MidLife50

I am a raw beginner just starting this month. I understand my miles seem tiny to many of you, but they're a real challenge to a beginner like me.

Following a training plan and starting to up my mileage. 130+ so far this month and about 60 this week on the new training plan, including my first few back-to-back-to-back 10 mile + rides. Tomorrow is a rest day then Sunday is my 1st ever 2+ hour ride.

The training plan says to not eat before riding, and only have a cup of black coffee. But it does say to bring something high in protein to eat. The suggestion is to wait until about 2 hours to eat but eat earlier if I start to feel really low energy.

Any suggestions on something easy to bring that might fit the situation? I want something that I can just stick in the zippered pocket on my bike shorts until I need it, so small and neat works best.

I looked around my pantry and saw granola bars, but they only have about 2 grams protein while the junkfood peanut butter crackers have 5 grams protein. The other alternative is to throw some salted almonds that have about 6 grams protein into a zippy bag?

caloso

Of those choices, I would pick the almonds.

tedder

wait, what training plan are you doing that tells you to eat protein on the road? I mean, it's good for your body to burn fat instead of carbs, but.. protein while riding isn't going to do anything for you for energy.

It also depends on your goal. If you are going to do 2hr rides it doesn't matter. If you are going to do centuries (or fondos, randonneuring) it's essential to get enough carbs to keep from bonking.

Machka 

What training plan tells you not to eat before the ride??

For a 2-hour ride, eat approx. 500 cal before you go out ... a decent breakfast ... then bring a granola bar with you in case you need it. You might not. Your breakfast might be sufficient. But it is always good to have something with you just in case.

BTW - if they are salted almonds, they are good for electrolytes. A good choice for a long ride on a hot day.

MidLife50

It's a Hunter Allen 8 week plan to get lean while building bike fitness and miles

Heathpack 

FWIW, I do all my trainer workouts fasted, also most road rides <2 hrs. On longer rides, I start eating around 90-120 min into the ride. This is all per my coach, the rationale is to encourage the development of fat metabolizing systems. So it's not a crazy thing to do, I do it all the time.

However, when I do eat on the bike, it's mostly carbs. These are easiest to digest and the fuel that is burned most quickly. If you are riding at lower intersity protein is ok, you should be able to digest it. But generally speaking, mostly cyclists consume carbs, water & electrolytes (salt) on the bike and protein plus a little carb immediately post-ride for recovery. For me, recovery is usually chocolate milk or some kind of sweet coffee drink with milk.

gregf83 

I think that program is geared towards weight loss rather than performance and the suggested high protein is to curb hunger rather act as fuel.

Personally, I'd go with the black coffee to start and 5 dates in my pocket. Dates are compact, tasty and the perfect fuel on a bike. Eat one if you get hungry and then every 15 or 20 min.

OldTryGuy

Problem with training plans is there is no one plan that is THE BEST!

Protein takes time to digest and takes blood/oxygen away from muscles, not a good thing during some types of riding. Carbs get absorbed faster and provides quick energy but not all carbs absorb at same speeds and some require more blood than others, again not ideal for some types of riding.

MEDJOOL dates are fast energy and provide the chewy factor that some people need to convince their brain that they ate something. Stuff the date with some peanut butter and a bit a chocolate and you have a great snack.

Gel carbs absorb very quickly with some better than others and they also provide other nutrients in a clean/easy to carry package but you must drink a bit of water to make absorption complete.

The good old banana is great food. One friend stops for BBQ while riding a 100 miler along with beans and a beer or two. I'd up-chuck. Lots of choices. Experiment and record for future advice.

MidLife50

I did stop for a beer once while running a marathon. Didn't spew but it didn't really help either... other than bragging rights.

MidLife50

Update: Got my first 2hr ride complete and in the books. Took the salted almonds with me but didn't eat at all...just drank water. Appreciate the helpful advice and suggestions.

