Nutrition for 100 mile race

[pscook]

I am participating in a 100 mile race in about 5 weeks. Nutrition-wise I can set myself up for a two hour race pretty well, but this one looks to be about four hours. Also, I will be camping, so food preparation and storage is key. What I would normally do is make a stack of sandwiches (or bring sandwich fixings) and eat them all weekend, but I think that I should treat my body better than that. So, I reach out to all of you for experience in what to pack for a three day adventure (maybe just two, but planning for duration just in case). I have four objectives:
1) Be properly fed for performance and duration during the race
2) Be prepared for appropriate recovery after the race
3) Pack the right food to feed myself (and maybe others as needed) over the duration of the weekend
4) Don't pack a dozen donuts because "I'm going to need the calories anyway..."

The schedule for the weekend is this:
Friday: Leave town in the afternoon, get to camp site around dinner time. Eat, drink, sleep.
Saturday: Breakfast, get through all of the registration, head out for the family poker run (20 mile loop, repeat as much as you want). Eat, drink, sleep.
Sunday: Breakfast, rider's meeting, two 50 mile loops. There is a fuel stop in the pits, I plan to swap out hydration packs, fill the tank, and have an appropriate snack to fuel myself for the last loop.

Here's where I need help:
1) What should I eat before the race? What should I eat at the halfway point?
2) What is good recovery food? I know that I want a good mix of carbs and protein, but I want suggestions beyond my sandwich idea.
3) What can I pack that won't spoil and is easy to prepare? I don't think I'll have a stove available (mostly because I don't own one), so it will probably be cold cuts and the like. But, I'm limited in my ideas for camp food, so give me some ideas.
4) Donuts? I'll bring a couple, but I'll try to restrain myself from a dozen old-fashioned or apple fritters.

I love eating fruits, nuts, and vegetables. I also train with Clif bars, so I know that my system is prepared for that type of food. I have no problem making pre-cooked meals and freezing them in advance, like fish, chicken, beef, etc., if that is a good idea.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Rick]

I am participating in a 100 mile race in about 5 weeks. Nutrition-wise I can set myself up for a two hour race pretty well, but this one looks to be about four hours. Also, I will be camping, so food preparation and storage is key. What I would normally do is make a stack of sandwiches (or bring sandwich fixings) and eat them all weekend, but I think that I should treat my body better than that. So, I reach out to all of you for experience in what to pack for a three day adventure (maybe just two, but planning for duration just in case). I have four objectives:
1) Be properly fed for performance and duration during the race
2) Be prepared for appropriate recovery after the race
3) Pack the right food to feed myself (and maybe others as needed) over the duration of the weekend
4) Don't pack a dozen donuts because "I'm going to need the calories anyway..."

The schedule for the weekend is this:
Friday: Leave town in the afternoon, get to camp site around dinner time. Eat, drink, sleep.
Saturday: Breakfast, get through all of the registration, head out for the family poker run (20 mile loop, repeat as much as you want). Eat, drink, sleep.
Sunday: Breakfast, rider's meeting, two 50 mile loops. There is a fuel stop in the pits, I plan to swap out hydration packs, fill the tank, and have an appropriate snack to fuel myself for the last loop.

Here's where I need help:
1) What should I eat before the race? What should I eat at the halfway point?
2) What is good recovery food? I know that I want a good mix of carbs and protein, but I want suggestions beyond my sandwich idea.
3) What can I pack that won't spoil and is easy to prepare? I don't think I'll have a stove available (mostly because I don't own one), so it will probably be cold cuts and the like. But, I'm limited in my ideas for camp food, so give me some ideas.
4) Donuts? I'll bring a couple, but I'll try to restrain myself from a dozen old-fashioned or apple fritters.

I love eating fruits, nuts, and vegetables. I also train with Clif bars, so I know that my system is prepared for that type of food. I have no problem making pre-cooked meals and freezing them in advance, like fish, chicken, beef, etc., if that is a good idea.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Never have had a 100 mile non stop race (sounds like fun) Oatmeal would be a great place to start!
Powerbars is what I keep in my hydro pack for a mid trail snack.....exception to I need a ton of water to wash it down.

