Help! 90km Race Coming Up! Advice Needed!!!
Discussion
Right, signed up for a 90KM race in June and gonna use my Whyte MTB, there's some offroading. So, any recommendations on narrow, low RR tyres to fit on my mtb - standard 26" wheels, preferrably tubeless...
Also, what to eat on the day and the day before? What to carry with me to keep going?? Why do people recommend jelly beans?? I'll have the obligatory camelbak, but what to put in it - just water??
Help!
Also, what to eat on the day and the day before? What to carry with me to keep going?? Why do people recommend jelly beans?? I'll have the obligatory camelbak, but what to put in it - just water??
Help!
If it's mostly road put 1.5 hybrid commuter tyres on, only need knobblies for mud and aggressive cornering, look at what cyclocross tyres can deal with. Pump them up to maximum pressure and fill them with Goo.
Eat pasta and rice just before you go to bed. Eat porridge/oat based cereal in morning. Remember to drink lots the day before too as it really affects your hydration levels, you won't need nearly as much during the race if you're fully hydrated to start with. 1.5 litre camelback plenty for 90km, if it's not stupidly hot.
Put a carb powder in your water. Take lots of gel bars, can't beat them for energy/weight. Eat them before you feel hungry.
Jelly beans, pure sugary snacks are fine for a bit of quick energy but complex carbs better and less likely to make you feel sick if you're really pushing yourself (which you should be!)
Good luck!
Eat pasta and rice just before you go to bed. Eat porridge/oat based cereal in morning. Remember to drink lots the day before too as it really affects your hydration levels, you won't need nearly as much during the race if you're fully hydrated to start with. 1.5 litre camelback plenty for 90km, if it's not stupidly hot.
Put a carb powder in your water. Take lots of gel bars, can't beat them for energy/weight. Eat them before you feel hungry.
Jelly beans, pure sugary snacks are fine for a bit of quick energy but complex carbs better and less likely to make you feel sick if you're really pushing yourself (which you should be!)
Good luck!
What he said but the golden rule is don't try anything new on race day so get gels and energy drinks in your training diet now.
I found a little gem recently in the form of sainsburys apple and raisin biscuit things that look surprisingly like go-ahead branded bars. They are better for me than gel being more akin to solid food but are massively packed with carbs, something like 70% iirc... Having some solids really does help.
Jelly beans and haribo are a good sugar buzz and also recommended but can't be relied upon to do the same job as gels etc. I finds oats and porridge too heavy on race days so stick to usual cereals, I'm a shreddies man personally!!
What race is it. sounds cool!
I found a little gem recently in the form of sainsburys apple and raisin biscuit things that look surprisingly like go-ahead branded bars. They are better for me than gel being more akin to solid food but are massively packed with carbs, something like 70% iirc... Having some solids really does help.
Jelly beans and haribo are a good sugar buzz and also recommended but can't be relied upon to do the same job as gels etc. I finds oats and porridge too heavy on race days so stick to usual cereals, I'm a shreddies man personally!!
What race is it. sounds cool!
Tyre wise, if you are wanting something cyclocross style on a 26" rim, about the best option is http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/cross/cx-pro/ If you were running a 29er then any of the usual 700c cyclocross tyres would fit.
Agree with the above with the nutrition, carbo loading is best done for more than just the night before. As for gels I use the high 5 gel bottles, take 5 gels and are much easier to use on the move, and you don't end up with the sticky mess in your pockets, and the hateful sight that inflicts modern trail centres them just blowing around dropped on the floor.
Get training, and focus your training.
Agree with the above with the nutrition, carbo loading is best done for more than just the night before. As for gels I use the high 5 gel bottles, take 5 gels and are much easier to use on the move, and you don't end up with the sticky mess in your pockets, and the hateful sight that inflicts modern trail centres them just blowing around dropped on the floor.
Get training, and focus your training.
I usually go for half water and half flat lemonade in my drink. 90k isn't that far really, so I wouldn't go mad on Carb loading. Pasta the night before and porridge on the day.
Jelly babies are like gels, but a LOT cheaper and just as good in my opinion. I'd probably take a pocket of jelly babies, and a couple of slices of flapjack.
Jelly babies are like gels, but a LOT cheaper and just as good in my opinion. I'd probably take a pocket of jelly babies, and a couple of slices of flapjack.
