eating for a big event

[alecstilleyedye]

i'm doing the wild wales challenge soon, 86 miles of very hilly terrain. although i've been doing hilly club runs and i'm happy with my fitness level, the distance is further than i've ridden in one day.

question is, how do i approach fuelling myself for it? do i eat a lot of carbohydrate for days beforehand (how many) or make sure i keep a good supply of food to eat as i go (or both)?

all advice gratetfully received

 

[Dayvo]

I did an 82-mile night ride in June.

I had a meal of pasta, three or four hours before the off.
Drank plenty of water just prior to the start; had a camelback with an energy drink, half a dozen energy bars and a few gel drinks, plus two water bottles on my bike, and a food-stop two-thirds round.
Felt fine all the time I was riding (five hours 30 mins).

Good luck!

 

[longers]

I have heard that trying to carbo load for more than two days is pointless as you are unable to store that much carbohydrate in your system.

Combining good eating before the ride and during the ride is what I'd be aiming to do.

Dried apricots are excellent small packets of energy for the ride, easy to stick in your back pocket. Worth trying these out beforehand on a ride or two as they can disagree with some peoples digestion.

 

[yenrod]

i'm doing the wild wales challenge soon, 86 miles of very hilly terrain. although i've been doing hilly club runs and i'm happy with my fitness level, the distance is further than i've ridden in one day.

question is, how do i approach fuelling myself for it? do i eat a lot of carbohydrate for days beforehand (how many) or make sure i keep a good supply of food to eat as i go (or both)?

all advice gratetfully received

You'll be ok, AS LONG AS YOU DONT RIDE on the front - coast/draft the wheels!

I guess you can do say 40 on your own. So, doing forty in a group should make the 1st 40 ok: BUT, its hilly as you say - keep spinning on the climbs..pace y'self..and i hope ya enjoy it lad !

 

[monnet]

I think you'll be fine - you ride regularly with a club don't you? If your lot are anything like mine then it's a fairly regular 60-75 mile jaunt every Sunday at a 'sportive' pace.

For that kind of distance, if you're fit take the day before fairly easy (maybe go for a 15-20 mile leg stretch if you feel like it but go easy), pasta for evening meal (hey, have a glass of wine if you fancy). Porridge for breakfast. For the ride little and often is the mantra. I find I start with a banana after about 90 minutes and then nibble on energy bars and malt loaf and then have a gel towards the end if I'm feeling competitive. One bottle of electrolyte mix and one of water keeps the fluid intake steady. I assume there'll be foos stops so you can fill your bottles at them if neds be and take on more food.

 

[HLaB]

I done the Etape Caledonia, 81 mile back in May; the only hilly bit was Schiehallion, 1.95km of climbing in total. I followed the recommended Pasta meal the night before. Wheetabix for Breakfast and a cereal bar and Lucozade sport (the still one) just before I started. En route I carried two bottles of Torq energy drink, I only used one though. This all seemed to work for me, I also gradually built up my mileage then slipped in an equidistant route the week before, followed by a rest week.