On my rides of 3-3.5 hours, I can carry all the necessary nutrition/fluids I need. Usually I fill up two bike bottles and my profile design aerodrink system with a mix of Cytomax and Perpetuem. That and 2-3 gu packs can get me through a 3-3.5 ride.

I'm looking for help/advice on the logistics of fluids/nutrition for longer 6-7 hour rides - both training rides and for the actual B2B Full Distance event.

Do you carry all the fluids/nutrition you need?
Do you return to the start halfway through your ride to re-plentish supplies?
Do you stop at gas/convenience stores along the way?
Something else?

I live in Cary, NC so any practical advice specific to long rides in this area would also be helpful.

And how do you do it on race day?
Pick up water along the route and mix it with powder you carry on your bike or in your goodie bag?
Just go with water and gels after you've depleted your sports drink?
Something else?

Thanks,
Paul

Paul,

On long training rides, I think a lot of us will carry enough food (GU, Cliff Bars, whatever) and Endurolytes to carry us the distance. Although there is something to be said about buying a snack and a Coke at a convenience store.

Unless you're a camel, you can't carry enough fluids on your bike to go 6 hours. You'll have to stop at a convenience store to get more fluids. If you don't want to take a chance on whatever flavor of Gatorade the store has, you do have a couple of options. You can put premeasured amounts of your Cytomax into baggies and carry them with you to mix with water at the store. Or, you can fix one bottle with concentrated Cytomax and then mix it with convenience store water in your Aerodrink system. I can usually put enough concentrated Cytomax in one 20 oz. bottle to fill my AeroDrink 3-4 times.

One of these methods combined with water bottle stops every 10 miles during the actual race should be enough to get you through to mile 60 on race day. There you can pick up your special needs bag and replenish you supplies.

Hope this helps. Good luck training!

Speaking of being a camel, you can always carry a camelbak - probably available in most bike stores, hiking stores, etc. It's an insulated bladder you carry on your back and they carry anywhere from 30 to 100 ounces of fluids and it's always cold. I wouldn't race with one but they're great for long distance training. Just google "camelback." When you're racing there's plenty of aid stations.

For training local convenience stores work just fine to refuel. Race day, there will be plenty of water stops on the route. A small sandwich baggie with your favorite suppliment in the back of your jersey works just fine.

All of the previous options are good ones. I've used the concentrated drink method before myself. Beware though if it is a hot day. At one race I premixed my drink and put it in my special needs bag only to have it go bad and do the porta-potty run all the way home, no fun! Another good option is to use the brands of drink and gel offered on the course. This way, you don't have to carry everything. If you choose to try this method, of course you need to train with it too in order to be sure you don't have any problems with it.

Lots of great suggestions from everyone!

I understand they'll be providing HEED on the bike course. I'll definitely want to try this product before race day. The Hammer Nutrition website lists several flavors (Mild Melon, Subtle Berry, Lemon-Lime, Mandarin Orange and Unflavored). I want to train with the same flavor that will be available on race day.

Anyone know what flavor Set-up uses?

From Setup.....

Heed will be provided at each water stop approximately every 15 miles. Flavor is to be determined based on what Hammer sends but we will request the basic lemon lime flavor for bike and run course. All Heed will be pre mixed for you