As I begin to ride longer distances (metric centuries), I am giving more thought to nutrition. I am told that what I eat the night before a ride like a metric century or a century is important.

I am a woman in my mid-forties. I am of "normal" weight, work out most days I'm not biking, and am pretty healthy. I rode a metric on Satuday and Sunday night started with symptoms of a head cold. It might be very coincidental but I wonder if maybe my body was depleted. What do you think?

Is what I eat the night before a long ride important? If so, what do you suggest I eat for dinner? I prefer not to eat red meat.

Thanks for any information.