Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Help me prove my wife wrong

So, after a long Sunday ride (double-metric), my wife and I were discussing nutrition. My wife is a health/organic/green nut, and she is very well versed in nutrition.

I told her that on two of the stops I got a diet-coke and on another I got a sparkling flavored water. Now, given that she doesn't like soda (for various reasons) she said the carbonation was bad for me on my long rides.

However, on my long rides (over 70 miles), sometimes a carbonated beverage is the only thing that I a) have a taste for b) enjoy drinking c) peps me for the rest of the ride.

So, is there an issue with carbonation on a long ride?

Secondly, I was telling her about the salt crystals forming on my shirt from sweating, and she said that I have too much salt in my system. However, I heard that under strenuous exercise you can loose huge amounts of salt through sweat, and need to replace this along the way. So, she is basically saying avoid salt on the rides, and I think it (at least for me is the exact opposite).

So, help me prove my wife wrong, so she will get off my back when I stop for a plate of french fries mid century. :)

PS, my other nutrition/food/beverage factors are pretty good IMHO, and I feel pretty good (all things considered) after a long ride.

1) From what I've heard the carbonation can be detrimental to your digestive system ... upset stomach, burping, etc.

2) You do sweat out salt, and you do need to replace it. Do not avoid salt on long rides and especially do not avoid salt on hot rides. You risk hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is caused by not consuming enough electrolytes (of which salt (sodium) is the main one, and drinking a bit too much.

3) Read the articles on this site:
http://www.ultracycling.com/siteindex.html

http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/drinking_too_much.html
http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/electrolytes.html
http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/hyponatremia1.html
http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/hyponatremia2.html

There might be an article somewhere in that site about carbonation too ... I'm not sure. But definitely read the ones on hyponatremia.

Rule # 1: The wife is always right.

If rule #1 is flawed, see rule #2

Rule #2: The wife is always right ;).

Barrettscv, you're joking, I know it, hope the OP does too.

ANyway, yeah, I have no actual info about the carbonation but do like a soda around mile 80 myself. As to the salt - agree w/ what Machka said. People take electrolyte replacements on long rides b/c they are losing too much salt through sweating.

i dont think its the carbonation that helps you... its primarily the caffine and sugar. I know that can help with a quick energy boost on a long ride. Carbonation may be bad, but having the extra energy is always good. (oh and lance drinks coke... well maybe because they pay him to, but it cant be horrible either)

Also its very much like you said. You sweat lots of salt, you need to replace that salt. Do not run too low on salt!!! you will hate yourself. I like gatorade for some electrolyte replacement as well. Some sort of sports dring should be mandatory on those long rides along with the normal water you bring.

Rule # 1: The wife is always right.

If rule #1 is flawed, see rule #2

Rule #2: The wife is always right ;).

So true . . .:thumb:


i dont think its the carbonation that helps you... its primarily the caffine and sugar.

It's actually diet coke (because I don't like the sweetness of regular pop) but definitely right on the caffeine. What I meant about the carbonation, is that it seems to "un-muck" my throat. That probably makes no sense, but that is the best way I can describe it.

No one has explained why carbonation is bad. If I have an unsettled (pre-nausea) feeling in my stomach, carbonated drinks are a relief. After 75-100 miles, I think to each his/her own. People react differently.

Personally I love a cup of coffee every 50-75 miles, if nothing else it's an excuse for a stop.

My BF just started me on salt tabs and I feel so much stronger on long distance rides (100+ miles). As far as carbonation... I wouldn't drink it normally but sometimes, after a big ride, a coke is just the thing!

I like a Diet Coke or two on long rides. It seems to scrape all the 'stuff' out of my mouth and throat in a way that just plain water won't do.

I have never had any problems from carbonation when drinking a Diet Coke during a long ride. What about the bubbles is supposed to be bad for you?

+1 on ingesting more salt if you have large salt sweat rings. I had a friend suffer from hypotranemia during a marathon once. I got her to an aid station and they made her drink Gatorade with salt poured into it.

