Long Distance Cycling - 200KM+

[kamala 0]

Looking for other band folks engaged in randonneuring/ultracycling. Would love to hear your nutrition experience on 200K+ events and especially on 200 mile + events. Rocked my first double century on Saturday (Seattle to Portland one-day) but had some issues with gas and other intestinal fun.

[bambam31 168]

Now that sounds challenging! Congrats!

Brad

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Looking for other band folks engaged in randonneuring/ultracycling. Would love to hear your nutrition experience on 200K+ events and especially on 200 mile + events. Rocked my first double century on Saturday (Seattle to Portland one-day) but had some issues with gas and other intestinal fun.

Congrats! My friend Justin did that same event on Saturday and it was also his first one. That must have felt amazing to finish!

[reverie 49]

Wow that's awesome!! Great accomplishment.

[kamala 0]

Thanks!!! Still hoping to find someone who is working on similar events, trying not to be the ultimate guinea pig if there's someone out there with knowledge.

[neveragain 9]

I will catch up to you someday!! I did a 100km bike ride earlier this year and it was a blast. :biggrin: Hopefully, I'll get up to a 100mi ride sometime this or next year.

[Kelly22 1]

Wow! And I thought shooting for a century ride was gonna be challenging! THAT'S IMPRESSIVE! I think my behind would rebel! LOL...I'm going biking this weekend but I'm only up for about 20 miles so far since being banded. My farthest ride previously was about 44 miles!

So what kind of nutrition are you utilizing while biking? My doc has my carbs limited to about 25-35 a day, so while biking it's a bit difficult from what I'm used to using while training. I used to use GU and other power bar type things. I could tell a difference not using carbs for fuel last weekend but I didn't go far enough to need anything.

Good luck!

[kamala 0]

So what kind of nutrition are you utilizing while biking? My doc has my carbs limited to about 25-35 a day, so while biking it's a bit difficult from what I'm used to using while training. I used to use GU and other power bar type things. I could tell a difference not using carbs for fuel last weekend but I didn't go far enough to need anything.

Good luck!

I'm using hammer nutrition products almost exclusively. Perpeteum on really long rides (over 3 hours), hammer gel on shorter events (90 mins to 3 hours), plus endurolyte capsules on all rides. On supported rides with rest stops, I'll grab some fruit, and also maybe pick apart a turkey sandwich. The hammer stuff appears to have less additives and funky stuff than other brands and it generally sits well in my stomach up to about 8-9 hours of riding. If I follow hammer's serving guides, I have no bonk problems.

The problems I experienced on my 200 mile ride were after that 8-9 hour mark. Very bad gas and I needed to hit the portapotties very frequently. Figuring out how to deal with this seems to be in every long-distance rider's story catalog, but obviously we have some additional special issues since chowing down on a pile of high density multi-grain bread isn't going to happen.

[kamala 0]

Really? Nobody on this whole giant forum?!

[jensmallwood 0]

I've been involved in a variety of endurance sports-- including cycling-- not quite to the double century mark-- but I did the Ride Across Indiana, which is 160 miles in one day. I have also done marathon and triathlon (up to half-Iron distance.) The main problems I have found with gastric distress have been due to improper mixing of nutritional aids-- mostly not diluting them enough or taking a carb product (gel, for example) and downing that with a swallow of carbohydrate drink instead of with Water. When the carb ratio isn't right for digestion, it can cause gastric distress.

Other than that-- I think endurance "insert-your-sport- here" just takes a toll. I mean, the blood normally sent to your stomach to digest food is being diverted to your working skeletal muscle, and so food sometimes sits like a rock in your gut, or alternatively, gas/diarrhea problems ensue.

Mostly I think you need to experiment, experiment, experiment on your TRAINING rides to see what works best for you. Make sure you are using the Hammer products as specified (if you're mixing them yourself) and take gels, etc with Water to keep the sugar ratio proper.

Double century is an impressive feat! Congrats!