Fuel, Fluids, and Figuring It Out


How I stopped waking up with cycling-induced headaches (and found peace with porridge)

When I started training for LEJOG, I knew I’d need to eat and drink well. I’ve done marathons — I understand energy depletion. So when I began getting post-ride headaches, my first assumption was straightforward: hydration.

I increased fluid intake, and not just plain water — I used properly balanced electrolyte drinks (pH1500, SIS tabs, isotonic mixes). I stayed on top of it throughout the ride and continued drinking afterwards.

But the headaches still came. Sometimes that evening. Sometimes not until the next morning. I'd wake up feeling off — like something had slipped overnight. Despite rest, paracetamol, and drinking litres of the right stuff, something was still missing.

The Peanut Butter Moment

One morning, with a headache starting to creep in, I tried something slightly different: two slices of toast with peanut butter, along with porridge and a pint of pH1500.

It helped — a lot. The headache eased and then disappeared. In hindsight, it makes sense: that toast delivered a hit of carbs, fat, salt, and protein. Enough to stabilise blood sugar and top off anything I’d missed the day before.

This mild breakthrough made me rethink the pattern I’d fallen into. This wasn’t just about hydration during the ride. It was about getting the whole day right, including what happened after the ride, and crucially, before bed.

What I Was Really Dealing With

The issue wasn’t dehydration, or at least not just that. It was a slow, cumulative depletion:

  • Underfuelling on long rides

  • Delayed or incomplete recovery

  • Low glycogen overnight

  • A pattern of running slightly empty, with each day compounding the last

No one element was the problem — it was the system as a whole that needed attention.

The Adjusted Strategy

So I built a new rhythm, with a more scientific approach to nutrition - a working routine based on trial, error, and noticing what actually made me feel better the next day.

Pre-Ride (6:00am)

  • Porridge with honey

  • Banana

  • Mug of tea

  • Pint of water with pH1500

During Ride (7am–5pm)

  • 2 x 800ml bottles:

    • Bottle 1: Torq energy powder (3 scoops — early ride)

    • Bottle 2: SIS tablets (lighter — later ride)

  • CamelBak (2L) with 2 x pH1500 tablets

  • Food:

    • 2 x energy bars (mix of homemade, Torq or Clif)

    • 2 x gels (Torq, mid-ride bursts)

    • 1 banana

    • 1 slice of cake

    • Mid-ride café stop (panini + tea)

  • Refill bottles as needed

Post-Ride (5–6pm)

  • Torq recovery drink

  • Small salty snack: peanut butter on toast, crackers, or cereal

  • Later: Proper meal — something solid, carb-rich and satisfying

Before Bed (8:30pm)

  • Bowl of cereal with banana and milk

  • Mug of tea

  • Calm wind-down

Wake up: Feeling normal — which is all I’m after, really

What I’ve Learned (So Far)

  • Even well-balanced fluids aren’t enough if they’re not paired with carbs and recovery fuel

  • Gels are a tool, not a strategy

  • Cereal before bed is weirdly effective

  • Recovery starts during the ride, not after it

  • Toast with peanut butter quietly does a lot of heavy lifting

  • It’s less about finding a perfect plan and more about noticing what works — and sticking to it

Final Thoughts

I’m not trying to tell anyone what to do here — just sharing what’s worked for me. This stuff is personal. But if you’re doing multi-day rides and waking up foggy-headed or off, it might be worth looking beyond the ride itself.

For me, the real shift came when I started thinking in 24-hour cycles — fuelling not just for the ride itself, but for recovery, sleep, and whatever’s waiting the next day. LEJOG isn’t one big ride — it’s eleven in a row — and that means the rhythm has to repeat.

It took porridge, peanut butter, and a few quiet mornings to figure it out.
Not just how to ride — but how to ride again the next day.
And the one after that.

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