Dreams Dreams can be chased They can guide you Push you Motivate the hell out of you Dreams can also be caught Lived out in reality Enjoyed Spending each day in amazement They can also be put on hold For something bigger Not lost Just paused for another time But the most important thing...
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 »
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 »
Like everything in life, it’s a lot simpler to achieve something when you set a goal for yourself and go after it. I mentioned a simple formula for goal achievement in last week’s “Make It Happen Mondays” post: Create a goal, Get excited about it, and Make it Happen….and this week I’m here to...
Read more »
Have you ever heard the quote, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”? I think it was Confucius who coined that one. How about this one…“The journey of a cyclist begins with the first 40 feet”? When you set off for a ride, you’ve most likely got an idea of...
Read more »
I had only planned on running our “Make it Happen Mondays” feature for the month of January….but every week is a great time to Make it Happen, right? I received a whole lot of positive feedback on our Monday feature, so I’ve decided to keep on Making it Happen. One year ago yesterday, the...
Read more »
When we came out with our Cycling for Optimal Weight min-e-book on December 27th, we offered up the challenge (and reward) for all those who would commit to going on the program. Five of you responded saying you were ready to go after your ideal weight using cycling to help get you there. Out...
Read more »
You just can’t beat the phrase, “Please BE KIND to Cyclists” when it comes to conveying our feelings towards motorists. It’s a message that all of us cyclists would like to pass along to our machine powered friends….and our spouses, children, and friends feel the same way. On a beautiful Austin morning in September...
Read more »
How many of you are using cycling to help achieve your ideal weight? How many would like to obtain this through cycling? We all ride a bike for different reasons, but health and fitness is definitely a common theme that runs through a lot of us recreational cyclists. But how do you get there? ...
Read more »
My Twitter friend…turned good close friend, @PedalmanTO, supplies a guest post today that will change the way you look at your life. More often than not, I’ll sign off an email or phone conversation with a friend by saying “Keep the Rubber Side Down.” I can’t nail down a date when it became the...
Read more »
It doesn’t matter if you’re a cycling competitor, commuter, or just plain like to ride a bike….if you’re Loving the Bike then I think you’re cool for many reasons. Cool because you’re doing something for your health, the environment, and for the beauty that comes from being on a bike. Odds are that you’re...
Read more »
There was an interesting story in The Standard online newspaper last week. I didn’t find it myself, but my friend Victor from Bicycle Lab pointed it out to me saying it would make a great post for my site. David “Fred” Serra, a former footballer from Australia, never would have imagined wearing lycra….but his...
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!
