Power drink recommendations?

If it's not raining Sunday morning I plan to do the 22-mile L.A. Acura bike
tour prior to the marathon. My training rides are usually 15 miles; I did
twenty last weekend with no trouble.

Because this is a route unfamiliar to me (and because it has some slight
elevation changes) I'm concerned about needing a boost in the latter stages
of the ride. Normally I just carry water. I'm unfamiliar with all the
modern power drinks (they weren't around thirty years ago when I did my
long-distance riding) and don't know whether they're really helpful.

Is there something I could put together at home (ided tea with sugar, for
instance) or is there something that's really sure-fire for an energy kick?

----

saki wrote:

If it's not raining Sunday morning I plan to do the 22-mile L.A. Acura bike
tour prior to the marathon. My training rides are usually 15 miles; I did
twenty last weekend with no trouble.

Because this is a route unfamiliar to me (and because it has some slight
elevation changes) I'm concerned about needing a boost in the latter stages
of the ride. Normally I just carry water. I'm unfamiliar with all the
modern power drinks (they weren't around thirty years ago when I did my
long-distance riding) and don't know whether they're really helpful.

Is there something I could put together at home (ided tea with sugar, for
instance) or is there something that's really sure-fire for an energy kick?

You'd be fine with Gatorade. Pick a flavor.

Ride it rain OR shine. If it rains, it'll be the only chance you have
to breathe clean air :-)

Neil
San Diego

saki wrote:
If it's not raining Sunday morning I plan to do the 22-mile L.A.
Acura bike
tour prior to the marathon. My training rides are usually 15 miles; I
did
twenty last weekend with no trouble.

Because this is a route unfamiliar to me (and because it has some
slight
elevation changes) I'm concerned about needing a boost in the latter
stages
of the ride. Normally I just carry water. I'm unfamiliar with all the

modern power drinks (they weren't around thirty years ago when I did
my
long-distance riding) and don't know whether they're really helpful.

Is there something I could put together at home (ided tea with sugar,
for
instance) or is there something that's really sure-fire for an energy
kick?


22 miles shouldn't begin to deplete a healthy person's glycogen
reserves.

"Peter Cole" wrote in news:1109961757.555452.94160
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
22 miles shouldn't begin to deplete a healthy person's glycogen
reserves.

Most people have about 2 hours of glycogen at a moderate aerobic pace, so 22
miles will *begin* to deplete the reserves. Plain water will be fine for most
people, but a pint or two of gatorade won't hurt, especially on a hot day.

Ken wrote:
"Peter Cole" wrote in
news:1109961757.555452.94160
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
22 miles shouldn't begin to deplete a healthy person's glycogen
reserves.

Most people have about 2 hours of glycogen at a moderate aerobic
pace, so 22
miles will *begin* to deplete the reserves. Plain water will be fine
for most
people, but a pint or two of gatorade won't hurt, especially on a hot
day.

I think your numbers are wrong. The figure usually cited for glycogen
reserve is 2,000 kcal. Even a relatively fast pace only burns 20-30
kcal/mile, and that's split between glycogen and fatty acids. If your
pace is low enough (12-14 mph) you won't even touch your glycogen
reserves.

Sports drinks are entirely unnecessary marketing inventions. The
purported goal is to maximize fluid uptake, not provide calories or
electrolytes, as so many are led to believe.

At least avoid clear bottles unless your frame and drink match.

On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 18:27:58 +0000, saki wrote:

Is there something I could put together at home (ided tea with sugar, for
instance) or is there something that's really sure-fire for an energy kick?

I like half Coca-cola, half water. Really.

Cheap, effective, and annoys the health nuts.

I drink HEED from Hammer Nutrition. I sometimes use their gels on longer
rides.


--
Dominic Sansom

In article ,
maxo writes:
On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 18:27:58 +0000, saki wrote:

Is there something I could put together at home (ided tea with sugar, for
instance) or is there something that's really sure-fire for an energy kick?

I like half Coca-cola, half water. Really.

Cheap, effective, and annoys the health nuts.

This past summer, after a hardworking stint of spreading
crush gravel in a construction site excavation, without
eating anything all day, I was left wondering how the heck
I was going to make it home at the end of the day. I was
too pooped to walk, let alone ride. I had just enough coin
to buy a Coke at the gas station next door to the site.

Boy, that hit the spot! Just remembering that reminds me
of the rendition of the tune 'Survival' by Yes on their
first album. I got home okay.

I also recall how a Coke on an empty stomach can lead to
some gaseously turbulent consequences. I don't blame ya
for steppin' on it with water.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Ken wrote:

"Peter Cole" wrote in
news:1109961757.555452.94160 @g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

22 miles shouldn't begin to deplete a healthy person's glycogen
reserves.

Most people have about 2 hours of glycogen at a moderate aerobic
pace, so 22 miles will *begin* to deplete the reserves. Plain water
will be fine for most people, but a pint or two of gatorade won't
hurt, especially on a hot day.

That's an hour and a half of riding in the mountains for me, and only an hour by
the beach where it's flat. I'm not particularly fast, either. I'd say half our
bike club would have about the same pace.

I'm not a big sports drink afficianado -- water has always worked fine for me,
with a little food every couple of hours. Sports drinks do go into your system
faster though.

Matt O.

"Tom Keats" wrote in message
...
In article ,
maxo writes:
On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 18:27:58 +0000, saki wrote:
Is there something I could put together at home (ided tea with sugar,
for
instance) or is there something that's really sure-fire for an energy
kick?
I like half Coca-cola, half water. Really.
Cheap, effective, and annoys the health nuts.
This past summer, after a hardworking stint of spreading
crush gravel in a construction site excavation, without
eating anything all day, I was left wondering how the heck
I was going to make it home at the end of the day. I was
too pooped to walk, let alone ride. I had just enough coin
to buy a Coke at the gas station next door to the site.
Boy, that hit the spot! Just remembering that reminds me
of the rendition of the tune 'Survival' by Yes on their
first album. I got home okay.
I also recall how a Coke on an empty stomach can lead to
some gaseously turbulent consequences. I don't blame ya
for steppin' on it with water.
cheers,
Tom

Well actually a number of bike racers use a "flat coke" as a fast recovery
drink after a race.
A flat coke would not have all the carbonated bubbles to cause gas problems.