Good Luck!

 

[roostafish]

Everybody is different, but here is what I like.

My breakfast on race day is protein pancakes. PM me if you want the recipe. It's oatmeal, eggs, and cottage cheese. Very yummy. Fruit juice. I like Odwalla C-Monster.

During a race, I use hammer gel. Hit a packet every checkpoint. Although lately I just stick 1/3 of a cup of it in my hydration pack. If I eat anything at a check, it will be fruit. Banana, Orange, and Watermelon are my favorite.

Post race, my wife will hand me a Muscle Milk as soon as I step off the bike.

I cannot eat solids while I'm racing. Even a 6 hour enduro.

 

[pscook]

Never have had a 100 mile non stop race (sounds like fun) Oatmeal would be a great place to start!
Powerbars is what I keep in my hydro pack for a mid trail snack.....exception to I need a ton of water to wash it down.

Good Luck!

Yup, I have plain instant oatmeal standing by. I am eating it before bicycle rides right now to make sure I don't have any "surprises" on the trail.

Everybody is different, but here is what I like.

My breakfast on race day is protein pancakes. PM me if you want the recipe. It's oatmeal, eggs, and cottage cheese. Very yummy. Fruit juice. I like Odwalla C-Monster.

During a race, I use hammer gel. Hit a packet every checkpoint. Although lately I just stick 1/3 of a cup of it in my hydration pack. If I eat anything at a check, it will be fruit. Banana, Orange, and Watermelon are my favorite.

Post race, my wife will hand me a Muscle Milk as soon as I step off the bike.

I cannot eat solids while I'm racing. Even a 6 hour enduro.

I would love the protein pancake recipe, I'll try them as soon as I get the ingredients. I agree that solids are tough, but I can't think of any other way to transport food on a 50 mile loop. I'll have bananas and oranges ready at the fuel stop, maybe I'll crush up a clif bar and mix it with something else. or not. I'll experiment this weekend. A blender, bananas, oranges, apple slices, and a clif bar. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Brian VT]

I cannot eat solids while I'm racing. Even a 6 hour enduro.

+2. As much water as I can carry, Gu packets whenever I can get my hands off the bars for a few seconds, and fruit when I can get off the bike. Apples travel well and seem to get me through. Anything "dry" (like Power Bars, nuts, etc.) is almost impossible for me to choke down during an enduro.
If I'm just trail riding, I like having jerky (beef or deer) in my pack.

 

[Brian VT]

I am participating in a 100 mile race...this one looks to be about four hours.

What kind of race and terrain ? Where I live the AAs can't hold a 25mph average. I'd be looking at 6 hrs.+/- (mid-pack B rider).

 

[pscook]

What kind of race and terrain ? Where I live the AAs can't hold a 25mph average. I'd be looking at 6 hrs.+/- (mid-pack B rider).

Desert race. Maybe my estimations of my pace were wildly optimistic. But I'm a glass half-full kind of guy!
http://stumpjumpers.org/desert100/ (video at link)

Okay, so I'll pack for 6 hours. Apples. Gels. Lots of water. Anything in the water? I usually train and recover with Nuun electrolytes or plain water, not real big on adding too much stuff to my hydration pack.

 

[Brian VT]

I don't worry about recovery. I figure I've got a few days to get through that. We usually hit a restaurant on the way home and get whatever our heart desires and have a few beers with it (except the drivers).
Heck, if I was doing it for a living I might be willing to put myself through the diet wringer, but this is just sport for me.
No plastic trophy is gonna keep me from a side order of bacon.

 

[Brian VT]

Desert race. http://stumpjumpers.org/desert100/

Looks like a fun weekend ! I guess 25mph might be realistic out there (although the camera guys don't often trek into the areas where the real riding is).
Looks like between 3.25 and 7.5 hours for 2 laps.
I would look for V. Hett and try to stay with her and you should be under 4 hrs. (or at least enjoy the view for a bit)

 

[StuJohnson]

Desert 100.
I will be there as well.
Have you been? The video is just a hint of what it is like.
Ranchers empty pastor goes from 0 to nearly 6000 people. Sunday's start is the best. Ridersline up on fence line and then mad race about a mile to hit holeshot the size of a cattle gate.
For food all you need is a case of beer each day.

