Caffeine before riding

[Jo-n-NY]

Thank you for posting this Emily. I have always wondered. I enjoy just one cup of coffee in the morning, but before rides some have said that it dehydrates you. I have not found that to happen to me, however, find like everyday, perform at my best with just that one cup. I will know "really" enjoy drinking my cup of coffee before my ride.

Just to touch a bit on what others have mentioned, my Grandmother is 98 and has and still does drink coffee, black, throughout the day and has no heart or bone problems. My dh Grandmother lived to 100, drank coffe and expresso (with sambuca sp?) everynight and had not heart or bone problems. Maybe it depends on the individual and how their body handles. Maybe it is a hereditary thing. hmmmm

~ JoAnn

[cinnamon_toast]

The US Postal team bus had a built-in cappuccino maker. I am pretty sure that most of the riders indulged in pre-race coffees. One other benefit (if you're going on a long ride) is that it gets your bowels moving. I really can't go on without my morning coffee and the caffeinated gels REALLY made a difference for me when I was training for a marathon years ago.

[RoadRaven]

Oh yes, wise use of caffiene (to wake up or stay awake, to finish an essay due the next day, to race...) is a gooood thing.

SuzyBrd... yes caffeine does elevate the HR... but in a race this can be a good thing. Before a TT (time trial) for example, you ride about, warming up your muscles, for as long as you can until the start... but the other thing you are doing as you ride back and forth is you are lifting your heart rate so you can start and get straight into maximum effort.

I TT, and I always have a "V" (similar to Red Bull I guess). In 250ml of liquid it gives me 78mg of caffiene and 28g of sugar. I drink it about 10mins before my start time.... I use that timing because after a morning coffee i feel it hit my system 10-15 minutes after drinking it.

I also take a GU a minute and a half from starting - it will kick in and give me extra punch in my thighs when I am 10-15 minutes from the finish line.