Running out of energy ?

[zootnanook]

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 ?

 

[ColinJ]

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.

 

[marzjennings]

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.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

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?

 

[Biker Joe]

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.

 

[steve52]

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)

 

[black'n'yellow]

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.

 

[Ningishzidda]

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.

 

[Luddite Joe]

Please don't ruin another useful thread.

 

[compo]

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!

 

[Graham]

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.

 

[BrumJim]

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!

 

[marzjennings]

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.

 

[Ningishzidda]

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.

 

[zootnanook]

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