Lands End - John O'Groats - What Food Etc For The Trip
Discussion
Hi - im doing a LEJOG trip over 2 weeks in May & wondered what foods/supplements you could recommend that I take with me?
What would be the best brekfast I could get inside me? I'll be averaging 75 miles a day over 14 days
When Im on the road, what would be the best drinks/snacks?
Thanks
What would be the best brekfast I could get inside me? I'll be averaging 75 miles a day over 14 days
When Im on the road, what would be the best drinks/snacks?
Thanks
a friend of mine who did LEJOG was consuming something like 7000 calories a day and they were doing 85 miles a day on average.
eat little and often, very often. eat stuff you like and your body can digest easily in a cycling position.
Breakfast like a king, lots of porrige for the slow releasing carbs, lots of grains, quinoa and wholewheat pasta for lunch, dinner should be much of the same with an increase of protein to aid recovery,
the general rule is 4:1 carbs to protein.
a good idea is to research which energy foods/drinks/bars etc work best for you, many people have a favourite bar or drink which may be from a different manufacturer as i personally use different fuel/recovery drinks and energy bars when rcing.
eat little and often, very often. eat stuff you like and your body can digest easily in a cycling position.
Breakfast like a king, lots of porrige for the slow releasing carbs, lots of grains, quinoa and wholewheat pasta for lunch, dinner should be much of the same with an increase of protein to aid recovery,
the general rule is 4:1 carbs to protein.
a good idea is to research which energy foods/drinks/bars etc work best for you, many people have a favourite bar or drink which may be from a different manufacturer as i personally use different fuel/recovery drinks and energy bars when rcing.
Hmm, probably not very scientific but when I did it I had 2 bowls of Kellogs Frosties for breakfast (because I like them), took a lemon flavour carb replacement drink in my bottle (from Boots the Chemists), tuna/mayo sandwiches for mid-day with a banana & tin of fizzy pop and then whatever we fancied for evening. But usually something warm & stodgy, which was always followed by a few Special Brews.
I carried old fashioned dextrosol tablets (glucose things) for emergencies and ate a whole packet on one very cold & wet day where energy was just running away from me.
Personally I wouldn't get too hung up on it, you're doing it for enjoyment not to set a world record. Just make sure you drink regularly while riding (every 15mins in my case) because it's easy to dehydrate and pack in the calories whenever you can. As I said, not very scientific but it's important to keep morale up on something where you might have to ride consecutive days in pouring rain or start off the day in damp kit - it helps if you can look forward to a warm meal & a few beers.
I carried old fashioned dextrosol tablets (glucose things) for emergencies and ate a whole packet on one very cold & wet day where energy was just running away from me.
Personally I wouldn't get too hung up on it, you're doing it for enjoyment not to set a world record. Just make sure you drink regularly while riding (every 15mins in my case) because it's easy to dehydrate and pack in the calories whenever you can. As I said, not very scientific but it's important to keep morale up on something where you might have to ride consecutive days in pouring rain or start off the day in damp kit - it helps if you can look forward to a warm meal & a few beers.
Try to get used to whatever drink you're going to use before you start as well, as many have said before. May could still be pretty warm, so sunscreen will make life easier for you.
Personally I'd do porridge for breakfast, with bananas on the road, the tuna sandwiches for lunch is a good shout for some protein, and whatever the hell you fancy in the evening, but plenty of it. Go for whatever is local to where you're staying.
(A whole Jamaican Ginger cake and bio yogurt is what I miss most from big training, although I doubt you're going via Jamaica.)
Personally I'd do porridge for breakfast, with bananas on the road, the tuna sandwiches for lunch is a good shout for some protein, and whatever the hell you fancy in the evening, but plenty of it. Go for whatever is local to where you're staying.
(A whole Jamaican Ginger cake and bio yogurt is what I miss most from big training, although I doubt you're going via Jamaica.)
Sea Demon said:
Hi - im doing a LEJOG trip over 2 weeks in May & wondered what foods/supplements you could recommend that I take with me?
What would be the best brekfast I could get inside me? I'll be averaging 75 miles a day over 14 days
When Im on the road, what would be the best drinks/snacks?
Thanks
Hey sounds like a fun trip. Are you camping/ hotels/ YMCA?What would be the best brekfast I could get inside me? I'll be averaging 75 miles a day over 14 days
When Im on the road, what would be the best drinks/snacks?
