Snicklefritz

I'm going LOTOJA in a couple weeks (september 9th) and had a few questions
for you long distance racers out there...the thing is 206 miles and there are
about 6 feed zones. My training has been going well, my coach and I will be reviewing my data
the tuesday before the race and coming up with a plan for how to handle things
on race day, etc.

There are a few remaining questions I would be interested in getting feedback on:

(1) In my long distance training rides, I'm happiest eating soft mushy stuff like clif bars,
nectar bars, hammer gel and sport drink. I don't really like eating a lot of solid food, maybe
over 100 miles eating a sandwich or two but mostly I like the soft stuff in addition to
the baby potatos, fruit, etc. Is there anything wrong with this approach for 206 miles if
that's what seems to make my body happy? This is pretty much how I ate for the Death Ride and similar things....

(2) If I can carry enough food on my bike for 60 miles shoudl I skip the first feed zone
(~34 miles) and only just grab new bottles there? Also, I typically drink at a rate
of 1 to 1.5 normal sized water bottles per hour. Judging from the course map, this means
that I will run out of water between certain feedzones if I drink at this rate. Should I then
mount extra bottle holders on the bike for that purpose (ie maybe getting the seat mouned
duo things like the tri people have?) I'm assuming that the added weight (particularly for climbing)
would be better than going without water and getting dehydrated.

I've done things like the Death Ride without too much trouble, but this will be my first time at
anything beyond 150 miles.

sbornia

I believe this is actually pretty common -- soft, blander foods are easier for many people to stomach during endurance events. When I did the Mt Tam Double a few weeks ago, I couldn't tolerate any real solid food after mile 140, so I kept myself fed with Hammer Gel and Sustained Engergy. YMMV, of course, so above all else you should gauge what *your* body wants .

bayareawheeler

see you up there - flying in the night before and hoping the drastic change in elevation does not kick my arse.

baw

as far as the food were still working that out (buddy im racing with) but we are going to make ourselves eat something at every feed zone. He's done 4 of these and seems to think thats important...so on our training rides we have been trying to eat at the same approx mileage. Although the longest training ride was only 120 miles...

200 miles - im a bit nervous LoL

jtree

i would think that is a pretty normal drink rate. are you sure there isn't a town between the feed zones where you calculated you will run out of water?

Snicklefritz

I'm sure there is, but I was thinking of trying to carry enough to avoid stopping...

jtree

maybe one of those kiddie trailers?

Galico

Pack three water bottles if it is hot. I use 2 with some type of electrolyte drink. One just water. Get way hydrated for 2 days-start tonight-feel like you have to pee when you start. Last year with the cold you did not need as much liquid and you had to pee all the time.
Avoid Coffee on Saturday. If you need caffine (like me) have a gel with caffine. I eat 4 or 5 Sushi type rolls at each non-neutral feed zones.
It's my secret weapon. Also if its hot have Thermotabs with you. They are a Salt Pill you buy at Smith's. You have to ask the pharmasist for them. One or two an hour after about 3 hours really helps. Also pack some type of antiinflamatory (Allieve, Ibeprohin) When I got to the top of Salt River Pass last year my knees were on fire-I had an Allieve Gel Cap and the pain vanished(until sunday morning)

It's a long ride with the first 100 miles mostly climbing so just pace yourself and don't overdo it trying to keep up with riders who are more powerful. Usually your starting group will just fly to Preston. If your in a pace group that you can keep up with try to stick with them. If your getting yo-yo'd, back off and wait for another pace line that is more your speed. So many riders go to hard and bonk in the first 100 miles. I could not believe in 2004 when we went via Soda Springs how many young studs flew by me in these 27 MPH pace lines only to see them bonking, struggling and hardly making into Montpielier. Stay within yourself and you will find when your leaving Star Valley that your strong, in a monster 2nd wind mode.

