"bonking"

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As the title states, on my longer weekend rides, I'm having issues with keeping enough energy in me throughout the ride. By "longer" I mean about 50-60 km. I also do 20-30 KM rides on weekdays (would do longer but can't due to lack of sunlight at this time of year and school).

Is there any particular foods that I should be eating before and during my rides to keep me energized? Currently, I'm just eating heavier in the morning before the ride and during the ride I usualy end up stopping at a gas station's convienience store and grabbing the first solid thing I see (usually a candy bar) becuase I'm usually just striped of energy at the time.

Your biggest problem seems to be not what you are eating, but that you are waiting until you are starving to eat - its already too late. Carry a drink with some carbohydrates in your bottle and a snack in your pocket (what ever floats your boat - could be any energy bar or a candy bar or some fig newtons a pbj sandwich, a handful of pretzels - you get the idea) 50K isn't so far that you need too much to eat, but keep hydrated and eat before you are hungry and you should be just fine.

Ok thanks, will try that out this weekend - makes sense that that's the issue.

Ok thanks, will try that out this weekend - makes sense that that's the issue.Hi , look's like your are going to need lost of help:D
This is a great place to start:www.ultracycling.com/ and www.hammernutrition.com (http://www.hammernutrition.com) . Ride hard and have fun, :) Musher

If you know you're going for the long ride on the weekend perhaps try eating a decent carbohydrate meal the night before. Not any ol' thing minds you. Pasta and rice (of the brown variety) are excellent sources of complex carbs, with plenty of vegetables.

When on the bike I find constant small amounts of food work well for me. For example eat just a small mouthful every 10 mins. For this I measure out and cut up PowerBars and the like to make it easier to eat.

When on the bike easily digestible food is recommended. Anything with too high a content of fat, protein or fibre will take too long to digest. Also ensure you take in a bit of water when you do eat. This will help prevent dehydration.

Enjoy :)

Tapeworm, every 10 minutes seems a little excessive due to the discomfort of having to get something out of your pocket every 10 minutes. Plus, if you are riding in a group or in a race, it's probably not safe, or even possible to eat every 10 minutes. But then again, you are Tapeworm, j/k.

I think Julian's problem is easily solved by eating a bar or a gel (or both) each hour of the ride. For higher intensity situations, gels (2/hr) work better because it's easier to get them down and you get the energy quicker.

Pasta and rice (of the brown variety) are excellent sources of complex carbs, with plenty of vegetables.


It's a myth to think that only wholemeal ('brown') pasta or rice is energy giving (a source of carbs). there's nothing wrong with with 'white' pasta or rice.

ric

Again, thanks for the replies. Will try everything or most of what you said this weekend and during the next two weeks (no school due to christmas break).

Tapeworm, every 10 minutes seems a little excessive due to the discomfort of having to get something out of your pocket every 10 minutes. Plus, if you are riding in a group or in a race, it's probably not safe, or even possible to eat every 10 minutes. But then again, you are Tapeworm, j/k.

I think Julian's problem is easily solved by eating a bar or a gel (or both) each hour of the ride. For higher intensity situations, gels (2/hr) work better because it's easier to get them down and you get the energy quicker.
Yep, you are probably right. I am used to triathlon where there is a little "feedbag" on the top tube! Make eating regularly much easier but as you said not safe for road riding or necessary for that matter in most circumstances.

Rick, agreed, brown is not the ONLY source, however generally speaking the least amount of processing a food goes through the better, and usually this is wholemeal (or called brown depending where you are from).

The exception to this would be when they make white bread (for example) and then add a brown dye, because brown is healthier right? :p