Does anyone eat during an amateur road race? (Cat 2/3)

So for a road race of circa 50miles and 2 hours long, does anyone eat during the race?

I didn’t eat anything on my first one, just had energy drink. Didn’t really clock whether anyone was stuffing down gels or other stuff mid-race.

for 2 hrs i’d probably just take a gel or 2 to drop in at 40 mins and 1:20. solids not required IMO.

You’re missing a trick unless you’re taking on lots of fluid (and hence carbs with it). 500ml of energy drink, a bar or a gel every 30 mins or so is about optimal so in a 2 hour race I’d expect most people to be consuming some gels or solid food, yes.

One, maybe 2 gels at most. Certainly no food. Combine that with a 600ml bottle, good to go!

I was ok without it for my first open road race, but felt increasingly tired towards the end.

I suppose its also dependant on my ability to break open a gel or other food in the bunch isn’t it.

A few loose jelly babies maybe??

Yes. I take a gel every 40 minutes (so three in all), and something to chew like flapjack lumps or jelly babies as well. I can’t really take carb drinks, but like to wash down a gel with nuun green tea salt drink. A full 750 ml bottle this weekend wit 1.5 tabs.

You need to practice feeding at speed when not racing. Keep a gel under each leg gripper and empty the jelly babies or other food chunks into a back pocket, preferably on the side of your dominant hand. Taking a bend at 28 mph with hand in rear pocket is a skill. Not one I plan on repeating often.

Surrey League on Sunday?

Solid fuel is pointless for a 2 hour race, it takes the digestive system around 20 minutes to make use of a gel so I’d say blazin saddles is about spot on. There was a lot of debate about Froome’s gel taking episode on the Alpe D’Huez in 2013 as even Sky were a little baffled.

Most nutritionists agree that most fit athletes can do an hour of medium to high intensity activity using stored energy and water alone which is well worth testing on a training ride. The point being you should be empty and feel it at the end of the hour but not need any additional carbs.

and feel it at the end of the hour but not need any additional carbs.

Indeed, fine for a circuit race, but a road race is two hours 😉 I burn 1000 kcal/hr when I race and even in a 1:15 circuit race will take a gel and notice benefits at the end of the race. Something to chew over two hours feels better too.

No, TiRed, up North – Balshall Eaves

I got jelly babies, gels and other stuff in my cupboard so I’ll see how I feel on Sunday…

If it’s a crit, I go pretty empty as it’s likely to be seen again! Gel 30 mins before the start then game on!

2hrs the as above 2 gels, you don’t really want solids as the blood that was in yer legs will head to your stomach trying to digest stuff.

3-4hrs and then the solid foods are required.

Done quite a lot of elite crits and road races and this works for me. YMMV

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/michael-matthews-feasts-on-pizza-during-pais-vasco-stage-four-165970

for 2 hrs i’d probably just take a gel or 2 to drop in at 40 mins and 1:20. solids not required IMO.

Absolutely. However as always do it in training first as to not experiment in a race.

This one’s a ~45 mile road race, which will be getting on for just under 2 hours probably (hilly course apparently).

I’ve never bothered for crits and wouldn’t bother, not even on the start line like I see a lot of others doing.

for 2 hrs i’d probably just take a gel or 2 to drop in at 40 mins and 1:20. solids not required IMO.

2nd that.
Drover…..umm really?

Normally just have fluid & gels. Sometimes I get hungry ie if the race is over lunch time so if I’m hungry I’ll eat a bar. In stage races I get hungrier as the stages go on so will eat more bars then. Practice eating gels etc in training / chaingangs.

I’d carry one 500ml bottle (but not drink it all) and maybe a couple of gels or a small solid item and one gel. I eat when I can rather than on a time limit. Normally when the pace slackens. If there is some activity it is best not to be trying to chew while getting in a break.

Normally eat something small just before the start too.