[Closed] NUTRITION for mtb racing, HELP!!!!

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/training-and-diet-talk

Go to the High5 website and download the nutrition guide

Joxster - Member

Go to the High5 website and download the nutrition guide

Which judging by other stuff I have read on their sites will be a load of bollox. Only take advise from people who are not selling you stuff. Unless you are at the elite cutting edge/ fighting for podiums it will make little difference anyway. You need a mix of different carbs, oats help regulate blood sugar, plenty carbs the day before.

i would like to know of a 'perfect' pre race breakfast for race day?

Assuming the race is at about 2pm, big bowl of porridge when you wake up at 7-8am, then an even bigger bowl of Shreddies at 11. Possibly a cereal bar or something small between then and the start. Works for me and has done for years now.
MTB XC races don't tend to be the epics that they used to be so as long as you're not glycogen deficient to start with you don't need to go mad.

It often depends on the race (length). For endurance stuff I try and eat normally and healthily for most of the week. No alcohol (I don't drink much anyway) and cut back on the caffeine. I'm not convinced by carbo loading as I probably eat enough anyway. I will try and make an effort to be properly hydrated. Personally I avoid large meals the night before and the day of the race as it makes me feel sick while riding. It also takes food about 24h to go through you so if you eat loads before then you'll still be digesting it while racing.

For shorter sprint stuff (1 hour) I will eat several hours before then just sip an energy drink and eat a banana in the run up.

thanks guys, but what are the 'best' foods for the race morning and leading up for carb loading?
cheers
jamie

Surely if the race is < 1 hr all this talk of carbs, carb loading is nonsense because you aren't going to exhaust your liver/muscle glycogen inside that time?
EDIT endurance racing an entirely different kettle of mackerel, obviously 😆

What distance are you racing? The MTB XC races are only 1 1/2 hours max
For these sorts of races it is what you eat before and after rides that is important which needs to be both carbs and protein.

Unless you are at the elite cutting edge/ fighting for podiums it will make little difference anyway

You don't half trot some rubbish out..

As mentioned above, porridge if you can stomach it first thing in the morning. Try and avoid anything fatty as it slows digestion down. I was also told to have a bottle of energy drink the night before - I've tried this and I do feel better for it the next day.

Carb loading - well, the obvious one is Pasta, but that always leaves me feeling a bit lethargic in the morning. I'd say its more about avoiding stuff rather than just eating bowl after bowl of carbs. Deffo no booze for a start!

thanks guys, but what are the 'best' foods for the race morning and leading up for carb loading?

depends if you believe in carb loading....

it's all personal you need a training diary - record what you eat, what you rode and how you felt. soon enoguh you will see patterns emerge.

HTH

Flange - misunderstanding - using normal food or using high 5 type products will make little difference - I totally agree with you about he porridge

What distance are you racing? The MTB XC races are only 1 1/2 hours max

Can be significantly longer than that, particularly at the higher levels.

Be well hydrated, don't get drunk, porridge for breakfast is a good shout, if you're not racing until the afternoon then something reasonably light for lunch.

Flange - misunderstanding....

Apologies, I was a little abrasive

Its a strong stomach that can start the day on just energy drinks/gels. I have to have something decent and then top up with energy drinks prior to a race. I might even have a caffinated gel on the start line depending on how I'm feeling.

For me, avoiding stuff containing fats is the biggest thing on race day. Gives me terrible stomach cramps if I have anything fatty/oily so its just plain boring carbs. Its harder if your race is in the afternoon because you have to factor in lunch.

kettle of mackerel, obviously

Hmm, interesting. Must try that for my next race.

njee 20
World Cup Elites run for about 1 1/2 hours, Juniors 1 to 1 1/4 hours
OK some of the UK National events can run over a bit and get to 1.45 ish Was trying to understand whether we were talking XC races or endurance?
My point still stands that it is the food that you have in the training period that is most critical plus plenty of rest.

the races i am doing are around 1hour long, and are very high intensity.

UCI Elite races should be between 1.30 and 1.45 these days. Personally I prefered the old ~ 2 hr format. It gave people more time to blow up, recover from a bad start etc...

I tend to do longer endurance type races, not the shorter xc stuff.

For carbo loading, in the 2 days leading up to a big race I will have a big pasta meal and another meal with lots of carbs (like rice or potatoes). Also will eat some porridge or more cereal than usual for brekkie.

On the race day morning, I'll have porridge, or cereal plus some beans on toast (no butter). If it's a long race, I might have some meat, like trimmed bacon, for the protein content.

Normally, I just try to eat a well balanced diet, not too many fats or sweets, and not too many carbs either. have lost a fair bit of weight recently by doing this and doing lots of cycling. Plus have got a lot faster on the bike.

the local mtb series are 2 hour long races for the sport, vets, elite etc...

Also depends when you wake - personally my 6.30 alarm comes bouncing into my bed armed with nintendos, books or his ben 10 figures, and once Im awake I cant lay in bed for long - so 7am big bowl of muesli, granola, banana and honey with a huge mug of coffee, then after that through till 2 Im usually grazing on nuts, bananas, dried fruit (normally a graze box!) while drinking at least 2 litres of water before the race.

During the race Ill not need any more than 500ml of drink and poss 2 gels if its particualrly hard.

I'm not convinced by carbo loading

My old coach said the same. He didn't advise carb loading in he sense of eating pasta 1 or 2 days before and event. He said to take on simple carbs on the day of the event.

World Cup Elites run for about 1 1/2 hours, Juniors 1 to 1 1/4 hours

As said above its 1:30-1:45 [i]for the winner.[/i] Ok in WCs you get pulled if you get lapped, but I assume the OP isn't racing world cups. Even at nationals you'll get plenty of elites over 2 hours and often the slower experts and sport riders too.