Road Cycling - Morning Routine Before A Ride

I got a big ride coming up tomorrow, I have been pushing my way up to doing a century by myself before I push myself into going into a race. My goal for tomorrow (8/20) is 65-70 miles, where I did 61 miles Monday. I never really had a morning routine before my ride. What do you more experienced riders do before you go out for your ride? Usually I just get alot of water, get a light breakfast (probably should make that large breakfast :) ) Then I check my bike to make sure my cateye works and that my tires are not flat and just check for any other problems on my bike. Is it extremly necessary to stretch before you ride? And what is a typical breakfast for a long ride like this? I usually stop once or twice at a local store to grab a powerbar and a gatorade, just to get that extra boost, but who knows if it works :D. Usually I wake up and I go through the usually morning stuff as soon as possible, I just usually grab a bagel and a piece of fruit while im checking out my bike.

Fueling up 1.5 - 2 hours prior to big ride is essential. You can eat big but not over do it. I'll usually have a bowl of cereal along with some toast with peanut butter and jam. Then I'll putter around getting the bike, gear and head ready. About 45 minutes prior to start, I'll down some Accelerade or equivalent. I'll stretch, but the best stretching I've found is after you've warmed up on the bike for a few miles, which isn't always possible until you reach a break point. Good luck.

55/Rad

take a dump! No really, I hate when I get out on a long ride (never raced) and the urge comes over me. So please do that too!

I get up at 5, grab a banana, drive 45 minutes to work, work hard all morning, pb&j for lunch, work harder all afternoon, drive 45 more minutes, get home around 6:30, say hi to wife, load kids in trailer, grab a power bar, roll down the driveway.

Guess you're not married with kids.

Days off: Get up. Drink coffee. Go potty. Eat high carb breakfast (toast or bagle, oatmeal or cereal). Wait about an hour while I putter and get ready. Load pockets with extra water bottle, gu and/or powerbar, and cell phone. Head out. No stopping if ride under 50 miles.

Work days: Get home. Change. Go. Get back in reasonable amount of time, shower and eat dinner with family.

I get up at 5, grab a banana, drive 45 minutes to work, work hard all morning, pb&j for lunch, work harder all afternoon, drive 45 more minutes, get home around 6:30, say hi to wife, load kids in trailer, grab a power bar, roll down the driveway. Guess you're not married with kids.

Phinney - this sounds a lot like my life. But my 40 minute drive to work translates into a great 20 mile training ride, so I try to do that 4 legs a week. Frees up a lot of the day too. Hardest part is coordinating work clothes. Can you ride to work?

55/Rad

I have a work car that has to come with me. I have tried to commute via bike, leaving the car at work - but sure as heck those are are usually the nights I get called out.

I'm on the same schedule as JBBooks along with a similar breakfast.

I normally just drink water before a morning ride - if its less than 30 miles. Over 30 miles, I will try to eat a banana, etc. prior to going out. I would really like my "fat burning" mechanism to work a little better, as I have a lot to burn.

On the weekends I get up about 2 hours before I plan on leaving. I have two cups of coffee, oatmeal with apple, cinnamon, soy milk and 1/2 whole wheat bagel. 30 min prior to leaving I get suited up and stretch. I also drink 20oz of E-load starting at the 30 min mark. I'll down Honey Zinger "gel" pack and roll out. During the ride I'll eat a power bar, and 1-3 "gels" and 2-4 20oz E-loads. The heat index in Austin is usually in low 100's so staying topped up with food and liquids is important. The weekend group rides are usually fast tempo with hard sprints and average around 65-70 mi.

Week days are usually around 25-30 so I just do the 30 min mark routine.

I don't do anything different than any other morning. Typical breakfast is OJ, coffee, either toast or cereal, maybe a couple of eggs. I usually eat 1-2 hours before the ride. I mix up a water bottle of gatorade, one of water, and grab a few fig newtons. If it's a long, hard ride and I remember, I'll fix a PBJ sandwich. Pump up the tires. Saturdays are usually 60 miles; Sundays 75 - 80 miles.

take a dump! No really, I hate when I get out on a long ride (never raced) and the urge comes over me. So please do that too!

Especially if you wear bibs. Get to the event, a little nervous, a little psyched... and the urge to purge hits. I recommend eating dinner no later than 6:00 PM the day before.

My pre-ride routine is similar to 55/Rad's. I pretty much eat my normal breakfast (which probably works because I normally eat breakfast), which consists of 2 slices of toast & jam (or something roughly equivalent) and 2 scrambled eggs. The harder you intend to start, the more important the 1.5-2.0 hrs is. If it's a long ride and you'll be riding for a while at moderate tempo, no hard climbs, etc., you can get away with eating later, and carrying it in your stomach instead of in your pockets, so to speak. Food in the stomach can make surges, jumps in pace, etc., a little more difficult, but not unmanageable. In every case, over-eating is a mistake.

