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Did a 50 mile road ride last week (my first long ride on road) and felt pretty faint after. I ate a couple of cereal bars and about 1 litre of water. I know I prob need more water but what food would the people of STW advise?
I'm not really into energy drink/bars and generally don't have time to make my own flapjack etc. I was also thinking of having ribena instead of water in one of my bottle.
A few fig rolls or Garibaldi's should see you through a 50 so I'm surprised a couple of cereals bars didn't do it. Depends on what kind of pace I suppose.
Flapjack works for me every time.
1 litre of water. I know I prob need more water
Unless it was very very hot, 1 litre is plenty in 50 miles, I'll get through around 500ml max over that distance in winter / spring temps.
Pace - im basically always trying to catch or keep up with my fitter mate. Averaged 17mpg around bradford/yorkshire dales.
Maybe im just been soft then!
Unless it was very very hot, 1 litre is plenty in 50 miles, I'll get through around 500ml max over that distance in winter / spring temps.
Not necessarily.
Plenty of advice recommending 1 litre/hour etc.
Plus IMO body shape/size/mass can also impact the amount of fuel and fluid that one requires. I know people that eat and drink little and perform solidly. Likewise I know people that need a lot more.
And OP, do a forum search - there have been a gazillion threads on food/energy/drinks/snacks etc.
17mph is a very reasonable average speed.
I think the only time Ive ever bothered eating on a ride was the Fred Whitton challenge. I had some energy bars, flap jack and jam sandwiches
easy, set out with a decent meal in the stomach then snack on energy food of your choice.
Kev
What did you eat beforehand?
Wouldnt worry too much though if it was your first long ride on the road you will quickly get to know what works for you.
For 30 milers i dont need anything other than water, once up to 50 miles I find bowl of porridge beforehand keeps me going well along with a banana or clif bar after a couple of hours if i am flagging.
I dont eat/slurp them as a matter of course but nergy gels are really good things to have in reserve for emergencies, quick acting.
I had porridge and honey before hand, oh and 6 pints the night before!
Cereal bars, malt loaf, fig rolls and bananas are good and cheap.
More expensive bars etc. are probably not worth it. On long rides I find it easier to get energy through drinks. I also find there is a benefit in them because they are isotonic.
How much you eat and drink is often quite personal and can depend on how well fed and watered you were before the ride. It also depends on the route and your fitness. On a 50 mile club run these days I normally drink less than one bottle and eat nothing. Sitting in a group in spring is easy though.
Assuming 50 miles is about 3 hours I would get through at least 2 litres of water. Friend of mine is a doctor and has studied sports nutrition for doing triathlons and hill races. She uses Ribena in her bottle on the bike. If Mrs M's flapjacks are not available then its Kellogs Elevenses Oat Bakes for me - same nutritional values as a Go Bar at a fraction of the price
As others have said, it's horses for courses.
I suspect 6 pints the night before didn't help - I've never fealt anything other than properly ropey doing exercise the day after drinking.
I also found that as I did more and more road riding, my need to eat and drink steadily diminished. Now I know that a steady 50 miles at 17av means I'd unlilely finish a 750ml bottle (with homemade energy drink) and eat nothing.