My Nutrition Strategy for PMBAR: Eat Early and Often

Sarah Pruett Soufl, MS RDN LDN at the Finish line for Pisgah Productions Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race(PMBAR).

If you’re reading this, you know about the Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race (PMBAR). It is an exciting endurance event with no set course in Pisgah National Forest, Brevard, NC. Getting at least 4 of 5 checkpoints can mean pedaling or pushing a bike up 8,500-11,000 feet over 50-80 miles. To a first-time teammate like me, it was everything: the magic of an all-day mountain bike adventure on world-class trails in a stunning forest bursting with springtime green and gently scented by wild blackberry blooms.

Nutrition Strategy: Learn my Body

Leading up to May 6, 2023, I was doing a lot more training than I had ever done, working up to rides over 5 hours.  I tried to get at least 10 hours in the saddle each week, combining gravel grinds with lots of techy downhill in Bent Creek, N. Mills and Brevard. I combined that with 2 days in McHone Performance Training where I focused on balance and strength training. The longer rides gave me a good sense of what my body needed in terms of food over the miles and hours; it was that experience of riding leading up to the event, more than any formula, which informed my intuitive approach to food on the day of PMBAR.  I found that I felt “better”, i.e. more energy, more satisfaction, less GI distress, when I was eating a “main course” like a savory sandwich, bagel with cream cheese, leftover dinner or burrito–and some salty potato chips–every 1 ½ to 2 hours of “hard” riding. I would say those items generally were 500-600 calories with relatively higher protein and fat than an energy bar or gel/goo/powder, which I would eat in between.

How I planned what to bring:

The total time allotted for the race is 14 hours, which would mean I would need at most 7 “main” courses and lots of salty snacks.  My teammate Leslie Prescott and I had the goal of getting back before dark but we were willing to stay out there if there were to be significantly more difficult checkpoints.  I would bring 5 “mains”, study the maps well so that we could be efficient, and bring lots of snacks like Trader Joe’s granola bars, Margarita Shot Bloks containing extra sodium, Skratch Labs drink powders and chews, mini beef sticks, Good & Gather 100% fruit strips, chocolate chip Z-bars and salted dark chocolate bark.

My 5 “mains”:

-2 breakfast burritos made with fajita-sized white tortillas, 1 ½ eggs, 1 pork sausage, cheddar cheese and ketchup each.

-2 cinnamon raisin bagels with cream cheese on both sides.

-1 peanut butter and jelly sandwich with an extra sprinkle of salt.

I ate the first burrito at the top of Clawhammer, 1.5 hours in. What a fun start to the race! From there, I had a main at each checkpoint and ate snacks while riding gravel or hiking in between. This strategy worked well as it was easier to add more glucose-heavy items later in the day when my GI tract had been nourished by foods higher in protein and fat.

Your mileage may vary! Speaking with a dietitian can help you dial in nutrition pre-, during and post-event.  Reach out if you want to talk more.