Eating 3-4 hours before a race/hard training - I dont get it

[RoboLuke]

So after reading yet another book on cycling this part I don't get, this book, and others say that you must eat like 3-4 hours before a race.

 

My understanding was always that my leg muscles would be refilled during the night, so we only have to fill up blood sugar levels.

 

Now If I eat a bar, or a gell...I can FEEL the energy within 15 minutes....Im pretty sure that if I don't do something about that energy soon that it will start making fat.

 

So why there long prescriber time periods? 3 hours?

 

When I train I will eat first thing when I wake up. Usually 1 hour before Im riding, maybe 2.

 

??

[Unknown MTBR]

Just remember, in Europe the races start at around 9-11am, so for them it is very easy to eat 3 hours before the time!

 

For us when starting 6am or 6:30, not so easy!

The reason i would think that the food has already been broken down and easy to be used once the going gets hard, where if your body still needs to break the food down it would take longer for your muscles to get the nutrients.

[Wez-O]

Nothing quite like that 4am pre-race force feeding

[spy]

a lot go guys get up at 3-4am eat and then go back to bed to start there race at 7:30.

[Cyclewizz]

I'm no scientist but I'd think that if you eat 3-4 hours before a race the food (energy) would have been processed and you'd need another meal.

 

I normally have a meal 1 hour before a race.

[TALUS]

My take on it: "Bloodsugar" is really only the part that is in transit. The main concern is really the amount that you used for metabolism during fasting/ sleep and thus were taken from your stores. Also your digestion is markedly altered when the body is put under stress (the fight or flight reaction). Thus you want to top up your stores - your actual stores are fat, but we understand the intermediate store to be Glycogen- and this must be largely digested before the race starts. This is where the low vs high G.I argument really start... (This can also be written in 30 000 words or more).

[jcza]

My take on it: "Bloodsugar" is really only the part that is in transit. The main concern is really the amount that you used for metabolism during fasting/ sleep and thus were taken from your stores. Also your digestion is markedly altered when the body is put under stress (the fight or flight reaction). Thus you want to top up your stores - your actual stores are fat, but we understand the intermediate store to be Glycogen- and this must be largely digested before the race starts. This is where the low vs high G.I argument really start... (This can also be written in 30 000 words or more).

 

Make sure your glycogen stores are full at the start. We all have loads of fat and protein isn't fuel.

 

Hi GI for me 2.5 hours pre-race. Wake up, eat and go back to bed.

[the racing bug]

if im racing, i eat 2hrs before and i eat oats which is rich in carbs...needed for when the going gets tough..as u dont want carb depletion when u racing, then the bonk sets in...whilst racing i eat gels/winegums/energy sweets as this gets into the system quick and it works....those energy bars which i take as well takes a little longer to work and get the system going...so eating carbs before racing is advised to avoid energy depletion hence the bonk...