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Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 29th 05, 07:39 PM
vernon
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Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG

Having got nutrition and hydration sorted for Audax rides using energy bars,
bananas and PSP22, mix I will be cycling around 100km per day for around a
fortnight on an unsupported LEJOG ride in August. The energy demands are
going to be quite different because of the additional weight that I will be
carrying and I am curious to know what other LEJOG rider ate during the
ride. More specifically, how should I balance the carb/protein content of
the food throughout the day? i.e. high carb or high protein
breakfast/lunch/evening meal. Carrying PSP22 is impractical so my drinks
are likely to be water only unless there is a 'homebrew' that could be mixed
each day from standard food items. I have bonked out a few times when cycle
camping and it seems to take ages for me to be able to eat my way out of the
energy gap. It's also a demoralising experience.

All advice welcomed.

Cheers

Vernon


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  #2  
Old June 29th 05, 07:53 PM
Tumbleweed
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Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG

"vernon" wrote in message
...
Having got nutrition and hydration sorted for Audax rides using energy
bars,
bananas and PSP22, mix I will be cycling around 100km per day for around a
fortnight on an unsupported LEJOG ride in August. The energy demands are
going to be quite different because of the additional weight that I will
be
carrying and I am curious to know what other LEJOG rider ate during the
ride. More specifically, how should I balance the carb/protein content of
the food throughout the day? i.e. high carb or high protein
breakfast/lunch/evening meal. Carrying PSP22 is impractical so my drinks
are likely to be water only unless there is a 'homebrew' that could be
mixed
each day from standard food items. I have bonked out a few times when
cycle
camping and it seems to take ages for me to be able to eat my way out of
the
energy gap. It's also a demoralising experience.

All advice welcomed.

Cheers

Vernon


My friend and I did well on lucozade or powerade and he on soreen malt loaf
(presliced recommended) and me on mars bars.
We were doing v similar mileage to you and similar timescale. Generally
stopping every 15-20m. And repleneshing essential lost minerals via a few
pints every evening. Often pasta meals in the evening and porridge in the
morning but not religous about it. More often than not lunch something basic
like beans on toast or jacket potato. Carrying our own stuff but not
camping.

Enjoy, I'm glad I did it, a great experience. How are you getting back from
JOG?

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com


  #3  
Old June 29th 05, 08:16 PM
Bob Watkinson
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Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG


"vernon" wrote in message
...
Having got nutrition and hydration sorted for Audax rides using energy
bars,
bananas and PSP22, mix I will be cycling around 100km per day for around a
fortnight on an unsupported LEJOG ride in August. The energy demands are
going to be quite different because of the additional weight that I will
be
carrying and I am curious to know what other LEJOG rider ate during the
ride. More specifically, how should I balance the carb/protein content of
the food throughout the day? i.e. high carb or high protein
breakfast/lunch/evening meal. Carrying PSP22 is impractical so my drinks
are likely to be water only unless there is a 'homebrew' that could be
mixed
each day from standard food items. I have bonked out a few times when
cycle
camping and it seems to take ages for me to be able to eat my way out of
the
energy gap. It's also a demoralising experience.

All advice welcomed.

Cheers

Vernon

My wife and I have just finished our LEJOG unsupported and with full
camping gear on our tandem covering 1004m in 15 and a bit days which is a
similar mileage to your trip. Based on our experience I would advise you not
to worry one iota what you eat and just thoroughly enjoy your trip as we
most certainly did. You have to remember your not doing the Tour De France
you know.
We typically ate Cross and Blackwell All Day Breakfast, Full Monte etc,
cake stops whenever you fancy, real Cornish pasties from Cornwall are a
must, and farm brewed Scrumpy, numerous Snicker bars, real ale, bananas,
Stag Chilli with Uncle Bens 3 min rice, scrummy bar meals, fish and chips
and a sandwich here or there.
The Snickers bars were the most effective at reviving us if we were
flagging, just take you time (our tour average was 12.57mph), see the
country as a whole all in one trip, and enjoy it as we did. I still dream
every night about ours and I envy you.

