When I first started mountain bike racing, my experience consisted of solo road rides and group mountain bike rides. Eating while road riding was easy, and on the group mountain bike rides, we always stopped to regroup, making it easy to get a bite to eat.

But… you can’t stop riding during a race! You need to get plenty of food and water, all while navigating treacherous terrain!

It’s tough, but not impossible. Here are some tips on how to do it:

1. Know the course.

You need to know the type of terrain you’ll be dealing with in order to make the right food choices.

If the course includes many dirt roads or smooth doubletrack sections, it will be possible to consume energy bars. If the course is technical singletrack, you might have to limit yourself to liquid calories.

Knowing what you’re in for will help you decide what to carry with you.

2. Open your energy bars before the race starts.

If the course offers easier, open sections, you can probably eat an energy bar while riding. But you don’t want to have to tear open the wrapper while riding. That’s annoying and completely unnecessary.

Before you line up at the start line, always tear open the wrapper and peel it back at least half way. Then re-wrap the bar and place it in your jersey pocket.

During the ride, you simply peel back the wrapper, rather than tear at it and then peel it back.

3. Tough terrain calls for energy gels.

If you’ll be on singletrack most of the time, and you only have very short sections of smooth terrain, you’ll want to skip the energy bars in favor of gel.

Gel is easier to eat because you just squeeze the packet into your mouth and swallow. Bam, it’s down. I like to either carry GU gel packets under my shorts (easy to grab,) or carry a gel flask. With the gel flask, you don’t have to worry about tearing open the gel packets.

Even easier are the newer energy gel bites, like GU Chomps and Clif Shot Bloks. These can be carried unwrapped in your jersey pocket, which makes for a very easy-to-grab snack.

4. Extreme terrain calls for liquid calories.

While I do like to carry some gel with me during races, I have been moving towards getting my calories via my water bottles. This is great for the really rough courses because you don’t have to deal with any wrappers or reaching into your jersey pocket.

You can do this with a high-calorie drink like Hammer Perpetuem. Fill your water bottle with Perpetuem and you can get 200 calories per hour that way.

(Skilled riders can stick with water bottles, but usually a hydration pack is easier for drinking, especially on singletrack. I stick with my Specialized bottles since they’re easier to clean out than a hydration pack.)

5. You can make a mess!

When you’re already covered in mud and gunk from the course, don’t worry about smearing a little gel on your face. You’re going to finish dirty, so gel, sports drink, drool, etc. will just blend right in.

The key is to get some nutrients into your mouth, not to stay clean.

Just remember, don’t litter! Dropping gel packets on the course can get you disqualified (and could ruin the race’s future, depending on who owns the land,) so make sure all wrappers end up back in your jersey pocket. Yes, even the little tops to gel packets.

Now practice these tips on your next ride and you’ll be ready to eat and drink without hesitation during your next mountain bike race!

Have you ever been too scared to eat and drink during a road bike race?

For my first years as a cyclist, I almost always rode alone or with one other person. Eating and drinking were easy, and I could always stop and relax to peel open an energy bar if necessary.

But once I started doing fast group rides where I was rotating through a paceline, there were days I definitely didn’t eat and drink enough. It just seemed too weird to grab my bottle or pull something out of my jersey pocket in a big group.

Not only is it hard to eat while also concentrating on the riders around you, you never know when a competitor could attack, forcing you to either drop your food or get dropped!

Here are some rules to follow, based on tips I picked up over the years:

1. Choose an easy-to-eat bar or gel.

I like Powerbars because I can take small bites and chew them quickly. They also slide down easily. Not so with bars that resemble real food (think dry, grainy bars such as Powerbar Harvest.)

Energy gel is another option, especially when carried in a flask. That is very quick to go down. I do recommend the flask, as dealing with a gel packet (tearing and then squeezing) can be cumbersome.

2. Your energy bars should be open before the ride starts.

Always rip open the wrapper and peel it back at least half way. Then re-wrap the bar and place it in your jersey pocket. This saves lots of time.

During the ride, you simply peel back the wrapper, rather than tear at it and then peel it back.

Another great idea is using energy gel bites like Clif Shot Bloks and PowerBar gel blasts. You can simply dump them into your jersey pocket and grab one at a time. They’re pretty dry, so they don’t need wrapped, and that saves a lot of time.

3. Eat a little at a time.

When you do eat your energy bar, take small bites. You will most likely be traveling at a fast pace, and your already heavy breathing will be even heavier if you have a huge chunk of energy bar blocking half your airway.

