What I eat to help me ride 50 miles

Stopping for a mid-ride meal at 25 miles.

Yesterday I got a little nuts. Seizing the opportunity to push myself even farther than ever before, I rode for 50 miles. Trip time: 4 hours and 14 minutes.

It's amazing to think that, only a few weeks ago, 30 miles seemed so long. I remember charting those first few rides and getting giddy at the idea of riding so far. Now, I don't think twice about it. 30 miles seems like a cakewalk.

One of the biggest differences in determining how far I could go was to change my eating habits while on the bike. For my first few rides, I didn't eat anything while on the bike. Re-reading this post from August 20, is it any wonder I wound up in so much pain? Lessons were definitely learned.

Since that time, I've wondered, "What should I eat during a long bike ride?" I read a number of articles on the subject, like this Bicycling.com article that states: "The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour of exercise."
The article is actually warning against over-eating, but it provides a good minimum to prevent under-eating, as well. I've since stocked up on several bars that I like to eat while riding, and it's definitely helped me go the distance.

One food I like, in particular, is Kashi's Honey Almond Flax.

I open a packet, stick it in my pocket and nibble off a quarter of a bar every 15 minutes. Depending on which route I take, that time interval is usually right after I go over some big hill, so I need to replenish the energy dished out to get me over the top.

Another favorite is Nature Valley's Oats & Honey bars.

Here, it's the same thing. Open a packet, stick it in a pocket for quick retrieval and munch on it while pedaling. There are 2 bars per packet and both need to be consumed within the hour to get the full 29 grams of carbohydrates.

Going back to the article, it's suggested that an athlete eats at least 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, so I also pack along a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to eat mid-ride while taking a short break and sipping on a sports drink. There's also a water fountain conveniently located at the Rockport Road trailhead access in the Lehigh Valley Gorge, so I make sure I refill with water before heading back home.

The before and after meals are also very important. I like to fuel up with a bowl of oatmeal or other whole grain cereals before I head out. It helps get me off to a good start. Meanwhile, a post-ride recovery meal of carbs and protein helps get me back on my feet. I haven't had a situation like this one in several weeks, and it's because I became a lot smarter about what I'm eating while riding.

I wrote this post not as a warning or a suggestion, but merely to highlight some of the steps I've taken to keep myself healthy, and it's worked so far. Comments, criticisms and suggestions are very welcome.

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Almost a 50k

Full Route: 29.8 miles

Today was an epic riding day. I plotted a course, gathered my things and hit the open road. It was glorious!

First of all, this ride was freaking fantastic. Lots of uphill challenges, plenty of downhill thrills, a distinct lack of traffic and wide open roadways. Have you ever wondered what it felt like to fly? I may have never gotten off the ground, but it was exhilarating.

I started off going out 940, towards Freeland. I then turned off 940 and rode through Jeddo, eventually going past Eckley Miner's Village. Past Jeddo (and especially past Eckley) the shoulder widens, leaving plenty of paved roadway to ride on. Not that it matters, as traffic is virtually nonexistent. It's mostly uphill, but that just means plenty of downhill to come.

Entrance to Eckley Miners Village

When I finally began to head downhill, I relished it. Arms tucked in, feet firmly planted, I hung over the handle bars and let the wind rip through my hair (well, what's left of it.) I could hear the front tire screaming as the speedometer climbed past 30 mph. However, the blissful moment was over all too soon. Back to reality, back to tough uphill roads.

I made a right at the bottom of the hill on Buck Mountain Road, heading towards Weatherly. Again, not very steep, but a long climb to the top. Eventually, however, I saw a welcome sight, a sign indicating a 7% grade for the next 3/4 of a mile. Time again for pure, downhill adrenaline. This time, with a slight twist.

You have no idea how happy I was to see this sign.

There's a marker obscuring the squiggly line on the map at the top of this post, but it represents the tight, hairpin curves of the Weatherly Hillclimb. People come from all over to race up this hill in souped-up vehicles twice a year, and the tire tracks all over the surface of the road tell the tale of the hundreds of cars that attempt it. But it's just so much fun to ride down it! The 20 MPH speed limit signs, then 10 and 5 MPH signs were pretty funny at the time. I won't say how fast I actually went, but I was respectful of those curves.

Finally, Weatherly. I made a slight deviation in my plotted course to stop and visit my brother, but he wasn't home. So, onward. I had planned a stop at the Dollar General that lies across the bridge to refuel. I bought a Nature Valley Granola Bar (Google Affiliate Ad) and went looking for some chocolate milk -- carbs and protein, basically -- but the only available drink was some brand that had 450 calories in it. In hindsight, I probably should have grabbed that one -- I burned over 1,000 calories on this trip -- but I spotted a bottle of "Protein to Go."

SCORE! Oh, wait, no. This stuff tastes like vomit.

At first, I thought I'd scored gold, until I actually tasted it. Horrible! It tasted like spoiled milk and sick. The date indicated that it was good until 2014, but it still tasted like the worst dreck I'd ever had. Was it bad, or is it supposed to taste like that? I thought twice about finishing it, then bottoms-upped it before thinking again. Time to move on.

The Weatherly Plains Road was the only part of this trip I was worried about. However, looking back, I found that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. All those runs up the hills here in town seem to have prepared me well. I was even surprised to see that I'm not dead-last on Strava.com. I'm only second to dead last...

Onwards through Beaver Meadows, up the Stockton Mountain Road, along Diamond Avenue to 309 and, finally, home. If I get to my driveway and remember feeling like I'd never see it again, that's how I judge a journey like this. True, I was never very far from people I knew who could help me in a pinch, but there were times that it did feel very lonely.

I'm well aware of those who would not be challenged by this ride -- I even encountered a fellow cyclist on the Weatherly Plains Road who blew right by me -- but I still feel very proud. Think of nothing but victory; recall nothing but triumph.

29.8 miles in 2 hours and 49 minutes. Almost a 50k.

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