DC Feeding strategy

[Wannabe]

Hy there all you DC veterans.

Doing my first DC this year with a very relaxed group (time aimed at is between 8 to 9 hours ...ouch...) I would like to know what and when a person should eat on such a loooonnngggg ride, never been on my bike for that length of time before.

Quite sure the team has a strategy in place, as it is not their first DC, but I would like to be prepared for the day.

[bikemonster]

Statement of the obvious - whatever advice you get, try it on a training ride.

 

I'm not doing the DC, but I'm planning on enjoying a gourmet creation called the banana dog when I ride the One Tonner. Take a hot dog roll, add butter and peanut butter, and then add a banana. There may be more scientific options, but few that will taste as good!

[Tiny K]

Bikemonster - isn't that gonna make you slower? LOL.... you and JP can always join our group ride for the 1 tonner

[Mr Legs]

Wannabe

 

If your team breaks 8 hrs you will be in the first half of the field!

 

My experience is 2 DC's, both in about 8 hrs.

Start eating long before you feel hungry, ie at every stop I had a few bites of my wholegrain tomato and lettuce sarmies. On a long day such as the DC I like real food, one gets tired of processed energy bars. I also carry some raisins and banana with me. The gels and the high sugar content stuff I keep for emergencies, those last three hills in the last 20km.

[splat]

Take a range of things

muffins

fruit cake (like Xmas cake)

bananas

Pea Nut butter sarmies

jelly babies

gels and bars

coke

water

prefered energy drink

 

You will get sick of sweet stuff, so mix it up.

 

I usually overcater and have quite a bit of food left over. Rather that than being hungry...

 

By the time you get to the DC, you should have done a few long rides and know what you like and what works for you - stick to that and dont try anything different on the day. Race day is not the time for experiments...

[MariusL]

Your body uses up between 60+75g of carbs every hour (dependant on your weight, exercise intensity, fitness etc etc), so you need to make sure you replace those - before you deplete them. Check on the packaging of the products you use for their carb content, and use coordinally. eg powerbar gels +- 45g of carbs, 32Gi i think is about 75g of carbs. Remember to take into account breakfast and your day before carbo loading (and your body needs water to absord carbs, so make sure you have loads of h2O with your pasta).

 

But chuck in something salty - and real food - coz you get tired (hopefully not tyred )of all the sweet stuff... I usually take a piece of droewors or biltong along.

 

This stratergy got me through IronMan, and no doubt will get me through DC in a respectable time.

 

And remember, enjoy the scenery and the ride... B)

[VeloRacer]

Baby potatoes with some salt. Works like a bomb. Also refreshes the palet after eating all the sweet stuff.

[Maryks]

Start carboloading during the 3 days before the race (8-10g carbohydrates per kg body weight per day). Eat a low GI meal 3-4 hours before the race with a bit of protein. 5 minutes before the race eat something like a chocolate muffin or a sandwich with peanut butter or marmite (marmite helps in preventing cramps). During the race 50-60g carbohydrates per hour like bananas, energy drink, muffin, sandwich with peanut butter, jelly babies, potatoes, etc.

 

Directly after the race eat carbohydrates with a bit of protein to speed up recovery.

 

Hope this helps!!

[Maryke Verster: Sport Scientist]

[Wannabe]

Start carboloading during the 3 days before the race (8-10g carbohydrates per kg body weight per day). Eat a low GI meal 3-4 hours before the race with a bit of protein. 5 minutes before the race eat something like a chocolate muffin or a sandwich with peanut butter or marmite (marmite helps in preventing cramps). During the race 50-60g carbohydrates per hour like bananas, energy drink, muffin, sandwich with peanut butter, jelly babies, potatoes, etc.

 

Directly after the race eat carbohydrates with a bit of protein to speed up recovery.

 

Hope this helps!!

[Maryke Verster: Sport Scientist]

Thanks Maryke. Don't know if you've been following the 32GI thread or not, but I'm training on it now and plan to use it with DC. Would the sugary stuff like choc muffin, jelly babies and peanut butter not cause spikes? I know about Marmite, works a treat.

Will however try and get the Low GI Peanut butter variant. Will build me one of those peanut butter and banana broodjies for our training ride on Friday and give that one a go.

[bikemonster]

...Will build me one of those peanut butter and banana broodjies for our training ride on Friday and give that one a go.

 

Yessss!!!!!

 

Old age and cunning wins again!

 

Don't forget chocolate milkshake for a "scientifically formulated" recovery drink.

[Wannabe]

 

Don't forget chocolate milkshake for a "scientifically formulated" recovery drink.

Must be a McDonalds shake, they are the best..