Thanks
You could try the 'jungle juice' drink recipe that I use for longer events:
In a 750ml water bottle mix up 500ml of energy drink (whichever you prefer - Lucozade sport/SIS/Go etc) as directed but with 50/50 water/tonic water (the quinnine helps prevent cramp) and top up with a 250ml can of Redbull.
I usually have a weaker mix (or even just Isotonic water) in bottle 2 so I can alternate between hydration & energy bias. You should limit your caffine intake to a maximum of 500ml of Redbull (or similar) per day for the duration of your event though.
For food on the bike I hate the lasting saccharin aftertaste in the mouth from energy bars & gels. Instead I make carrot cake with honey, crushed walnuts & coffee and cut into squares - plenty of energy, carbs, protien and a little caffine to boot. Not sickly sweet and actually nice to eat as well - unlike energy bars.
I always want some savoury food as well. I find mild continental cheese & ham on small halved buttered soft buns/baps are easy to extract from pockets and digest at speed. Some gum will help clean your pallet & make you feel a little fresher post feed.
I take a super strength multivitamin tablet from Holland & Barratt every morning too.
Good luck!
In a 750ml water bottle mix up 500ml of energy drink (whichever you prefer - Lucozade sport/SIS/Go etc) as directed but with 50/50 water/tonic water (the quinnine helps prevent cramp) and top up with a 250ml can of Redbull.
I usually have a weaker mix (or even just Isotonic water) in bottle 2 so I can alternate between hydration & energy bias. You should limit your caffine intake to a maximum of 500ml of Redbull (or similar) per day for the duration of your event though.
For food on the bike I hate the lasting saccharin aftertaste in the mouth from energy bars & gels. Instead I make carrot cake with honey, crushed walnuts & coffee and cut into squares - plenty of energy, carbs, protien and a little caffine to boot. Not sickly sweet and actually nice to eat as well - unlike energy bars.
I always want some savoury food as well. I find mild continental cheese & ham on small halved buttered soft buns/baps are easy to extract from pockets and digest at speed. Some gum will help clean your pallet & make you feel a little fresher post feed.
I take a super strength multivitamin tablet from Holland & Barratt every morning too.
Good luck!
Edited by Roman on Tuesday 23 February 09:47
Roman said:
In a 750ml water bottle mix up 500ml of energy drink (whichever you prefer - Lucozade sport/SIS/Go etc) as directed but with 50/50 water/tonic water (the quinnine helps prevent cramp) and top up with a 250ml can of Redbull.
That sounds yummy... 
Probably very effective though, it has what you need in it!
Sea Demon said:
Hi - im doing a LEJOG trip over 2 weeks in May & wondered what foods/supplements you could recommend that I take with me?
What would be the best brekfast I could get inside me? I'll be averaging 75 miles a day over 14 days
When Im on the road, what would be the best drinks/snacks?
Thanks
I am also doing two weeks in May keep an eye out for youWhat would be the best brekfast I could get inside me? I'll be averaging 75 miles a day over 14 days
When Im on the road, what would be the best drinks/snacks?
Thanks
Thanks for all the replies and tips - much appreciated 
Camping all the way up apart from when we get to Swindon as the guys Im riding with work for Marriot and managed to get some rooms for £10 each. We've bought some good little tents which fold up nicely to fit in the panniers on the bikes along with a Jamie Oliver gas stove so were pretty sorted really, I cant wait - its going to be a great adventure!
Before I started training for this I never realised just how important the right food is for you, Im now amazed what a bowl of pasta can do for you! I probably wont have any beers at the end of the day, I think even a can of Fosters will knock me out.
If anyone would like to sponsor me for the ride my page is here www.justgiving.com/markoshall
Thanks everyone
Camping all the way up apart from when we get to Swindon as the guys Im riding with work for Marriot and managed to get some rooms for £10 each. We've bought some good little tents which fold up nicely to fit in the panniers on the bikes along with a Jamie Oliver gas stove so were pretty sorted really, I cant wait - its going to be a great adventure!
Before I started training for this I never realised just how important the right food is for you, Im now amazed what a bowl of pasta can do for you! I probably wont have any beers at the end of the day, I think even a can of Fosters will knock me out.
If anyone would like to sponsor me for the ride my page is here www.justgiving.com/markoshall
Thanks everyone
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