PRE-RIDE
If you are just an amateur athlete like me, most people don’t realize but they don’t actually need to eat much before doing a workout in the morning (depending on the intensity, of course!). If I am doing a ride at an easy pace (which is pretty much most of the time), all I’m going to have before I clip in is a banana and my usual coffee with two scoops of collagen powder, and if I need fuel later, I will just do it on the bike. If I am doing something intensive (such as riding to Whistler), then I may eat a light breakfast with complex carbs + light on the protein, but generally, I don’t need much. Besides, it’s not like I race anyway! If you ride to ride like me and you know your body well, do what is right for you because every athlete is different.
During rides, I only consume Huma Gels, which taste like a fruit puree without any nasty artificial flavors and does not cause me any digestive issues. They are super sweet, but what do you expect from endurance gels? Just remember to drink a lot of water. Lately, I’ve been craving for gummies so I will usually carry Cliff Bloks. If I am doing epic rides such a centuries, we will probably stop somewhere to get real food which is usually in a form of a pastry or sandwich, and more coffee. But even if we don’t do epic rides, we will take a break for epic eats. After all, isn’t that why we ride? To enjoy life?
POST-RIDE
I normally don’t eat for an hour or two after a bike ride because of my OCD tendencies meaning I want to put everything away, plug in all my electronics so they can charge, take a shower, and settle down. Eating is a sacred affair for me so I like to be comfortable because everything should be an experience. I think I fuel pretty well on two-wheelz so I am never hungry when I get home, but if you put food in front of me, I will eat it!
