How much do you eat/drink in a mtb marathon event?

[The expat cyclist]

My definition of bonking is running out of fuel. Remember to fill up your tank BEFORE the race and not just trying to top it up DURING the race.

 

For a marathon, i start filling up 2 days before the race WITHOUT doing any training.

[BigToe]

But if im on a long training ride, i might stop and have a packet of jelly babies

 

So the rest of us can catch up....

[eyecandy]

So the rest of us can catch up....

Haha 

[rudi-h]

i try to eat something roughly every hour but not much, maybe one bite (1/3) of an energy bar. I drink game, just because its cheap and easy to mix.

 

One tough marathons or ultra-marathons that take over 5 hours, I'll eat something substancial after 3-4 hours like a banana or a doughnut. If there's a water-table with coke, I'd take a glass or two, as the caffiene (also in some gu's) is magic when you're close to hitting the wall.

 

Also try to slow down, or eat on easy sections of the course, you need to get the HR down while digesting so your blood gets a chance to go to your stomach and intestines.

[kandui]

Have you considered that the 70km race you do on the dirt, can equate to roughly double the distance on the road? Throw in about 1000m or more of climbing and I would be surprised if you didn't feel hammered.

To give you an idea: I rode a 64km race last weekend in just over three and a half hours. Climbing was 1232m and Calories burned was 2679 (got my trusty Garmin file handy). Would you burn the same amount of calories over 64km on the road? Probably not. Eat natural foods on a long race or ride (boiled potatoes, lightly salted with some olive oil are the best) and keep an energy gel or similar handy for the last 10km, if your legs are giving in.In my bottles I have water mixed with Enduren , 3 for a 60km race. Keep a Ziploc bag with powder for the third bottle on you for the water point.

I have changed to Red Bull Power Shots. Liquid not goo and one bottle really gets the legs going in the home stretch.Hope that helps.

[kandui]

Forgot to say: I don't own a road bike.

[Hendrik vd Walt]

Hi - I had the same issues of running out of steam after 40k's and started doing the following - really works!!

- I take a camel pack full of water

- I take one bottle filled with 4 to 6 scoops of GI32 depending on duration (2 scoops per 2 hours) - Drink a mouthfull every 30 minutes and dilute with water from camel pack

- I drink one bottle G1 32 before race start

- I eat on longer rides (3h30 and longer) 1/3 rd energy bar every 30 minutes

- I take gells with but have never really needed them

 

Hope this helps

[Me-rider]

This is an interesting topic as I am in a similar situation.

 

Been riding for just over 14 months now and in last 3 months started Marathon distances (70s etc). Previously I would just hammer around the course and be done in 90 - 120 minutes so eating and drinking was not as important.

 

My first few long rides I only ate around halfway as that is when I started to feel hungry. Problem is that my legs would give in shortly afterwards, and I would feel weak.

 

Last 2 races (Hazeldean and Walkerville) I have had a better plan and felt much stronger at the end. This could also be because I am much fitter and experienced at longer distances.

 

Wake up and make a watery mix of whole wheat pro nutro which I can just drink quickly. I then get in my car and drive the hour or so to the venue eating a banana, a pronutro energy bar and drink about 500 ml of water.

 

Arrive at venue to register and drain my bladder. While setting up my bike I eat another banana and then go for my second piss. (all the water and nerves I guess)

 

I ride with 2, 750 ml bottles of game and 3 pronutro bars. I eat at least 2 during the race starting 30 - 45minutes in and I will eat half every half an hour. I normally am close enough home so don't need the 3rd bar, its just in case.

 

Depending on how I feel I will stop at water points for drinks or snacks as need be, but if they have boerie rolls its a mandatory stop.

 

Any idea on what the pros do when they race? Or are they done so quickly they don't even need sun block let alone food.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Me-rider

[The expat cyclist]

This is an interesting topic as I am in a similar situation.

 

Been riding for just over 14 months now and in last 3 months started Marathon distances (70s etc). Previously I would just hammer around the course and be done in 90 - 120 minutes so eating and drinking was not as important.

 

My first few long rides I only ate around halfway as that is when I started to feel hungry. Problem is that my legs would give in shortly afterwards, and I would feel weak.