 

[swazi_matt]

For the roof I used hi-five 2-1 with gels and was happy with it, I think hamer has a similar product, the key is that it has protein in it and for a long race you need to feed your muscles. Boyscout had a thread on here that outlined some good methods as well with a weigh protein shake every time he pitted

 

[pierce]

4 years ago i did the ozark 100 miler thought i was hydrated good got a good start was in the top 3 in my class buy the 35 mile mark and my body started breaking down i had burned so much energy standing up and sitting down runing race pace that i started having bad leg spazms witch ended my day early. pace your self in the race eat lots of pasta the day before and the day off use lots of salt to retain water the week before just my 2cents the video is last years 100miler http://youtu.be/0_iKYTUDsWo

 

[Brian VT]

...i started having bad leg spazms witch ended my day early.

Those hurt like hell ! Sometimes I get them near the end but I usually get them after, like on the drive home when I get out of the truck for a coffee or at a restaurant.
People look at you funny when you're rolling around on the ground in pain next to your truck. Some even ask if they can help. Maybe some day it will be a hottie that would massage my thighs.
Potassium (kiwis, bananas, etc.) for at least the week before seems to help some. And lots of water, of course.

 

[GMP]

If you can stomach it, drink an iced down Pedialyte before the race, especially if its warm out. Camelback I run water/sports drink mix. This really helps avoid cramps which are from electrolyte defeciency. I have no problem with Power bars/Protein bars on the trail or at gas as long as I drink pleny of water with them, but everyone is different. Avoid a lot of sugar, that instant oatmeal is full of sugar. I usually have a big breakfast early AM, like ham, eggs, omltet, etc. and a big protein bar before the start. Especially in HS races that start a bit later.

 

[rgranger]

E-lyte sports drink. you can buy a concentrate and mix your own. Helped a lot 2 years ago when we were riding the forest (houston, tx) in the extreme summer heat (drought). Really helped with stopping cramps. A lot of long distance bikers use it.

 

[AZRickD]

I see lots of talk about carbs and carbo loading. Nothing about fat intake.

Two months ago I did a rocky, 80 mile restart enduro fueled with bacon and yams. In my hydration pack was a home brew solution of water, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime (electrolytes).

For last weekend's 80 mile hare scramble (28-mile loops), I added to this concoction (stored in bottles, not my pack), coconut water (electrolytes), raw eggs, canteloupe, strawberry, raspberries, and blueberries and blended them all up. This worked fine as I pitted each lap because the long sand washes had everybody burning gas at higher rates. Energy levels stayed up and I was well-hydrated as I was constantly tempted to pull over to pee.

I think I might add some fat to the drink (another egg or maybe some olive or coconut oil).

 

[GMP]

I'm going to pass on that until you show me some before and after blood work. I understand the protein part but all the fat is a bit much for me.

 

[AZRickD]

I, on the other hand, don't see the reliance on protein while foregoing fat (fuel). As it turns out, I am having a full panel later next week. . I'm as curious as you.

As for "all that fat," i just note that some are advocating going with little or no fat for hours during fairly exertive activity. The body functions well by metabolizing fat up to a point - I have to sugar up after a out two hours. Fat is part of a healthy diet. Just wondering where it is on race day?

Lastly, on the subject of "carbo-loading," look all around your starting rows. See those bellies? Most of them have been carbo-loading for decades. It's called the modern American diet.

 

[arminhammer]

I take all my food advice from my paleo buddy.
48 years old.
I got rid of carbs and fuel with fat everyday. Blood work is better now at 48 than when I was 28.

 

[GMP]

It almost sounds like the optimum canine diet. I have two ripped pitbulls that eat that way.

Seriously, I'm sure it works if you can take it serious and stick to it. My problem is integrating something like this in a family setting. If you just manage your own food than no big deal.