Lesson learned, make sure I eat before I ride!

[LoriO]

Learned a good lesson today...I am such a dope!

I work midnights so I sleep during the day. Got up today around 1630, did a few quick things around the house and then decided to go for my ride. So, I had done about 8 miles with some good sized hills and then stopped to chat with my barn owner who was out in her yard (the barn where I keep my horse is also on my bike route). Well, I was standing there chatting with her and I suddenly started getting light headed and dizzy and feeling like I was going to pass out.

At first I didn't know why then the lightbulb went on. D'oh, I forgot to eat before I left!!! So I hadn't had anything to eat since about 5 that morning. I am such a ditz!

Thankfully I have a supply of valentine conversation hearts in my tack trunk at the barn (my horse loves those things!) I went and raided my supply and within a few minutes I was feeling much better.

So my advice to all, make sure you eat before you ride!

[shootingstar]

Yes, 12 hrs. of not eating. Maybe not enough liquid during same time period.

15 yrs. ago I used to often jump onto the bike for a 16 km. ride to work after not eating for 12 hrs. No more than a glass of milk. Since it was a functional ride, I rode at a clip to get to work. By the end, I was ravenous.

Now I have to eat abit more to start off.

[Reesha]

I hear you Lori! I bike commute to work and need to leave at 5:30 AM every day. At first I didn't have anything for my 12 mile ride, but I soon realized that a 100 calorie gel was the perfect pick me up breakfast. I keep them in my nightstand so I can have one right when I wake up 30 minutes before departure ;)

[txred9876]

I also found out you need to keep refueling if you are going to go any distance. I thought I had....but not enough and had the same light headed dizziness yesterday. I always keep sports beans with me (that is about all I can tollerate).

[pinkpedalsUT]

Reesha, those a 100 cal energy gels are a life saver. A close friend recommended them to me. I always keep a couple with me. I have been biking to school since the weather have been nicer and a couple of months ago made the same mistake of not eating and ending up missing class.

[Reesha]

Totally! I discovered their effectiveness when, like a genius, I embarked on a 50 mile bike ride with a bunch of guys having only eaten a veggie omelet for breakfast. We hit the loooong climb and my legs just felt completely "on E". One of the guys gave me his Powerbar gel and within ten minutes they had rallied from the brink of death! It was awesome to feel the effects in action.

[Cataboo]

I keep some cliff shot blocks on my bike. Especially the ones with caffeine. They help if I bonk.

[LoriO]

Yeah, I need to pick up a couple of those energy gels to keep in my bike.

I wasn't planning a long ride and just totally blanked out on grabbing something to eat before I left. I know better know, even if it is just a large handful of raisens or something like that!

[Reesha]

I keep some cliff shot blocks on my bike. Especially the ones with caffeine. They help if I bonk.

Oh man, the cliff shots are the best tasting ones EVERRRR! But for me, they don't work as well as gu. I try to avoid the caffeine ones, but at 5:30 AM it makes me go weeeeeeee!

[Jiffer]

I usually have a piece of toast with peanut butter before a ride. I typically ride first thing in the morning, though. If it were afternoon or evening, it would depend on when I ate last and how long/hard I intended to ride. My husband can easily ride on nothing. Maybe not nothing "all day" and then ride, but nothing before a morning ride. But, yes, it sucks to get out there and realize you have zero energy all of a sudden.

I learned on my long and grueling climbing century, when the weather was not too bad, but hotter than expected (80's), that I need to "make myself" drink more. And I DID drink more, but apparently not enough. About half way through the ride, I wasn't feeling so great. Losing energy and my stomach wasn't feeling so great. I knew I needed to fuel, but the thought of eating or drinking anything at all was not appealing. I was probably dehydrated. If I had drank more to begin with, I might have avoided this.

Dh had warned me too, not because of the heat, because it was supposed to be in the 70's, but because of the higher elevation than I usually ride.

Anywho, lesson learned by both of us. :)

[Biciclista]

I hear you Lori! I bike commute to work and need to leave at 5:30 AM every day. At first I didn't have anything for my 12 mile ride, but I soon realized that a 100 calorie gel was the perfect pick me up breakfast. I keep them in my nightstand so I can have one right when I wake up 30 minutes before departure ;)

Reesha, what is that design in your signature?

[Reesha]

Two botched ASCII squirrels! They looked great, but for some reason vBulletin won't keep the extra spaces where they belong :(

When I think of something new and exciting for my signature I'll add it... but for now I've got ASCII roadkill! :D

[Photoflygirl]

I can see the squirrels, they're cute!

I learned about eating before riding...I always eat a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries for brkfast. One day, I waited longer than usual to go for a ride, I felt fine through the ride, but almost fell over immediately after getting off the bike. I now carry some kind of bar with me. I haven't tried the gu or gel stuff yet.

[Reesha]

Well, the gels are certainly fast acting and they have that going for them. I know a lot of people that can't get over the mouth "feel" of them. I suspect it takes some acquiring and adjusting for some.

I have my favorites though!

At the top for deliciousness:
Carb BOOM! Raspberry
CLIF Raspberry
CLIF Mango

At the top for performance:
Gu (any flavor, but tri-berry and chocolate are good... I bet they'd be good together!)
Powerbar gels

[cylegoddess]

http://www.summitpost.org/article/239378/home-made-power-gels-energy-for-less.html

Someone posted this, it has some recipes for the gluten intolerant( glucose is made from wheat) and nongrain people.
Havent made them yet( I made fudge, sadly!) but its on my list!