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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Berlin, CT
    Posts
    231

    Lesson learned, make sure I eat before I ride!

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    Learned a good lesson today...I am such a dope!

    I work midnights so I sleep during the day. Got up today around 1630, did a few quick things around the house and then decided to go for my ride. So, I had done about 8 miles with some good sized hills and then stopped to chat with my barn owner who was out in her yard (the barn where I keep my horse is also on my bike route). Well, I was standing there chatting with her and I suddenly started getting light headed and dizzy and feeling like I was going to pass out.

    At first I didn't know why then the lightbulb went on. D'oh, I forgot to eat before I left!!! So I hadn't had anything to eat since about 5 that morning. I am such a ditz!

    Thankfully I have a supply of valentine conversation hearts in my tack trunk at the barn (my horse loves those things!) I went and raided my supply and within a few minutes I was feeling much better.

    So my advice to all, make sure you eat before you ride!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Western Canada-prairies, mountain & ocean
    Posts
    6,984
    Yes, 12 hrs. of not eating. Maybe not enough liquid during same time period.

    15 yrs. ago I used to often jump onto the bike for a 16 km. ride to work after not eating for 12 hrs. No more than a glass of milk. Since it was a functional ride, I rode at a clip to get to work. By the end, I was ravenous.

    Now I have to eat abit more to start off.
    My Personal blog on cycling & other favourite passions.
    遙知馬力日久見人心 Over a long distance, you learn about the strength of your horse; over a long period of time, you get to know what’s in a person’s heart.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    1,249
    I hear you Lori! I bike commute to work and need to leave at 5:30 AM every day. At first I didn't have anything for my 12 mile ride, but I soon realized that a 100 calorie gel was the perfect pick me up breakfast. I keep them in my nightstand so I can have one right when I wake up 30 minutes before departure
    Help me reach my $8,000 goal for the American Lung Association! Riding Seattle to D.C. for clean air! http://larissaridesforcleanair.org
    http://action.lungusa.org/goto/larissapowers

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Newport, OR
    Posts
    323
    I also found out you need to keep refueling if you are going to go any distance. I thought I had....but not enough and had the same light headed dizziness yesterday. I always keep sports beans with me (that is about all I can tollerate).

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Posts
    3
    Reesha, those a 100 cal energy gels are a life saver. A close friend recommended them to me. I always keep a couple with me. I have been biking to school since the weather have been nicer and a couple of months ago made the same mistake of not eating and ending up missing class.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    1,249
    Totally! I discovered their effectiveness when, like a genius, I embarked on a 50 mile bike ride with a bunch of guys having only eaten a veggie omelet for breakfast. We hit the loooong climb and my legs just felt completely "on E". One of the guys gave me his Powerbar gel and within ten minutes they had rallied from the brink of death! It was awesome to feel the effects in action.
    Help me reach my $8,000 goal for the American Lung Association! Riding Seattle to D.C. for clean air! http://larissaridesforcleanair.org
    http://action.lungusa.org/goto/larissapowers

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    2,841
    I keep some cliff shot blocks on my bike. Especially the ones with caffeine. They help if I bonk.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Berlin, CT
    Posts
    231
    Yeah, I need to pick up a couple of those energy gels to keep in my bike.

    I wasn't planning a long ride and just totally blanked out on grabbing something to eat before I left. I know better know, even if it is just a large handful of raisens or something like that!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    1,249
    Quote Originally Posted by Catriona View Post
    I keep some cliff shot blocks on my bike. Especially the ones with caffeine. They help if I bonk.
    Oh man, the cliff shots are the best tasting ones EVERRRR! But for me, they don't work as well as gu. I try to avoid the caffeine ones, but at 5:30 AM it makes me go weeeeeeee!
    Help me reach my $8,000 goal for the American Lung Association! Riding Seattle to D.C. for clean air! http://larissaridesforcleanair.org
    http://action.lungusa.org/goto/larissapowers

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    San Antonio Heights, CA (Upland)
    Posts
    1,067
    I usually have a piece of toast with peanut butter before a ride. I typically ride first thing in the morning, though. If it were afternoon or evening, it would depend on when I ate last and how long/hard I intended to ride. My husband can easily ride on nothing. Maybe not nothing "all day" and then ride, but nothing before a morning ride. But, yes, it sucks to get out there and realize you have zero energy all of a sudden.

    I learned on my long and grueling climbing century, when the weather was not too bad, but hotter than expected (80's), that I need to "make myself" drink more. And I DID drink more, but apparently not enough. About half way through the ride, I wasn't feeling so great. Losing energy and my stomach wasn't feeling so great. I knew I needed to fuel, but the thought of eating or drinking anything at all was not appealing. I was probably dehydrated. If I had drank more to begin with, I might have avoided this.

    Dh had warned me too, not because of the heat, because it was supposed to be in the 70's, but because of the higher elevation than I usually ride.

    Anywho, lesson learned by both of us.
    GO RIDE YOUR BIKE!!!

    2009 Cannondale Super Six High Modulus / SRAM Red / Selle San Marco Mantra

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Beautiful NW or Left Coast
    Posts
    5,619
    Quote Originally Posted by Reesha View Post
    I hear you Lori! I bike commute to work and need to leave at 5:30 AM every day. At first I didn't have anything for my 12 mile ride, but I soon realized that a 100 calorie gel was the perfect pick me up breakfast. I keep them in my nightstand so I can have one right when I wake up 30 minutes before departure
    Reesha, what is that design in your signature?
    I like Bikes - Mimi
    Watercolor Blog

    Davidson Custom Bike - Cavaletta
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  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    1,249
    Two botched ASCII squirrels! They looked great, but for some reason vBulletin won't keep the extra spaces where they belong

    When I think of something new and exciting for my signature I'll add it... but for now I've got ASCII roadkill!
    Help me reach my $8,000 goal for the American Lung Association! Riding Seattle to D.C. for clean air! http://larissaridesforcleanair.org
    http://action.lungusa.org/goto/larissapowers

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Kansas City metro
    Posts
    66
    I can see the squirrels, they're cute!

    I learned about eating before riding...I always eat a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries for brkfast. One day, I waited longer than usual to go for a ride, I felt fine through the ride, but almost fell over immediately after getting off the bike. I now carry some kind of bar with me. I haven't tried the gu or gel stuff yet.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    1,249
    Well, the gels are certainly fast acting and they have that going for them. I know a lot of people that can't get over the mouth "feel" of them. I suspect it takes some acquiring and adjusting for some.

    I have my favorites though!

    At the top for deliciousness:
    Carb BOOM! Raspberry
    CLIF Raspberry
    CLIF Mango

    At the top for performance:
    Gu (any flavor, but tri-berry and chocolate are good... I bet they'd be good together!)
    Powerbar gels
    Help me reach my $8,000 goal for the American Lung Association! Riding Seattle to D.C. for clean air! http://larissaridesforcleanair.org
    http://action.lungusa.org/goto/larissapowers

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    australia
    Posts
    392

    cant buy gels or have them?Homemade ones

    http://www.summitpost.org/article/23...-for-less.html

    Someone posted this, it has some recipes for the gluten intolerant( glucose is made from wheat) and nongrain people.
    Havent made them yet( I made fudge, sadly!) but its on my list!
    Conquering illness, one step at time.

 

 

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