Nachoman

When I get up at 5:30 a.m. I don’t feel like eating anything. I usually drink a half cup of coffee and force down a half bowl of cereal. Then I meet a bunch of guys and we hammer as hard as we can for about an hour.

My belief is that eating the cereal about forty minutes prior to the ride, gives me extra energy. Would you agree? Or would you think that such a small amount of food, for such a short ride, is basically irrelevant and unnecessary?

Erzulis Boat 

I have to eat before a good ride. Like you, I typically have to force it, but a slice of toast with jam really makes a difference with me. No question.

bored117 

No problem eating for me. Thing is... gotta be careful not too eat too heavy. Couple of fried eggs, cup of steel cut oats, maybe grab of trail mix (mostly almond/cashew). I am not in full on mode till about 30 minutes after the eating anyways so it works out. (getting dressed, checking bike before going out, checking weather, and 15 minute warm up ride...) It helps since I wake up regularly at 4:35 to get ready to go to work and ride for about 35-45 minutes around 5AM. (most of my "training ride" happens on Saturday starting around 6AM)

rdtompki

I think it depends on the cereal. I would avoid anything with sugar as this can induce a bonk, but plain grape nuts, cherrios and others would be fine. Probably toast and plain yogurt wouldn't hurt.

PinkBabyMonster

WhenI do 5:30 AM group rides, I usually have something light roughly 30-40 minutes before the ride; usually like a piece of toast with almond butter, or a banana or something else in addition to a cup of coffee. I figure any extra energy I can get that early is good, but at the same time, I know I don't need to eat too much as the ride is only an hour.

Seattle Forrest

I doubt eating that soon before a ride, and that short a ride, is going to do much, if anything.

hueyhoolihan

it makes no difference to me if i eat before a one hour ride in the morining.

Nachoman

Before a ONE hour ride? That sounds like a lot to me.
edit: but wtf do i know

Sir Real

I rarely eat anything before my early morning rides. Saturday mornings I'll get at 5:30, get dressed, fill my water bottles and head out the door. These rides are usually 2-3 hours and I've never had problems and felt good throughout the ride. In other words, HTFU.

bored117 

Nah... typically 3-5 hour ride. But... might as well do it for one hour... it's my breakfast at that time anyways
Week days for commuting I just grab a large apple or banana and munch on it before running off. (and eat something in train typically) I get to work a little before 7AM where I eat the rest of breakfast during weekdays... I seem to eat about 4 times with 2-3 snacks in between.

dstrong 

I worry about eating (and what I eat) before rides > 50 miles. 25 - 50 miles I make sure I've had something to eat and drink. < 25 miles I don't really think about what I've eaten.

merlinextraligh

You get through a 1 hour ride on muscle glycogen. Eating a bit before might make you feel better, but I doubt it would alter your performance.

Also if you don't eat, and aren't hammering, you'll burn more fat.

JamieElenbaas

Banana, Espresso, and a big glass of water 20 min prior to departure is all I ever need for a one hour morning ride.

androidtt

Race day: Eat oatmeal, banana, some sort of bar, cup of water, a couple swigs of sport drink 3 hours prior.

Regular day: Cup of water, eat gels on the bike.

TMonk

i do rides like this all the time.

u should eat a little something to top off your blood sugar. anything that isn't too heavy should be fine.

ur blood sugar is likely low after an overnight fast but as previously stated you are not going to make a contribution to your muscle glycogen with that short time window.

MrTuner1970

Just recently read the same about glycogen in literature from Hammer Nutrition. Instead of getting up 2-3 hours early to eat before a shorter ride/race, they recommended a gel 5-10 minutes prior. Then eat properly afterward to refuel.

Makes sense to me. It's impossible to digest something that fast for it to provide fuel for that hour ride. Seems like I remember HN said that at wakeup we have enough fuel for about 1.5 of hard effort, provided we've eaten adequately the night before.

TMonk

toast, cereal, bananas, gels, stinger waffles, eggo waffle, pop tart, snickers bar... whatever

this morning for me it was a handfull of girl scout cookies and coffee

JVoigt

Joe Friel has some interesting ideas on this. He says no solid food within an hour of a hard workout or race. Not enough time to digest and just sitting in your stomach. If you're working out very early an can't eat before the one hour window, he suggests a gel and water within 15 minutes of the workout.

TMonk

eating this soon before a ride is really just about blood sugar. it is necessary though imo.

bored117 

Damn... we still have 6 boxes that need to be gone... and those were high caloric ones too... (caramel delite/peanut butter) Might get tempted to open one tomorrow morning.

MrTuner1970

Whew, there's no way I could ride hard right after eating that. Would take at least 2 hours before I'd feel comfortable to ride hard.

TMonk

do it!

kleinboogie

I agree. I focus on carbs so if it's a morning ride I'll consume more low glycemic carbs than normal at night. In the am, the closer I get to the ride I'lll eat less solid food and take more gels or carb drink (GU or Infinit). For example, 1-2 hours away I'll eat 1/2 serving of oatmeal. 2-3 hours I'll eat a whole serving. For just 1 hour I just want enough to get to my next nutrition which should be immediately after the ride. The higher the glycemic value the less time I'll allow for digestion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemi...index_of_foods. It's all theoretical to me but worth paying attention to. GL

MajorMantra

Supposedly you can achieve much the same effect with a spoonful or two or honey. Tastes better too.

NathanC

Early a.m rides get a banana before, and then some on the bike food.