink in a tt however last year I thought I would try having a gel mid way through with a quick sip of drink........I pb'd however as with almost everything in cycling i will never know if thats what made the difference..
Takes a few minutes to get into your system0 -
ozzzyosborn206 wrote:xscreamsuk wrote:I sometimes take a caffeine gel at 20 mins in to give me a boost in the last 15 mins or so. Not for the energy, but the caffeine. No idea if it makes a difference. It's quite hard to take at 25 mph+ . I don't have a drink at all,
A 35 min 25mile TT? But I don't normally drink in a tt however last year I thought I would try having a gel mid way through with a quick sip of drink........I pb'd however as with almost everything in cycling i will never know if thats what made the difference..
I figure around 20 mins for the gel to be absorbed.0 -
You don't need any food or drink in a 25 mile TT, just hydrate beforehand and eat a small snack about 2 hours before your race. You will not use enough of the stored energy or body fluids in even a very hot 25 miles to warrant the need for either. Having a drink on a very hot race might have some benefit though especially if you get a really dry mouth, but even then I would keep it at water only, and just carry the bearest minimum.
Having a bottle on your frame might make you less aero as well, and obviously when drinking you will be a lot less aero, so it is best to try and avoid temptation by not having a bottle fitted at all.
For those that say the caffeine boost is useful, it can take over an hour to feel the best effects from caffeine, so best used prior to the race rather than during it (unless it is something like a 50 or 100), especially if the race is only about 1 hour in length, gels don't really contain that much caffeine either so on their own I don't think they give much performance benefit unless you don't touch caffeine apart from racing. Also some gels need the right amount of water to be ingested to get there best benefit's, a torq gel for example is supposed to be used with 500ml of water, you are very unlikely to drink that much fluid during a 25. 0
