100-mile bike ride, breakfast?

[cbr shadow]

I'm doing a "Century" 100-mile bike ride this coming Sunday which is a longer ride than I've ever done in the past.  I do a lot of 50 mile rides, and have done 80 miles, but 100 will be the most.  As far as food that morning, what should I eat?  I've been following the breakfast that MMM recently posted (eggs with cheese, avacado) before my bike ride to work daily.. should I do the same before my 100 mile ride, or should I add carbs?
If you say to add carbs, please explain why.
Any advice is appreciated - thanks!
-Ryan

[gooki]

Do what your used to, but make sure you top up during the ride. I'd be looking to top up you calories every 20-30 miles.

[jnik]

Carb up Friday and Saturday (not just one big carb-load for Saturday dinner), eat what sounds good on Sunday morning (probably best to stick to habit), eat and drink calories throughout the ride. Have fun!

[Jamesqf]

I've never eaten anything special for a ride.  All I have to do is make sure I eat at least a couple of hours before starting, otherwise I'm likely to see that breakfast again.  And if I eat during a ride, it's only small amounts at a time - no stopping for a big lunch, unless there's a couple of hours break after.

[Russ]

Nothing different than usual or you run the risk of your digestive system backfiring (possibly literally). Eat and drink things with calories while you ride but keep in mind that you won't be able to absorb more than 400 or so calories per hour* while riding at any speed faster than "real slow". Any more just sits in your stomach until you've stopped and can spare some blood from your legs to send to your stomach and liver.

Don't bump up carb intake the morning of your ride or else you'll raise your insulin levels, which decreases your body's ability to retrieve stored glycogen.

If you want to carb-load, you would ideally go for an easy 1-1.5 hour ride with several good hard efforts interspersed within the ride 24 to 36 hours before your big ride, and eat your big carb meal immediately afterward. You have to trick your muscles and liver into accepting more glycogen than normal with this bit of exercise or else the whole carb-loading thing doesn't really work that well.

Bottom line though it's just a bike ride. You've done 80 with no problems, just do the same thing and you'll be fine. Thinking about this shit too much is hardly any good for anybody.

*I forget the actual number but this is pretty darn close if not a little over

[cbr shadow]

Good info guys, thank you!

[destron]

Definitely bring snacks with you to eat every 20 miles. On such a long ride you will run out of energy at some point and some point and bonk if you don't. Nothing kills a long bike ride like bonking around 40 miles in.

[kendallf]

Eat a good breakfast, make it what you're used to.  Don't over think it; it's just a bike ride.  :-)  If it's an organized century, they'll likely have tons of stops with food; just make sure you eat a bit now and then and keep drinking. 

I'll be riding the 217km Pirkka Tour from Tampere, Finland tomorrow myself; I should just be rolling in about the time you start.  :-)