PS.
If you want any tips on camp sites let me know.

Take care,

Bob


  #4  
Old June 29th 05, 08:18 PM
RG
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG


"Tumbleweed" wrote in message
...
"vernon" wrote in message
...
Having got nutrition and hydration sorted for Audax rides using energy
bars,
bananas and PSP22, mix I will be cycling around 100km per day for around
a
fortnight on an unsupported LEJOG ride in August. The energy demands are
going to be quite different because of the additional weight that I will
be
carrying and I am curious to know what other LEJOG rider ate during the
ride. More specifically, how should I balance the carb/protein content
of
the food throughout the day? i.e. high carb or high protein
breakfast/lunch/evening meal. Carrying PSP22 is impractical so my drinks
are likely to be water only unless there is a 'homebrew' that could be
mixed
each day from standard food items. I have bonked out a few times when
cycle
camping and it seems to take ages for me to be able to eat my way out of
the
energy gap. It's also a demoralising experience.

All advice welcomed.

Cheers

Vernon


My friend and I did well on lucozade or powerade and he on soreen malt
loaf (presliced recommended) and me on mars bars.
We were doing v similar mileage to you and similar timescale. Generally
stopping every 15-20m. And repleneshing essential lost minerals via a few
pints every evening. Often pasta meals in the evening and porridge in the
morning but not religous about it. More often than not lunch something
basic like beans on toast or jacket potato. Carrying our own stuff but not
camping.

Enjoy, I'm glad I did it, a great experience. How are you getting back
from JOG?

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com


I'm the other guy that did JOGLE with Tumbleweed - what he didn't make clear
was that for the most part the Lucozade was actually Lucozade Sport which
has different characteristics (although he did have a few bottles of the
fizzy orange variety)

The other item to consider is cereal bars (the Jordan's ones are quite
good) - but the real key is to keep nibbling away during the day - hence the
malt loaves (8 or 9) that I consumed during the trip!

RG


  #5  
Old June 29th 05, 08:34 PM
JohnB
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG

vernon wrote:

Having got nutrition and hydration sorted for Audax rides using energy bars,
bananas and PSP22, mix I will be cycling around 100km per day for around a
fortnight on an unsupported LEJOG ride in August. The energy demands are
going to be quite different because of the additional weight that I will be
carrying and I am curious to know what other LEJOG rider ate during the
ride.


When I rode with my daughter a couple of years back we just ate what we
fancied.
We would usually start with beans and/or bacon and a roll for breakfast
or sometimes some fruit with gallons of tea. Tea quantity would depend
on whether or not the sun was out when opening the tent door.
Mid-morning we would stop for 11'ses - a roadside brew up and a cake, or
sometimes a cafe stop.
For lunch we would have a picnic, say bread and ham or cheese, although
my daughter usually had a pasty or similar, she being one of that breed
who cannot put on any weight to her bean-pole frame however much she eats.
Mid-afternoon would see us searching out teashops again.
Supper varied between pasta on the Trangia or for the occasional treat a
takeaway curry.

Throughout, drink was black tea or soft drinks from the occasional pub
stop. For the two weeks+, I also decided to become tea total, which I
found easier that I had anticipated.
We also always had black tea for the brew ups, as we couldn't be ars*d
to carry milk.

So no science at all, and we didn't suffer for the lack of gobbledegook
about iso this and tonic that.

Our ride is at:
http://www.jpbdesign.net/EndtoEnd.html

More specifically, how should I balance the carb/protein content of
the food throughout the day? i.e. high carb or high protein
breakfast/lunch/evening meal.


Getting bogged down in this kind of stuff may make you think the ride is
harder than it really is.
I'm convinced LEJOG is over-hyped.
If I could ride it with my wrist in a slint, and my daughter managed it
at just 14yrs old, then i doubt there are few cyclists who would fail.
Just look on it as a standard two-week cycle tour.
Its nothing special, just a ride that just *has* to be done.

