Are there any sources of meal plans to consider the week or a few days before a Century gravel ride with equivalent gain in elecation? I believe carb density is key, but not sure on how to manage each day and how soon to begin.
Thanks.
From what I see, for most people that generally eat healthy to support the amount of mileage necessary to complete an endurance event, any changes to diet should really only be the day before (sometimes even just the dinner before). This would generally be carb heavy meals the day prior.
I also increase my salt intake the day prior. I usually have two packets of LMNT over the day, and salt my dinner quite a bit the night before.
Iād also choose mostly healthy complex carbs leading up to it. No need to cram a bunch of crappy sugars down the day before.
Everyone is different, but the night before a race I like to have a burger and bunch of French fries, made at home, so I know exactly how itās prepared. This has always settled well with my stomach.
The morning of the race I treat about the same as any 80-100 mile long weekend ride. For me, itās a big bowl of steel cut oatmeal with a banana and honey.
Others may be able to chime in with more info, but based on what Iāve researched and experimented with, the above has worked well for me.
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I think it can depend on how significant the ride is for you.
For a rider that does such rides regularly and frequently, there will probably be nothing special to do in preparation for it.
For someone who has never done one before, they probably want to have a couple of days of filling their nosebag with their preferred pasta based dishes.
Fuelling properly on the day and during the ride is more important, isnāt it?
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I donāt have any specific nutritional advice, but I will advise you to practice whatever you plan to do prior to the event. Hopefully this event is far off enough that you can get a couple of practice runs in before the main event so you can adjust if needed.
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My understanding of nutrition for endurance races longer than ninety minutes in duration is to load carbohydrates for 24-36 hours pre-race at 8-10 g/kg bodyweight, stick with low fibre sources, have a large pre-race meal about three hours before race, and a high carb snack thirty to sixty minutes before race.
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Pretty sure this is not correct and in āno manās landā - basically, take in carbs, long enough to get an insulin response, and feel like crap on the bike to start. If itās a lot anyways.
I do 2+ hours beforehand (ideally 2.5-3), and then start my fueling right before I start.
If itās a training ride or a long ride you do frequently, and youāre taking in something slower absorbing it doesnāt matter much. But race day and with gels I notice a difference.
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What do you consume in the 30-60 mins leading up to the race?
Me? Nothing.
I do a couple bagels with PB, or a bowl of white rice with eggs 2.5 ish hours before. Then nothing until the gel going out the start.
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Sounds good, yes I eat a lot 2-3 hrs before, but unsure what the proper protocol is before. Sometimes itās been a banana and gel. Last race was just a gel with 20mg caffeine about 15 mins before and I felt that worked out well.
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I think 15 minutes before is fine. Iāve done a gel 15 minutes before so itās hitting right as Iām getting underway, and another as I leave.
I think 30-60 is too much though.
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Do you all not take in nutrition during your warmup? My warmup lasts 20-30 minutes and starts 45 minutes before the start (when racing). I typically sip on my race fuel during and after.
If I was a top-level pro I might do that, but for us āmere mortalsā, Iām definitely not doing a long warmup before a 100 mile ride/race. Some dynamic stretching, probably, but nothing too major.
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I usually try to make a floor out of something more slow digesting like normal food with protein, a bit of fibre ,etc. You do that the 2 days before and for breakfast the day before, Then you start layering in the rice and other carbs that you want to have available in the race.
You donāt want to feel hungry when you are carb loading your rice because that means itās being use right away which is not the point you want to just have finished digesting breakfast from the day before right in the first bit of the ride and then have the pure carbs be right next in line easily accessible
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