nutrition

cycle tour special

How To Pack

Your Pockets

Whether you’re riding three hours or seven on the Cape Town Cycle Tour – or on any long ride – eating is critical to maintaining energy levels and finishing strong. Here’s how to get the right stuff in.

Although there’s plenty of Powerade, Coke and water along the route of the

Cape Town Cycle Tour, food is not provided. For anyone riding for three hours or more, eating the right food is critical to both success and enjoyment. No one enjoys a low-glycogen bonk!

   Here’s registered dietitian and nutrition expert Kim Hoffman (@kimsnutrition), on the best ways to fuel your effort on race day:

Know Your Carbs

For any event longer than 90 minutes:

  • Up to 4 servings of carbohydrates per hour. I often suggest starting with 2, and working your way up to what your needs are. 1 serving = 15g of carbs; so maximum 60g/hour.
  • For 4 hours, you therefore require a maximum of 16 servings; for 6 hours, maximum 24.
  • Ideally, start consuming carbs early – within the first hour.
  • I normally suggest having a snack every 30 minutes, to keep your energy intake regular. If you need 4 servings per hour, aim for 2 per half hour.
  • Snacking needs to be practised on training rides, to see how your stomach manages. Don’t attempt it only on race day!

The Best Snacks For Race Day

Woolworths GO!

Easy to use. There are a couple of other brands of purees in pouches – they tend to be for babies. But theoretically you could use any of them. One sachet is 1 serving (15g).

Dried Fruit

This is a convenient snack, as a small quantity can supply lots of energy. 20g of dried fruit is a 1-serving portion. For example: 1 tablespoon of raisins is 1 serving. Add some peanuts for a bit of fat and protein if your stomach can tolerate them.

Biscuits

For the sweeter tooth, try Oreos, choc chip cookies, digestive biscuits or Jolly Jammers. On average, two biscuits is 1 serving. If you prefer savoury, try Tuc, cream crackers or water biscuits – you’ll need to read the labels for the right amount, but generally 2-4 biscuits make up 1 serving.

Energy/breakfast bars 

There’s a wide range of bars. Generally they’re around 2 servings each, but some are only1 – again, read the label: 15g carbs = 1 serving. They may also contain fat and/or protein, so test them for stomach tolerance on your training rides.

Energy balls 

A quick and easy way to take in energy, and you can make them yourself (see ‘Homemade Energy Bites’, above left). 3 balls = 1 serving. These snacks also contain protein and fat, so energy uptake into your system may be a bit slower – but the effects last longer.

Peanut butter sandwich

This is a great snack, with 2 servings of carbs and some fat.

Banana or other fruit

A small kiddies’ banana is 1 serving; a large one would work as 2. Generally, a tennis-ball-sized fruit is 1 serving.

Potato chips

They make a nice texture change. A small packet is 1 serving. They’re also high in fat, so you’ll need to determine your tolerance.

Protein sources

It’s also a good idea to start adding some protein and fat to your snacks – especially if you’re going to be on the bike for a long time. Examples include biltong, nuts, nut butter pouches and Babybel cheese.

PHOTO Mike Finch

Homemade Energy Bites

Packed with power, and you'll know exactly what went into them.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup ground flaxseed
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tsp. vanilla essence
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries

Method

  1. Stir the oats and flaxseed together.

  2. Add the peanut butter, honey and vanilla essence, and combine well.

  3. Fold in the chocolate chips and cranberries, and stir well.

  4. Roll pieces of the dough into small, tablespoon-sized balls.

  5. Place your energy bites in a container in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes.

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