What's the easiest way to intake nutrients during a ride/run

[TsPoet]

Just wondering - when you are riding/running for long enough to need sustenance, what method to you find to be the easiest/most convenient to do so?

[VeloVT]

Well, now, I don't t know how to vote. I prefer gels when running (although I only take them on runs over 14 miles or so, which I haven't done in a while). But I usually rely on sports drink on the bike.

[Norse]

I can't vote, because I use all 3. One bottle with water, one with Gatorade, a gel pack and either one or several of these (depending on length of ride): sports bar, roasted salted nuts, dried fruit such as figs or apricots, crunchy peanut butter sandwich.

[ny biker]

I generally go with gels and gatorade. But I also drink water. Generally every other bottle is gatorade.

I can't tolerate solid food on hot days, which is most of my riding.

[MartianDestiny]

I, unfortunately, haven't found anything that's particularly convenient or easy when I'm running at my max trying to keep in the pack :/

I do use HEED (electrolyte + energy) in my bottles, and I really like it, but there are times I'm just going too fast, too close to get to my bottles confidently, and also I find I tend to need "solid" fuel even with this on rides over about 1hr.

I just recently switched from Power bar "Smoothie" bars (basically fruit leathers), which were great for nutrition/energy but hard to eat (require quite a bit of chewing, and sometimes hard to get a bite).

Now I'm trying several different gel chews to see if those are easier. Currently on Cliff "Shot bloks". Much easier to eat than the Power Bars, but I'm not convinced they provide as much energy/fuel, and unfortunately they are more expensive :( Still have the problem of being going too fast or too close to reach back and grab them. That's just something I guess I'm going to have to work on.

I'll be following this with interest to see if someone has come up with the miracle cure, LOL.

[Chile Pepper]

It took me a while to get used to gels. They just didn't satisfy my hunger, as my body didn't recognize them as substance. Now I like them for medium-length rides. For longer rides, I like a combination of gels and solids--typically either a sports bar, a banana, or a PBJ.

[GLC1968]

Easiest on the stomach, easiest for the body to utilize or easiest as it requires the least amount of coordination to do while riding/running?

These things are all different for me. Easiest to physically consume while riding for me would be liquid nutrition, but my stomach can't take it. Easiest on my stomach would be gels, but I almost can't handle the texture/taste of most of them, so they can be difficult to consume for me. Easiest on my mouth would be real food, but then, that's not always easy to digest and is often really difficult to eat while riding.

And I don't run for distance, so I have no idea what would work best for me there.

[shootingstar]

Water and a solid of something...a fruit, softer type of bar, etc.

Haven't gotten into sports drinks, not even on the long, hot self-loaded touring rides for several wks. I tend to prefer a natural fruit juice if i wanted a liquid with more energy than water.

Haven't tried gels yet. I might if I was given nothing else and desperate.
My body does tend to prefer real food.

[Bike Chick]

I use Power Bars before a run and during a ride and use gels during both runs and rides. I stick to water for hydration.

Be careful washing gels down with Gatorade. During the MS150 a couple years ago I drank more Gatorade than water that weekend because of the heat and ended up with thrush in my mouth and throat. It was very painful and I have stayed away from Gatorade ever since.

[Biciclista]

i have rarely used gels. I drink a lot, and eat food too. Energy bars are great. they make some that are delicious and digestible.

[oz rider]

I'm not sure how to vote either, cos it depends on the distance. I'll usually use a banana first, then a Cadel bar (tastiest, not just cos he's Aussie heheh) and then gels. If it's a big day (200km) I'd take along some date loaf or something tasty as well. And just plain water; some sports drinks don't agree with me so I don't bother with them any more.

[OakLeaf]

Another "it depends."

On the bike, HEED in my water bottles for anything over an hour and a half (pretty much every ride). Over four hours, I need protein, and my first choice is a tuna salad or egg salad sandwich at a snack stop.

For running, gels. I don't put anything but water and Endurolytes in my hydration bladder because of the difficulty cleaning it. I experimented with various natural substances in lieu of gels (rice syrup, barley malt, molasses), and I seem to do okay with these during the run, but afterward, if I had more than a nominal amount of fructose, my stomach will be upset for hours. So it's commercial gels for me.

Again, over about three hours (definitely a shorter time running than riding) I need protein. I'm still experimenting. Yesterday I mixed up some Perpetuem paste, which I really dislike using soy protein, but hope it won't hurt me if I only use it on rare occasions. It was near impossible to dispense, but what I could get into my mouth went down fine and seemed to sustain me really well. I'm thinking next time I try this, I'll wrap "loaves" of it in waxed paper. Anyone else who mixes Perpetuem paste, how do you dispense it? Really, I'd like to try some hummus on a run. Again, I think I'd have to form it into loaves, wrap them in waxed paper, and freeze them before a run, but it's worth a try...

[staceysue]

I fill my water bottles about 1/4 full of real lemonade and maybe eat a nut rollup if I need it. It seems to do the trick fpr me, but I don't cycle competitively.

[XMcShiftersonX]

I do all three on a given ride. Obviously reaching for your water bottle and downing some Perpetuem is the easier of the options, so you don't have to stop etc. But, I am learning how to eat Gu while riding so I don't waste time stopping, and next will be Clif bars :)

[roadie gal]

Sports drink during the ride and then, depending on the intensity and the heat, either a recovery drink or food after. I use a custom Infinit mixture on my rides and runs.

[indysteel]

I'm not currently running and, even when I am, I don't do it for any great distance.

For my longer rides, I carry one bottle of Cytomax Sport and one bottle of water. I've never really liked gels and ten to stick to real food. Bananas are probably my first choice. Easy to eat, easy to carry.

I've worn braces since late 2007 and that somewhat limits what I can eat during rides because I don't really like the sensation of having a bunch of stuff stuck in my braces and teeth. I used to rely heavily on Clif Blocs, but I struggle with them because of my braces. If they're soft, I do okay though.

For my longest of rides--RAIN for instance--when the official SAG stops are few and far between, I keep cut up Payday bars in my top tube bag and eat a square of it every 20 minutes or so. If there are official stops, I might have a PB&J or fruit, maybe a cookie or two or some trail mix. I never eat a lot at one time during a ride.

[MartianDestiny]

PAYDAY bars, Genius! I think I'm going to have to that trick.

[NbyNW]

For longer rides the most important thing for me is to have a good breakfast. If I start my ride with low blood sugar then there's no catching up.

My stomach doesn't upset easily, so during the ride I just eat real food but try to keep it light. Banana, PB&J, or soup/sandwich if there's a nice place to stop. DH drinks half-strength Gatorade since he tends to lose a lot of salt.

I keep gels or nutrition bars handy but rarely get around to using them.

[Norse]

My stomach IS sensitive during rides, especially longer rides. I have found that it is helpful to start out with a bowl of oatmeal before heading out. For long rides/event days I never eat eggs or meat (no matter how much I love such food otherwise) for breakfast. For supported rides, I will look for bananas, orange slices, salted nut rolls and peanut butter sandwiches at the stops. Bananas especially help prevent leg cramps late in the ride.

My favorite - in terms of doing the job, tasty and no upset tummy - post-ride recovery item is to mix chocolate flavored whey protein with mostly milk and a little water. Sort of a shake.