hobkirk

This year I haven't done many long rides (maybe 5 around 60-70 miles). I've done a few centuries over my 28 months of cycling. I "know" the answers to my own questions, but I ask to observe the array of different slants that you offer.

I will have excellent food available at food stops every 25 miles and can pull whatever I want out of my handlebar bag while I ride.

• The Charles River Wheelmen Centuries are big (500-700 riders), well supported (up to a dozen people serving at food stops plus a professional bike mechanic from Cycle Loft), and the weather this Sunday should be high 60's and dry. The food stops offer bananas, oranges (maybe), bagels, Fig Newtons, water, Gatorade, and more.
• I have a great handlebar bag where I carry (on longer rides) a banana, Fig Newtons, almonds, Clif Bars, and something to add to water for electrolytes and flavor. I have also carried a PB&J sandwich and a frozen water bottle of orange juice (in addition to my two caged water bottles, both with some added electrolytes and real lemon).

To best feed the beast and stave off cramps, etc., what's the best plan for eating/drinking?

• One bottle of liquid every hour?
• "Grazing" from the HB bag while riding from about mile 30 on so the calories can be absorbed more easily? A Clif Bar ("Carrot Cake" is very good!) or several Fig Newtons, whichever is "calling out" the loudest?
• Eat a banana, Fig Newtons, and a bagel or PB&J at mile 25, 50, and 75 (the 100 mile stop is mostly protein, like turkey sandwiches)? Stretch, use the John.

Thanks

revchuck 

Sounds like you're riding to give yourself an excuse to eat.

A century is a social event. I wouldn't commit myself to one course of action, but rather see how things shake out on the ride. If you get in a paceline with a bunch of folks whose company you enjoy, stop when they stop. OTOH, if nobody's riding at your preferred pace, you have the freedom to either stop or not stop. I'd say play it by ear.

In my own case, I prefer to skip the first rest stop, since in my experience it's usually pretty crowded. I take enough food and drink to make it to the second stop without getting off the bike. At the rest stops, I'll fill my bottles and pockets and get back on the road, so I don't have to warm up again. Of course, if I run into some friends and we end up shooting the breeze, that's just the way it goes sometimes.

You body can process about 250-300 calories/hour. Any more than that just sits in your stomach like a brick. Beware of eating too much...unless it's really good and worth the possible hassles. I can deal with a half a banana and a half a PB&J at a rest stop, and that's about it.

Best of luck on the ride!

ultraman6970

One bottle of liquid every hour? <-- if you want to pee each 15 mins, yes... Drink zippis each 10 mins (or when you need it)... that way probably the water will last you like 2 to 3 hours maybe more, but IMO 1 bottle each hour is like an exaggeration unless you are in like AZ and is summer. At +-15 mph you have to drink zips not 1/3 of the bottle every time.

As for the food, just kind;a the same... split bars in pieces and eat a piece of whatever each 15 mins, alternate with water zippies and continue riding...

This way probably you wont stop unless you really need water or need to go to the bathroom.

Have you ever drove like for 600 miles stopping each 2 hours?? the trip took forever right? This is the same thing, if you stop you have to warm up again, get into the mood and stuff... Have a friend with prostate problems and darn we have to stop in every single restroom after mile 60 was not funny because the ride was taking like too much. This is just my opinion ok? Long rides to me have like 4 stops more than that is just to make the ride way too long.

Good luck in your ride

yochris 

i just did my first century this summer. It was a big organized ride with 4 really well supplied rest stops over the course of the ride. I ate a fair amount at each stop and grabbed a snack for the jersey and that was more than enough. Don't think I ate the snack I grabbed most of the time. I pretty much drank almost 2 bottles between stops and I felt great the whole ride.

We finished in about 7.5 hours with about 6.5 hours in the saddle.

10 Wheels

The Best things you can do is Rest the Two Days before the 100 and Get a Good Nights Sleep.

AllisonAntonio

You know your body better than we do. I ate the majority of my food towards the end of my ride. Test different things and see what works for your body and report back to us with the results.

thinktubes 

Did a century last week, for each 25 mile leg I ate 2 chocolate chip cookies, 1 banana, and drank two bottle of Gatoraid.

Felt like a champ at the end of 106 miles...

Machka 

Tips for Riding a Century in the Long Distance Forum ...

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ding-a-Century

Busta Quad

If you stop to rest/eat, it's not a real (pure) century (IMHO).

Banzai

If you're working, 1 bottle/hour is a reasonable expectation. If I'm trying to do a fast century, a bottle an hour will not force a pee stop anywhere on the ride. If I'm taking it a bit easier, a bottle and hour might be a bit much.

I take enough food to ensure I don't stop until mile 40 at a minimum. Those first stops are usually a zoo, and just getting in and out can wreck the entire timeline for the day...and if you're trying to beat the heat (not as big of a deal this time of year), getting snarled up in early refuels can doom you to extra time toiling in the hottest part of the day.

Plan to consume 200 calories per hour. Start between 30 and 60 minutes in. It will take about 1 hour for each "input" to be available to you, and as you get between 1.5 and 2 hours, you will be starting on the end of your glycogen stores. The food you ate 1 hour prior will be available just as your own stores are depleting. Caveat that with the provision that if you are riding slow, you can rely on slow burning fat stores, and you won't have to front load the fuel as much.

Ride the first half a bit easier than you think you need to, and finish the second half strong. That tends to produce better times than torching yourself for the first half, only to struggle the second.

slims_s

^^ really good advise!

A handlebar bag for an organized century with lots of feed stations with good food? really? If you carry a handlebar bag you better don't stop

pdedes

What's with all the stopping and eating? That's not a century, it's lunch, dinner, some snacks with a bit of riding in between.

gregf83 

I've ridden 100 miles with no calories at an easy pace. If I was trying to stay with the front group I would fill each bottle with about 300 Cals and put two clif bars and some dates in my jersey. Drink when thirsty and stop to refill your bottles with water when they're low.

njkayaker

Zippis??? Huh?

Busta Quad

Can't keep the weight on without stopping to eat. Don't you know that?

hobkirk

That was pretty good. Thanks.

PS - I've never been to the Long Distance Forum. I would have guessed centuries weren't much of a subject there, that they were "too short" to be considered long distance.

Seattle Forrest

It's true. According to the 41, listening to music, drinking water, riding in a group, and riding solo will also disqualify your 100 mile ride as a century.

Busta Quad

Incorrect.

Machka 

Not too short at all ... that's where long distance cycling begins.

And we've got the Century-A-Month challenge going there, so century rides are quite common among the Long Distance forum posters.

Busta Quad

So are severe psychological problems.

znomit

Yeah! HTFU and just ride. Stop when you're out of fluid or have too much.
Eat a little every hour, that's why your jersey has pockets.

Oh, and HTFU.