Cycling with Food Intolerances

[dunshay04]

I met a few people on the ride last year that have food intolerances. I have recently been diagnosed with intolerances to gluten (no wheat, rye, barley or oats) and dairy (no milk, cheese, etc. but eggs are okay). Because of this I won't be able to eat a lot of the food at the rest stops and at lunch and will have to haul food with me on my bike.

I'm looking for ideas/suggestions about what kind of food to take with me to sustain me throughout the day. I would love to hear from other people that have experienced CO with restricted diets. I'm pretty nervous about this. My husband will be along with the RV so breakfast and dinner won't be a problem -- just on the road each day. Thanks.

[mcmoonter]

If I remember correctly there was a veggie option at breakfast and supper, I'd be surprised if there isn't provision for special dietary needs. Cyclists are a fussy lot.

[cheneyt119]

http://emailer.emailroi.com/users/cycle ... $2009.html


Check out this link. It's the newsletter from August 2009 which contains a link to the riders guide. In the riders guide there is a very complete menu from the 2009 ride for the entire week (2010 doesn't connect). That gave me an excellent idea of what was available to eat at all meals. I must admit I'm pretty darned impressed, prime rib, salmon, yum. I've done the Bicycle Tour of Colorado and this is a lot better.

[dunshay04]

Thanks for the information. This will be my fourth CO, but my first one with known food intolerances. I had a lot of stomach issues last year -- didn't ride two days and ended up in a SAG wagon for part of another day. When I got home I went to the doctor and found out about my food problems.

When I am not preparing my own food, I cannot be positive that gluten is not a hidden ingredient that could make me sick. I also need to be concerned with cross contamination. As a bonus, I can't have dairy either. My husband will be in the RV so breakfast and dinner will be taken care of each day. I'll just need to haul my own food for snacking/lunch with me. That part has me nervous. I'm worried I won't pack enough food or the right kind of food to keep me going all day on the saddle. I know I have all summer to practice, but I hope someone has some words of wisdom for me.

[Force 5 Robert]

Since gluten is the ever-present poison in just about everything people in the USA eat - I would be very wary. We have recently gone to a paleo diet and will be going on CO with similar concerns to yours.

[riding2live]

If I remember correctly I think I read or heard that for those requiring special dietary needs you can arrange to have your own little meal waitng for you at the lunch stop and maybe even the OTC rest stops. I think you have to provide the food but they will have it on the truck for you when you get there.. Might check with the powers that be at C.O. at
" info@cycleoregon.com " This may be the way to go IF I remember correctly. Also I'd ask about special diet needs for breakfast and evening meals.

[bfuller24]

I am allergic to dairy and have been for many years. Every year, I make sure to bring some individual servings of chocolate soy milk so I can have a treat at the finish line when everyone else is downing the chocolate milk. The food truck stores (and transports) my chocolate soy and I just run over there after crossing the finish line and retrieve it. Works like a charm.

As for your dietary restrictions at the rest stops, there are always several varieties of fresh fruit, vegetables, juices, and even boiled eggs at the ODS rest stops and the lunch stops. You can easily avoid gluten and dairy at the rest stops and at the lunch stops.

Hope this helps.
Brad Fuller

[randyrider]

I have ridden CO twice since being diagnosed with Celiac. I am also intolerant of dairy products as well as a number of other common foods. I become very ill with even tiny gluten exposures so I am extremely careful about what I eat. Here is what you need to do to have a successful CO.
- speak with the CO staff a few weeks before the ride and explain your condition. This is a routine situation for them.
- pack all of your own food for the week. Since you are traveling with an RV, this should be easy. If you want, you can store your food stocks in the CO food trailer and walk-in cooler. They have a special area for people than need to bring their own food.
- introduced yourself to the kitchen staff when you first get to CO. Guest services can help you track down the right people in the kitchen you need to talk to. The kitchen will prepare your food for you if it is not too elaborate. They are very accommodating and know how to keep your food from being contaminated during preparation.
- plan on carrying snacks and lunch foods for each days ride. There may be foods at the rest stop and lunch stop you can safely eat, but don't rely on this as your only food on the road. The rest stop and lunch stop staff are mostly volunteers from the nearby communities so don't expect that they will be able to offer any assistance with your food restrictions.
Have a great ride!

[lindyrides2010]

I would love to hear how you have been dealing with avoiding "bonking." Here it is August 20th and my doctor has decided the leg cramps I'm getting are not due to lack of conditioning/training/strength or electrolyte imbalance but due to a sensitivity to gluten, dairy, and sugar. I can eat veggies, fruit, meat (but not pork), olive oil, coconut milk/oil/yogurt. That's about it. Before this diet I had the energy to ride 100 miles a day, but the leg cramps stopped me at various times. Now the leg cramps are fine, but I can't get 100 miles because it seems like I am not getting enough carbs! By CO I should be able to add in something starcy, but I have a nice, light Trek Madone 5.2 WSD and I don't think I can even put a rack on the back of it for a bike bag! A backpack for 100 miles sounds like the recipe for back issues over 5 days. I am not coming with anyone . . . single gal. Does anyone know of any "Gu" gel-type products or have any natural alternatives I could try out over the next couple of weeks? I really don't want to have to pull out at the last minute because of this stupid diet/health issue!!!

[riding2live]

Have you tried Shot Bloks Energy Chews made by CLIF? 6 small cubes in a pack that says "Eat 3 to 6 CLIF SHOT BLOKS every hour during activity. Always follow consumption with water." Comes in various flavors. A serving is three BLOKS (2 servings per pkg. Here's the nutritional values per serving (3)----total fat..0G Cholesterol..0G Vit A...0 Vit C...0 Calcium...0 Iron...0 Sodium...70mg Potassium...20mg total carb...24g sugars...12g Protein...og Calories...100
Ingredients...Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Brown Rice Syrup Solids, Pectin, Citric Acid, Colored Withy Black Carrot Juice, Organic Sunflower Oil, and of course, Carnauba Wax. (95% organic ingredients)

[Sam]

Some of the Luna Bars are Gluten free. Check out the Luna web site for info. You will want to carry some of you own snacks as you never know what will be available at each stop. They tend to melt in your pocket if it is warm out (speaking from sticky experience), so you might want to make sure you have some sort of little bag on your bike to store them.

[dunshay04]

I have been buying Larabars -- most are gluten and dairy free. Another product line is Hammer. Check REI, they have both of these, as do other local bike shops. For a wide selection of Larabar flavors, try Whole Foods. Hammer offers a big line of products, including a sports drink, that are gluten and dairy free. I use VitaLyte as my sports drink -- more potassium than sodium. I make my own trail mix with almonds, raisins, cranberries, banana chips, and an M&M type candy that is dark chocolate so no milk chocolate. I make gluten free pancakes and add unsweetened apple sauce to the mix to keep the pancakes moist. I then put almond butter and honey or jam between two pancakes to make my own sandwich to eat on the road. I have taken sliced strawberries in a baggy and friend brought cold small red potatoes on a ride which I loved. Sweet potatoes have lots of carbs so I eat one the night before a big ride. I also eat alot of Quinoa noodles as a carb fix the night before.

I ride a new carbon fiber bike and ride with a Topeak rack and trunk on it to carry my food. I haven't had any problems bonking and am riding faster and stronger than previous years because I feel so much better. Hope this helps.