Nutrition facts and thoughts…

ne could now write a whole novel about how athletes eat during endurance training and competitions. It is a science in itself, with an affiliated industry to market the advertised products (including books and apps).

So I prefer to limit myself to what is essential for me, but it won’t be that short …

A few facts as a basis:

The human body can process about 80g of carbohydrates per hour. That corresponds to about 320 kcal. On the 770km I will be able to process 9600 kcal at 30h driving time, and around 11200 kcal at 35h driving time. The realistic kcal that is consumed on 770km is between 12000 and 15000 (based on data from previous trips on my part). So you shouldn’t start with empty energy stores but eat well (qualitatively) in the days before. For your information: 1 kg of fat corresponds to about 7700 kcal. In addition, of course, liquid must be added permanently. On hot days it can be very stressful to always have enough water in your drinking bottle.

These activities mean total stress for the digestive tract. If you do not manage to eat and drink enough, the battery will eventually run out and nothing will work. In the weeks before you have to train your metabolism accordingly.

And what does that mean for me?

I have made very good experiences with a powder that contains 80g carbohydrates and is dissolved in 500ml water. By converting into a hydrogel when it comes into contact with stomach acid, the carbohydrates can pass through the stomach, do not strain it, and are then quickly absorbed into the intestine. During the trip I will try to consume as many of these mixtures as possible. In addition, the obligatory cereal bars that I prepare myself. With bought bars I am always careful, often too sweet, covered with chocolate (great on hot days …), or the taste is not the best. It is simply not a culinary world tour that awaits me.

One gets delighted when having the opportunity to drink a cup of coffee on the way and maybe get a slice of German bread (provided you like it). But you have to be very careful with that. Also food like fruits are nothing to me. My stomach cannot cope with it.

The question always remains, where do you get all this from? Well, I’m crossing Germany and not the Sahara. Gas stations have almost everything you need, including coffee. There are also always helpful people who offer to fill up a water bottle. I pack powder and bars. It is sometimes problematic at night, as most petrol stations are not open around the clock. It is therefore important to take precautions for the hours of the night and replenish the supplies early. Otherwise there are cemeteries. There is always fresh water. You just shouldn’t be afraid of ghosts and undead 😁.

I also have a „care packet“. This is a pack of Haribo “colorful vampires”. Not the best sports food, ok, but I love licorice and the rubber parts also have a lot of sugar for the soul …

You can imagine that at the end of such a trip, you will be looking forward to something hearty in solid and liquid form. Pizza with an alcohol-free beer is always a good idea …

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