breanach8

Hi, on a recent charity spin, 100k, I went well out to 80k averaging 5k intervals from 30 to 37 kph. Kept with a group that really was above me level for the first 55ish. Then and rather sudden I dropped off and never felt as bad on a bike. I done the last 20k barely and at a 20k average. I felt like given up. Week, dizzy, sick and cold. I could not warm either.
I know I don't get enough miles in but over the summer that will hopefully change. I thought I eat well the delay before and on the day. With two packs of power sweets on the cycle, gels don't do it for me. Don't understand what happened to me or were I went wrong.
Any help appreciated!

hamster

Running out of calories would be my first suspicion. How many calories would you say you ate during the ride, and how many at breakfast before the ride?

breanach8

Two wheatabix one coffee for breakfast at 9. One banana at start and sweet pack(11), same at 50k.

chasm54

Classic bonk. You simply exhausted the glycogen reserves in your muscles and liver and ran out of fuel. The solution is either to ride at a more moderate pace (this would result in your getting more of your energy direct from fat stores and conserving your glycogen reserves) or to eat a little. About 250kcal per hour is all you can absorb, which is about one energy bar or its equivalent.

breanach8

Going by my tracker, I burnt 3500.

ericy

Yeah, I have done it myself on a couple of occasions, and it isn't fun. When I do longer rides, I try and pay attention to what I am eating - both before and during the ride. On a short ride I don't bother..

hamster

How many calories in a sweet pack?

This sounds low. The standard conservative recommendation is to go for 200-250 cal/hour on long rides like this. You can sometimes manage on less, depending on the situation, but you can't go too low. Personally, I can manage up to 160k at a moderate pace while eating 100-120 cal/hour (but after a hearty breakfast, two biscuits and coffee don't qualify as "hearty".) Bigger and faster guys need to eat more than that. If you really did burn 3500 in a 100k, you are bigger and/or faster than I. My last long ride was 155 km with 5000 ft / 1500 m of climbing and, according to my power meter, that was exactly 3500 calories.

caloso

Stick another banana and some cookies in your jersey next time.

breanach8

What I find what works best is Power Bar Power Gel Shots.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/powerbar-ene...hots-16-x-60g/
I guess you live and learn. I know I went a bit hard the first half. Lining up to a 180 in July but taken back a bit in confidence after what I thought would be a breeze.

bigfred 

Without planned eating and something in at least one of my bottles I'm not good for more than 80k either. Apparently most of us have 2.5-3 hours of glycogen stored in our muscles and liver. Once it's gone you're done.

One rides of more than 80km I start paying attention to what I eat with breakfast and start consuming calories as we're about to leave the parking lot. I aim for a minimum of 250 calories per hour, including both drink and solid food.

On the occassion that I or one of my riding partners have bonked at that 80k mark a gu with X2 caffeine or one of the oversized gu's is ussually pretty effective at bringing us back around. But, from that point forward you are living off of blood sugar, need to keep it topped up with frequent small doses and are going to require more time than usual to recover after the fact.

bigfred 

And, remember to pull them out and eat them early rather than later. Stored nutrition that you finish the ride with doesn't count for anything.

caloso

Exactly. I've learned that lesson the hard way.

hamster

I have a habit of going on long distance rides without adequate training or preparation (one example would be a 13 hour, 143 mi / 230 km ride after a total of ~200 miles logged in the preceding two months) and, in my experience, if it's just the question of finishing, as long as you can sit in the saddle for the desired period of time and you eat enough before and during the ride, you can do it. You won't be setting speed records and the part above the saddle will hurt, but you can keep spinning the pedals to the end.

On solo rides, I experiment but I try to keep a couple of gels in the seat bag for emergencies. On supported rides, I aim for 200 calories/hour. Getting adequately fed means that you can keep up with others, and, in flat rides, riding as a group is easier than riding by yourself.

breanach8

Thanks for all the help. I shall update this after the next fast pace 100k.

breanach8

Just to update this and held further viewers! I eat lots of food, the correct stuff!, the morning of the cycle. Take lots of energy shots and eat one every 10mins or so with a pack just before the cycle begins. One the stops I fill up on Sandwiches and cake! In other words I eat lots. Last big one I done was 114kils and a avg of 30.6k(19mph) so happy with that.