Apologies...I know this question must be a repeat, but I am not having luck with my searches.

How do you handle pre-ride or on-ride nutrition when your ride starts really, really early, and it is a long ride?

I work afternoons & evenings, and I am a natural night person. In training, I normally get up around 9am, eat something by 10:30 or so, and start rides around noon.

For long, hard, organized rides, I often want to be on course by 5-6am. But, I have a HARD time thinking, walking and talking at that time, let alone eating. And, let alone eating a couple hours before the ride starts to give time for digestion.

What do you do for proper nutrition when you have 100+ miles to ride, starting at 5am, but getting to sleep around midnight, and not being a morning person?

I would love to hear how you all handle very early morning pre-ride nutrition. (If you know of previous threads and can direct me, I would be happy to read the older stuff!)