Are you planning an epic ride but don’t want to go bonk? MBA wrecking crew has a variety of options to help you enjoy the best backcountry experience. You don’t have to weigh your meals, strain your cottage cheese, or consume tofu. Follow these tips to keep pedaling.
NO QUICKFIX
There are no magical meals that will make you feel energized after a long day of adventure, push through the hardest climbs and keep your mind sharp for hours. You need to eat well all week, not just on the day of your ride.
TIME IT TO THE RIGHT
Before you can eat the food you have just eaten, you must digest it. Poor sap who eats Hungry Mans Special before riding has a good chance to get a second glance at what he ate by the second climb.
Jimmy Mac recalls that a riding partner was hungry and asked for a quick bite before we set off on the trail. He ordered a cheeseburger and fries, along with a coke. As he was eating all of this, I knew it wasn’t going to be a fun ride. He complained of stomach pains on the first climb. Before it started, our ride was over.
How long does it take to digest a meal properly? It depends on what kind of meal you are eating. It takes longer for foods high in fat, fiber, protein, and/or fat to digest. The quantity of food also plays a role in digestion. Snacks are easier to digest than large meals. You can either plan your meals up to four hours in advance or eat a light snack an hour before you leave for your ride.
EAT SLOW
You can eat six small meals per day if your schedule allows. You will feel satisfied eating smaller meals more often and won’t be tempted by the temptation to eat too much. This is a great way to eat if you ride your bike after work, school, or before dinner.
Eating ON THE BIKE
The blood flow from the stomach to the muscles is diverted when you are riding intensely, such as downhill or cross-country racing. After eating a large meal, you won’t be able to hammer. This type of meal takes between three and four hours to digest. You can expect discomfort and even blowing chunks of trail on your full tank if you go hard.
Your body will still be able to digest food even during an epic ride at a moderate pace. It is important to eat well before you ride but it doesn’t mean that you should stress about it.
MAINTAINING FUELS
Take along three to four energy bars and some Gu packs when you embark on an epic ride. These will help you maintain sufficient fuel throughout your adventure. You should eat one bar every 60 minutes if your pace is fast, or you’re doing a lot climbing. You can go for up to two hours between bars if your pace is steady.
You can add a waterbottle to your bike, even if you already have a hydration kit. You can fill the bottle with sports drinks or sodas.
EARLY MORNING MEALS
Your ride will depart at 7 a.m.
DRINKING
Drink alcohol no more than 24 hours before your big ride. Mountain biking is a sport that requires you to avoid alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates you, and can impair your ability make and store glycogen.
CARBO UNLOADING
Because their trainers instruct them, elite athletes carbo load for large events. It’s not something you should worry about. You will be fine eating your usual, balanced diet with a slight increase in carbohydrates during the three days before your ride.
CANDY
An exercise study showed that athletes who had a large breakfast four hours prior and a candy bar five min before exercise were more successful than those who ate nothing. According to the study, candy alone (without breakfast) can improve performance by ten percent compared with nothing. This is all we needed to know. Get over the Snickers!
BUT WAIT!
Snickers bars are better than nothing but it is not the best fuel. You will make your body and taste buds healthier if you replace the candy bar with cereal, apples, yogurt, pretzels, or bananas. If you feel the need to eat a candy bar for energy, it is likely that you have not eaten enough. Multi-meal suggestions can help you avoid cravings.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Enjoy a plate of spaghetti, tomato sauce, lean beef, garlic bread, and water before you embark on your epic ride. For dessert, treat yourself to an apple pie or frozen fruit popsicle.
MORNING
It is likely that you will be leaving early for your epic ride. This eliminates the temptation to eat a big breakfast. A bowl of oatmeal with banana slices, whole wheat bread with jelly and a glass or juice can be eaten an hour before your departure. A muffin or whole-wheat bagel with a banana, juice and honey will suffice if you are unable to cook.
DURING A RIDE
Even if you have plenty of Gu and energy bars, it can become tedious. Payday candy bars, bananas, raisins, and peanut butter are all great alternatives. Sandwiches are a must if your ride will last more than four hours. Peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat bread are hard to beat. You should avoid mayonnaise if you are going to make a sandwich with lean meats (such as turkey) because it can spoil.
SHOPPING LISTING
Keep the MBA Epic Ride Shopping List in your pocket. The list doesn’t have to be complete. This list serves as a guideline so that you don’t forget anything. In the backcountry, there aren’t many 7-Elevens.
MBA EPIC SHOPPING LIST
Raisins
Bananas
Energy bars
Payday candy bars
Whole wheat bread
Peanut butter
Jelly
Gu
Whole wheat bagels
Muffins
Fruit juice
Granola bars
Trail mix
Toaster pastries
Dried fruits
Animal crackers
