By Sally Warner MA PhD
Twenty-four hour mountain bike races are just one of the many different types of ultra endurance events that have recently been gaining popularity. Relative to the traditional 1-3 hour endurance competitions, ultra events are longer in duration and require a greater caloric expense. So you can imagine that nutrition is even more important for success in these longer events. Nutrient needs for a 24 hour mountain bike race can vary based on your fitness and experience, the difficulty of the race, the weather, and the available equipment, support and facilities. As such, it is to your advantage to pay attention to these factors and plan a strategy in advance!
Tips to help you be efficient with your time and energy so you can pay more attention to your rest and nutrition: Regarding the race…Will you be riding the 24 hrs solo or doing a relay? How long are the course laps? How difficult is the terrain? Do you have lap time goals? What is the weather forecast (temperature, precipitation, headwinds, etc)? If you will be doing a relay, encourage your teammates to train and plan a strategy too. Who will start? Will you do back-to-back laps or will you be passing the baton after each lap? Regarding equipment, support, and facilities… Is your bike in good working order? Do you have tools and spares? Do you have a mechanic to wash, clean and lube between laps? Do you have head lights with spare batteries? Make sure your base camp is well furnished with lamps, heaters, fridge, stove, microwave, etc. A tent is helpful, but an RV can provide cushy digs for a 24hr race. Will you have access to a shower, massage and food vendors? Though these points about the race details and gear preparations may sound off the topic of nutrition, please take note that anything that wastes time or energy during the 24hr event will take away from your ability to rest and replenish your fuel stores!
Nutrition for 24 hour racing can be complex: Unlike an Indy 500 race car a cyclist not only has limited fuel storage capacity, but also has no fuel gauge. You may be used to consuming sports drinks, bars and gels during a 2 hour ride or race, yet 6 hrs into a 24 hr race these are going to be much less appealing. Believe me, when you are tired, your ability to make good decisions is gone. You will be best served to estimate your needs and have a support crew to remind you to eat and drink when you get tired. If you will be racing solo then you will likely consume most of your calories in motion and will place a greater dependence upon your support crew to prepare your fuel. If you are doing a relay you will be able to eat more solid foods and should consider treating each lap as a separate race with pre and post meals that mimic those used for short races.
How to roughly estimate your hydration and calorie needs: Plan to drink at least 8oz of 6-8% sports drink every 15-20 minutes (or water). Your general food consumption should be mostly carbohydrates and low on fiber. You will be using somewhere between 6-15 calories/kg/hr for exercise depending on your speed and other race conditions. If you are doing a relay you can expect to make up for some of the calorie deficits while resting between laps. Shoot for replacing a minimum of 4 calories/kg/hr which would be about 300 calories/hr for a 165lb person.
Some practical examples of useful foods and beverages: Be sure to bring lots of water, sports beverages, cola and tea might come in handy. Foods to consider include: macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (alternates are banana, honey, or fluff), bananas, fig bars, bagels, salty chips, trail mix, pretzels, soups, cookies, baked goods, pancakes, waffles, hot and cold cereal, spaghetti, and breads. Antacids are always good to have along to help with electrolytes and a sour stomach. I would recommend including a wide variety and moderation of foods and beverages.
Planning your strategy: Educate yourself about the course and available facilities. Train specifically for the duration and type of terrain. Practice with different types of foods and beverages during training (pre, during and post exercise) to find out what agrees with you. Seek advice from veterans whenever possible. Estimate your calorie and hydration needs. Make sure your bike is in good working order. Prepare and freeze foods prior to the event so they are ready to heat and serve. Recruit family, friends, or hired help for support to prepare foods, clean up and to remind you to eat and drink. Arrive at the venue early to organize everything for easy access and greatest efficiency. Bring more of everything than you think you'll need. You can always share with those less-prepared or use for bartering if needed. Listen to your body and have fun!