Longer rides and "bonking"

[Wahine]

I know it's "normal" but salt is one of those things I actually avoid really well.

Avoiding sodium is not necessarily a good thing. Unless you know you have a sodium sensitivity that affects your health negatively, then you need to start taking in more sodium. If you know you have a sodium sensitivity, you should consult with your doctor to find a solution.

I drink tons of water no issue but I now recall issues when I was showing horses with replenishing it with enough salt on a particularly bad 98* day. I got really sick and may have had the beginnings of water intoxication,

This is more evidence that you likely need more electrolytes than what you are currently getting.

I also will look into something to eat after (protein), since that is a big problem for me. I never want to eat after a long ride. I am thinking some greek yogurt right when I get home is probably in order because that's one of those "goodies" I can never turn down.

This is a good thought.

Meanwhile, I found this article this morning on Beginner Triathlete, it sums up some of the nutritional issues related to activity. I don't agree with everything said here, but most of it is good info and might give you a better understanding of the big picture.

[colorisnt]

Thanks for that. I don't have a sodium sensitivity that I know of. I think I just don't much like the taste and avoid it for this reason.

I read the article and that really helps me get the bigger picture, so thanks again. I think I need to keep with my shots I have left over from last year (the clif ones). I will also try a couple more options and try to see the sports nutrition place in town for some recs. I know now what I need to look for (something with electrolytes BEFORE a ride and something for during to drink). I think my biggest issue is that I don't get enough of what I need before I get started and then I feel crappy and don't want to eat/drink more. The next day, I'm not feeling great because of the choices I made pre/during/post ride. I would like to stop that from happening this year!

[Becky]

I'm fairly sensitive to the flavor of salt, meaning that a small amount tastes very salty to me. I use either Skratch Labs mixes and Elete electrolyte concentrate in water, depending on the ride. Neither has an overly-strong salty taste, and the flavor of the Skratch is light enough that I can keep drinking it at proper concentration even when it's hot (unlike Gatorade or some of the other mixes...).

In the end, it comes down to what tastes good to you, sits well in your stomach, and provides the nutrients you need. This may take some trial and error, but it's worth the experiment.

[colorisnt]

I have some Nuun tablets to try now, too. I bought some ages ago and lost them but found them again now. Will try them on the "long" 30-miler this weekend.

I also picked up some sun butter. I think that could be a good protein-rich snack for me (a PB&J). It tasted pretty good to me today.

[colorisnt]

UPDATE: Had electrolytes on the bike, clif shot blocks, and a sun butter and jelly sandwhiches. Ate a big breakfast about 1.5 hours before we left. Altogether, I felt great. The BF was a bit hung over from night before hijinx but he felt better after some electrolytes.

I am thinking it is definitely a lot do with the electrolytes! I wasn't AS hungry today and forced myself to have a little yogurt off the bike. I did take electrolytes with me on the bike again for my ten mile ride, too. So, almost 50 miles this weekend and I was still good.

[Melalvai]

I have had similar experiences and Nuun or Endurolyte tablets made all the difference in the world. I don't like artificial sweeteners, which unfortunately they have, but they work so well that I just accept it. But there is something else that does really well that doesn't have artificial anything-- V8! It has more sodium & potassium than Gatorade, but no added sugars-- if you get the original. The low sodium has sugar-- but you don't want the low sodium anyway. I don't remember if the spicy one has sugar. Probably!

The only thing V8 doesn't have is magnesium and I have found that magnesium during the bike ride prevents charley horses at night. I think you can get magnesium separately, I don't know. I haven't tried that yet, I just use V8 and Nuun. The other downside to V8 is it's heavy compared to a pack of Nuun tablets.

[OakLeaf]

Nuun U Naturals don't have artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Neither does Skratch Labs, but to me it's much easier to carry tablets. Both of those have magnesium.

For me, supplementing magnesium off the bike prevents the nighttime cramps.

[ny biker]

Thanks for that. I don't have a sodium sensitivity that I know of. I think I just don't much like the taste and avoid it for this reason.

I read the article and that really helps me get the bigger picture, so thanks again. I think I need to keep with my shots I have left over from last year (the clif ones). I will also try a couple more options and try to see the sports nutrition place in town for some recs. I know now what I need to look for (something with electrolytes BEFORE a ride and something for during to drink). I think my biggest issue is that I don't get enough of what I need before I get started and then I feel crappy and don't want to eat/drink more. The next day, I'm not feeling great because of the choices I made pre/during/post ride. I would like to stop that from happening this year!

You can make your own sports drink. I think the Nancy Clark book has a recipe. Orange juice, a bit of table salt, a few other ingredients.

You can also try having a saltier-than-usual dinner the night before a long ride. Soups tend to be pretty salty, as do some kinds of cheese.

I have friends who eat potato chips and drink V8 juice during rest stops on hot days. My stomach would not tolerate that (I can't drink tomato juice under any circumstances without getting sick). But they find that it helps a lot and they prefer it to gels and electrolyte tablets. If you do go with gels, I've found that Gu Roctane and Power Gels have more sodium than some other brands.

For after the ride, drinking juice can be a good way to get some quick calories if you don't feel like eating. They don't have protein, though. Yogurt is good, a smoothie with juice and yogurt would be good, cereal with milk can also work.

[OakLeaf]

I don't like my food salty either, plus I'm a heavy sweater, and it took me literally DECADES to figure out why I would get sick for days at a time, unable to eat much or drink almost any water, to the point that I ended up on an IV once (when they finally found a vein, which wasn't easy, as dehydrated as I was). Doctors never figured it out, because they think no one ever eats anything that doesn't come out of a box with several grams of salt already added.

Any more, I don't even drink much plain water in hot weather or when I'm in a heavy training phase. I toss a Nuun U Naturals tablet in almost every bottle.

Gatorade is actually kind of light on electrolytes when you really need to replenish them, but it'll help, and it's what most organized rides use. Personally I just can't tolerate fructose during exercise (not even natural fructose from fresh fruit or honey), so drinks with HFCS are right out for me.

[colorisnt]

Yeah, HFCS makes me sick in high concentration, so I water it down to almost nothing. It doesn't help all that much then. I will try the Skratch Labs or the Nuun U Naturals stuff.

The main issue I have is I also have a citric acid intolerance. I can only take a bit of citric acid (tomato juice would kill me, too, for that reason). I have have about a 6 oz glass of juice after which point, I will start to have issues and develop sores on my scalp, mouth, and in "sensitive" areas, which is a shame because I LOVE smoothies and I LOVE pineapple/banana/orange juice best of all. I've tried to see if it still happens periodically and it does. So, smoothies (depending on what's in them) are a great thing, but maybe not something I can do depending on what is in them.

I know I should live in a bubble and I sound difficult but I think you guys are right in that Sodium is just not "there" for me. I don't eat a lot of processed stuff. My cooking is sodium-light. So, I could see why I'm not getting enough. I'm a pretty healthy eater most of the time.