NUTRITION: Pre-Ride and During the Santa Fe Century

NUTRITION

Pre-Ride and During the Century

PRE-RIDE NUTRITION

Several days before the Century, you will want to start hydrating. Drink water frequently to ensure hydration on ride day.

Practice good eating habits leading into the Century. You do not need to start consuming lots of extra calories before the ride. Instead, eat a well-rounded diet, supplementing calories on the days of training rides without going overboard. You can use the following chart to get an estimate of calories burned per hour of riding:

Average Speed                                    Coefficient

(mph)                                                            (cal./lb./min.)

15                                                            0.0561

16                                                            0.0615

17                                                            0.0675

18                                                            0.0740

19                                                            0.0811

20                                                            0.0891

21                                                            0.0975

23                                                            0.1173

25                                                            0.1411

Multiply your average speed coefficient by your body weight; multiply that figure by 60 minutes. This is your estimated hourly calorie expenditure. This of course is based on a flat course; you will burn more with climbing.  But it will give you an idea of what you are burning, and therefore what you need to consume in addition to your regular diet on training days. Although you don’t want to go on an aggressive weight loss regimen leading into the Century, you don’t want to add pounds, either. The closer to your ideal weight you are, the better you will perform during your Century ride.

It’s imperative that you practice good nutrition during your training, so your body is counting on those habits come ride day. Your training rides are your opportunity to determine what works for you in terms of consumables. Some people don’t like to eat anything solid, and take in all their calories in drinks. If this includes you, look for energy drinks that include carbohydrates, a little sodium and other electrolytes. If you prefer solid foods, energy bars or protein ‘bites’ might work for you. If you want ‘real’ food, PB&J sandwiches, bananas, oranges, bread products and the like are good choices.  Use your training rides as test runs for these items; see what works for you.

NUTRITION ON THE CENTURY

With supported century rides taking upward of six, seven, or even more hours for many, you will likely be relying on aide stations. The Santa Fe Century aide stations generally offer the following food and drink: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat, bananas, oranges, chex mix, pretzels, water, and Gatorade. While there will generally be something to eat at any given rest stop, we strongly suggest you still come prepared with your own snacks. If you like to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, bring one from home. Gel shots, protein bars, shot blocks and other items are small and densely packed with calories and electrolytes. In our experience, the longer you take to ride the route, the less food may be available at aide stations when you get there.

For those who supplement primarily with drinks, we suggest you plan on taking two bottles. Fill one with plain water, and plan on refilling that bottle at every rest stop – even if you are just topping it off. The other bottle should be mixed with a sports drink like Gatorade or Hammer Heed, Cytomax, or other product, or you can use an endurance mix such as Hammer Perpetuem. Mix it four to five times more concentrated than recommended, almost to a pasty consistency.  As you ride you will take small sips from this bottle, getting your primary hydration from the water bottle. You can start to dilute the mixed bottle at aid stations as you ride if you like. You might also want to take a small zip lock with a second batch of powder to mix into your bottle if you think you might consume the entire bottle before the end of the ride.  Endurance formulas cause lesser blood sugar / insulin spikes and don’t leave you with a sticky mouth.

If you prefer only water for drinking but need to replace electrolytes, Hammer makes an easy-to-swallow capsule called Endurolytes that replaces electrolytes without having to eat or drink them. On a long, hot ride they can make a huge difference.

Again, these are suggestions you should be testing on your training rides. See what works for you (and your stomach) and what doesn’t.

Your goal for hydration is a minimum of one large bottle per hour of riding.

With your nutritional needs sussed out before the Century, you can relax and enjoy your ride knowing you are prepared to sustain the energy you’ll need.