Thanks for the advice so far, guys. Much appreciated as I keep thinking about my daily 15k commute and this is 6 times as far! I'm kinda dreading it as there are some mega-fast cyclists in my office. Guy here did a 210km race last year and averaged just over 39km/h!!!
pablo said:
What race is it. sounds cool!
http://www.nordsjorittet.no/om/vis/english_infoEdited by jshell on Thursday 4th April 22:12
Agree with most of what's been said, couple of suggestions tho.
Carbo loading's rather gone out of fashion amongst most endurance folks - unless you're on something like atkins, or bashing out big efforts in the 3 days before, you'll most likely get plenty of carbs from your regular diet. No harm in a bit, but don't go nuts.
I'd avoid fibre / lots of veggies etc., in the 24hrs before... erm - I guess you can figure why
I'd also recommend you separate drink and nutrition. Simple reason being that you may be thirsty, but not be in a position to eat. Pile too much 'nutrition' in and you can get gastric distress (hence test these things before race day). Separating the two gives you options, and it's not hard to shovel more down your throat than you can absorb. (I'd say start with a gel every 30 mins). 1 every 20 is possible... ymmv. Eat from the off, don't wait until you're feeling flat. Tape the tear off tab on the gel to the top tube, that way you see them, AND they're easy to open (just swipe them off sideways). A bit of 'real' food (flapjack, crunch bar etc) is a nice break / treat if you're in a position to handle it.
A lot depends upon how hard you're going, and how long you expect to be out for - both in terms of how much you need, and how much you can absorb, and it's personal..
Oh yeah, and for me I save jelly babies, pretzels and flat coke for when things are getting really nasty and my gut won't take anything more complex. I'd try to get something a little less 'straight' sugar myself, but it's all personal.
Carbo loading's rather gone out of fashion amongst most endurance folks - unless you're on something like atkins, or bashing out big efforts in the 3 days before, you'll most likely get plenty of carbs from your regular diet. No harm in a bit, but don't go nuts.
I'd avoid fibre / lots of veggies etc., in the 24hrs before... erm - I guess you can figure why
I'd also recommend you separate drink and nutrition. Simple reason being that you may be thirsty, but not be in a position to eat. Pile too much 'nutrition' in and you can get gastric distress (hence test these things before race day). Separating the two gives you options, and it's not hard to shovel more down your throat than you can absorb. (I'd say start with a gel every 30 mins). 1 every 20 is possible... ymmv. Eat from the off, don't wait until you're feeling flat. Tape the tear off tab on the gel to the top tube, that way you see them, AND they're easy to open (just swipe them off sideways). A bit of 'real' food (flapjack, crunch bar etc) is a nice break / treat if you're in a position to handle it.
A lot depends upon how hard you're going, and how long you expect to be out for - both in terms of how much you need, and how much you can absorb, and it's personal..
Oh yeah, and for me I save jelly babies, pretzels and flat coke for when things are getting really nasty and my gut won't take anything more complex. I'd try to get something a little less 'straight' sugar myself, but it's all personal.
Edited by upsidedownmark on Thursday 4th April 22:21
upsidedownmark said:
I'd say start with a gel every 30 mins)
Holy crap, every 30min! I normally take one or two on a 4-5hr hard ride, High 5 Zero'd water inbetween and the odd flapjack.upsidedownmark said:
Oh yeah, and for me I save jelly babies
Ditto on saving them for later- I was reccomended them on the basis they contain lots of glycerin (spelling?) and can assist in preventing crap, not sure if thats BS or an excuse to eat JB's :-)Fair enough - I hope I made clear that, it's a bit personal. I'm coming at it from the perspective of a *race* (i.e. hard as you can for the time), and long ones at that - anything from 5-10hrs.
Also noting that the OP's race is a MTB/off road affair. I'm guessing 5+hrs?
90k training rides I normally have a coffee and a flapjack midway, but on road that's 3hrs give or take. Anything under that I just carry water and an 'emergency' gel, otherwise don't fuel. Horses for courses!
Also noting that the OP's race is a MTB/off road affair. I'm guessing 5+hrs?
90k training rides I normally have a coffee and a flapjack midway, but on road that's 3hrs give or take. Anything under that I just carry water and an 'emergency' gel, otherwise don't fuel. Horses for courses!
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