As we kick of Two Wheels, Fast Feet I am proud to offer up what it means to my Daughter, Kassi: 2 Wheels Fast Feet by Kassi Two wheels fast feet. What does that mean to me? When I first heard Two Wheels Fast Feet, I thought of kids riding their bikes around the...
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My dad talked to the owner of Helmtops when he was on Twitter, and they said they would send him samples for me and my brother. We got them in the mail and my dad helped us put them on. Do you know what Helmtops even are? They are these rubber things you stick...
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My little girl has made her Daddy so proud. Following last week’s LiveSTRONG Challenge where I rode in honor and memory of my Wife’s cousin, Jordan, Kassidy took it upon herself to write this post. Wow, I’m so excited to share this with you. Jordan. My mom’s cousin. He died at the age 15....
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This is my second post on Loving the Bike and this one is about my Grandma’s bike. She got her bike for her 12th birthday. Before that, she tried to learn how to ride a bike on her older brother’s bike, but it was too big and she couldn’t learn how to ride. My...
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I am extremely proud to introduce our newest contributor at Loving the Bike. Kassidy is my 11 year old daughter and will be writing posts about once a month. She is a great little writer and I hope you (and your kids) enjoy what she has to offer. - Darryl For my first post on...
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Question: Out of habit, I’ve always eaten cereal (granola) before my morning ride. For the last several weeks, I’ve been riding at 6am to avoid the heat, and eating at 5:30 am. I haven’t had any stomach issues, but I am not sure that this is the best pre-ride meal strategy. My legs have felt heavy since starting to ride earlier. My rides are 1.5-2 hours. Should I eat less, something different, or nothing at all? What do you think?
Kelli’s Answer: I think your pre-ride fuel strategy can be improved. The issue with eating a moderately high fiber breakfast within 30 minutes of beginning a ride is that it will likely take too long to digest, absorb, and metabolize to provide any energy to your muscles at all. And, what’s more, if the meal is setting in your stomach, you are increasing your risk of stomach cramps (but it sounds like you’ve been okay here) and a reduced bloodflow to your legs since your body is working at digesting.
Although many athletes feel like they need a full breakfast before a morning ride, I think you’ll have better result with less food, and ones that you can eat quickly and metabolize faster.
My first choice would be 2 Tablespoons organic honey + 0.5 – 1 Tbsp organic coconut oil (all straight off the spoon). Why? These are fast-acting, quick-metabolizing energy foods. The honey provides moderately fast carbs that act similarly to maltodextrin (moderately fast and longer lasting than glucose), natural enzymes to improve digestion, and antioxidants. The organic coconut oil provides fast-acting medium chain triglycerides which are used directly by the mitochondria of cells (energy producers) without the need for bile or slow digestion.
Another option would be a sports food with a moderate amount of protein – something like a Clif bar. Or, a smoothie with 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1 Tbsp honey, and water. These foods will also digest quickly and provide energy during your ride.
And, don’t forget about 8 oz. of fluid.
During your ride, especially if high intensity and over 60 minutes, or moderate intensity and over 90 minutes, you’ll still need during-ride fuel as well. With all rides in heat, you’ll want fluids and lytes!