I'm a fan of Pepsi for my mid-ride pick-me-up, but a Coke will do. I don't think it's the carbonation which bothers people (who have issues with soda mid-ride) but probably the acidity of the cola. Personally, I chug a can of Pepsi after a mid-ride sandwich, hop on the bike and crank out a monster burp, and I feel great. :)

As for the salt on your jersey, some people just sweat a lot and lose more salt. (I'm one of them.) It was bad enough after the 200k this weekend that I took a pic of my jersey. When I took it down from the hanger to wash it that evening, the salt was literally flaking off the shoulders. Endurolytes are our friends! Keep the salt intake appropriate or you'll cramp up or risk hyponatremia. (someone mentioned it earlier)

i wouldnt drink one of those sodas on a ride, before a ride, after a ride....or anytime of any day.
that stuff is just slow poison.

Don't think there is anything wrong with carbonated beverages. But I figure I lose weight on brevets so I drink regular coke. Diet soda seems like a silly idea.

I drink cokes with food because it helps it go down faster. Carbonation comes right back up ( sorry about that). If I'm not eating anything solid, I drink milk. It has plenty of sodium. The blood tests I had done after I started randonneuring were the first in a long time where the doctor was pleased with the results. I had been in the range they consider "at risk" for diabetes, and my cholesterol was out of whack. Now I'm better than normal on the cholesterol.

It's actually diet coke... it seems to "un-muck" my throat. That probably makes no sense, but that is the best way I can describe it.

It makes perfect sense. Phosphoric Acid is used to un-muck all sorts of things.

Diet soda seems like a silly idea.

Strictly a flavor preference, I don't like sugary pop, haven't been able to stomach non-diet soda for the last 6 years or so.

Strictly a flavor preference, I don't like sugary pop, haven't been able to stomach non-diet soda for the last 6 years or so.

You could try a sugar-based soda instead of corn syrup - you get the sweet without the syrupy thick sensation. The Jones Cola brand is one such brand that has national distribution (I think).

A look at a variety of web sites and our own nutrition forum suggests that there is a lot of
voodoo peddlers out there in regards to nutrition. Just to add to the confusion I will throw
out that non-wgt bearing exercisers (that's us, who don't run, walk a lot or jog) tend to lose
bone mass at a greater rate than those who do do the above. Cola drinks, Dr Pepper and that
ilk, with their phosphate content, tend to increase the rate of calcium washout, phosphate
ions tend to pull calcium ions with them into the urine. So long time heavy cola/pepper upper
drinkers will be more osteoporotic than otherwise.

More salt while you are riding/exercising (or immediately afterward) especially in heat, less at other times.

i dont think its the carbonation that helps you... its primarily the caffine and sugar. I know that can help with a quick energy boost on a long ride. Carbonation may be bad, but having the extra energy is always good. (oh and lance drinks coke... well maybe because they pay him to, but it cant be horrible either)

Also its very much like you said. You sweat lots of salt, you need to replace that salt. Do not run too low on salt!!! you will hate yourself. I like gatorade for some electrolyte replacement as well. Some sort of sports dring should be mandatory on those long rides along with the normal water you bring.

Not just Lance. I was watching the Tour at the early feed station and was amazed to see riders grabbing cans of Coke. I suppose it's an easy way to take in lots of energy.

Choccy...

Not just Lance. I was watching the Tour at the early feed station and was amazed to see riders grabbing cans of Coke. I suppose it's an easy way to take in lots of energy.

Choccy...

I don't know that I'd call it "lots" of energy. A can of Coke is about 1.5x - 2x what you get from an energy gel in terms of calories. (150 cal/12oz can, 40g sugar; most gels average 100cal/20g).
I do know that after 10 hours, I'd rather have a cold soda than a warm gloopy gel packet.

...I told her that on two of the stops I got a diet-coke and on another I got a sparkling flavored water. Now, given that she doesn't like soda (for various reasons) she said the carbonation was bad for me on my long rides.

However, on my long rides (over 70 miles), sometimes a carbonated beverage is the only thing that I a) have a taste for b) enjoy drinking c) peps me for the rest of the ride.

So, is there an issue with carbonation on a long ride?...

