With just a couple weeks to go before the race, it’s time to start thinking about fuel. More specifically, the food and drink that will get you and your team through the weekend. I’ll share my thoughts below, but I’m also hoping that anyone reading here will contribute their own ideas. What’s been popular with your teams in the past? What’s been a bust? What’s the weirdest food request you’ve received from a team member?
We like to pack the staples that will get us through the weekend even if we never stop at a restaurant or convenience store. This means there’s always a lot left, but it also means we don’t have to worry about tracking down food if we don’t have time. That means a lot of carbs and a lot of fluids:
- Lots of bananas. Lots.
- Other fresh fruits (grapes, apples, oranges)
- Sandwich fixings (PB&J and cold cuts)
- Pretzels
- Cookies
- Energy bars and gels
- Mini candy bars
- Coke & Mountain Dew
- Gatorade
- Lots of water (even though there are chances on the course to restock, we still like to pack at least a gallon per person, and there’s rarely much leftover).
Every year there seems to be something we don’t have enough of and other things we have too much of. I’ve given up trying to predict the ebbs and flows of my teammates’ tastes, but it’s always good to canvas the team around now to find out what special items you might need to pick up. The most recent popular item is officially the weirdest: For two races in a row, we haven’t been able to have enough pickles in the van. Must be the salt, I guess. We’ll see if that fad continues this year.
What will you be shopping for over the next couple weeks?
PRINGLES… Once you pop, you can’t stop!!