I typically consume about 200/hr when training, and I was planning on doing this during my 1st HIM. However, I’ve also read that I should hold off taking in calories until after about 15 minutes into the bike. That would mean that the better part of an hour is spent without eating at all. Do I “catch-up” the 200 calories for hour #1 or just take in 200/hr after the 1st hour?
Do not catch up. As long as you eat say two slices of peanut butter toast several hours before the event and sip on some liquid calories or take in a powergel up to about 30 minutes before the gun goes off, that first hour will have been taken care of. Then start taking in the calories after your heart rate stabilizes on the bike or 15-20 minutes in.
I do not try to catch up but I do take in more calories per hour (250-270/hr) on the bike since I can handle it. I hold off on calories for the first and last 15-20min on the bike and think it is a great strategy.
Thanks for the advice…probably saved me a trip to the port-a-john.