From a recent thread on Coca Cola nutrition:


My drink of choice is flavored carbonated water, e.g. Poland Springs, for the carbonation. Even when warm, IMO, it's more refreshing than plain water [with no ill effects as far as I can tell]. Otherwise I bring real food for calories and electrolytes. For caffeine I always have a big coffee before beginning, and may pick up an iced coffee drink at a bathroom stop at a fast-food joint (usually necessitated by the initial coffee. :lol:).

The TDF camera crew zoomed in on one rider who was bogging down. I can't recall who it was, but I did watch his coach hand him a coke to guzzle, so I don't think carbonation would be an issue here, especially with so much at stake in a race like that. If a can of pop works for you, who is she to tell you different?

Different people sweat salt at different rates. The fact you can see lots of salt deposits after sweating is indication that you sweat it out more than others; and you need to replace it. Avoiding salt during your ride is completely wrong.

Your wife is nuts. I consumed eighteen Endurolytes and seven eDiscs on yesterday's 200k Permanent, plus three packets of HEED and one Perpetuem. Salt/electrolytes are critical for endurance riding.

I don't think the soda pop is a good idea though, since the carbonation fills your stomach and leaves less room for water and such, but everyone is different. If it works fine for you, keep doing it.

Soda and french fries? Really?

Soda and french fries? Really?

McDonalds is the meal of champions....

ok, well maybe not, but I still have it sometimes before a ride and no issues yet.

In all honesty, the best thing about century rides is that there is no concern for overeating. One can have just about anything that agrees with their stomach.

1. if the carbonation doesn't bother you, i wouldn't worry about it. however, all that air you're drinking has to come back out and probably doesn't feel the best while it's inside. i personally don't touch carbonated beverages. you could opt for iced tea instead.

2. anyone that exercises and sweats needs salt. you should be looking for salt rather than avoiding it.

In all honesty, the best thing about century rides is that there is no concern for overeating. One can have just about anything that agrees with their stomach.

Quite incorrect. One can easily consume too much and have a "stuffed gut" feeling that's detrimental to cycling. When you eat a lot, the blood flows to the stomach to digest it, and not to the rest of your body to keep riding.

I've read where the maximum that a person can process is about 300 calories per hour (Hammer Nutrition Endurance Athlete's Guide to Success) though that doesn't mean everybody can take that much in.

When I ride 200k Permanents or 160k "century" rides, I generally take in about 100 calories per hour with no trouble or bonking at all, and feel great at the end.

Well, OK you're right you shouldn't eat too much. DUH. A reasonable person will eat a reasonable amount. My point was that as a 50 yr old in the midst of a body transformation who watches every little thing I eat, was happy that I was able to not worry that day about my calories and ate throughout the day good food with small meals and snacks. 6 hours of aerobics allowed me to not worry about going over my calorie limit for the day. I didn't have any soda and french fries, though I can tell you that. If someone took what i wrote to mean you can eat crap and stuff their face with crap like donuts, cookies, soda twinkies, pizza to the pint of being sick then I would be surprised they were even riding a century.

For example my usual lunch is a single small chicken cutlet and celery. However on the century I ate a full turkey sub including the bread. I normally never eat candy but that day I ate a snickers bar as one of my snacks. I never drink soda or flavored drinks, but that day I drank a few Gatorades.

Jeez man!

Well, OK you're right you shouldn't eat too much. DUH. A reasonable person will eat a reasonable amount. My point was that as a 50 yr old in the midst of a body transformation who watches every little thing I eat, was happy that I was able to not worry that day about my calories and ate throughout the day good food with small meals and snacks. 6 hours of aerobics allowed me to not worry about going over my calorie limit for the day. I didn't have any soda and french fries, though I can tell you that. If someone took what i wrote to mean you can eat crap and stuff their face with crap like donuts, cookies, soda twinkies, pizza to the pint of being sick then I would be surprised they were even riding a century.

Sounds a lot like what I eat on a brevet. :)

If you must drink soda, I would just drink a sugar soda instead of the diet crap. The diet stuff makes your brain disconnect sweet tastes from calories, so when you DO eat real sugar, your body doesn't gear up to process it, and you pack on pounds. I experienced the "miracle" of diet soda once, shed 10 lbs, then gained 15, and the only thing I changed in my diet/habits was switching from normal to diet soda.

