# Running out of energy ?



## zootnanook (28 Jan 2013)

Went for a 50 mile ride yesterday, I ate a bowl of porridge 30 mins before I set off and around 25 miles in I had a couple of cereal bars with 750mls of water over the whole ride, at around 40 miles I began to fade up to the point that I was going to phone the wife to come pick me up, the weather was cold and raining so I was soaked to the skin and my fingers were numb, did I just not eat enough before and during the ride and would the weather play any part ?


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## ColinJ (28 Jan 2013)

Are you used to riding 50 miles? If so, what do you normally eat and drink and how do you normally feel?

I usually start the day with porridge, but I like to eat at least 90 minutes before setting off to give my body a chance to digest some of the food first.

I would normally drink an extra 500 mL or so over that distance. 

I think that getting cold and wet is bound to stress your body more. It is much easier to ride 50 miles in the sunshine, than 50 miles like that!

I'd try and stay dry, drink a bit more liquid and probably eat a bit more while out.


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## marzjennings (28 Jan 2013)

What did you eat the night before? It's not possible to carbo load 30 mins before a ride. Also for a three hour ride I'd plan on starting to eat something at about an hour into the ride and then eat something (depending on ride intensity) every 30 mins. Maybe half one of those cereal bars every half an hour instead of all at once.
Yes the cold weather won't help, you'll be burning more calories to stay warm.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (28 Jan 2013)

marzjennings said:


> What did you eat the night before? It's not possible to carbo load 30 mins before a ride. Also for a three hour ride I'd plan on starting to eat something at about an hour into the ride and then eat something (depending on ride intensity) every 30 mins. Maybe half one of those cereal bars every half an hour instead of all at once.
> *Yes the cold weather won't help, you'll be burning more calories to stay warm.*


Only if you are shivering no?


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## Biker Joe (28 Jan 2013)

You should have taken more food with you. You burn so much more energy in the cold and wet.
Always better to take too much food with you than not enough.
And always take some cash with you in case you need to buy extra provisions.
I hope you recover OK. Those situations can compromise your immune system leaving you open to colds etc.
Take care.


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## steve52 (28 Jan 2013)

how fast were you going? plus all the other from above, and rember it can also just be a bad hair day, ps i can confidently say id never concider asking my wife to fetch me !(she cant drive)


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## black'n'yellow (28 Jan 2013)

zootnanook said:


> Went for a 50 mile ride yesterday, I ate a bowl of porridge 30 mins before I set off and around 25 miles in I had a couple of cereal bars with 750mls of water over the whole ride, at around 40 miles I began to fade up to the point that I was going to phone the wife to come pick me up, the weather was cold and raining so I was soaked to the skin and my fingers were numb, did I just not eat enough before and during the ride and would the weather play any part ?


 
Your question raises more questions before it is possible to answer, like

How much riding have you done?
Was this your first 50?
Were you dressed appropriately?
How long did the ride take?

It could just be a simple case of you not having sufficient fitness to ride 50 - or not enough to ride it at the speed/effort you were riding at.


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## Ningishzidda (28 Jan 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Only if you are shivering no?


 
You don't need to shiver to lose energy to windchill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Siple

All that's required is for the boundary layer to be continually blown away.

Wet lycra conducts heat almost as efficiently as water. A cyclist working hard will not shiver, but his body will be working harder to keep his skin warm.


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## Luddite Joe (28 Jan 2013)

Please don't ruin another useful thread.


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## compo (28 Jan 2013)

On longer rides such as described by the OP I like to eat over an hour prior to leaving home. Porridge and possibly a couple of slices of toast and jam or marmalade. As for eating en route I generally have a couple of bananas in my panniers, and if that isn't enough I will stop off and get some fig rolls or something. At just over 18 stone I do find I need to drink a lot and a 750 ml bottle may be enough, but if a little warm I also carry a 500 ml bottle. Last time I did a 50 miler in the cold and rain I stopped at a chippie at 40 miles, and very welcome it was too!


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## Graham (28 Jan 2013)

I did a 40 mile ride yesterday and it was hard work. I reckon it was mainly because I hadn't ridden for 2/3 weeks because of the weather. I had just lost some of the endurance from my legs, simple as that. A bag of jelly babies would have helped though as I didn't have much to eat either. I'd say you need a bit more than a bowl of porridge and a couple of cereal bars.


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## BrumJim (28 Jan 2013)

If it was 50 miles in winter without a decent break, and you are not used to it, I'm not surprised that you ran out of energy. Don't beat yourself up about it - just chalk it down as an achievement. You don't get better unless you push yourself, and it looks like you have pushed yourself!


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## marzjennings (28 Jan 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Only if you are shivering no?


 
True and from the OP's description of numb hands and soaked through I would guess there was some shivering going on.


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## Ningishzidda (28 Jan 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_chill#Formulae_and_tables







This example shows that with just 0.05m^2 exposed, a cyclist at 20 mph in 1 deg C air uses 0.9 kCals/min trying to maintain that naked skin at Neutral Skin Temperature.

What I'd like to see is vid footage of a cyclist's face shivering.  Mine doesn't.


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## zootnanook (5 Feb 2013)

Tried the same route again at the weekend this time I fed well before hand and ate more frequent while on the bike and filled my water bottle with an energy drink and came through it with no problems (had no rain or cold weather to contend with). Thanks for all the advice and taking the time to help


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## Ningishzidda (6 Feb 2013)

zootnanook said:


> Tried the same route again at the weekend this time I fed well before hand and ate more frequent while on the bike and filled my water bottle with an energy drink and came through it with no problems (had no rain or cold weather to contend with). Thanks for all the advice and taking the time to help


 
If you do that every week, in a couple of months you won't need the food.


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## Biker Joe (6 Feb 2013)

zootnanook said:


> Tried the same route again at the weekend this time I fed well before hand and ate more frequent while on the bike and filled my water bottle with an energy drink and came through it with no problems (had no rain or cold weather to contend with). Thanks for all the advice and taking the time to help


 
That's good.
I think you've shown very well the importance of good preparation when going out for longer rides, Nice one.
Where I've come unstuck in the past is, when I've gone out for a 20 miler or so, I've changed my mind whilst under way and decided to extend my ride.
I've then run out of nutrition and water with no money in my pocket, out in the middle of nowhere
You think to yourself " Silly bugger" and resolve to not do it again. And then you do..
I've noticed that even the pros don't always get it right and that makes me feel a bit better. But no excuse really.
I'm glad your ride went well.


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## MattHB (6 Feb 2013)

It might easily have been dehydration. It's hard to notice how you still sweat when it's cold.


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## Ningishzidda (6 Feb 2013)

Don't forget to get the protein in, or it will all be for nothing.


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## CopperCyclist (6 Feb 2013)

MattHB said:


> It might easily have been dehydration. It's hard to notice how you still sweat when it's cold.



Yep!

Until you get home, take the jacket off and go "euuuw" as it sploshes onto the floor where you drop it


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## montage (7 Feb 2013)

Sounds like a lack of food. Apart from ruining the ride you crack/bonk/die on, I find that not fueling properly will make you ache twice as much the next day, and hamper performance for a couple of days.


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