Basic nutrition for long rides

Just read this short article on basic nutrition for long rides and thought I'd share...it's a good starting point for a nutrition plan.

Tri 101 with Paul Regensburg: Fueling up for going long
By Paul Regensburg
LifeSport.ca coaching

June 21, 2005 -- How many times have you heard a triathlete say he or she bonked on a long ride? Bonking occurs when the body runs out of carbs (stored mainly in the blood and muscles) the body uses as fuel. This can be frustrating and also ensure that you will not gain the desired training adaptation necessary for improvement. Riding will often take as much time as the rest of your training regimen combined, so it is critical that you don’t make basic mistakes that can cost you a key workout.

Here are a few guidelines to help you plan your nutrition for your next ride.

Glycogen: Glycogen is a readily available fuel stored in your muscles and organs and can be called on immediately for energy needs. When topped up, your body will store about two hours worth of glycogen for endurance activities. However, when this glycogen starts to run out and is not replaced by ingesting additional calories, the muscles will become depleted of fuel and begin to falter. In extreme circumstances the body eventually goes into a self-preservation mode and directs the remaining fuel to the vital organs to stay alive, thus depriving the muscles. This is the ultimate bonk, and you may have observed it in triathletes at the end of Ironman when people start crawling to the line.

Fueling the body: If we have only two hours of glycogen for fuel, then how does one do a triathlon that can last upwards of 17 hours for some athletes? Well, if you were only using stored glycogen for fuel, you wouldn’t make it. However, the body also burns fat stores for fuel and you can keep restocking glycogen stores through proper nutrition practices on the bike.

The amount of calories you burn is generally proportional to your weight, but the average caloric intake should be about 250 calories per hour from 60 grams of carbohydrates, which can be reduced to 200 calories if you are a smaller athlete and increased to over 300 calories if you are a heavier athlete. To give you an idea of what that means, the average 500ml sport drink has 120 calories with 30 grams of carbohydrates. The caloric content of sports bars varies but averages around 200 calories with 25-40 grams of carbohydrates (check the label) and a sports gel will average around 100 calories with 25 grams of carbohydrates.

Long Ride Calorie Suggestions

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Other considerations

Temperature: These calorie suggestions are based on normal temperatures. If the temperature is very hot the body will require additional calories via carbohydrates because hot muscles require extra fuel.

Transportation: On a long training ride you do not have the benefits of aid stations as you would in a race, so it can be difficult to carry enough calories with you. You will need a strategy on how to carry the calories and other possible solutions to reload on your bike route.

Fruit: Fruit can be a source of carbohydrates but is generally lower in calories and bulky in size. Dates and figs are fruits that can pack a punch of carbs if you want to mix it up.

Calories are critical to your success in a long ride so prepare well and experiment as often as possible to form your individual plan. Once you have a good plan, preparing your nutrition for long rides and triathlons will be relatively easy. Good nutrition will equal good results and you will enjoy the benefits of your efforts.