Bernie’s Budget Mountain Bike Race Nutrition

Bernie I’Ons is a self described “classic middle-aged weekend warrior”. Like a lot of us, he’s caught the marathon bug, having raced a number of iconic Australian events, including The Highland Fling, Capital Punishment, Kowalski Classic, and he most recently toed the line at the inaugural Brownie Points Burner (check out Mike Blewitt’s wrap-up). And like a most of us, he’s doing it on a budget carefully crafted to maintain domestic harmony. He shot us his (budget) recipe for nutritional sustenance during his marathons.

Have you got a magic formula? Share yours in the comments section below!

Bernie’s Budget Race Nutrition for the 80km Brownie Burner

Solids: 6 figs, 8 dates. A fig every 20 min, 2 dates on the hour (eating every 20 minutes)

They’re easy to chew, easy to get out of your pocket and are yummy. Definitely worth buying good dates and figs from a deli.

Ok, not strictly a solid, but give me some creative licence here; The GU’s are to fix side walls and for desperate times (i.e. when all else fails)

Liquids: My liquid nutrition – I call it DAD’S JUNGLE JUICE (so everyone knows to leave it alone in the fridge!):

1. 3.5 cups H2O

2. 0.5 cup apple juice

3. 2.5 tbsp honey

4. 0.25 tsp salt

Mix and refrigerate. Tastes brilliant and makes you perform like a legend.

Note: The Brownie Points Burner gave me a chance to prove the usefulness of the GU’s after about 40km…