That said, you will always remember it, but because it is a ride steeped
in history, traditions, and crazy stories. it is part of our heritage,
and by riding it you will become part of that history.

Carrying PSP22 is impractical so my drinks
are likely to be water only unless there is a 'homebrew' that could be mixed
each day from standard food items.


A tea bag dangling in hot water works a treat.

I have bonked out a few times when cycle
camping and it seems to take ages for me to be able to eat my way out of the
energy gap. It's also a demoralising experience.

All advice welcomed.


Just do it, and enjoy.

John B
  #6  
Old June 29th 05, 09:26 PM
Gippledocks
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Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG

vernon wrote:
Having got nutrition and hydration sorted for Audax rides using energy bars,
bananas and PSP22, mix I will be cycling around 100km per day for around a
fortnight on an unsupported LEJOG ride in August. The energy demands are
going to be quite different because of the additional weight that I will be
carrying and I am curious to know what other LEJOG rider ate during the
ride. More specifically, how should I balance the carb/protein content of
the food throughout the day? i.e. high carb or high protein
breakfast/lunch/evening meal. Carrying PSP22 is impractical so my drinks
are likely to be water only unless there is a 'homebrew' that could be mixed
each day from standard food items. I have bonked out a few times when cycle
camping and it seems to take ages for me to be able to eat my way out of the
energy gap. It's also a demoralising experience.

All advice welcomed.

Cheers

Vernon

Like you, I did LEJOG in around a fortnight (strangely averaging a
similar daily mileage to what you plan ;-) ).

I just ate the normal three meals a day (typically YHA breakfast, lunch
where I found it and pub or YHA for dinner). Oh and the occasional
elevenses, high tea and 'well done getting up that hill' ice cream. On
the road I just drank water and ate Kelloggs Rice Krispie Squares
(bought not homemade).

Regarding balance of carbs, etc I suspect I may have got it wrong. On
reaching JOG my 'spare tyre' was more than somewhat diminished (took
quite a while to regain its former pomp).

Overall I doubt you'll do much better than the old adage: eat before
you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty.

Off the nutrition topic...

Cornwall and Devon *will* be steep up then steep down, ad infinitum. Do
not underestimate them.

Northern Scotland *will* be cold, whatever the season.
(Oh dear. I seem to have laid myself open to accusations of
Southernness, Softiness and Lowlanderness.)

Richard
  #7  
Old June 29th 05, 09:34 PM
vernon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG


My friend and I did well on lucozade or powerade and he on soreen malt
loaf (presliced recommended) and me on mars bars.


Malt loaves...mmmmm....

Used to slice them longitudinally, butter the two slices, re-assemble and
devour......

I exercise more restraint now
:-)

Enjoy, I'm glad I did it, a great experience. How are you getting back
from JOG?


Hoping to get a train but aware of the vagiaries of ScotRail and booking
problems.

The other item to consider is cereal bars (the Jordan's ones are quite
good) - but the real key is to keep nibbling away during the day - hence

the
malt loaves (8 or 9) that I consumed during the trip!


I'm sure that I'll exceed 8 or 9 malt loaves...I'm a big guy and I use a lot
of energy overcoming gravity :-)
Been using energy bars on Audaxes and found them OK. Just woories about a
monotonous diet :-)


Vernon


  #8  
Old June 29th 05, 09:43 PM
vernon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG

My wife and I have just finished our LEJOG unsupported and with full
camping gear on our tandem covering 1004m in 15 and a bit days which is a
similar mileage to your trip. Based on our experience I would advise you

not
to worry one iota what you eat and just thoroughly enjoy your trip as we
most certainly did. You have to remember your not doing the Tour De France
you know.


I got as far North as Penistone last year and enjoyed the trip though I
bonked out once or twice in hilly regions.
Don't want to make the same mistakes with food. I'm not worried about pace
I just want to avoid the bonk and
get approximately the right sort of nutrition for the ride.

