Training & Nutrition - Training for SAG supported Cross Country Fast Tour

I am training again for a Cross Country Fast Tour at 100 to 150 miles per day for 25 biking days.
I am biking now most days 50 miles and frequently 100 at a pace of 16.5 MPH average.
The bike I will be using is a Trek Madone.
My age will be 66 and will be one of the older tour participants. Height is 6 ft and weight is 185#.

I like your comments on this typical diet I use for 100 miles.

Breakfast: Double oatmeal reinforced with Raisin Bran, milk and fresh fruit. Bagel with jelly and cereal.

Bike for 40 miles with 3 liter water and Gatorade (50/50).

Veggie Burger, Chips, Pasta Salad, Pie with ice cream. Multiple Ice tea.

Bike for 60 miles with 3 liter water and Gatorade (50/50) and one Energy Bar.

Dinner with fish, mashed potatoes, salad, veggie stew, ice cream and good bottle of red wine.

This tour is not a race but it is competitive. There will be pace lines and fast and slow teams. Solo biking is possible but not efficient considering adverse weather and likely flats.

I think the diet looks prettty good for the 100 mile days. The 150 days may need more calories during the ride itself.
I think you'll do well if you truly drink all of the fluid you're carrying over the course of the day.

We don't usually go more than 60 on the "bici tre regioni" of Italia; however, like you, when we're done for the day we also make a few grabs at the red wine bottle.

If aerobars are legal on your cross country - you may wish to pick up a pair of those extremely short bars that racers use in ITU triathlons. They extend no further than the end of your cowhorns, and are reasonably safe in a paceline.


http://www.bicitreregioni.com

I'm no expert, but I think you need more calories. Maybe some additional pasta at dinner, and carry a little more in the way of snacking during the ride. One energy bar for 60 miles isn't very much. I like to eat ~200+ calories per hour while riding.

Az

Yeah, more total calories needed. Eat 200-250 cal/hr on the bike each and every single hour. Along with 500-750ml water/hr with electrolytes. Gatorade is woefully inadequate in calories and electrolytes. You have to mix it at 2x (double-strength) concentration to be sufficient.

Your 22-23mph TT-speed at LT shows you've got more than enough strength & fitness to do the 16.5mph average on those distances. You need to work on nutrition and hydration in order to ward off the bonk. If you get too low on glycogen for just one day, you'll bonk for sure the next day and it'll take 2-3 days to recover.

Check out the various RAAM sites to get an idea of what you need to be eating. Good luck! :)

I'd also recommend doing some strength-building workouts in the gym for your shoulders, neck and lower-back.

I'm no expert, but I think you need more calories. Maybe some additional pasta at dinner, and carry a little more in the way of snacking during the ride. One energy bar for 60 miles isn't very much. I like to eat ~200+ calories per hour while riding.

Az

I do agree. My problem is that I do not like energy bars at all. Same goes with jelly energy paste.
I just have to find something which does not upset my stomach.
How is Oatmeal and raisin Cookies? Fig Bars go with my system, how are they?
Trail mix has digestive issues for me.
Ensure works great, how is that as a biking energy source?

Yeah, more total calories needed. Eat 200-250 cal/hr on the bike each and every single hour. Along with 500-750ml water/hr with electrolytes. Gatorade is woefully inadequate in calories and electrolytes. You have to mix it at 2x (double-strength) concentration to be sufficient.

Your 22-23mph TT-speed at LT shows you've got more than enough strength & fitness to do the 16.5mph average on those distances. You need to work on nutrition and hydration in order to ward off the bonk. If you get too low on glycogen for just one day, you'll bonk for sure the next day and it'll take 2-3 days to recover.

Check out the various RAAM sites to get an idea of what you need to be eating. Good luck! :)

I'd also recommend doing some strength-building workouts in the gym for your shoulders, neck and lower-back.

