Riding a Century - TIS question

[crazycanuck]

I have a hard time reaching into my jersey pocket somedays so i put my cliff bloks/shots/sandwiches in my sports bra. Easy to reach

[Catrin]

I will experiment with this over the weekend

[jobob]

I have changed my riding goals for this fall, instead of doing a 200k brevet in 3 weeks, I will ride a century before the winter.

I have found this "wall" at about 5-5.5 hours into my ride. I think it is more a time-in-saddle issue than an actual mileage thing - right now that is about 68-70 miles for me [...]

Catrin, I think you're making a very wise choice here, and I applaud your self-awareness!

As far as I can tell, most everyone attempting to ride very long distances (100+ mile) has a "wall" of one sort or another, and for many it seems to be at around the 60-70 mile mark. That could be one reason why metric centuries are so popular.

It's so easy to underestimate the physical and psychological barrier that one has to cross when transitioning from 60-70 mile rides to 100+ mile rides. From my own personal experience, and seeing others' experiences (first-hand and from ride reports), it's by no means a linear progression.

Granted, some people have an easier go of it, but I'll bet even the studliest have a hiccup or two transitioning from metric century distances to 100+ mile distances. Perhaps those studly folks hit their own walls transitioning from double metrics to double centuries. Bah.

I think you & everyone else who responded are quite right in that a lot of it is time in the saddle and nutrition, they definitely go hand in hand. Many people can wing it, nutrition-wise, up until around that 60 mile mark. Beyond that distance, you really need to figure out what works for you, and that takes trial & error, which takes time in the saddle.

There'll be plenty of other 200K brevets for you to go for once you've made it over that wall. And you will.

[ridebikeme]

I definitely agree with all of the comments from everyone. I'd also like to offer another option. I have a few customers that use Hammer Perpetuem, and have had VERY good luck. It is based on drinking a bottle every hour, and for the multi hour events, you simply use the chart supplied to mix bottles. ( it's based on your weight) Not only does it replace nutrients that you need, it's also becomes your drink AND your food.

I have just started using this myself, and it's great! I plan on using it this weekend on a multi hour mtn bike ride.

If any of you should try it, I'd be interested in your thoughts if you'd like to share.

[ny biker]

I eat/drink the same stuff (gu roctane, water, gatorade) regardless of how long the ride is -- the only difference is how much of it I consume. I also eat a larger-than-usual breakfast before a long ride, and a larger-than-usual dinner the night before. Plus I've learned the hard way to make sure I eat normally for breakfast and lunch the day before, or else I'll wind up hungry during the ride.

If I start to feel like crap on a ride, I pull over and have a snack. Even if the next rest stop is only a few miles away. It always helps. It helps to clear your head, too.

However I think I recall that you mentioned in another thread that you're diabetic -- if I'm remembering right, I don't know how this might affect things, if at all.

[OakLeaf]

I use Perpetuem for supported centuries, marathons and long (20+ mile) marathon training runs. I try to minimize my soy intake - especially isolated soy protein - so the only time I use Perpetuem is when I know I won't be able to get protein at a store. It does supply my protein needs over a long run or ride.

There are also whey-based protein supplements, but I can't use those and expect to perform at all.

[jobob]

I have a few customers that use Hammer Perpetuem, and have had VERY good luck.

I've tried Perpetuem, but for some reason it makes me a bit queasy when I'm doing a hard effort like climbing. On the other hand, I have some friends who swear by it, so there you go, to each their own. One friend mixes it up in a very concentrated gel-like slurry and consumes it out of a gel bottle, with good results.

What has worked well for me on long rides is a drink called Spiz - similar to Perpetuem, but the ingredients in Spiz work much better for me than those in Perpetuem. At least they did a couple of years ago when I last tried Perpetuem.

I think Spiz still has to be purchased directly from the manufacturer, but Randy will send you a free sample.

http://www.spiz.net/

[OakLeaf]

One friend mixes it up in a very concentrated gel-like slurry and consumes it out of a gel bottle, with good results.

