Eating for a century

[RachelV]

So I'm all signed up for the Montauk Century in 2 weeks, and if there's one thing I've done wrong on my long (~60 mile) rides in the past, it's eating. What do you all eat before/during long rides?

My main questions are:
1) Long rides always start pretty early, so I'm usually up around 6 and out of the house shortly after. I hate eating that early; I just never feel like it and it makes me queasy. Anyone else have that problem? What do you eat before long rides?
2) During the ride -- how much/what should I eat? In the past I've definitely run out of energy and been RAVENOUS afterward, so I feel like I'm not eating enough, but when I eat more I feel gross while I'm riding.

Anyways, just looking to get an idea of when/what people eat when you're on a bike for 8 hours straight.

 

[Consuela]

I'll let the pros weigh in on this idea, but something I picked up from MTBR and now love for longer rides is PB&J on flour tortillas. Fold them in quarters and you can easily pack two per ziplock baggie. They don't squish in your pack, taste yummy, and are easy to eat on the go.

I use natural peanut butter (unsweetened) and peach preserve. The peach has been a nice flavor change from the berry or grape preserves, because it tastes more refreshing to me.

It's surprisingly easy to eat 1/2 for a quick pick-me up when you don't feel hungry, but need some fuel.

You could probably do something similar with lunch meat and cheese. But, I find the PB&P easiest to inhale when I'm exhausted.

Good luck!

 

[Robyn]

Before races I'll drink a smoothie with soy milk, yogurt, whey protein, frozen banana and other frozen fruit. It is light enough that I can stomach it early in the morning but it gives me much needed carbs and protein. Be careful with coffee unless you know how it will affect your, um, systems .

During a ride I usually cary some sort of energy bars plus extra drink mixes and/or gels. I have been experimenting with gels/gummies and I think my coach is finding my faces amusing when I eat them. Definitely a no on the banana Hammer Gel (it was a freebie and now I know why) and rasberry Clif Shots. Maybe on the Gu just plain and Power Bar vanilla. I still want to try a couple other Gu flavors as texture wise those have worked the best for me so far. I've come to the conclusion that gel consumption will be a matter of I just gotta do it rather than something I'll look forward to. I do like Clif Shot Bloks in the margarita with salt flavor but I don't like eating them. If you use any of these remember to take a lot of water with them as they need the water to work properly. Sometimes I'll use Gatorade but usually I prefer either Nuun or Camelbak Elixirs for electrolyte drinks as they have no calories and I prefer the flavors.

I can also get packets of peanut butter here from Justin's Nut Butters which I might take on my next century but honestly the rides around here are so well supported at the aid stations that I barely touch what I've brought myself. Last year there were all sorts of fruit, crackers with almond butter and nutella, cakes, cookies and even Qdoba, smoothies and pizza. Yeah, it was a bit insane.

Make sure you're getting at least a couple hundred calories per hour, maybe more. I burn around 600 calories per hour on the bike when riding at a moderate effort (which would be more than you at my higher weight) and while I don't want to replace it all if I stay in that large a deficit I'd be done way earlier than I wanted to be.

One key. Nothing new on race day. Between now and then try using some of these items on a training ride. Or at least try eating a smoothie early before work. Race day (or ride day even if not a race) is not when you want to discover that something is going to go right through you or is going to upset your stomach when riding.

 

[altagirl]

Yeah, it sounds like the trick for the century I'm doing is to NOT eat all the goodies they have available at the aid stations.

I generally don't have a problem eating at any hour... but make sure you're up early enough that you have time to make something you like. Smoothies work well - one of my favorites is a couple frozen bananas, almond butter, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, and maybe a dash of agave or maple syrup if you like. Tasty, easy to make, and the bananas are good for you when you're going to exercise a lot.

But obviously try it before your century. And try getting up at the hour you will for race day if you think that's an issue.


During long MTB rides, I love Clif Shot blocks, or Sharkies (organic equivalent) or Stinger Honey gel blocks while I'm riding. (My biggest problem is not eating them all when I'm NOT riding - they're like dessert). The key is to keep snacking before you get hungry - you won't be able to catch up once you fall behind on keeping your energy up.