 

Last 2 races (Hazeldean and Walkerville) I have had a better plan and felt much stronger at the end. This could also be because I am much fitter and experienced at longer distances.

 

Wake up and make a watery mix of whole wheat pro nutro which I can just drink quickly. I then get in my car and drive the hour or so to the venue eating a banana, a pronutro energy bar and drink about 500 ml of water.

 

Arrive at venue to register and drain my bladder. While setting up my bike I eat another banana and then go for my second piss. (all the water and nerves I guess)

 

I ride with 2, 750 ml bottles of game and 3 pronutro bars. I eat at least 2 during the race starting 30 - 45minutes in and I will eat half every half an hour. I normally am close enough home so don't need the 3rd bar, its just in case.

 

Depending on how I feel I will stop at water points for drinks or snacks as need be, but if they have boerie rolls its a mandatory stop.

 

Any idea on what the pros do when they race? Or are they done so quickly they don't even need sun block let alone food.

Holy cow - do you take toilet paperwith you on your "journey"? :-D

[bradwentzel]

Was using hammer for a season, but 2 bottles of perpeteum becomes a bit much. Heard much about this 32GI, is it that good?

[Rapunzel]

It will also hinge on fitness and intensity. I did the burger 60km last year a bit under 3H30 and only consumed 1x750ml bottle of fastfuel and 1 energy gel with caffiene which I keep for the last 10km.

However, my rule of thumb for longer rides is to consume something substantial like an energy bar or banana every 90min.

[tunariaan]

just drink enough Hammer Perpetreum it's an good instant food source, i used it on the long distances , specially trail running 6 or more hours, it's very good

[brussel]

it all depends on your fitness and what pace you ride at

 

In knysna this year I rode the 75 on half a bottle of water, most of a bottle of fastfuel and 2 gels in a bit over 3 hours. That was riding flat box. At that pace it is only glycogen reserves that are being used and you have not got much more than about 2 hours of gas in the tank, so you have to refuel.

 

I did a 3 hour training ride this week and ate a banana and 1 bottle of water riding at moderate intensity. Then you are burning fat as well as glycogen reserves so refuelling is less of an issue.

 

If riding multistage races it is important to eat better because you are eating for the next day, then the rule of thumb is an item every 60-90 minutes. A banana or an energy bar is an item.

 

The pros eat the same us mere mortals.The difference is they finish a long race in 3-4 hours, slow riders may take much longer. In knysna winning time was 2:58 and I know that there were many riders over the 6 hour mark.

[Musashi]

Some good advice here. Only a few people mentioned loading BEFORE the race. I use USN Enduro Sport and an energy bar 30 minutes before the race. I'm then fueled to go about 1.5 to 2 hours at a strong pace. For rides less than 5 hours I would take a 750ml bottle of USN Power HP for every additional hour and a GU just in case I need it (which is seldom). I also found bananas to be more digestible than energy bars.

 

It's also important to know that eating means blood is drawn away from the legs to the stomach (to digest the food and absorb the carbs). That might be why people feel a bit dead after eating something.

 

On longer rides, for example the TransBaviaans, I'll rely on Perpetum and will use mostly a liquid diet - digests easier.

 

The number of bottles become less important because on hot days you can use up to twice the amount of liquid than on a cool day. If you work on one bottle, say Power HP, per 1.5 hours, add a bottle of water if its hot to stay hydrated. Dehydration is a big drain on your power without realising it!

[Me-rider]

Holy cow - do you take toilet paperwith you on your "journey"? :-D

 

No but next event I plan to. I will then stand outside the toilet selling it... should pay for my entry.

[Dicky DQ]

It all comes down to training and fitness, well maybe a bit of fueling but not much.

 

I say this with authority now that it affects me too. When training better or more a 5hr hard ride was no problem, but now that the fitness is gone It is almost like a switch that gets thrown after about 2 - 2.5hrs. Bang I hit the wall and I am doing nothing different other than training less, well almost not at all.

 

No matter what you eat/drink, if your body is not used to the distance/intensity/time you will hit the wall. Why because you think you can in that time, but really you cant.