| Re: On-bike nutrition advice sought
"Dave Stallard" <stallard@bbn.com> wrote in message
news:2m5rc4Fijna3U1@uni-berlin.de...
> I did a 90 mile ride on Saturday. I finished pretty strongly, but hit
> the bonk in a couple of places in the middle - no power in my legs,
> feeling unequal to any gradient, etc. Strangely, the same places I did
> the last time, and not even steep hills.
>
> I take Clif bars and Powerade in my water bottle. I love the taste of
> Clif bars, but they don't sit well in my stomache while cycling.
> Towards the end of the ride, I'll step up to one of the caffeinated "Ice
> Series" Clif bars. I also use a GU gel pack for that one most
> difficult moment. Total for the ride: 2.5 Clif bars, one 100 calorie
> GU gel pack, and 40 ounces of Powerade, supplemented by probably 40-60
> ounces of regular water.
>
> Questions: Am I eating enough?
Sounds like about 1,000 calories, which seems reasonable for a ride that long.
Your initial glycogen reserves should be good for 60-70 miles at a very hard
pace (even longer for slower pace). After that, 500 calories/hr is about
right. I don't think you "bonked", your legs just got tired, bonking is quite
different, if you had, you'd remember it for a long time.
> Are there more digestible bars than Clif?
Probably the wrapper it comes in.
> I really want something that
> digests and comes online as soon as possible. (I don't like the GUs too
> much).
"Glycogen index" is a measure of how fast foods come online. Basically, you
want to eat an "anti-Atkins" diet. PB&J works well, as do virtually all the
non-greasy snack foods.
> Does anybody use one of those "musette" bags for food? (I bet if food
> was easier to reach, in smaller bites, I would eat more regularly during
> the ride.)
Rear jersey pockets work to some extent, but for very long rides I use a small
bag that straps under my aerobars. Cutting up PB&J's works.
|