I also like dehydrated bananas (not totally dried like banana chips.) They have them at my local health food store - and they're wonderful for riding because they're un-squishable. ;) And they are FANTASTIC when you mix them with bites of dark chocolate.

 

[tradygirl]

Careful with the peanut butter - it works well for some people but it causes major disgestive problems for others. I get really bad stomach cramps when I eat PB while exterting myself. Try it out on a shorter ride before using it for the century.

My rule of thumb is to eat foods that are pretty high on the glycemic index scale and low in fat (fat tends to give me digestive woes). I actually do best with liquid or gel-based food, even for long events. Just be sure to eat at least once an hour - more if you're sticking to gel-type stuff. Electrolyte tablets like Nuun really help stave off the dehydration bonk with very little digestive discomfort (gatorade makes me cramp too). I love jelly beans and gummy bears for quick sugar blasts every 20 minutes or so too.

And you probably already know this, but no matter what - try anything new out before the race.

Edit: after reading Robyn and AG's comments....be careful with bananas. Yet another food that some people swear by and others don't (you guessed it - me!! More digestive issues, if you can believe it

 

[Robyn]

And you probably already know this, but no matter what - try anything new out before the race.

Guess that's been pounded into all of our heads since 3 of us who have responded thus far have mentioned it.

 

[abc]

The short answer is: Eat often and eat light.

So instead of eating a big breakfast, which your body isn't feeling like doing at such odd hour of the day, just eat a yogort, some fruit (or whater else you personally like) and at most half a bagel. I personally just do coffee and half a bagel.

Instead of waiting to get to a rest stop to eat, take a powerbar (or gu or banana, whatever works FOR YOU) with you from the start and consume that either while riding or do a quick stop at the end of the first hour. (hint: the first rest stop is almost ALWAYS crowded so don't waste time there)

That, hopefully would last you till the 2nd rest stop AHEAD of the pack who wasted their time waiting for food and toilet at the first rest stop. You can do a bit more re-fueling now that the body is both awake and had done some "work". I'm mostly a peanut jelly sandwich girl but your preference may differ. Eat whatever you feel like but don't eat till you're full. Or you will feel like napping rather than riding!

I personally would take a couple of power bars and a banana out of that one and eat it when I feel like it. That way, I'm only stopping at every 20-30 miles instead of the typical 15 mile rest stop.

Since you're only doing the century instead of the 145 miler, you'll be taking the trian to the start anyway. Just grab what you want and eat on the train. That way, you don't waste time eating at the actual start. It also allow what you ate to get digested a bit to become actual "fuel" for the body.

Don't forget to carbo load (and hydrade)the day before.

 

[volklgirl]

I know it's not really PC, but I pack mini Rice Crispy Treats, too. They have the sugar jolt needed when bonking becomes a possibility, plus the rice puffs add longer-term carbos for continued energy and they're easily digested. Besides, they're almost impossible to destroy in a pack .

 

[RachelV]

Thanks for all the ideas, everyone. I guess for this Sunday I'm just going to stick with eating what I know works, but in smaller quantities, more often. So PB&J (love the tortilla idea, Connie), Cliff Bars, bananas and Gatorade.

I'll start trying some of the gels after this ride and use something in that vein for my tri in July. I also love the smootie idea for the morning.

Since you're only doing the century instead of the 145 miler...

Only the century, yeah. I am a biking underachiever. ;)

 

[itri]

I really don't like the gels. I find it hard to stomach the feel of them in my mouth when it's already dried out. I personally like sport beans. Well, I like shotbloks for long runs, but they can get gummy in your teeth, so I don't like that for racing. For racing, I stick to sport beans. They're easy to portion out how much you need, don't stick in the teeth like the blocks, and don't have the nasty mouth feel like gels. Just my .02.

 

[abc]

Only the century, yeah. I am a biking underachiever. ;)

A century is a big achievement, period.

Just because there're other nutters doing 145 miles (in practically the "begining of season" of east coast notwithstanding) is in no ways reduce your own achievement

 

[Consuela]

Hi Rachel,

How'd the century go?

Cheers,
Connie-Consuela