Just have a big enough bite that it still fits on one side of your mouth, between tongue and cheek.

The aforementioned energy gel bites work great for this as well, since they’re bite-sized.

4. Eat at the back of the pack.

The best time to eat and drink is when you’re at the back of the pack. You can relax a little bit since you don’t have riders on your back wheel.

You can also make use of the draft created by everyone in front. You can pedal with less effort, so you can devote more attention to eating.

Still pay attention to the leaders, though, in case they attack.

5. Eat when the pace eases.

At a stoplight, when the pack is settled down and calm. Or if there’s a tailwind. (If you’re in the back, you get the most benefit from the tailwind.) The easier the pace, the better, so you can devote more effort to chewing.

I like to eat at the top of a hill if there are no attacks. (Rarely are there attacks on the descent, so if everyone is together at the crest of the hill, it’s probably safe to grab a bite.) Then chew on the descent.

I usually don’t begin eating during the descents because I need both hands on the bar! This is especially true when you’re not familiar with the course.

6. There is no such thing as table manners.

When you’re riding with a pack of stinky guys blowing snot rockets, you don’t have to worry about being polite. Chew with your mouth open, swallow food whole, drip water on your jersey, grunt, etc.

The only “rule” that comes into play here is, don’t litter! Make sure you get your gel packets and energy bar wrappers back in your jersey pocket.

Practice these tips on your next solo ride, and put them into play during your next race. Eat enough food and you’ll finish strong!

I try to give out plenty of recommendations on what to eat (What To Eat Before and After a Ride, Banana Smoothie Recipe, Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Recipe, etc.), but everyone wants to know more…

What to eat healthy daily? i was wonderin whats very healthy to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner and also if you get a lil hungry in between what are some good snacks… the reason why i ask this is cause i’m tryin to work out my body. i am not fat one bit i’m fit i just wanna know what to eat to keep my body healthy.

Thanks,
Eating Erin

Hi Erin,

There are so many good foods out there I can’t list them all, but I’ll give you an idea of something I might eat on a typical day.

Breakfast

My two mainstays at breakfast time are oatmeal and whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter. Both are healthy choices that provide you with energy for the day. You can adjust proportions to your needs, but I typically have a huge bowl of oatmeal or two sandwiches, each loaded with a thick slab of peanut butter.

Another good option would be an omelet, which is a great way to get tons of nutrients from fresh eggs and veggies.

When I don’t need as many calories, I like to have a bowl of plain yogurt and fruit (such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.)

To round out my breakfast, I may also have an orange, apple, or banana. If I don’t have one with breakfast, I’ll have one as a mid-morning snack. I may also have a handful of walnuts or almonds, too.

For a beverage, green tea.

Lunch

One of my favorite lunches is a chicken sandwich. My usual consists of a sprouted grain bun with a few slices of chicken breast, then some sort of vegetable topping. My favorite add-ons are basil pesto and avocado slices, but you can also stick with lettuce, onions, green peppers, olives, and/or cheese.

If I was going out, I’d probably grab a $5 footlong from Subway; either turkey breast or sweet onion chicken teriyaki.

After lunch is another chance to snack on fresh fruit (apples, pears, peaches, etc.) and raw veggies such as carrot sticks and chunks of cauliflower (which won’t be as noticeable in your teeth as broccoli.)

Dinner

If I haven’t had one yet, it’s time for a large salad or vegetable stir-fry.

For the salad, we’re talking a large plate piled high with hearty lettuce, spinach, cucumber, carrots, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and whatever else is fresh. If I put anything on top of that, it’s olive oil.

For the stir-fry, I put a couple pounds of vegetables in a pan and stir-fry them. I add fresh onion and garlic for flavor, along with plenty of spices. This makes 2-3 large plates full of vegetables. When finished cooking, I douse them in olive oil.

Then I’ll have to find something for an evening snack. This could be a glass of milk with whey protein powder, apple slices covered in peanut butter and raisins, a hamburger made with quality meat, a glass of Barlean’s Greens, or whatever else I can find.

And that’s just what was on my mind! Things change year-round as I try new things and find whatever fruit and veggies are in-season.

If you want some more advice on great meals, I have to recommend the Precision Nutrition system and gourmet cookbooks. The whole package (nutrition guides and cookbooks) will set you back almost $100 (or even $150 if they raised the price,) but if you just want the cookbook for meal ideas, you can find Gourmet Nutrition for $40 or so.

While certainly not cheap, it’s a great way to get healthy meal ideas if you’re totally lost in the kitchen!

