Right i ll tell you straight , i am doing a weekend cycle over to and through ireland , i here about all these drinks , gels , energy bars etc , proteins , carbs blah blah blah , im not very good at all his technical stuff , im also looking to lose a few pounds through cycling ( well more than a few ) so eating 15 mars bars a day to get energy isnt gonna help , so im looking for one of u experianced cyclists to give me some advice on what to eat and drink before during and after , doing approx 180 miles over 3 days , i await your assistance , thanks
plain english please
- Thread starter shades.5
- Start date
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Gerry Attrick
Lincolnshire Mountain Rescue Consultant
Ironic.......your OP title.
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Hi Shades.
The rule is simple; Eat before you're hungry & drink before you're thirsty.
The trickier thing is how to achieve that!
60 miles per day is a nice distance. Many here will do 40 miles on a good brekky and water.
First, get a good brekky. Slowly digested long energy release stuff is good, Porridge, Full English, Muesli and toast, whatever works for you as long as it's not just cornflakes and sugar.
On the road I nibble jelly babies just for a sugar top-up, easy to eat.
Drink can be water, squash, 50/50 fruit-juice and water mix +/- a spoonful of honey.
Stop after 20 to 25 miles for a bit of cake/oat-bar/malt-loaf, (OK a Mars bar if you wish)just 5 mins, not more. Repeat as required. Sometimes something salty like nuts or crisps help.
On say a 100 miler if I'm in no rush I'll have a burger for lunch and a pint of fully leaded coke.
Really there are no real rights and wrongs, just keep a steady input of slow-release foods and listen to your body.
Recovery wise milk, chocolate milk or milkshake is hard to beat within 30 mins of finishing.
Otherwise have a decent slow release meal, not hammer down the sugar.
Plain-enough?
The rule is simple; Eat before you're hungry & drink before you're thirsty.
The trickier thing is how to achieve that!
60 miles per day is a nice distance. Many here will do 40 miles on a good brekky and water.
First, get a good brekky. Slowly digested long energy release stuff is good, Porridge, Full English, Muesli and toast, whatever works for you as long as it's not just cornflakes and sugar.
On the road I nibble jelly babies just for a sugar top-up, easy to eat.
Drink can be water, squash, 50/50 fruit-juice and water mix +/- a spoonful of honey.
Stop after 20 to 25 miles for a bit of cake/oat-bar/malt-loaf, (OK a Mars bar if you wish)just 5 mins, not more. Repeat as required. Sometimes something salty like nuts or crisps help.
On say a 100 miler if I'm in no rush I'll have a burger for lunch and a pint of fully leaded coke.
Really there are no real rights and wrongs, just keep a steady input of slow-release foods and listen to your body.
Recovery wise milk, chocolate milk or milkshake is hard to beat within 30 mins of finishing.
Otherwise have a decent slow release meal, not hammer down the sugar.
Plain-enough?
Tynan said:
Depends on terrain and weather but, yes, in general it's very do-able. And FF's advice is as about as near to the money as makes no difference.
I remember a (good) few years back touring up the west coast of the Highlands. On a couple of very windy and rain soaked days, I struggled to make 50 mile in a day.