If you are not supported-stop and get liquid in Preston for sure-that's where the climbs start and if it's hot your going to suffer and not finish. It's all about finishing, it's all about finishing, it's all about finishing.
There is a neutral feed at Strawberry. If you still have one bottle left there it will get you to Montpeliear. They ususally pass out gels at Strawberry. Remember when you hit the feed zone at Strawberry(its a neutral zone so your sag will not be there) you still have to climb a few miles. Last year people got in real trouble at strawberry in that it was snowing, you were wet and it was cold. People hung around, in a daze there and proceded to get hypothermia. If they would have just fueled up and left, the climb would have immediatley warmed them up. Lot's of folks quit at Strawberry.
Fuel up and get gels, and bars or whatever suits you at Montpelier. Remember-it's all about finishing.

You should be able to Make it from Montpelier to Afton on three bottles, unless it's real hot. In that case you should stop at feed zone 4 and get liquid.
Once your in Afton make sure your with a group, pace line it all the way to Jackson and make sure you have lights in your SAG stuff for the Alpine stop. For many people (who don't eat sushi) your stomach starts to shut down around this time, especially if its hot, so a candy bar and a flat coke can really help-simple sugar will wake up your guts.

I've done LOTJA 2 times, last year ( I finished in the dark and rain) and the year before I made it in great shape. I honestly felt better after finishing LOTOJA, both times, than I did on most all of my training rides.
While your getting all your chains, cogs and stuff in order at the LBS, consider getting a Bento Bag (Contender Cycle) its a little nylon box
affair that straps to your top tube and you fill it with food things.
Remember-it'a all about-Nutrition, Hydration, Preparadness (cloths, gloves, lights, be ready for rain, snow, cold, wind and hot) and finishing. Ride your pace, watch your heart rate and you will smoke em.
Evaluate what your goals are. If you are competing to try to win your Category I don't have great advice. I'm not a good climber and my group will have to wait 1 or 2 minutes for me on the top of the passes. If you find yourself alone, no group to ride withyour can get in trouble, its a tough ride to not utilize drafting. If your goal is to finish (before dark) then don't be so hung up on not stopping. Take 5 to 8 minutes at the feed zones. Laugh and cry with your fellow riders and Have a Good Time-the best memories will be the people you encounter.
My bib is 5166, hope to see you on the road. If your a Cat 1 through Master-you better hope you don't see me on the road-because I am slow and you should be ahead of me.

jtree

horrible advice. you'll just start the race with depleted electrolyte levels. humans aren't like camels. when you pour too much fluid in your body you excrete the excess fluid along with electrolytes.

Galico

You are right. I forgot to say get way hydrated with fluids containing electrolytes.
Thanks.

Second Mouse

I haven't done, and won't be doing, LOTOJA, but have driven those roads a fair bit, and it seems like the 50 miles from Montpelier to Afton is a long way on three bottles, especially with those two climbs in there. I'd definitely fill my bottles at feed zone 4, since it's right before the climb to Salt River Pass.

Sounds like it'll be fun, in a really, really sick way. Check back in and let us know how you all did.

Cheers.

JF1

Since I'll be doing this next year, I'd also like to hear how it went this year.

Hhowdy

Howdy,
I've made my fianl preperations, and we will be heading up to Logan in about an hour. My bib #is 5842 we launch at 7:12.
I'm pretty stoked about this years LOTOJA, hopfully it won't snow on us this year.
Last year I did PB&J, apples and cantilope and 2 gatroades between feed zones. This years I'm doing pretty much the same but during training this summer I added Power Bars so I'll do that as well. I eat a bannanna at every feed zone and drink mostly water while stopped.

M.R.

JF1

Everyone's probably still recovering but was just wondering how it went this year for you all. Post up when you get some time.

Snicklefritz

I'm posting stuff over in the Road Racing forum...probably tomorrow

Hhowdy

Howdy,

The weather was perfect, the wind was pretty much a non issue and for the most part I felt good. I drank about the right amount and probably could have eaten a bit better but all in all I felt much better after this ride than I did last year. I am particularly happy with a 5:15 2nd hundred.
Here are my results...
https://www.milliseconds.com/ResultsI...&varRaceID=886


M.R.