# First 12 hour competition



## drummerboy1248 (Jan 6, 2005)

I completed my first 12 hour competition this weekend. To complicate matters, it started at midnight and went until noon. I only had to ride 8 hrs 42 min to cinch first place. I primarily train for road racing. I had planned to be out of town at a stage race, but that fell through. As a friend puts on the endurance event locally, I decided to enter last minute. I was able to do about 14 laps of the 9 mile circuit at over 22 mph. Then the lack of nutrition began to catch up. I took a bunch of bike food (gels, shot blocks) and some bananas. I found out why the 24 hour guys were eating real food. All that sports drink, gels, etc started to get to my stomach by about 9 am and the bonk set in. Fortunately I was fast up front and got a big lead early on. What kind of "real" foods do you eat for these type of events? My races are usually 2.5 - 3 hours. This 12 hour thing is a whole different animal.


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## mtbiker4ever (Mar 17, 2009)

I usually do 12 hours races and as far as nutrition, I never really eat solid food.. i can get away with gels, energy bars, cliff shot, etc without bonking.... since it was your first time you were not used to that type of nutrition, your stomach was not use to eat only bik food but once you get used to it, your stomach will feel better with just gels, bars. etc, But I have seen riders that even after a couple of 12 hours races, their body ask for some solid food. ... For 24 hours events, that is a whole different game and yes you will need solid food..


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## mtbiker4ever (Mar 17, 2009)

BTW... I'm taking about MTB 12 hours races.......


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## gaspi101 (May 12, 2011)

Never seen a 12-hour race in South Florida. Shame.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

I do the 'bike food' only nutrition also. I do mostly Hammer products, because they sponsored my first race and I "learned" how to ingest their products while racing. Most 1st timers in endurance events DO start out too fast and die near the end, somewhat. It takes some practice and some familiarization with the long events before you learn to eat and to pace yourself properly to win or even to finish riding strongly. Amazingly, many of these races come down to a few miles difference at the end of the time or sometimes who has the most tolerable bike shorts....and can climb back on for one final mile or two.

It's another type of competition, quite different than wheel to wheel normal races..


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## ptfmb71 (May 16, 2007)

Infinit nutrition is great for a liquid nutrition on 12hr races.


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## WaynefromOrlando (Mar 3, 2010)

gaspi101 said:


> Never seen a 12-hour race in South Florida. Shame.


You need to check out the Sebring 12/24 hour ride, it's right up the road from South Florida:

http://www.bikesebring.org/


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## wipeout (Jun 6, 2005)

Use whatever works. Ensure... PB&J... Bananas. Hammer stuff kills my digestive system, but you really need to figure out what works for you.


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