If you haven’t noticed, I don’t have a lot of posts about cycling with partners or groups. I’m primarily a solo cyclist, so when Mike Neifert came to me with a guest post on “The Joys of Finding a Riding Partner” I was stoked to get it up and include some content on this...
Read more »
As I’ve said before, I’m a cycle race fan. Whether it be pro or local amateur racing, I like watching/reading/learning and would say a great deal of my love of cycling has come from watching professional racing and I try to imitate a lot of that in my training, style and biking ‘image’. You...
Read more »
The wonderful world of LovingTheBike.com is busy ol’ place right now. Darryl, myself and the little band of loyal behind the scene helpers may look like graceful swans above the water… but down below, we’re kicking like all get-out! As many of you will have seen from time to time we have ‘Guest Professors’...
Read more »
No I have not gone bonkers and taken up Rhythmic BMX Dance for London 2012. Nor have I been practicing my fixie-hops from the film ‘Quicksilver’ (although I have added the video to the end of this post as an extra special treat!) I want to disclose a personal secret to you all today....
Read more »
We are already a third of the way through #30daysofbiking and Team #LovingTheBike is ‘performing’ really well. As one of the team Road Captains I thought it would only be proper and correct to sing your praises and try to raise the morale even higher with a run down of some of the last...
Read more »
You may remember that I posted a review on the ‘new kids on the training block’ back in January. In the cold of a winter where I was trying to pile on the miles to make me as fresh as a daisy in the Spring, 3LC was the answer! As 2012 has rumbled on...
Read more »
No, not those kind of transitions… But forgive me for using this picture of the ‘Mark Cavendish Shadow’, Tyler Farrar. It was not purely to make a cheap and frankly rubbish joke about the title of this post. It’s more about conveying how I’ve been feeling about my fitness and cycling recently and how...
Read more »
Calling all #bikeschool students, professors and lurkers. We have added an awesome new addition to the Groucho locker room with this new and improved #bikeschool jersey design. Brought to you from the original design team and manufacturers this smart new design is available for pre-order NOW for a limited period only. With the 2012...
Read more »
Having put down some decent winter miles I’m now commuting to work by bike almost every day now the weather is a little nicer. Due to the increase in mileage I’m doing along cycle paths I’ve realised there is a cultural divide between cyclists and dog walkers. I’ve had my fair share of ‘incidents’...
Read more »
If everyone rode bikes, would the World be free from economic issues? I’m no financial expert, but I sure would love to give it a try and see what happens. With all the great work Stevie does over here with the weekly #bikeschool posts, we’re giving him the day off so that I can...
Read more »
Firstly I’d like to say thank you to everyone who was involved in last week’s #bikeschool session. Despite me being slightly dozey for the first 20 minutes due to the ridiculous way this planet spins and affects our time zones, I had a great night and you, the class, not only came up with...
Read more »
I was out riding on Friday morning, on route to meet the rest of the gang, taking in the morning air and the quiet roads when I realised not everyone gets the wonderful experience of early morning cycling. Whether your work/life balance prevents you riding in the morning or your commuting route starts and...
Read more »
 |
 |
 |
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!
