Thomas Biju - Feed Zone Portables: Tips, Tools, and Training to Get You from Sign-Up to Finish Line

TAYLOR PHINNEY

2-time Olympian

Professional cyclist, BMC Racing Team

EATING FOR FUEL had been a struggle for me throughout my cycling career. I spent my summers road racing and my winters racing cyclocross, so it seemed as though I was always racing, traveling, or resting. Constantly trying to keep my energy level up at the right times and avoid food at the wrong times was consuming too much time and energy. It was exhausting.

Like a lot of other young cyclists, I fell victim to poor habits and misinformation. I found myself cutting out this or eating more of that in hopes of going faster. I eventually learned that virtually anything worked for a time. But adapting my lifestyle and food choices to match my true needs was really the only way to make a lasting impact on my performance.

I met Biju and Allen a few years ago at the Ride on Washington, where they were tasked with feeding riders and staff. I poked my head into the trailer the first morning at around 5:30 a.m. Biju was knee-deep in oatmeal, while Allen was shuttling food in and out and trying to get the coffee maker working. It was controlled chaos, but it was clear they were going to turn out some tasty grub. One bite showed me a lot of what I was missing.

Eating real, flavorful, and simple food was a revelation. I began eating more energy-dense foods when I needed them and lighter meals with more fiber when I was resting or traveling. Instead of just eating something I considered healthy before a ridelike cereal and yogurtI was eating oatmeal with eggs on top (and maple syrup, my all-time favorite). Instead of finishing a ride and eating a tuna fish sandwich an hour later, I was pulling warm rice out of the cooker and eating while still in my cycling shorts.

Being around Allen and Biju began to ground me and my diet. Over the summer months, I spent long hours riding with my training partners in Boulder and plowing through plate after plate of rice and eggs. After tough workouts where we pushed ourselves to the limit over and over, it was liberating to be rid of any apprehension about what or how much to eat. It meant we had enough energy left over to give each other shit, or maybe even start thinking about the next workout.

Good food may only be a portion of what it takes to ride professionally, but to me it has been truly life changing. I believe that not knowing what to eat and when to eat it can be as detrimental to performance as shirking your training. Now that my nutrition is dialed in, I can focus on the other important aspects of training and racing. I hope you too can find a new relationship with eating through Biju and Allens delicious creations.