# How should I fuel this 5 hour ride?



## ZmyDust (May 13, 2011)

Hi All,

I'm 6'5 270 pounds. My typical offroad rides are about 2 hours and 20 miles or less. Usually I'll fill a 24 oz bottle with some hammer heed and another bottle with water. .Then will munch on a few fig newtons or a clif bar

I have a feeling I'm not fueling correctly because I tend to bonk towards the very end of a ride. I read some other posts and articles and it seems like everybody has a different way, and is all very complicated (to me) with calories, proteins, electrolytes, carbs, blah blah blah. I'm gonna give all the details about me so maybe you guys can help me figure a fueling plan for myself and this ride.

I'm planning a 40 mile off road ride at Santos in early July Florida heat (90 degrees maybe more). It won't be race pace, but I'm riding with friends so we'll be moving along at a B pace. Again I'm typically only riding half that. I have supplies of Hammer Heed, Perpetuem, Clif Shot Blocks, Hammer nutrition bars, and of course can pick up other snacks such as PB&J, fig newtons, etc. I will carry two bottles and a camelbak with 100oz bladder

So, to optimize my endurance during this ride, keep me strong, and minimize the bonking, what should I drink eat, at what intervals, etc?

Any help is always appreciated.


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## Ohiorick (Feb 1, 2012)

250-300 calories per hour. Hammer Perpetuem is good for that, if you like it and your system digests it well. Drink a bottle of Heed every hour too, might be good to mix it in your Camelbak. I use Infinit mix, 290 calories a bottle and so far it works well for me.


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## DanteFrizzoli (May 20, 2013)

Water and those packets with liquid gel. Also, Cliff Bars do the trick!


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## jennyv (Nov 13, 2012)

There are three things you'll need to be concerned about from a nutrition perspective on a ride like this:

1. Hydration: try to drink about 24oz water/hour at a minimum in that heat. In 90 degree weather, you'll probably be drinking more.

2. Electrolytes: you may have seen me posting this data elsewhere on this forum, but the average person sweats sodium (0.9 gram/liter), potassium (0.2 g/l), calcium (0.015 g/l), magnesium (0.0013 g/l). You're going to want to look for about 600mg of sodium, 180mg of potassium, 50mg of calcium, and 28mg of magnesium per hour. This varies by person but is a good ballpark figure. If you are going with Hammer Nutrition you'll probably need to add their Endurolytes product to your mix. 

3. Calories: you're going to want to consume anywhere between 200-300 calories per hour (since that's what you body can physiologically process per hour). If you try to take in more than that, you risk overloading the gut and causing stomach issues. So, add up your caloric sources (sports drink + blocks + bars) and figure out what makes 250 calories.

Before the ride, make sure your glycogen stores are topped off by sipping on your drink (assuming you've had a good breakfast). Bonking generally means that your body is out of fuel (calories) so you can help by first preloading, and then by eating calories steadily throughout your ride.

Hope this helps...most important thing...HAVE FUN!
Jenny


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## Orthoguy (Dec 4, 2011)

I agree with Jennys post. I rode an 8 hour race two weeks a go and my fueling plan included Endurolytes in my 100oz Camelbak and Perpetium in a bottle mixed to give four hours worth of fuel. I made sure to fuel on every hour. Everything worked like clock work. Nutrition can be very induvidualistic so you'll need to experiment and see what works for you.


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## ZmyDust (May 13, 2011)

Jenny, this is great information, Thanks! Based on your counts I think I can hit it right on. I picked up some endorlytes fizz tablets and will put 4-5 of those in my camelbak, then will make a 4 hour bottle of Perpetueuem (keep some on hand if it goes longer), and then eat a bite of a couple bites an hour of a Hammer Nutrition bar.


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## idinomac (Apr 5, 2009)

I have been testing the tailwind on my road bike I did two days of back to back 30 mile rides and one of then had a 10 mile run in there then the 3rd and 4th day I did 40 milers on the mtb and a 5 mile run in there also on the 5th day I went out and did a 100 miles on my road bike that was the only time I ate something while on the bike and that was at mile 50 it was a cliff bar. I also make sure I hydrate the day & night before and 1/2 to 1 hour before going out on the bike I drink down1 scoop of TW with water,I'm mixing 2 1/2 to 3 scoops per 24 oz bottle and 5 scoops in my 50 oz CB.


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## everything motorcycl (Feb 8, 2012)

LOL Zmy. How was your ride? I live in Miami, and 90 degrees isn't the problem. It's the 90% humidity all day and night. Low's in the 80s so you dont escape the heat even in the early a.m.


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## ZmyDust (May 13, 2011)

everything motorcycl said:


> LOL Zmy. How was your ride? I live in Miami, and 90 degrees isn't the problem. It's the 90% humidity all day and night. Low's in the 80s so you dont escape the heat even in the early a.m.


Oh it was great. It was one of those days where it was on the verge of raining, showered here and there but never poured so overcast and actually fairly cool for the time of year (81 degrees, feels like 86 degrees, and yes thats 'cool' to us this time of year!).

I think the Perpetium really helped, never bonked at all... the route we road was a little shorter than expected so only did 30 miles, but a great ride.

Made it down to the I75 land bridge and back to the Santos TH if you know the area..


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## everything motorcycl (Feb 8, 2012)

Yeah, we had an incredible July, very reasonable. August, not so much. Laughing at these people who don't really understand our humidity. I have been sweating since 7 a.m. this morning...and only 85 degrees. Come back anytime...the great state of FL loves our tourista dollars


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