Dates, crackers, fruit, Luna bars (I know they are for the ladies, but they taste so much better than clif bars), water, gatorade, oh and fries. The diet-pop is more a treat.

And yes, the "Lou's" deep dish pizza that night. :thumb:

I've found fig newtons to be a highly effective "junk food" for long distance rides. You can find them anyplace, whereas purpose designed energy bars might not be plentiful in some rural areas.

The carbonated soft drinks may leach calcium from your bones - leading to a higher likelyhood of broken/weak bones. The carbonation can also expand some people's stomachs, causing discomfort but you'd have noticed this already if it was the case.

As for the salt, your wife is sort of right. The reason you see all that salt on your clothing is because your diet in GENERAL is too high in sodium. NOT your diet on the ride. You do need sodium during the ride (very important actually), and the amount you secrete is related more to your overall sodium intake than to the intake on that particular ride.

.....

As for the salt, your wife is sort of right. The reason you see all that salt on your clothing is because your diet in GENERAL is too high in sodium. NOT your diet on the ride. You do need sodium during the ride (very important actually), and the amount you secrete is related more to your overall sodium intake than to the intake on that particular ride.

Huh?

The pros drink a can of Coke late in a race to settle the stomach and give the blood sugar a boost. Former pro Joe Parkin talks about it in his blog:

http://tinyurl.com/mwa2cv

I told her that on two of the stops I got a diet-coke and on another I got a sparkling flavored water. Now, given that she doesn't like soda (for various reasons) she said the carbonation was bad for me on my long rides.For various reasons, just about any discretionary food is open to judgment relative to some unknown "gold standard" of good health. There's no evidence that carbonated drink are "good for you." Therefore, one can assume they must are somehow "not good" for you.

This thread is like a training advice thread - who knows - everyone is acting under specific circumstances, no one know exactly what's BEST AT A GIVEN POINT IN TIME. Clearly, keeping hydrated, even with soda, is preferable to exercising in a dehydrated state.

If my wife gave me crap about what I ate and drank while riding 200 km on my bike in one day I'd tell her to STFU. Wife's are rarely right IMO especially while nagging. Hopefully she was just messing with you otherwise I'm sorry.

If my wife gave me crap about what I ate and drank while riding 200 km on my bike in one day I'd tell her to STFU. Wife's are rarely right IMO especially while nagging. Hopefully she was just messing with you otherwise I'm sorry.

What the hell is wrong with you?

I've been reading this, and reading this, and rereading this! Then it hit me ---

Why would you want to prove your wife wrong???? Wives hold this type of behavior against you, like, FOREVER!!!!!

Delete - and start over!

What the hell is wrong with you?

Sorry forgot the sarcasm font on my 2nd statement. I still think it's strange to rib someone about what he eats and drinks while riding a bike 200kms in one day. That's all I was trying to stay.

Continue talking about fizzy drinks and salt people. I'm serving no purpose here. Shutting up and going away.

As for the salt, your wife is sort of right. The reason you see all that salt on your clothing is because your diet in GENERAL is too high in sodium. NOT your diet on the ride. You do need sodium during the ride (very important actually), and the amount you secrete is related more to your overall sodium intake than to the intake on that particular ride.

Yeah, she meant in general my diet is too high in Sodium, but I really eat pretty well, i.e. I don't really eat fast food, and almost everything is home cooked. However, I do add sea salt to just about everything.


I've been reading this, and reading this, and rereading this! Then it hit me ---

Why would you want to prove your wife wrong???? Wives hold this type of behavior against you, like, FOREVER!!!!!

Delete - and start over!

So often, I don't get the chance, so I thought I would try this time . . .


Sorry forgot the sarcasm font on my 2nd statement. I still think it's strange to rib someone about what he eats and drinks while riding a bike 200kms in one day. That's all I was trying to stay.

Continue talking about fizzy drinks and salt people. I'm serving no purpose here. Shutting up and going away.

