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My first post. Please be gentle with me. 😉
I have a really weird energy issue when I go for longer rides.
At around the 1.5 hours mark I really struggle for energy for about 30 mins.
Once that 30mins passes, I am then really great energy wise for the rest of the ride.
Longer rides I start in the morning. Generally before a ride I have a three egg omelette, cup of tea and a pint of water. Sometimes I may have a banana and a smaller omelette.
During the ride I drink electrolyte drinks and plain water but not energy drinks. I have a coupe of bites of flapjack or two or three jelly babies every 45mins or so.
I stretch a little but my warm up is generally just keeping my heart rate down and spinning for the first 20mins or so and slowly building from there.
Yesterday I was so bad I really struggled to the point I felt like giving up, but then I recovered and the next 20 miles was my fastest!
Any ideas? Am I not fuelling right or maybe not warming up correctly? Running out of ideas.
Thanks everyone.
My thoughts (no expert) your pre-ride breakfast is all protein. There's no sugar/glucose hit to get you going so your body has to release it's own. This lasts 1.5 hours. You then have a 30 mins lag before the flapjack and jelly babies you've been nibbling on the ride kick in
To fix you need to top up your reserves of energy way before you're tired
My thoughts (no expert) your pre-ride breakfast is all protein
same thoughts (same no expert) I'd have some wholemeal/granary toast with the omelette or even a bowl of muesli - at least half an hour before setting off, if possible
also don't forget that if setting off straight after breakfast you might be using energy just to keep warm and may need to hit the flapjack earlier
i'd like to mention that maltloaf is good substitute for any other in ride food but that is very much a non expert personal opinion
As said by others, your pre ride meal is protein heavy. You need carbs pre ride and protein post ride.
Couple of slices of bergen bread toasted with peanut butter and sliced bananas can see me good for a 40 mile road ride. Tend not to eat on the ride and just drink.
Yep, your pre ride resembles my post ride...
Your body needs fuel.
Oats are good for slow-release energy.
Porridge.
yup as above... more fuel. i've learned this over time, from feeling the same. (and worse!..)
my routine now..
before
- whatever i can get down for breakfast, usually coffee and some biscuits at minimum, often toast. (i like to get out n up the hills early - but i do have a 20 min+ drive)
- a 'shot' (half a glass of water) with a single electrolyte tab in
- an energy bar in the car on the way, or as soon as i start to ride if i forget.
- anti histamine can be a good idea if its a high pollen day (not a sufferer, but it does help)
during
- approx 2L in the camelbak, which is 4 more electrolyte tabs (1 per 500ml). thats good for 2.5 hours for me.
- i take 3 energy bars. often i'll have 1, but sometimes 2. good to have spares. last time i had to give the 2 extra away as friends forgot all their water+food! usually have half the second one at around an hour or so in, and nibble the rest until the end of the day.
- depending on who i'm with there's sometimes a roll and crisps packed.
- i like haribo etc but stear clear when riding as it makes my throat 'go funny'
post ride
- protein bar waiting in the car
- sometimes a cool diet coke in the cool box
Beaten to it.
A large bowl of porridge with a chopped banana and a drizzle of honey, washed down with a couple of cups of tea, sees me good to go. After that I can mtb for a couple of hours with nothing during the ride.
Thanks everyone. Every reply has been really helpful.
I just need to fuel better pre-ride.
Not sure why I couldn't get my head around it, as it seems kinda obvious now! 😳
Swap the egg omelette for a bag of pick n mix...wash down with 2 litres of full fat coke..:D
Yep, what they said 🙂
This adverticle explains it quite well as well:
[url= http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/torq-fuelling-system ]http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/torq-fuelling-system[/url]
Every reply has been really helpful.
Where has the real forum gone?
a bag of pick n mix...wash down with 2 litres of full fat coke..:D
Sounds just like the hangover cure from my (too long ago!) student days. 😉
good advice on fueling but simply riding more often and different distance will help more. Try some shorter one hour faster rides. Then rest and say two hour plus steady rides. If your doing the same distance effort all the time your body adapts to it and you become less fit. Lack of variety is perhaps the real problem.
My diagnosis is its in your head, certainly not a lack of food anyway with all that your noshing.
A pint of ale first thing in the morning should sort this out.
A pint of ale first thing in the morning should sort this out.
What a nice idea. I need a pint now! 😀
My diagnosis is its in your head
Did cross my mind if I am honest as I am not a naturally sporty person. It doesn't come easy, ever!
simply riding more often and different distance will help more
Lack of variety is perhaps the real problem.
That could certainly be part of it.
I used to only do about 15 miles two or three times a week on the same route, with a bit of trail centre every now and then, plus two hours of weekly tennis matches.
I am mixing it up now, but I have only been mixing it up for about four weeks. Need longer for sure.
I am currently doing x2 'spinny' easy two hour+ rides and x1 interval session and x1 longer ride per week.
I like the sound of some faster 1 hour rides mixed in. I guess that helps in a similar way to intervals?
I'll keep at it fitness wise and will try more sensible pre-ride morning fuel as clearly not doing that right.
I want to be able to do 100k cross country rides, and have signed up for two events later this year, so that's my goal!
I want to be able to do 100k cross country rides, and have signed up for two events later this year, so that's my goal!
yup do those.
A balanced diet is all you really need, fuel during the rides ofc.
Interval training provides strength and hill work.
Too achieve longer distances start out with back to back rides - ride 30km then next day 30 km, step this up until you can do 50km - 50km. Gets your body used to distance and gets a rest.
Adopt a pyramid strategy build up amount, intensity, rest period then step up intensity and amount beyond the previous week. Repeat until goal achieved. Small increments.
Rest is also an important element in getting stronger.
is the problemsame route
adds nothing to cycling fitness except to fatiguetwo hours of weekly tennis matches
two hours of weekly tennis matches
adds nothing to cycling fitness except to fatigue
I find tennis really helps me. I spend hours sat at a desk with my arms out in front of me on a keyboard, then get on my bike with my arms out in front of me on the handlebars.
My body, especially my back, really thanks me for a very different type of movement. Two hours of tennis doesn't fatigue me. I've played for years and it is a little like you say with variety on a bike, you keep playing the same two hour match each week your body is just used to it.
Plus, what can I say, the club does a really nice lunch 😆
same route
is the problem
See next post. Different "fuel" really helped today, but definitely getting too used to the hills I do which I can see will come back to bite me when on the 100k new routes as I am "settling into" the ones I know if that makes sense - so mixing it up a great idea. Thanks again for the tips.
So...
I did 50k today.
Had different food and waited an extra 45mins before I went out.
Had no energy issues at all and felt great throughout the ride.
I guess I need to do this a few more times to be sure, but it looks like my pre-ride food was just not working for me before.
So, thanks again everyone for the tips on pre-ride fuel. It really helped.
Virtual beers all-round 😆
No one has suggested buying a road bike yet. It will make you a much fitter rider if you get into it properly..