How to Eat for Endurance
By Fred Matheny for
www.RoadBikeRider.com
The key to riding long
distances is food and drink.
Sure, training is
important—but nutrition and hydration are even more
vital. According to ultramarathon rider and coach
John Hughes of Boulder, Colorado, “Nutrition, not
necessarily training, is the limiting factor in
endurance cycling.”
The reason? Even the
best-trained riders pack only enough muscle fuel
(glycogen) for a couple of hours of hard cycling.
Fluid stores vanish even faster.
For everything from
century rides to multi-day tours, remember these
time-tested tips:
-
Enjoy the Last
Supper. Eat aggressively the night
before a long ride so your muscles are crammed
with glycogen the next morning. Emphasize
carbohydrates such as pasta, vegetables, bread,
whole grains, and fruit. Don’t forget dessert!
-
Don’t Skip
Breakfast. Cycling’s smooth
pedaling motion means you can eat just before a
long ride without risking stomach upset. You’ll
need a full tank. Cycling consumes about 40
calories per mile, or 4,000 calories in a
century ride.
Three hours before
the start, eat about 60 grams of carbohydrate if
you’re an average-sized woman, 80 to 100 if
you’re a man. (Cereal, skim milk, a banana, and
a bagel with jam equals about 90 grams of carb.)
Many riders find that adding some protein and
fat, like scrambled eggs or an omelet, keeps
their stomach satisfied longer.
-
Prehydrate.
Fluids are as important as food. Drink at
least eight big glasses of water the day before
the ride. If you don’t, your performance and
comfort may plummet by mile 50. During the hour
before the ride, sip 16 ounces of a sports
drink.
-
Eat and Drink
During the Ride. Drink before you
feel thirsty. Your sensation of thirst lags
behind your need for liquid, so grab your bottle
every 15 minutes and take a couple of big
swallow (about four ounces). About every 30
minutes, eat 20 grams of carbohydrate—the
equivalent of half an energy bar, several fig
bars or half a banana. Some riders prefer
smaller portions more frequently.
On unsupported
rides, use a backpack-style hydration system and
carry food in your pockets. Stop at convenience
stores along the way, if necessary. Most
organized rides have aid stations every 20 miles
or so, but always carry food and fluid just in
case.
-
Hydrate After
the Ride. No matter how much you
drink on a long ride you’ll finish dehydrated.
Weigh yourself before and after, then compare
the figures. Lost weight means you’ve failed to
replace the fluid you’ve sweated out. Drink 20
ounces of water or sports drink for each lost
pound of bodyweight.
How do you know
you’ve caught up? Your urine will be pale and
plentiful, and your weight will be back to
normal. Rehydrating is especially vital during
multiday rides. If you get a little behind each
day, by the end of the week you’ll be severely
dehydrated, feeling lousy, and riding poorly.
The re-fueling
process becomes progressively less efficient as
time passes. Eat or drink a high-carb snack
while chewing the fat with your riding buddies.
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