Graeme Obree used to eat marzipan as its so easy on the stomach. I suppose you have to like it.
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This webinar next week just poped up on my Copenhgen FB page, might be of use:
Well, this week’s ride was a bit better.
I put it down to 2 things.-
1.After all the talk about power I backed off if my quads started talking to me- whereas normally keep at it and they quieten after a few revs.
2. I knew I was going to get my ass handed to me on the climb back into Granadilla.- so it didn’t bother me as much that I found it hard.-
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Sorry to bump this but I’m starting to plan my long, slow, distance building runs over the next 6 weeks for London prep and I just wanted to check whether my thinking sounded sensible or bonkers.
So far I’ve never felt the need to take any fuel or water when I’m out for a easy miles (although I’m only up at 10miles/90mins), but is it better to just get into the habit of taking stuff on as I’ll be doing on the day? So for example take a gel after say 45 minutes every time, even if I’m only going to be running for an extra 20mins after it and so not actually deriving any performance benefit?
Or should I just start incorporating the nutrition as the length builds and I actually need it?
An easy 1 hour, I probably wouldn’t bother, but I could see arguments why.
An easy 90 minutes, yes, probably worth getting used to eating, and getting ahead of the refueling, running has to be insanely easy to not deplete at all, so 90 minutes of any running is well worth consuming food, and you’ll certainly want to be consuming beyond that, so why not do it anyway - cheap any calories will be fine for this.
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That’s really helpful, thanks @JibberJim 
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Practising taking fuel and hydration on board is really useful preparation for marathon running. You will learn to adjust the what, how and when to support your longer runs and ultimately for the race. You will also learn to differentiate between your long easy runs and your MP runs.
Good luck with your training…
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How are you guys fuelling long rides?
Two 4 hour rides in succession and both times stuggling to eat enough. Taking lots of gels, but apart from feeling sick of them (literally on one occasion) they don’t stop my stomach feeling empty. And when my stomach feels empty my legs aren’t far behind.
Took an old school flapjack today at the halfway point. Think it helped, although today was flatter generally, so easier to keep the legs turning over.
Any other suggestions welcome.
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Heard lots before say they feel hungry if only take liquids and gels even if calorie matched, hence mixing some solids can help.
In non-specific training I take sandwiches and cereal bars.
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I’d also add that eating from the start works for me, like ten minutes in, not waiting for that flapjack at the half way point. I’m also not a huge fan of stuffing myself full of gels, they never seem to sit well with me. Bananas or clif bars or any ‘proper’ food.
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For a 4hr cycle - assuming you’ve had a decent breakfast - you really only need to target fuelling for 3hrs.
I’d be aiming to consume about 270g of carbs.
I’d make up 2 bottles of a diy mixture of 60g maltodextrin/30g fructose with a fizzy salt tab for electrolytes & taste along with a couple of bananas & a couple of Nakd cereal bars/small Mars bars etc.
I’ve never had a problem with digesting gels but they’re shit & expensive so I’ll only be taking them during key session as an “A” race approaches.
I’ll try & have a decent snack when I get home.
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Energy drinks, electrolyte drinks. I take solids like bars or biscuits for the sake of it but I don’t ever feel hungry.
On the turbo I’ll add salty crisps.
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Define decent 
I get that, but I am trying to replicate race day as much as possible, because I know nutrition is where I struggle on long stuff. It’s one of the main reasons I have chosen Wales LCW over the ironman.
Energy drinks have the same problem as gels, I just don’t feel full, so I might have enough calories but I still feel empty. And gels aren’t expensive when you still have a box of freebies left over from the Cotswolds last year!
The flapjack seemed to help, maybe the added fat or protein filled a hole. Will try a few more things over the next few weeks.
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Sweet coffee and porridge or bran flakes with berries/banana.
Something you eat regularly anyway (hopefully) and can get in a hotel or B&B without too much hassle.
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Porridge with honey, chia & pumpkin seeds.
Rice pudding with nuts & raisins.
Bagels dipped in honey with a side of nuts & raisins.
Bananas, I love bananas 
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Sausages, fried eggs, tatty scones & beans.
In the run up & for IMW I got through a lot of marzipan as it’s sugary as fuck, has a bit of protein & is easy to eat…never touched it since 
.
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That’s a decent breakfast 
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mini calzones for long rides and ultra runs…
gels as back up
plus treats every x miles/hours - salt and vinegar hula hoops, chocolate, jelly babies on rides or a bag of mixed fruit and nut with sports mix added in…
A cereal bar, some salty crackers with butter and a couple of handfuls of fruit gums is usually what I would take out if I was going to be over 2 and a half/3 hours, and does me fine. Although I’m at a far lower end of the exertion scale.
Im usually better at finding stuff that doesn’t work () than does though.
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As someone who struggled to eat/digest solids on IM distance, I spent a lot of time working out what I could handle. On the bike I settled on:
- 50% dilute lucozade (1 litre bottle). I have a feeling they may have reduced the sugar content since I last did a long race … + 2 electrolyte tabs
- 2 lites of lemon GO (swapped camelbacks half way through the bike on Norseman)
- Malt loaf
- Mint cake
On the run nutrition was a struggle. Jelly beans was the best I could find along with coke
I spent a long time training myself to burn fat, the downside of which is that I now have a tendency to put on weight as I do a lot less exercise. The upside is that I never need to eat anything on a bike ride of any distance; I might eat half an energy bar on a 100mile ride if I don’t stop but that’s more about avoiding risk than any actual need.
I should say that I do mostly stop on century rides, largely because other people insist and I quite like eating.
If I lost 10kg, maybe the above would change 
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For me, nutrition changes based on the length of exercise. For Ultra’s I am finding that processed foods (chocolate / sweets / crisps / cakes) do not go down well, Fruit, potatoes, risoto, pasta, in small quantities are much more pallitable. For a Marathon or an Ironman, Gels and drink mix work well
It’s certainly a learning experience transitioning from IM to Ultra Distances, the longer the distance, the less I am able to deal with sweet things. I have pretty much nailed IM distance nutrition, but on a learning slope for Ultras.
Strangely it also impacts my diet choice after an event. for instance today (Easter Sunday) I can’t face chocolate… normally I am a chocoholic.
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