I figured you were kidding, but I think she is a pretty good sport. Like in, hey honey, I'm going for a 9 hour bike ride on a beautiful summer weekend day. It isn't like I have to ride, I choose to ride, and she's pretty cool with that. :thumb:

Sorry forgot the sarcasm font on my 2nd statement. I still think it's strange to rib someone about what he eats and drinks while riding a bike 200kms in one day. That's all I was trying to stay.

Continue talking about fizzy drinks and salt people. I'm serving no purpose here. Shutting up and going away.

Ah yeah, I didn't get it, clearly.

about this "if you see salt on youer clothes, you eat too much salt" thing. How do you think your body produces sweat? Do you think it necessarily wants to excrete sodium in this way? You pump out electrolytes, and water follows passively. You aren't just pumping water out of your glands.

Not sure about rides over 200km. My favorite thing half way through an Ironman (180 km)ride is a bottle of flat Coke and a Big Turk Chocolate bar. They serve flat Coke at the aid stations on the run as well. I only de fizz the Coke on the bike because of the water bottle it's in won't handle pressure. On long training rides, a bottle of Coke and a bag of salt n vinagar chips hits the spot. Never had problems with carbonation. YMMV. Always remember that good nutrition and race nutrition are often two completely different things
Cheers

I only de fizz the Coke on the bike because of the water bottle it's in won't handle pressure.

I once stopped and bought a coke and poured it into an empty water bottle. About 1/2 mile later I hear this loud pop and pull over figuring I blew a tube. But it was just the top of the water bottle popping off because of the pressure! (i use the flip down lids, not screw down lids). Got sticky coke all over my legs! So now if I stop for a coke, I put the coke filled bottle in the vertical bottle cage and leave the nozzle in the open position to bleed off pressure. Sometimes a coke or diet coke just hits the spot!

As for real sugar vs. corn, pepsi has a new one that comes in bottles called "pepsi natural" that is pretty good. I usually drink diet soda because i don't like the taste of corn syrup but the pepsi natural or coke from mexico or kosher coke or any others with real sugar taste great.

I read somewhere that diet pop makes your brain/body think it's getting sugar and when it figures out there's no sugar, triggers you to overeat. I gave up diet pop entirely after that. The rare time I have pop now it's the regular kind and not that ghastly corn syrup death. Corn syrup is extremely bad for you.

I have yet to do a century on a bike, however, I did a 60 km/h walk in two days in August a couple years back (breast cancer walk.) I was in Weight Watchers at the time, and worried about what to eat on the walk, my leader was like "don't worry about it, eat whatever." the staff of the Walk included doctors and such so they had us eat sugary and salty crap during the walk, including cracker jacks, fruit, potato chips, gatorade etc. It was brutally hot and sunny out, too.

Way back in the day, I used to be in the SCA, there were people who did "stick fighting" which is like sword fighting but with wood. We handed out gatorade, water and pickles to the fighters. It seems absurd to me to restrict your salt intake when you're sweating like a pig. Gotta keep those electrolytes incoming.

As for the salt, your wife is sort of right. The reason you see all that salt on your clothing is because your diet in GENERAL is too high in sodium. NOT your diet on the ride. You do need sodium during the ride (very important actually), and the amount you secrete is related more to your overall sodium intake than to the intake on that particular ride.

Agreed. Salty sweaters tend to be people with a higher salt content in their body in the first place. You don't need to replace all the salt you sweat if you are too salty in the first place. Also, don't ignore other electrolytes- salt is not the only thing that your body needs! HEED & Endurolytes are better replacements than fries.

Not just Lance. I was watching the Tour at the early feed station and was amazed to see riders grabbing cans of Coke. I suppose it's an easy way to take in lots of energy.

Choccy...

After seeing this so many times, I finally tried it. I am now hooked. During my 2 double century rides I've started taking cokes at the stops after 100 miles. The sugar is good, the caffeine is good, and the syrup tends to settle my stomach.

I don't drink soda at home at all because I've seen the syrup clog fountain drink lines when I worked in a diner. I don't want that gunk in me, but on a long ride I'll overlook that.