DnvrFox

It is generally my practice to go on early (6:00 - 6:30 starting) morning rides of 20-25-30 miles before breakfast or any nourishment, and, generally, drinking perhaps 1/2 bottle of water or perhaps a little less. I do this just fine, suffering no apparent problems or lack of energy. I've been doing this successfully for years.

Anyone else do this? Is it pretty usual?

This is in Colorado, where even in summer morning temps are often in the low 60's or high 50's. For example, this am I wore arm warmers and a wind breaker for about 2/3rds of the ride. And, the humidity is quite low. It has been warming up to about 95F in the pm these past few weeks.

So, how about you. Would you join me for one of my pre-nutrition early am rides?

Pete In Az

I start out at around 5am. It's around 60 70 degrees at that time around here, so, no arm warmers needed. I usually drink half a smoothie then go, I just jumped from twelve to twenty miles and am a bit paranoid about "running out of gas" at this time.

It's neat seeing the stars then watching the sun come up.

teachme

I'm upping my early morning rides from 10 to 15 miles this week. I've got to get ready for a long ride event in October. I usually start with a half cup of coffee and I always bring 20 oz of Gatorade with me.

DnvrFox

I have two bikes equipped with lights which I haven't "broken out" yet. As it starts getting darker, and we go off of DST, I will go out with lights about 5:30 am or so. Yes, it is fun.

doctor j

You failed to mention the quintessential element of life itself, coffee. You don't want to be in the same ZIP code with me at that hour before I've had the morning coffee The morning oatmeal & honey runs a very close second.

No, I will pass on this opportunity, but more power to you.

DnvrFox

I don't drink coffee.

jdon

Have a cup of coffee before you go and you are essentially bonk training. A controversial practice.

dahut

I usually scarf down one piece of toast with a little P-Butter and jam before going riding.

Nonetheless, one hour is the generally accepted limit for sustained exertion (endurance), while running on the reserves within your body (liver, blood, etc) Everyone will be a little different, of course, but the level of exertion and the duration are the two key factors.

big john

I always eat at least cereal before leaving the house and always have coffee, too. Today I rode 25 miles and drained 2 large water bottles. It was about 100 degrees at the end, though.

Kurt Erlenbach

It amazes me how my water consumption differs with the heat. On a 25 mile ride in cool weather, I could get by with about half a bottle. I did 55 in blistering heat and wind yesterday, and drank about 4 bottles of water plus one of Gatorade.

Food is different. I've got to eat before riding.

BHOFM

I do the same, no food before the ride. I seems to bog me down if I eat
before a ride. Nice breakfast when I get home. Thirty miles is most of a
bottle of water for me. When it was real hot, two bottles.

Robert Foster

Eat first, ride second. I have followed the eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty for at least the last two years. I drink as much as I can even if it is cool. Mostly 1 bottle for 20 miles. I also down a recovery drink when I get home. Most rides tend to go 30 to 40 miles.

McCallum

I ride in the afternoon (work schedule!). I have/do deer hunt on empty though; I find that I do fine without food when I am up a tree and even dragging deer out of the woods. So, while I most likly would not join you for a ride empty; I can see/understand how you can do it.

doctor j

Coffee has not affected me that way. If I'm driving to the starting point of the ride, I'll have a cup in the vehicle on the way to the ride in addition to the first one at home. I take the thermos with me and have a cup after the ride as well, summer or winter.

doctor j

Oh... the humanity

bobvonb

the advice I'm getting from my physical trainer is to have my breakfast first, not just water or juice or nothing. She also says it's important to have a protein recovery drink to avoid a let-down.

gregf83 

Riding without eating in the morning is not 'bonk' training. Riding in a fasted state has some benefits for better fat metabolism but it definitely shouldn't have you getting to the bonk stage.

wphamilton

I do the same thing Denver but only up to 30 miles or so. As for coffee, although I consume it in vast quantities during the day I don't have any before my morning ride.

bjjoondo 

Good, it's not right being the ONLY soul on bicycle that doesn't seem to drink coffee, LOL!

Hermes

I do a track workout in the morning starting at 8AM twice per week. Generally, I eat a piece of flat bread about an hour before I start and then nothing but water during the workout. I prefer to have something in my stomach since it takes about an hour before I am actually riding on the track. The duration is about 3 hours and 25 miles worth or laps around the track with lots of high intensity work.

DnvrFox

If I am planning on doing more than 30 miles or so, I use a different technique - likely getting 10-15 miles in and stopping someplace for some food. I wouldn't try 30-40+ miles without nutrition. But the 20-25 miles, for me, is pretty easy without coffee or nutrition.

I don't drink coffee because the caffeine does terrible things to my body. In fact, I stay away from all caffeine and similar products, including most cough syrups/pills, etc.

Robert Foster

Bonk training is an exercise program designed for weight loss. It suggests the following strategy on an empty stomach the first thing in the morning, when glycogen store levels are low: consume coffee or caffeine equivalent to 2 or 3 cups of coffee, run or cycle at a casual pace (60% of max heart rate) for 20–90 minutes, have a normal breakfast right after exercising. Proponents claim this will force the body to "bonk" shortly into the exercise, and subsequently burn more fat to generate the energy. It is not clear how medically sound this idea is; exerting too much energy and "bonking hard," or experiencing severe hypoglycemia, can be dangerous.[3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitting_the_wall

You might burn more fat by not eating but you might bonk if you push hard.
https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37492881...t-eat-workout/


"Though members of the group that didn't eat performed worse on the intensive training, they burned a higher proportion of fat to carbohydrates than the group that ate. The results were published by Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine".

Sounds like tempting a bonk. Just saying.

BluesDawg

I don't usually, but I could ride 15-20 miles before eating, but even in cold weather I would drink a bottle of water in 20 miles or so. In hot weather it is 10 miles or less.

LesterOfPuppets

I'm with BluesDawg. I can roll out without eating but if I left for a 25 miler with a full water bottle it would be bone dry quite a ways before finishing, regardless of temps.

MinnMan

Same here. I only need food for longer rides (above 30 and definitetly above 40), but I need water for anything above maybe 10-15 miles. BUt then, I drink more water than most of my riding partners, so maybe it's just me. I have one riding partner whom I'll swear is a camel. He will take one small water bottle for a 50 mile ride. I don't understand it. He's fast and strong, and has been riding high mileage for years on end, so I don't question it, but I marvel at how he does it.