Eating on the bike is one of the most important performance factors to cycling. Many people don't eat enough, don't eat at the right time, or even overeat the night before (Carb-load!!!). We found a great article about what to eat, when to eat, and how to eat called "Cycling Nutrition for Beginners".
Their recommendations are to eat something about 1-2 hours before you ride and then every 20-30 minutes on the bike. After a long ride, they suggest to eat immediately or within 30-60 minutes of when you finish. Fortunately for our riders, we have some excellent nutrition sponsors this year!
Our newest nutrition sponsor is KIND®. The people at KIND believe in inspiring and celebrating kindness by improving the way we live, eat and relate to one another. They hope to foster communities that are healthier, more empathetic and embrace our shared humanity. We couldn't agree more on their mission and we are excited to partner with them for the first time this year.
KIND products are made from nutritionally-dense ingredients like whole nuts, fruits and whole grains - no secret ingredients and no artificial flavors, preservatives or sweeteners.
We are happy to announce that Honey Stinger will be donating product to us again this year. We love partnering with Honey Stinger because not only are their products tasty, but they are all natural and actually help your body before, during, and after exercise. "Honey is rich in carbohydrates, making it ideal fuel for working muscles."
- Before exercise: When eaten before activity, it is released into the system at a steady rate throughout the activity.
- During exercise: Helps muscles stay nourished longer, delays fatigue.
- After exercise: Research shows ingesting a combination of carbohydrates and protein immediately following exercise refuels and decreases muscle soreness.
Hungry for something chocolaty? something sweet and crunchy? Then we have you covered! Zone Perfect is back again this year with their tasty bars that are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. They have several different flavors and whether you are riding 30, 60, or 90 miles - they hit the spot!
Need to quench your thirst? Good thing Sparkletts is donating water to the event again this year! Sparkletts has been delivering water in California since 1925 and have many products and home delivery options. Look for our volunteers who are pouring Sparkletts water at the start, rest stops, and finish. Sparkletts helping us keep you hydrated, that is - until you reach the bar!