We typically ate Cross and Blackwell All Day Breakfast, Full Monte

etc,
cake stops whenever you fancy, real Cornish pasties from Cornwall are a
must, and farm brewed Scrumpy, numerous Snicker bars, real ale, bananas,
Stag Chilli with Uncle Bens 3 min rice, scrummy bar meals, fish and chips
and a sandwich here or there.


Ate much of that last year apart from the tinned foods.

The Snickers bars were the most effective at reviving us if we were
flagging, just take you time (our tour average was 12.57mph), see the
country as a whole all in one trip, and enjoy it as we did. I still dream
every night about ours and I envy you.


My aborted attempt last year was one of the most wonderful experiences that
I have ever had. I saw parts of the country
that i'd never been to before and met some pretty wonderful people. I have
come across references to some folk not getting the same
kick out of a repeat experience and I am to use a different route for the
southern half this year with the exception of the Wye valley..
just awesome......

If you want any tips on camp sites let me know.


I am a member of the Camping and Caravan Club and have thier directory along
with a large scale road map which flags up campsites.

I'm better prepared for the journey this time round. I am getting the miles
in and am in better form than I was last year. Just need to get the
calories in in a regulated way to cover the energy expenditure for me and
the camping gear.

Can't wait 'til Aug 11th!

Vernon


  #9  
Old June 29th 05, 09:50 PM
vernon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG


Regarding balance of carbs, etc I suspect I may have got it wrong. On
reaching JOG my 'spare tyre' was more than somewhat diminished (took
quite a while to regain its former pomp).

Overall I doubt you'll do much better than the old adage: eat before
you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty.


It's what I've been doing on Audax rides.

Off the nutrition topic...

Cornwall and Devon *will* be steep up then steep down, ad infinitum. Do
not underestimate them.


I know Deveon and Cornwall only too well. I had an abortive attempt last
year and was lulled into a false sense of security by Cornwall when I never
had to get off and push. Devon disabused me of my ideas about my fitness.
I very quickly learned that any town on the road map with bridge or ford in
it normally meant a quick descent and a long slow climb out.

Northern Scotland *will* be cold, whatever the season.
(Oh dear. I seem to have laid myself open to accusations of
Southernness, Softiness and Lowlanderness.)


As someone brought up in the north east, parading through Newcastle at Xmas
in sleet and snow wearing a t-shirt was normal behaviour. Besides, I've
acquired an ample layer of insulating blubber since those feckless days :-)




  #10  
Old June 29th 05, 10:00 PM
David Martin
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Posts: n/a
Default Nutrition for long distance rides e.g. LEJOG



Gippledocks wrote:
Like you, I did LEJOG in around a fortnight (strangely averaging a
similar daily mileage to what you plan ;-) ).

I just ate the normal three meals a day (typically YHA breakfast, lunch
where I found it and pub or YHA for dinner). Oh and the occasional
elevenses, high tea and 'well done getting up that hill' ice cream. On
the road I just drank water and ate Kelloggs Rice Krispie Squares
(bought not homemade).


Sounds like a grand plan. It's not dubbed the Cake and Tea Club without
reason.


Regarding balance of carbs, etc I suspect I may have got it wrong. On
reaching JOG my 'spare tyre' was more than somewhat diminished (took
quite a while to regain its former pomp).


Sounds like my ideal nutritional balance then. If only I could find the
two weeks to do a JOGLE.

Overall I doubt you'll do much better than the old adage: eat before
you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty.


Never pass a cafe without testing the wares. Roadside 'greasy joes' are
normally very good value and a good chance to stop and blether.

Off the nutrition topic...

Cornwall and Devon *will* be steep up then steep down, ad infinitum. Do
not underestimate them.


Likewise anything that follows a roman road if the terrain is even
vaguely undulating.

Northern Scotland *will* be cold, whatever the season.
(Oh dear. I seem to have laid myself open to accusations of
Southernness, Softiness and Lowlanderness.)


It's not cold, it is just differently summered.

...d

 




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