Q - Eating breakfast before commuting

HarryB wrote:
Background: My wife and I purchased a tandem this fall and have done a
little (~400 miles) riding. I have so enjoyed the biking that I'm
considering commuting to work (about 20 miles round trip.) I'm 50
years old, have not really ridden a bike since my early 20's, and am
in reasonably good physical condition. I would need to purchase a
commuting bike (riding the tandem alone just doesn't seem like a good
idea - I'm considering a recumbent) but have to resolve a few issues
first. One of them is about breakfast.

Question: Presently I eat a cold cereal breakfast before driving to
work. I'm wondering if it is "ok" to eat a breakfast just before
getting on the bike and riding 10 hilly miles. (I've heard that one
shouldn't exercise immediately after eating a meal, but maybe that is
an old wive's tale?) It would be possible for me to eat a breakfast
after arriving at work, but I'm concerned about not having the energy
to ride 10 miles without a breakfast. Since I would need to leave the
house at about 5:00am, it might make a difference in my decision to
commute if I would need to wait, let's say an hour, between eating and
riding.

I usually eat (oatmeal or cold cereal & juice) before my commute,
and then nothing 'til I get home at night. That works for me,
although I'm usually pretty hungry when I get home

My commute varies between 1 mile and 20, depending on the route.
In winter, it's almost always 1 The 20-mile route is
absolutely great in the Summer, though.

Scott really at notscape det not

Harryb wrote:
Question: Presently I eat a cold cereal breakfast before driving to
work. I'm wondering if it is "ok" to eat a breakfast just before getting
on the bike and riding 10 hilly miles. (I've heard that one shouldn't
exercise immediately after eating a meal, but maybe that is an old
wive's tale?) It would be possible for me to eat a breakfast after
arriving at work, but I'm concerned about not having the energy to ride
10 miles without a breakfast. Since I would need to leave the house at
about 5:00am, it might make a difference in my decision to commute if I
would need to wait, let's say an hour, between eating and riding.
TIA, Harry



I eat breakfast every day before my commute (7 miles) and have never had
a problem. I would say that you should give it a try and see how your
stomach reacts.

Dan.



--

On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:38:34 -0800, HarryB
wrote:
Question: Presently I eat a cold cereal breakfast before driving to
work. I'm wondering if it is "ok" to eat a breakfast just before
getting on the bike and riding 10 hilly miles. (I've heard that one

I eat mass quantities of Rice Krispies with whole milk before I go
on long rides, and it sustains me much better than anything else. I
have no problems.

That silly bit about getting cramps or vomiting if you eat before
exercising probably affects some, but has never bothered me.

I wish I could commute to work by bike, but the 50 foot commute is
mostly stairs, and 100% indoors.
--
Rick Onanian

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
By the way, the only reason I don't eat prior to a morning ride is simply
that it allows me to get up a bit later. I put a high value on being able
to set the alarm for 7:05 (for a 7:30 ride) instead of 6:45am. Then again,
it's well known that I'm simply not a morning person.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com



Bright, or early: pick one.

That's me, too.

Sam

"Rick Onanian" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:38:34 -0800, HarryB
wrote:
..

I wish I could commute to work by bike, but the 50 foot commute is
mostly stairs, and 100% indoors.


You could just ride to some arbitrary point 5 or 10 miles away and
them come back every day. All the benefits of a bike commute and you
don't have to take a change of clothes :-)

Question: Presently I eat a cold cereal breakfast before driving to
work. I'm wondering if it is "ok" to eat a breakfast just before
getting on the bike and riding 10 hilly miles. (I've heard that one
shouldn't exercise immediately after eating a meal, but maybe that is
an old wive's tale?) It would be possible for me to eat a breakfast
after arriving at work, but I'm concerned about not having the energy
to ride 10 miles without a breakfast. Since I would need to leave the
house at about 5:00am, it might make a difference in my decision to
commute if I would need to wait, let's say an hour, between eating and
riding.

TIA,
Harry

I usually ride about 9 miles over mostly flat ground most mornings after
eating a bowl of oatmeal or two scrambled eggs and toast. Doesn't bother
me. I didn't read all the previous posts, but at least one other person
commented that you don't get energy from a meal that soon. I've gone a few
times skipping breakfast and was fine with that as well.

Sam Yorko wrote:
Bright, or early: pick one.

That's me, too.

i'm neither. "not too bright, not too early" is my mantra.

just pulling my 10am to 12am 6 days a week.
--
david reuteler

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote in message ...
Bruce Frech wrote:

And enjoy the commute. It will make wonderful changes to lots of things in
your life.

What wonderful changes? I'm not a troll. I've been slowly learning to cycle,
with a lot of set backs lately, and have more or less given up my daily 1.5 km
to work because over that distance it's so much less hassle to walk. But I may
have to start commuting seriously, 10kms, in the Fall, so I'm curious about all
these great life-changing claims that are made for it.

EFR
Ile de France

Well,
A small part of my approx 12 kms commute is on a footpath beside the
mighy Fraser River, one of the great salmon streams. I see it in all
seasons - fog, night, rainy mornings, sunny spring days like we are
having now. It is pleasant - especially for a bird watcher like
myself. (lots of merganzers, wintering loons, cormorants, ducks at the
moment).
Motorists don't experience these things and naturally can't share
them.
Currently I pass a mated pair of Canada geese on a railway right of
way, morning and evening. They are so careful and domestic as I pass,
gently honking and slowly moving aside as I pass. I always go slow
and make an easy clicking sound as i pass so as to make myself
familiar and non threatening to them. They stand just a couple of
feet off the path as I pass.

Are these "great life-changing" things? I don't know. I prefer them
to my former car commute, tho.
Carry your rain gear, keep cranking. You will improve as we all do,
in small increments. Remember to smell the flowers along the way.
Very best regards, Bernie

"cheg" wrote in message news:k%94c.12045$Gm5.32846@attbi_s04...
"Rick Onanian" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:38:34 -0800, HarryB
wrote:
.

I wish I could commute to work by bike, but the 50 foot commute is
mostly stairs, and 100% indoors.


You could just ride to some arbitrary point 5 or 10 miles away and
them come back every day. All the benefits of a bike commute and you
don't have to take a change of clothes :-)

Good point. He could go somewhere for breakfast, 5 or 10 miles away from home.
Doncha hate people who stay home and still make a living?
Bernie

My commute is less than 5 km as the crow flys. I often stretch it to 25 and
end up crossing the Seine 4 times (instead of 0 if I go in a straight line).
But even the 15-20 minutes it takes to get home if I go in a straight line
is enough to clear my head after work, instead of submerging with the other
rats in the Metro.

trg
Ile de France

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
Bruce Frech wrote:

And enjoy the commute. It will make wonderful changes to lots of
things in your life.

What wonderful changes? I'm not a troll. I've been slowly learning to
cycle, with a lot of set backs lately, and have more or less given up
my daily 1.5 km to work because over that distance it's so much less
hassle to walk. But I may have to start commuting seriously, 10kms,
in the Fall, so I'm curious about all these great life-changing
claims that are made for it.

EFR
Ile de France