Zeggelaar

I'm just wondering what might be causing a nauseous stomach after a long hard race. It makes me feel terrible and it has persisted now for a couple of days on and off and it's killing my appetite. It has happened only once before after another hard race and I'm not sure how to prevent it. Here are the facts:

race type: XC mountain bike
distance: 26 miles/42 km
time: 2 to 3 hours
temp: about 15 C
liquid consumed: 1.5 litres of sports drink/water mix
breakfast: 3 pancakes with syrup and butter and 1 coffee
night before: cookies, fried chicken, milk and coffee

Might any of these things be making me sick??

wabbit

what's a habs fan doing in korea?

I think feeling like you're going to puke isn't unusual. I've come close. I remember once watching this footage of the Mt Washington Hill Climb, and some poor shmuck gets to the top (I remember he was from Credit Agricole) leans over his handlebars and just gives it up! Another guy did the same. I figure anyone who rides up Mt Washington is entitled to barf.

DannoXYZ 

How much time did you give yourself after breakfast before your ride? I woudl suggest adding some milk to the coffee to make it easier on the stomach. And a glass of water to wash it all down and give yourself at least 1-hour to digest everything.

I had an embarrassing yakking incident at the UCSB Crit one time. Having to get up early to set up the course didn't give me time to get breakfast. So I grabbed a Super Monster burrito from Freebirds and wolfed half of it down about 30-minutes before my race. Ended up cramping really bad and pulled out and threw it all up.

But I've actually trained myself to be able to eat that entire 2.5-lb burrito during a ride now, as long as I eat it gradually over the course of three hours instead of all at once and drink lots of water too.

yespatterns

Note to self: Don't ride Danno's wheel...

spunky

I've tried pancakes before a hard ride before and they don't work for me either. It makes me feel kinda' sick with a real sugar high and then my blood sugar crashes later. I think the syrup might be too much simple sugar combined with all the carbs in the pancakes. I seem to function better on bagels with peanut butter and bannanas. Also, your meal the night before doesn't have a lot complex carbs.....just sugar in the cookies mostly. Try something more like pasta or baked potatoes. I tend to steer clear of fried foods myself.

531Aussie

I'm one that can't ride at or near my maximum with anything solid in my stomach

timmhaan

coffee and fried chicken the night before a race?

erock

I have a friend that is a personal trainer and I would get nauseous after 20 mins of core training. He attributed it to using muscles that you hardly use, over-exersion, and what I ate the night before. It always happens to marathon runners too. Usually he would sit me down and give me something with electrolytes like Gatorade or Smartwater

wabbit

drinking milk with fried chicken?? Ewwwwwwwww!

Snuffleupagus

Don't eat before a race...

Dehydration can also cause nausea. Or, if you're just plain ol' busting your ass. On interval days or in a TT I tend to ride near what I call "vomit threshold" it's beyond lactate threshold and below V02 max Sometimes I heave, sometimes I don't. I wouldn't worry, as long as you're properly hydrated.

Zeggelaar

milk goes with anything...burgers, chicken, pizza, salad. eggs

BTW: Habs fans shall eventually inherit the earth.

Cipollini

wow..that's a huge breakfast for me. im not that type who eats a lot during breakfast. i normally grab 2 bananas and chocolate drink/coffee. I experienced nausea problems(when i pushed too hard and gave everything on sunday xc ride) when i just started to get involve in cycling. after a more steady training schedule, i got over with it. time will tell..

VosBike

I find that pancakes are just a pain to digest, they take me about twice as long as most other foods before im ready to race. Hence why I've switched off eating them on race days.

And yes, milk goes with anything. ANYTHING