Nutrition for 100 mile race
 

I am participating in a 100 mile race in about 5 weeks. Nutrition-wise I can set myself up for a two hour race pretty well, but this one looks to be about four hours. Also, I will be camping, so food preparation and storage is key. What I would normally do is make a stack of sandwiches (or bring sandwich fixings) and eat them all weekend, but I think that I should treat my body better than that. So, I reach out to all of you for experience in what to pack for a three day adventure (maybe just two, but planning for duration just in case). I have four objectives:
1) Be properly fed for performance and duration during the race
2) Be prepared for appropriate recovery after the race
3) Pack the right food to feed myself (and maybe others as needed) over the duration of the weekend
4) Don't pack a dozen donuts because "I'm going to need the calories anyway..."

The schedule for the weekend is this:
Friday: Leave town in the afternoon, get to camp site around dinner time. Eat, drink, sleep.
Saturday: Breakfast, get through all of the registration, head out for the family poker run (20 mile loop, repeat as much as you want). Eat, drink, sleep.
Sunday: Breakfast, rider's meeting, two 50 mile loops. There is a fuel stop in the pits, I plan to swap out hydration packs, fill the tank, and have an appropriate snack to fuel myself for the last loop.

Here's where I need help:
1) What should I eat before the race? What should I eat at the halfway point?
2) What is good recovery food? I know that I want a good mix of carbs and protein, but I want suggestions beyond my sandwich idea.
3) What can I pack that won't spoil and is easy to prepare? I don't think I'll have a stove available (mostly because I don't own one), so it will probably be cold cuts and the like. But, I'm limited in my ideas for camp food, so give me some ideas.
4) Donuts? I'll bring a couple, but I'll try to restrain myself from a dozen old-fashioned or apple fritters.

I love eating fruits, nuts, and vegetables. I also train with Clif bars, so I know that my system is prepared for that type of food. I have no problem making pre-cooked meals and freezing them in advance, like fish, chicken, beef, etc., if that is a good idea.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Never have had a 100 mile non stop race (sounds like fun) Oatmeal would be a great place to start!
Powerbars is what I keep in my hydro pack for a mid trail snack.....exception to I need a ton of water to wash it down.

Good Luck!

Everybody is different, but here is what I like.

My breakfast on race day is protein pancakes. PM me if you want the recipe. It's oatmeal, eggs, and cottage cheese. Very yummy. Fruit juice. I like Odwalla C-Monster.

During a race, I use hammer gel. Hit a packet every checkpoint. Although lately I just stick 1/3 of a cup of it in my hydration pack. If I eat anything at a check, it will be fruit. Banana, Orange, and Watermelon are my favorite.

Post race, my wife will hand me a Muscle Milk as soon as I step off the bike.

I cannot eat solids while I'm racing. Even a 6 hour enduro.

Yup, I have plain instant oatmeal standing by. I am eating it before bicycle rides right now to make sure I don't have any "surprises" on the trail.
I would love the protein pancake recipe, I'll try them as soon as I get the ingredients. I agree that solids are tough, but I can't think of any other way to transport food on a 50 mile loop. I'll have bananas and oranges ready at the fuel stop, maybe I'll crush up a clif bar and mix it with something else. or not. I'll experiment this weekend. A blender, bananas, oranges, apple slices, and a clif bar. What could possibly go wrong? :D

+2. As much water as I can carry, Gu packets whenever I can get my hands off the bars for a few seconds, and fruit when I can get off the bike. Apples travel well and seem to get me through. Anything "dry" (like Power Bars, nuts, etc.) is almost impossible for me to choke down during an enduro.
If I'm just trail riding, I like having jerky (beef or deer) in my pack.

What kind of race and terrain ? Where I live the AAs can't hold a 25mph average. I'd be looking at 6 hrs.+/- (mid-pack B rider).

Desert race. Maybe my estimations of my pace were wildly optimistic. But I'm a glass half-full kind of guy! :D
http://stumpjumpers.org/desert100/ (video at link)

Okay, so I'll pack for 6 hours. Apples. Gels. Lots of water. Anything in the water? I usually train and recover with Nuun electrolytes or plain water, not real big on adding too much stuff to my hydration pack.

I don't worry about recovery. I figure I've got a few days to get through that. We usually hit a restaurant on the way home and get whatever our heart desires and have a few beers with it (except the drivers).
Heck, if I was doing it for a living I might be willing to put myself through the diet wringer, but this is just sport for me.
No plastic trophy is gonna keep me from a side order of bacon. :D

Looks like a fun weekend ! I guess 25mph might be realistic out there (although the camera guys don't often trek into the areas where the real riding is).
Looks like between 3.25 and 7.5 hours for 2 laps.
I would look for V. Hett and try to stay with her and you should be under 4 hrs. (or at least enjoy the view for a bit) :D




http://www.victoriahettracing.com/re...C0s338x450.JPG

Desert 100.
I will be there as well.
Have you been? The video is just a hint of what it is like.
Ranchers empty pastor goes from 0 to nearly 6000 people. Sunday's start is the best. Ridersline up on fence line and then mad race about a mile to hit holeshot the size of a cattle gate.
For food all you need is a case of beer each day.