Lately I've found that after a morning full of cycling, a 15 mile race followed by an 18 mile cruise on Saturday, or a 40-60 mile training ride on Sunday, after lunch I struggle to keep myself awake, and have found myself going to bed for the night well before sunset, and sunset these days isn't very late anymore. Last season, and even a few months ago this didn't seem to be such a problem. I'm wondering if it's because I can't get in rides quite as long as I used to during the week (90 minutes is the most I get now, where I often used to be out for two hours in the mornings), and don't train with anyone now where I used to train with 20 mph-ers.

But as much as anything, I don't think I'm eating right. Sunday, by the time I get home and cleaned up after a 62 mile ride, it's 2:30. I heat up about two pounds of jambalaya, scarf it all down with a beer, and by 4:30 I'm asleep in bed. The night before I'd had a good dinner, and in the morning I'd had a banana-berry-protein smoothie. 20 miles into the ride I get a savory scone and iced coffee and another 20 miles later I get another with a soda. At a couple of points along the way I try one of the gels that they were giving away at the start. At the end, after packing the car I inhale the PowerBar wafers that they also gave away. In addition to the coffee and soda, I went through two bottles of water and one of energy drink.

Honestly, I think I was less tired and sleepy after the century I rode in May than I was after finishing only 60 miles on Sunday, and I can't help but think it's because I was better nourished during the ride back then - that if I'd added a banana to each of those snacks on Sunday, and drank a little more to wash it all down, I would not have gotten so famished and exhausted. I also think it would have been better to have gotten a modest recovery meal immediately after the ride rather than a big one after a 45 minute drive home and all.

Lots of folks here say there's no need to eat on a ride of 4 hours or less. Maybe bigger folks can handle it better, but I just don't see the sense or advantage of waiting until afterwards to refuel.