I’ll be having a bunch of posts and updates from the 2011 North American Handmade Bicycle Show happening in Austin this weekend, but here is your first look at all the goodness. I was lucky enough to hang out during yesterday’s set up of the show and get a behind the scenes look at...
Read more »
I shot this video last Tuesday, but just now getting the chance to post it. It hasn’t been as windy here in Austin as it was last week when the “hurricane” winds blew through, but I hope it provides some good advice on what to do the next time you’re feeling blown away on...
Read more »
I hope all my American friends are having a wonderful Thanksgiving Day (and also finding the time to check out today’s Loving the Bike Advertisement). Below are just a few of the people who have so graciously purchased a T-shirt…it’s so cool to see people from all over the world wearing our shirts. Oh,...
Read more »
My family and I spent this past weekend driving from Austin to Davenport, Florida. It was a great trip and I was able to venture through some of the Southern States that I’ve never seen before. The states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama seem to be full of “Bayou” This and “Bayou” That…. below...
Read more »
If you had trouble deciphering the Canadian accent (man, I really need to work on that), here are the main points from the video. How to stay safe when the sun is on the horizon and is blinding you (and the drivers): Choose a route that avoids the sun being situated directly behind you....
Read more »
There are a few things that I’ve been wanting to blog about, so I’ve chosen today as the day to mash them all together into one happy little post. I generally like to stick to a theme or topic for each blog post, but I’m cool with trying out something different today. How to...
Read more »
A couple weeks ago we had a post with 4 Good Cycling Stretches. These are our picks for keeping those cycling legs of yours all loose and performing the way they should. Following the post, our Loving the Bike pal, @StevieDexter asked if we could suggest some post ride self massage tactics for the...
Read more »
One of our Loving the Bike friends, @myrnacgmibus recently suggested that we do a post on good cycling stretches. She told me that she doesn’t really know when to stretch or what stretches to do. So this post is for you, Myrna and I hope there are others out there that can benefit from...
Read more »
And the winners are…… We’re so pleased to bring you the 2010 winners of the Crank Listed Honors – The World’s best cycling blogs. It’s been a bit of a process, but the time has come to unveil who you have chosen as the top dogs for this year. Yeah, I ramble on for...
Read more »
What would life be like without the bike? Pretty hard to imagine now isn’t it? I’ve loved the bike for a very long time, but it wasn’t until recently that I formed that heartfelt emotion with it, and the knowing of just how important bikes really are. I could go on and on about...
Read more »
I arrived in Belize on Friday with the first experience in the country being a quick spin around Belize City. I had heard that this area isn’t a very nice place compared to the rest of the country, so I left the airport expecting the worst….and was pleasantly surprised. I recorded this video about...
Read more »
For today’s post I’m going visual. Even though I’ve only got a few posts under my belt, I wanted to mix it up and throw out a video instead of some writing. The topic for the video is five things you can do when you aren’t able to get on the bike. I hope...
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!