OldTryGuy

I have been participating in Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend since 2010. The first time was a simple 5K since my wife and I had NEVER entered a race or did any sort of training. Got hooked that morning and one year later I was registered for the 5K on Friday, half marathon on Saturday and full marathon on Sunday. Not being able to run due to bad knees, I walked my first marathon in 4:56:48. The last two years, Run Disney has included a 10K event so we now have 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon and full marathon for a Dopey Challenge. The new 3 year old marathon route has us passing an exit from Osceola Parkway that leads down to a McDonald's. I take that opportunity to leave the race, go to McDonald's to get a M&M McFlurry and then rejoin the race eating my sugar rush delight. This happens at mile 15 into the race. I am already registered for another McFlurry next January.

p.s.- great for doing a 2 hour ride but keep in mind, depending on when you might eat those almonds, the sodium will enter your system rapidly to replace some lost but the protein might not even benefit you until after the ride is done. Once again, proven absorption races of ingested nutrients is available online. This is an important factor when I do Ironman distance triathlons or riding with the guys.

Tony2Check

I am surprised no mentioned protein bars as yet. There are some great homemade recipes that you could knock up pretty quickly. Here is one with a few flavor options - 10 Delicious Recipes for Low Carb Protein Bars - ListNutrition

DaveLeeNC

I used to run with a guy who was a pretty good runner and possibly better beer drinker. He had a 4 mile loop that he liked to run in the summer because it was mostly shady and it started and ended at his house. He would have a beer after every loop and his goal was 'to run a 6 pack'. I ran 16 with him once, but I just can't run and drink (even water) at the same time. Thank God I don't have that problem riding.

dave

TGT1

I am surprised no mentioned protein bars as yet.

A few years ago a couple of buddies and myself did the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim.

(not in one day, we are all geezers)

Ed has always hiked me into the ground and when he bonked on the way out about 4 miles from the car.

That had me puzzled. I'd never seen him bonk in 15 years of what were usually much more extreme ventures.

He sat down on a rock, took of his pack, and pulled out his last "protein bar". I made him put it back in his pack and gave him a box of raisins.

in a couple of minutes he was fine.

Carbs are gasoline.

Protein is oil!

Putting oil in the gas tank when it runs dry only fouls up the engine.

Doesn't mater how powerful and finely tuned it is.

VCSL2015

So, is this thread dead? Everyone agrees on this?


Carbsare gasoline.

Protein is oil


Albeit, it sounds like from this thread there are different meanings on when to ADD?

bikebreak

I am assuming your training plan says coffee before riding because coffee enhances fat burning, and says eat protein because eating carbs will shut down your fat burning since your body has fast burning carbs to use. Sounds right?

If the goal is burn your body fat your plan is good advice. Personally I would throw some butter in the coffee for more energy, and maybe a dash of half and half for a wee bit of carbs to get your brain going.

If the goal is ride a bike far and fast you are going to need some carbs, but for now if you are just riding to burn fat then your plan is good. Once you reach goal weight and want to ride faster I advise bananas and clif shot gels, but you really don't need to eat anything if your rides are under 2 hours.

Bowhunter

So a lot of people say "eat what you can stomach" and "bananas and clif bars are good". What makes these kinds of foods "good".(not just these specific ones) I am looking for what kind of vitamins and nutrients that are in the foods that are to eat while riding so I can figure out if what I am eating is doing me any good.

Drew Eckhardt 

With a good aerobic base and some fat adaptation you can ride without bonking for at least 4 hours, although that's approaching many peoples' next meal time when they're getting hungry.

They're high in carbs and are less likely to cause gastrointestinal distress when exercising.

You run on a mix of fat which is essentially limitless (9000 Calories per kilogram, 3500 per pound) and carbohydrates of which you may have 1000 available from glycogen in your blood, liver, and leg muscles. Run out of carbs and you bonk.

Other fuels can be converted to carbs via glycogenesis, but you can't do that as fast as you can absorb carbs from food. Having other food in your digestive tract does not prevent bonking when you run out of carbs.

A medium banana is 27g of carbs (108 Calories) and 1.3g of protein (4) for 112 total
The berry pomegranate chia Clif bar on my desk claims 44g of carbs (176), 10g of protein (40), and 4.5g of fat (41) for 257 total

I only eat those on my VO2max day.