Today’s question is about eating a snack before exercise…

Along with my weight loss, I’ve been eating and drinking a lot more healthy than I used to. I’ve totally dropped the sodas and have been drinking water for every meal. I’ve been finding the healthiest choice each place I go, while still enjoying myself.

Speaking of eating, is it OK to eat before exercise? I do this often to get a little extra energy. I don’t ever eat anything large, usually just an apple or banana. I have low blood sugar and I get light-headed easily if I do not have a plentiful amount of sugar before any type of activity.

Thanks,
Light-headed Larry

Hi Larry,

Eating before exercise is usually fine. It will depend on your personal preferences as well as the type of workout you’re doing. (And as you can imagine, what works for a 60 minute workout in the gym is not the same as what works when fueling a 24-hour mountain bike race.)

There are plenty of days when I get light-headed and can’t focus on a workout if I haven’t eaten, so I always eat before and/or during a workout unless it’s very short workout early in the morning.

With a light snack such as an apple or a banana, and a workout that’s an hour or less, you shouldn’t run into any problems. If your current routine works well for you, keep doing it!

It can be hard sticking to what works because you’ll always run into people who say “do this, not that” and it will be the exact opposite of everyone saying “do it this way, it works.” I couldn’t even list the number of theories out there. The truth is, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ eating plan.

So if you have found something that works for you, stick with that. If someone tells you, “fast for six hours before your workout,” but you already know that you can’t work out well without a snack, just ignore their advice.

I encounter a high number of people who say not to eat before a workout, don’t drink anything but water during a workout, and don’t eat immediately after a workout because you don’t need the calories. Sometimes I just have to laugh, because if I followed those guidelines for my workout and competition schedule, I’d most likely die!

So go ahead and eat your snacks and exercise, and enjoy it!

Today’s question about eating before and after a workout is a follow up to this question about proper nutrition for riding and racing.

When you say a big meal before hand, does that mean like pasta, chicken, potatoes, etc? I imagine you eat the oatmeal and PB&J sandwich like 1 hour before training/riding. On Saturday and Saturdays are my most intense days. 2 hour of spin, ab work and yoga, and then like 40 minutes of weights. Pretty much all day at the gym.

I am absolutely starving at the end and just want to pig out and usally eat things when I get home that arent good like Oreos and other nasty stuff because I don’t know what to make. Should I eat a huge breakfast on these days, or should I sort of carbo load for dinner the night before. Usually my coach doesn’t let us eat during practice for some strange reason. So, is there any good, filling food I should load up on for breakfast/dinner night before. I have tried the PB and toasted Banana sandwich (Very tasty ) but that alone doesn’t fill me up for long.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions!!
-Nutritious Nick

Hi again Nick,

Typically I’d go for 800-1000 calories if I’m eating 3-4 hours before the workout, with an emphasis on complex carbs, protein, and fat. A very large bowl of oatmeal or two sandwiches (big, dense slices of bread, thick banana slices, thick layer of peanut butter) work for me. Then I might grab something like a Nature Valley or Kashi granola bar 1 hour beforehand.

You could do the same thing with a couple plates of whole wheat pasta or wild rice and chicken, though. I have found a lot of people eat much less than I do, so it’s really just a personal thing. Perhaps you need a little more protein and fat in your meal, who knows.

The best thing you can do is try different foods in different amounts until you find the perfect combo. It’s worth it!

I don’t think I have the recipe for this up yet, but I like to make banana smoothies post workout. I put 1-2 sliced frozen bananas, 1-2 whole eggs, a splash of orange juice, and 1-2 cups milk together and blend. It’s quick to make and filling. (Usually I end up with around 36oz of smoothie!)

As for “no eating during practice,” I’ve had coaches with similar philosophies, such as “water makes you weak.” If you can’t eat during the workout, try sneaking in calories by drinking Accelerade or Hammer Perpetuem, which could get you 240-500 calories in one water bottle if mixed strong enough. The extra protein, plus the sheer number of calories, should help out. (It’s basically liquid food.)

Although, if you’re eating that much food and you’re still hungry, maybe it’s time to totally rethink your strategy. You might even want to go without any breakfast! It sounds crazy, but some people are having great luck with that strategy. (But going sans breakfast requires you to start drinking and/or eating during the ride.)

You could also try eating a 3,000 calorie breakfast (sort of like Michael Phelps’ super high calorie diet,) but it’s hard to digest and absorb all that food right before a ride, and I would expect that to do more harm than good.

But like I said, test all the scenarios and see how each one works.