Art Macfarland is a Level II USA Cycling certified coach and active racer on both the mountain and road. Art is also an accomplished multi day endurance racer having completed such events as TransRockies, BC Bike Race, Cape Epic, La Ruta de los Conquistadores, TransMexicana and Baja Epic. Over the past 10 years, Art has coached State Champions in various disciplines (Criterium, TT, and MTB) and currently coaches from Cat 1 to Cat 5 Road racers and Pro to Beginner level MTB racers.

I am doing the Whiskey Offroad 50 proof, what should I eat for breakfast leading up to the race and how close to the start should I eat it?

Thanks for the excellent question. One thing many people overlook is the food strategy of racing or long rides.

Eating a good breakfast is critical for an event such as the Whiskey 50.  You don't want to experiment with new "meals" before the event, so eat what you normally would eat for breakfast. Try to get about 600-800 calories 3-4 hours before the event.  Whiskey starts pretty early so that means you have to get up a at the crack of dawn.  You're other option is to eat big dinner and eat a smaller breakfast of about 400-500 calories but just a couple of hours before the start of the event - cereal, oatmeal, fruit, toast with jelly, eggs, etc.  Remember to drink plenty of fluids - you should get up to the bathroom once or twice during the night to ensure you're hydrated.

Once on the bike, you need to consume anywhere from 200-300 calories per hour.  Start within the first 30-60 minutes even if you're not hungry.  A good idea is to set a timer on your bike computer every 30 or 45 minutes to remind you to eat.  If you can't eat at the moment due to the terrain, it'll help you remember once you can take a hand off the bar.

Hope this helps and good luck at Whiskey.

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