That's what I do for running. For cycling, I just keep the powder in a ziploc bag and mix it as needed. It doesn't keep that long. One pre-measured bag per day, I just eyeball the amount that goes in each bottle.

[DarcyInOregon]

Catrin, there is good advice in the commentary. The only thing I can add is one, that you are diabetic, so your body is going to be different on a long ride than it will be for the cyclists who are not diabetic and two, it is really important what you eat off the bike also, not only on bike days but on rest days.

There is one aspect of the off-the-bike nutrition that some cyclists ignore, but this is important to the older cyclists as the aging body just can't get away with what it can when it is younger, and that is the cycling burns a lot of calories, so it isn't about Total Calories, but it is about Net Calories. The formula is Calories Consumed minus Calories Burned equals Net Calories. For older females, Net Calories must be the minimum of 1200 calories so as to eat the right amount of calories that provide the nutrients that heal and nourish the body cells that are damaged during training, and to prevent the loss of muscle and bone density. The reality is as the rides get longer, the calorie burn gets higher, and the bike days turn into days where the Net Calories might consistently be under zero, not even close to 1200. This is a cummulative effect and it means the body isn't getting enough protein and nutrients to repair the muscles, fatigue sets in, and the ability to go further distances withers. Thus, the matter of improving distance is simply a matter of maintaining a food and exercise log so as to track Calories Consumed and Calories Burned so that nutrition all seven days a week becomes just as important as the nutrition on each ride.

[Catrin]

I have tried Perpetuam and my stomach/body just doesn't care for it. Accelerade, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. It has more nutrients than Perpetuam and my stomach/body tolerates it just fine

Darcy, that is certain a good thing to keep in mind and makes perfect sense. I use "Lose It" a free app on my iPhone where I keep track of diet and exercise, and looking back over the months I see that my net calories for most days are certainly below 1,200, and on my long ride days are often closer to 500 or below.

I can't say that I haven't been told about this, but forgot about it...Yep, I need more calories....

For example, I just got in from spinning class and after completing my log for today I only wind up with net calories of 507! Well, to be fair, I was already 400 calories below my daily budget before class...

[DarcyInOregon]

Catrin, calorie deficits are what I struggle with because I cycle a lot of miles. It is real hard for me to eat enough calories because I only eat heart healthy, which isn't caloric, not like the average American going through the fast food drive-thru and consuming thousands of calories in one unhealthy meal.

I've learned to use whey powder to add more protein into my diet and that is helping, particularly with rapid muscle recovery. I no longer suffer from leg muscle fatigue. On the days I do longer rides I will use whey protein powder twice, not just once.

Here is an article that is slightly helpful, and which pinpoints the problem about how the calorie deficits affect performance on the bike. You can link to Active:Cycling on Facebook and have their articles show up on your Facebook page.

http://www.active.com/cycling/Articl...tm_medium=feed

[Crankin]

I think the advice about eating enough on the days before a long ride is very sage. This summer, I mistakenly tried to ride on days when I had had not eaten very big meals. Although these were not long rides, it was very hot and I was riding a lot more consecutive days in a row. It just doesn't work for me unless I pay very close attention to how hungry I feel. And this often means that I eat a Luna Bar as soon as I start riding, even though I have had a good breakfast.
It's hard to do this when everyone around me doesn't need to eat as much as I do!

[alpinerabbit]

No one has mentioned salt except for almonds before.

I just did an almost-a-century (150K) and the thing that really picked me up at 105 k was two cups of broth. Don't know why.

[OakLeaf]

Very true. Everyone's been talking about sports drinks, which generally have enough sodium *if* you drink them as directed, but no one's mentioned sodium by name. It took me literally decades to learn to take in enough sodium, and to recognize the symptoms when I haven't. Now I'm afraid I'm getting too much ... why I'm thinking of seeing a sports nutritionist. No idea how to tell, without blood tests or actual symptoms.

[ny biker]

I have found that gu roctane, which has more sodium (and other stuff) than regular gu, is worth the higher price. I feel much better on hot days than I used to, since I started using it.