Work Days:

Come in change into cycling clothes...goto the washroom eat some oatmeal and jump on bike...head to store and buy gatorade (stores around corner) or take water...depends on what kind of mood I'm in.

Off Days: Stop procastinating and ride (like right now...I should be riding but im typing this). I seem to like riding better when I'm angry/in a bad mood?

My commute to work is give or take 100KM's each way...no way I could reasonably cycle that :eek: 4+ hours each way to work lol.

Chad

55/Rad

Well, I'm about 37 miles out so while possible it would take more time than I can realistically find. I have carted the bike part way in the car and commuted from about an hour out but with changing and all it still ends up taking too much time. Riding at night I'm at least doing something with the kids.

I get up at 5, grab a banana, drive 45 minutes to work, work hard all morning, pb&j for lunch, work harder all afternoon, drive 45 more minutes, get home around 6:30, say hi to wife, load kids in trailer, grab a power bar, roll down the driveway.

Guess you're not married with kids.


Lol..and here's mine...

get up in the dark
set up coffee maker
3-4 yoga stretches
put on gear
roll out with just enough light to make it easier for cars to hit me
Ride until I need to take kids to school

On weekends...ride 2-3 hours in the morning...all before 10 AM...

Ah, family life

On mornings when I've got a ride over 20 miles planned: get up, drink huge mug of steamin' hot java, eat a big bowl of oatmeal with fruit and honey, do my business, dress, grab my shoes and helmet, and head out the door. If it's going to be longer than 30 or 40 miles I'll stick a Clif bar in my pocket. Sometimes I'll fill a water bottle with diluted Pepsi. (If you do this, remember to pull up the button on top so that CO2 can vent. Otherwise, you can end up with a face full of sticky soda.)

1/2 cup of coffee and a Little Debbie is a good start.....Sometimes grab a hard roll and munch as I go for the first 15-20 miles. For me, morning rides require less hydration, but I drink it in anyway knowing that I'll need it later. Like that term "urge to purge", but seldom leave time before leaving the house. That's why god invented guard rails and bushes.

On weekends, our group rides start around 8:00. I'll sleep as long as possible, eat a bowl of cereal, drink coffee, purge http://www.cripplefight.com/smileys/toilet.gif dress and ride 40-60 miles. Works for me.

It's about 15 minutes between eating and riding; I couldn't stand to get up 1-2 hours before I ride :eek:

-murray

Murrays: it's funny how your Bobke avatar and the smiley in your last post make the same face.

Murrays: it's funny how your Bobke avatar and the smiley in your last post make the same face.

Thanks for 1) recognizing my avatar wasn't a picture of me & 2) the smiley imitation of Bobke, I didn't even notice that :D

-murray

For an 8am ride, I usually get up around 6:30...

eat 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with some peanut butter.. maybe some yogurt, if I'm hungry. Have a glass of juice, or whatever liquid is in the fridge... make up my water bottle with accellerade, E-Gel mix. Load up my balance bar, and gels. Pump up the tires...

Hit the can 3 or 4 times (I dunno why, but before big rides I'm always crapping) eventually put my bibs on with a healthy dose of Chamois Butter and bag balm.

Hit the road, put in 60 or 70 miles.. come home... get some water, an apple, and take a shower.. eat sandwich, and collapse afterwards :-)

jeff

For an 8am ride, I usually get up around 6:30...

eat 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with some peanut butter.. maybe some yogurt, if I'm hungry. Have a glass of juice, or whatever liquid is in the fridge... make up my water bottle with accellerade, E-Gel mix. Load up my balance bar, and gels. Pump up the tires...

Hit the can 3 or 4 times (I dunno why, but before big rides I'm always crapping) eventually put my bibs on with a healthy dose of Chamois Butter and bag balm.

Hit the road, put in 60 or 70 miles.. come home... get some water, an apple, and take a shower.. eat sandwich, and collapse afterwards :-)

jeff

Nobody who rides wants to be though of as "full of crap"...so maybe that's why?

Hey I just spoke to my teams coach about this issue. He indicated that you should eat something before you ride due to the fasting that takes place over night. You will have more energy and a better workout.

Also eating something even like a piece of toast will initiate better fat burning. When you don't eat the body thinks it needs to store fat just in case. Eating protein before or during a ride can cause a slow down in digestion.

Drink lots of water the day before a big ride as well as the day of.

Murry...

It's 11pm on a worknight, I'm in a hotel out of town...and your avatar has me laughing so hard...I have tears. I'm surprised the guest next door hasn't started pounding on the wall. TOO FUNNY! Thanks for a much-needed laugh.

Cheers, sunrae