Thanks Danno. I did have problems with nutrition and bonking on the first tour. I like to improve that.
My daily training ride is 50 miles in three hours on an unpaved trail. I do that without food intake except a Gatorade. I think that training teaches me bad habits of not needing to eat. I do know that this does not work for 100 miles and not at all for 150 miles.
I am double posting the following. Please excuse:
My problem is that I do not like energy bars at all. Same goes with jelly energy paste.
I just have to find something which does not upset my stomach.
How is Oatmeal and raisin Cookies? Fig Bars go with my system, how are they?
Trail mix has digestive issues for me.
Ensure works great, how is that as a biking energy source?

Yes, upper body training needs to be done.

My problem is that I do not like energy bars at all. Same goes with jelly energy paste. I just have to find something which does not upset my stomach.

How is Oatmeal and raisin Cookies? Fig Bars go with my system, how are they?
Trail mix has digestive issues for me.
Ensure works great, how is that as a biking energy source?Go ahead and try out the oatmeal & raisin cookies on the 2nd hour of your next 50-mile ride and see how it goes.

The 50-mile ride is about the limit for running on stored glycogen; you're burning off the entire supply that you've stocked up from the meals after your last ride. So you can do these rides without eating anything at all.

However, for 100-150 miles, you NEED to start eating well before the ride even begins. So take in about 500-calorie breakfast 60-90 minutes before the ride. Then start eating 250-calories/hr RIGHT AWAY!!! The limited digestion-rate of 200-250 cal/hr is no match for the 500-700 calories/hr your legs can burn off. It's a losing-battle and the bonk at the end is inevitable. So you need to get as far of a head-start on fueling your body as possible.

Solid foods tends to cause upset stomachs, especially if they're the harder to digest complex kind. Try an energy-drink instead. Something like Cytomax can supply the needed 200-250 cal/hr without tasting too sweet like 2x double-concentration Gatorade. Ensure may be OK, but it may have too much other stuff besides the simple-carbs that you need, thus slowing down the gastric-emptying and absorption rates.

Go ahead and try out the oatmeal & raisin cookies on the 2nd hour of your next 50-mile ride and see how it goes.

The 50-mile ride is about the limit for running on stored glycogen; you're burning off the entire supply that you've stocked up from the meals after your last ride. So you can do these rides without eating anything at all.

However, for 100-150 miles, you NEED to start eating well before the ride even begins. So take in about 500-calorie breakfast 60-90 minutes before the ride. Then start eating 250-calories/hr RIGHT AWAY!!! The limited digestion-rate of 200-250 cal/hr is no match for the 500-700 calories/hr your legs can burn off. It's a losing-battle and the bonk at the end is inevitable. So you need to get as far of a head-start on fueling your body as possible.

Solid foods tends to cause upset stomachs, especially if they're the harder to digest complex kind. Try an energy-drink instead. Something like Cytomax can supply the needed 200-250 cal/hr without tasting too sweet like 2x double-concentration Gatorade. Ensure may be OK, but it may have too much other stuff besides the simple-carbs that you need, thus slowing down the gastric-emptying and absorption rates.

Danno- As always I appreciate your well written advise and it is not wasted on me. I am not aware of Cytomax and will Google it. My stomach seems to like things like plain pasta and cookies. The bonking I spoke about was going up to Flagstaff, AZ. I was miserable.

I have another question related to this training please:
1) I train on a Hybrid bike (configured like a road bike) on unpaved trails.
2) I also train on a recumbent stationary trainer.
3) I also train on a road bike in/on a hydraulic resistance trainer (Cycleops).

#1 and #3 bring similar results as to HR, stress on knees, speed and crank RPM.
#2 produces higher speed and watts at same RPM and lower HR. In fact I have trouble getting to a HR of 130 which is normal for me at performance biking level. If I increase the load, and I have done so, I experience knee aches after the exercise.

In other words, #1 and #3 seem to create higher HR but lesser knee stress.
Is this normal or am I doing something wrong?