Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Carb loading for a century

Hi everyone. I'm doing my first century in less than 2 weeks. Do any of you carb load the week before or is this a waste of time? Does it work? I have been researching carb loading on google all day and figured I would ask people who actually do the same sport as me, instead of getting scientiffic reasearch about carb loading on google. So lets hear it.

I did my first century last weekend, and started carb loading about the Wednesday before. Didn't do the math to calculate % of calories from carbs, but did bump up the pasta intake, reduced protein intake, and replaced my water intake with sports drinks. I also cut out beer completely (which made the monthly pub ride a little less fun).

Did it help? I think so. I felt great the morning of the ride & knocked out the 100 miles with energy to spare.

Don't forget to get some good calories in about an hour before the ride & keep fueling & hydrating while you ride. I'd had my fill of fig newtons & gatorade by the end of the ride, but they did what I needed them to do.

Good luck with the ride & have fun!

I've done ~51 centuries this year and IMO, its a waste of time, eat a balanced meal the day before and remember to eat and drink during the ride and you will be fine.

I think that carb loading may make more sense for shorter events where it is not practical to consume many calories, like marathons. It would let you extend your glycogen supplies a bit farther. But that will be depleted before the 50 mile point for most century riders. Even with carb loading, you can't ride a century on stored energy alone. You have to eat.

During a century ride you can eat quite a bit- not only food eaten while riding, which is much more than a marathon runner can get down, but you can also eat at stops. Since there is usually a lunch stop, you don't even have to make up for missing lunch. With all the food available, carb loading isn't needed. Most people's digestive system can handle about 250 cal/hr while riding at a decent pace. Start eating early and keep up a constant intake. I eat something at each stop that I stop at, and grab some food to eat between stops. I also carry an extra bar and gel in case I miscalculate.

I tried carb loading for my first couple Death Rides. It didn't seem to make a difference in my riding, just in the amount of time spent in the bathroom, so I stopped. Now I just eat my normal reasonably healthy (and fairly carb heavy) diet, and make sure I get a good breakfast to start the day.

I just try to eat a good dinner the night before and a good breakast about an hour before the ride,then during the ride I try to eat about 200 to 250 calaries an hour.

Thanks for all the great info. I am doing a solo century and the route i'm taking doesn't have a lot of place for me to fuel so i will bring plenty of cliff bars and trail mix. Thanks again for the info.

The way I approach it is that what I'm eating to satisfy my 'training' is all that I need going into a 100mi or 200k. The morning of the ride I'll down a Starbuck's Oatmeal with a Grande Black Coffee, and pocket an energy bar for every 60mins beyond the first 120mins I expect to be out. If needed I suppliment along the way with a mini-mart stop. I might even grab some real lunch somewhere. If the ride is organized and supported all I need are what is provided at the 2 or 3 stops.

So if you are like me and you are currently eating to train, then I say no need to load. Just top off in the morning and add fuel as you go.

Thanks for all the great info. I am doing a solo century and the route i'm taking doesn't have a lot of place for me to fuel so i will bring plenty of cliff bars and trail mix. Thanks again for the info.

Like most people said, if you're already eating well then there's no need to change anything. I've actually taken to eating a little bit more for breakfast before the ride instead of the night before. Not a lot, just a little bit more than I usually would.
For unsupported rides, I bring gels and bars but I don't like to live off them... even just for 7 or 8 hours. I prefer "real" food and I bring a sandwich, some fruit, and stop for things like cheese/crackers or potato chips along the way.

But that will be depleted before the 50 mile point for most century riders. Even with carb loading, you can't ride a century on stored energy alone. You have to eat.
says Eric.

Eric, you have serious misconceptions regarding glycogen, nutrition and athletic performance.

As far as the original poster's question - Whether or not "carb loading" works for any given athlete for any single performance is dependent on variables that can't be generalized.

However, there seems to be good sound scientific evidence that "any athlete" - and especially - any endurance athlete will benefit from starting a performance with fully topped-off glycogen stores.

It remains to be determined about how one goes about assuring maximum glycogen stores before a competition, but again - in general - the current science suggests eating a diet rich in complex carbs for several days before an event. Avoid simple sugars and protein directly before the event.

At least I think that the latest poop - if you google worth a turd then you already know it.

...As far as the original poster's question - Whether or not "carb loading" works for any given athlete for any single performance is dependent on variables that can't be generalized... - in general - the current science suggests eating a diet rich in complex carbs for several days before an event. Avoid simple sugars and protein directly before the event...

I'm glad you said "in general" because like everything else there is no single formula that works for everyone. If I go out to do an ultra race with no protein you're going to find me on the road puking my guts out or bonking badly. I need the protein, simple as that. There are quite a few ultra racers who require protein which is part of the reason that Hammer Nutrition created Perpetuem when it already had Sustained Energy. That doesn't mean that you go out the night before an ultra and down a 32oz london broil but a pasta dish with some chicken strips works great for me.

That doesn't mean that you go out the night before an ultra and down a 32oz london broil but a pasta dish with some chicken strips works great for me. Weather or not protein raises an athletes performance level invites confusion because unlike carbohydrate metabolism - protein metabolism provides secondary benefits not directly attributable to muscle "work."

In other words, it takes an egg to make a chicken - but feeding the chicken eggs won't make it fly any faster. At some point during any activity extending more than a few hours the positive aspects of dietary protein ingestion outweigh the resulting diminished capacity of carbohydrate digestion.

How and when these "protein consumption" benefits express themselves as superior performance will always be open to speculation. Protein never directly increases exercise capacity.

But as a final point - one can always remember the old adage - "man cannot live by bread alone."

#10 here (http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=ARTICLE&ARTICLE.ID=1273&OMI=&AMI=&RETURN_URL=/za/HNT?PAGE=TRAININGTIPS&OMI=&AMI=&RETURN_TEXT=Performance%20Tips) and #12 here. (http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=ARTICLE&ARTICLE.ID=2227&OMI=&AMI=&RETURN_URL=/za/HNT?PAGE=TRAININGTIPS&OMI=&AMI=&RETURN_TEXT=Performance%20Tips)

All "carbo-loading" has ever done for me is make me fat and slow.

I find increasing my carb intake for 2 days before the ride usually helps a lot.

I say carbo load. If the physical effect isn't much at least if you think it is helping you then you'll get a psychological boost. Works for me.