We’ve got a very interesting guest post for you today….coming at you from my friend Heather Nielson. Heather is the coolest Pro Rider I know and I love her outlook on life and cycling. Have a look at what she has to say about the biggest obstacles in racing. The 5 Biggest Obstacles to...
Read more »
Cherry Cashew Energy Bar By Jenn Sutherland Every athlete has a routine for how to fuel up before, during and after a workout. GUs, gels, Clif bars, shot bloks, bagels, bananas, oatmeal, coffee, copious amounts of peanut butter…an athlete’s fuel regimen is as unique as their stride. But what happens when you can’t eat...
Read more »
In honor of Two Wheels, Fast Feet week here at Loving the Bike and at Loving the Run, I’m happy to provide you with another great guest post about kids and the great outdoors. Big thanks to Kirsten Miller for supplying today’s post. Do as I Say, Not as I Do by Kirsten Miller Maybe you’ve...
Read more »
Due to this being Two Wheels, Fast Feet week at Loving the Bike, we’re pre-empting our regular Tuesday #bikeschool post for a great submission by my friend Jim. He’s a great writer, and super awesome Dad. Thanks for this, Jim. A Letter to my Son by Jim Son, Thursday is your last day...
Read more »
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Aaron Madrid of Lafayette, In. Aaron was a teammate of ours on the #LovingtheBike #30daysofbiking Challenge, and ended up generating the most points and was the individual winner on the team. Congratulations to Aaron, and I hope you enjoy his post. Cross-Culture Cycling by Aaron Madrid Geeks are...
Read more »
I have taken two great guest posts written for Loving the Bike on the topic of cycling with children and combined them into one big post. There is a lot of great information in here, so if you have kids and would like to know more about what Alexis and Ron have to share…please...
Read more »
The last time I had my friend Ian (aka @PedalmanTO) contribute to the blog, he told us all about “Keeping the Rubber Side Down“. He’s back again with another motivating and inspiring cycling story. May the Wind Be at Your Back, and the Sun Upon Your Face - by Ian “PedalmanTO At some point...
Read more »
In honor of my awesome weekend with my good friend, @bikerly…..I’m having him guest post on this fine Hashtag Tuesday. He’s the creator of a great cycling tag called #seenonmybike. This Hashtag is so much different than the regular tags you see on Twitter because it is so much more visual…it’s like you get...
Read more »
A few weeks ago I came across what I felt was one of the most powerful posts I’ve read in a very long time. It spoke very strongly to me and I felt it would make a great addition to our Make it Happen Monday series over here at Loving the Bike. So today...
Read more »
We had a great response to last week’s blog about #twowheeltuesday, where we interviewed @Aus10Nichols of One Tree Hill and Carol of @LACBC about its origins. We’re back with our weekly cycling # feature, and once again Joe anthony has the honors of sharing this week’s story……#saveacyclist. #saveacyclist - by Joe Anthony While we spend...
Read more »
For this week’s instalment of Make it Happen Mondays, I wanted to highlight a company that brings goodness to your body through 100% all-natural, organic, whole-food energy bars and seasoned nuts to help “Fuel Your Adventure.” Cyclists love to munch on energy bars, gels, and bloks…right? Most definitely. But with all the choices out there,...
Read more »
My man, @StevieDexter shares with us his great review of the first ever London Bike Show that’s going on right now in the UK. Today I ventured out to the ExCel Centre in the heart of London for the inaugural London Bike Show. I had seen the event advertised a few months ago but...
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!
