Important Snacks for Riders

When asked, Double Century riders rated their favourite energy booster race snacks as: banana bread and bananas, toast with honey, Coke, Nik naks, Steri Stumpi and Squishy baby foods. Each to their own!

Pre-race meal and snack options:

• Banana (or other fruit) + water
• Low fibre cereal (oats/ ProNutro (original)/ Future Life) + low fat milk + water
• Toast and avocado/ peanut butter/ mashed banana/ Bovril/ Marmite + water
• Sports bar / cereal bar + water
• Homemade fruit smoothie (low fat yoghurt, fruit, oats + crushed ice / water)
• Sandwich with cold meat filling + water
• Pasta salad with chicken/ beef / tuna + water

During the ride: Choose one to two of these each hour of the ride (approximately 20g-25g carbohydrates each)

• 1 sports bar
• 1 sports gel
• 1 dried fruit bar
• 30g nougat
• 4-5 jelly sweets
• 1 thick slice of banana bread / fruit loaf
• 1 banana
• 45g dried fruit
• ½ honey / jam sandwich (1 slice bread)
• 1 marmite sandwich (2 slices bread)
• 4 Provita’s with marmite
• 6 Saltycrax
• 3 boiled baby potatoes
• ±375ml ‘sports’ drink (6-9% carbohydrate)
• ±375ml diluted apple juice (50:50) + pinch of salt

The recovery meal or drink:

Carbohydrate: ±1-1.5g/kg (athlete’s weight) for replenishing glycogen stores.

Protein: ±0.2-0.5g protein/kg (athlete’s weight) or ±20-25g protein for muscle repair and building.

Fluids: 1.5x fluid losses (calculated by weighing athlete immediately before and after exercise) for rehydration.

Electrolytes: for rehydration. These are naturally present in foods and drink, however cyclists with large salt losses and those participating in prolonged rides may require additional electrolytes.