Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Proper Food/Hydration Techniques for a Century

Hey guys. I am about to complete my first century and I am wondering if there are any special deviations from the regular powerbar/water/powerade mixture that I usually use. I can't really digest accelerade well on the ride, so I drink powerade instead of that. I don't feel any crashing or uneven energy delivery, so I assume that it works no problem with me. I have never tried caffeine on a bike, but I do drink a lot of coffee in general, would that help at all? Also, what should my food consumption be in general? I want to average around 15-16mph. I am 20 years old and 176lbs and in very good shape. I have started cycling a few months back, before that all I did was upper body workouts. I would also say that I have ridden a total of about 500 miles. The century is required for me to be on the team, and it's coming up in about 3 weeks now. Any comments/suggestions would be great. If you have anymore questions about me or if I forgot to mention something, please ask away!

thanks!

Here are some tips for riding your first century:

http://www.machka.net/century.htm

I would ask, what is the furthest you have ridden so far? When you say 500 miles total, it does not sound like too many long rides. You might have more success going slower at this distance. I know I could go 16 for about 4 hours, but I'd feel poor before the century mark. But I can go 14 all day. If you start out too fast, you'll feel fine until you hit the wall, and then you'll pay the price for a few hours. Don't get too focused on mph, and be willing to adjust pace for wind, hills, road surface. (I rode in a killer wind yesterday--11 mph out, and 20 in, but the effort was about the same).

You should choose foods rich in potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium. Try potatoes with skins, almonds, beef jerky. You can (should) add supplements, too. If you get enough of these minerals, you can ride all day without cramps.

You might have a big breakfast an hour or 2 before the ride (I like a ham and cheese omlet and home fries), but during the ride, you have to pace your calories. Take in 2-300 calories every hour, and plenty of water. Not enough, and you'll bonk; too much, and you'll get heartburn (or worse!).

Good luck.

You might carry a few energy gels. Sometimes real food is hard to stomach toward the end of a century.

thanks guys, I will read a few things up and tell you how it goes!

If you have anymore questions about me or if I forgot to mention something, please ask away!Since you have no Century experience, no advice would be of any value.

In general, you should try to "build on" or expand what ever things you have done in shorter exercise sessions. If you have some routine that worked for two or three hours, see if you can make those choices work for 5, 6 or 7 hours.

Since you have no Century experience, no advice would be of any value.

In general, you should try to "build on" or expand what ever things you have done in shorter exercise sessions. If you have some routine that worked for two or three hours, see if you can make those choices work for 5, 6 or 7 hours.

Exactly. Richard's advice has no value, so don't listen to him. :lol:

But as Richard advises, stick with what you have found to work so far on shorter rides. Don't try anything new on a century, for if it doesn't go well, you'll still finish the ride, but it won't be as pleasant an experience.

Also with nutrition, be well hydrated at the start of the ride, meaning you are drinking lots SEVERAL DAYS before the ride, enough so that you have to get up 1-2 times to pee. I usually drink 12-16 ounces of water before the start of a ride as well. And I eat lots of carbs and try to rest the body before big rides; getting a solid 7-8 hours of sleep.

Other non-nutritional advice: don't go too fast at the beginning. The adrenaline is flowing at the start and you are rested and you feel good and for the first 10-20 miles you can keep up with people going faster than you normally go ... don't do it. It is always, always, always better to have energy in reserve near the end of the ride than to hit a wall midway through and pedal more slowly to the end. Heart rate monitors help. With mine, I have found that if I am pushing 150+ bpm then that is a tough workout and I cannot sustain that for a century. In the 130-140 bpm range I can ride all day.

Also, feet often swell during a century; if your shoes are tight, you may need to loosen them during the ride, especially if you experience hotspots.

Lots of other century advice out there. Browse the web and these forums and soak it in.

Hi
Good luck with the ride.
Last week I completed my maiden 100 klms (about 60 miles).

In a few weeks I will try for 100 miles.

I would agree with the advice given before. I hit a wall 3/4 of the way through mine. The main reason was going to fast at the start and not enough nutrition.
If you wish to read an account try http://newownboss.blogspot.com
All the best
rob

I have never tried caffeine on a bike, but I do drink a lot of coffee in general, would that help at all? Caffeine does help performance for many people, but keep in mind that it will also make you lose water faster. As most people end even short rides slightly dehydrated, this can further compound on a long ride, even without caffeine. My first century I went through 9 or 10 bottles. It was warm, and I'm a big guy. About 1.5 water bottles an hour. With caffeine, it could've been even more.

simply use:

Hammer Nutrition's Perpetuem (http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=PRODUCT&CAT=NUTRI&PROD.ID=4047&OMI=10103,10082,10047&AMI=10103&uir=product.category,NUTRI,Gels%20%26%20Fuels)

and carry a flask with Hammer Gel

read the directions, and try it out.

I'd sample it some, build up time & distance, along with the nutrition.