[Closed] Sportive fuelling advce

I'd make a shake; milk, banana, whole oats (maybe some peanut butter for flavour)...simple carbs, complex carbs, bit o' protein in the milk and peanut butter...blitzed so that it's easily digested.

For an 80 miler I'm guessing there will be a couple or fuel stops en route? If so, no need to go mental before the off. Couple of gels in your pocket too, just in case you start to flag before the first stop.

I did the Wiggle Dragon Ride in South Wales in June. It was my first sportive, the longest ride I'd ever done, and living in Cambridgeshire it was by far the hilliest route I have done for years.

I just made sure I ate regularly, swapping between gels and cereal bars every 10 miles and then stuffing a few things down at the fuel stops.
With regard to getting up and out early, I would eat something for breakfast that you know your body can tolerate - porridge and a banana if you have time, with a cereal bar 20 mins before the start. Something like that.

Is the ride split into start times? We did the 95 mile route for the Dragon ride and everyone was sent off in 10 min waves. Pretty sure if we'd have chosen a later or earlier wave, no one would have known or cared less.
Perhaps looks on the website and see if you can just start a bit later?

I usually have a meal including plenty of carbs the night before e.g. pasta or risotto. On the morning of the event I tend to have porridge or something like a couple of Weetabix, and maybe a banana or something easy to eat such as malt loaf on the journey or when I arrive.

I've stopped using gels and prefer bars e.g. Mule bars or simple cereal bars, and whatever is at the food stops along the way. I've also stopped using energy drinks and now just use a mix of one-third fruit juice and two-thirds water and find it more refreshing (and cheaper) and maybe add a Nuun tablet to water if I top up at a feedstation.

Never done a sportive that starts at 6.50am - most of the one's I've done start around 9.00am.

Given I usually eat 2- 3 hours before a ride, what are my options?

Also, do sportives usually start so stupidly early?

I usually try and crawl out of bed reasonably early and have an oat based breakfast, muesli etc and a banana. Nothing too big or heavy as you'll be eating on the way round and you don't want to over do it.

Sportives usually have an earlyish start time but if they're closed roads then yes, mega early to get the roads open again as soon as possible.

A bowl of porridge in the morning works for me. Soak it in water overnight if you want it to cook quicker (Or just get those packets you microwave, though they're not very substantial). Then I just pick at it while I'm getting ready.

Every sportive I've been on has had adequate food stops, usually packed full of bananas, flapjacks, energy bars, stuff like that. Depending on your own preferences you might want to carry something more savoury with you, or maybe a couple of gels, jelly babies, or whatever: a little something to get you out of a tight spot, should you find yourself in it. Just make sure you take advantage of what is on offer, and eat and drink regular.

My only advice would be to eat regularly from the off, don't wait until half way around to start fueling up, you are basically going to be eating for the last hour or two of the ride and that's when you will bonk hard if you haven't fueled enough.

6:50 is early? Can I suggest you [b]don't[/b] try any Time Trials then 😉

Sensible meal the night before and allow enough time to sleep and digest. I only ever eat a bowl of cereal in the morning regardless of what riding I'm down to do.

+1 to taking some savoury stuff for variety.

Never done a sportive that starts at 6.50am - most of the one's I've done start around 9.00am.

Flat out in the Fens started at 7am bang on

I did my first 100 miler 2 weeks ago at Wiggles mega meon.

For my 105kg, I had a bowl of porridge and a banana 1 hour before the start. 2 bottles of water with zero tabs in. Ate a clif bar every 50mins and made sure i consumed the liquid between each fuel stop.
Also ate a banana and some jaffa cakes at each fuel stop as well as refilling with high5 energy drink.

i only used energy gels for the last 25% of the distance as i couldnt face eating any more clif bars.

Note: Torq rhubard n custard gels are amazing.

Biggest point to remember is to stay fuelled even if you don't feel hungry. avoid the BONK!