Fuel Up

When I used to commute by car one of the many things I hated was filling up so often with fuel. My previous job had a 65 mile round trip which required weekly top ups at the filling station. Not only did this hurt me in the wallet but I also grew tired of diverting into a station and queuing up. Even though moving to my current job has reduced the mileage I still needed to refuel every 7 or 8 days.

Cycle commuting changed my fueling requirements entirely. My car now sits on the driveway through the day and needs topped up less than monthly. Instead, I get to refuel myself every day but do so by eating lots and lots of yummy food. As someone who has always enjoyed eating this is amazing!

I need to be careful that I consume enough calories to keep cycling in the morning and evening. This can sometimes mean quite a heavy rucksack on the way in to work! I probably burn about 600 calories each way. When first starting out on the cycle commute I did find myself suffering the dreaded bonk quite a few times.

There is a biscuit factory that I pass about 3 miles from home and it can be a cruel thing when passing if I’m running low on energy. As the smell of sweet buttery goodness wafts past me, it’s almost as if I’m being drawn in. I need to use all my willpower to keep spinning the pedals the final few miles.

Thankfully wonder woman is usually at home with dinner waiting for me so I know there is not long to go before I can indulge my appetite again.

Now that I have been cycle commuting for a number of years I don’t find myself feeling like this now. Part of this is probably my body adjusting to the demands. However, just as importantly is my ability to manage my food intake and fuel up correctly through the day.

For breakfast I normally have something quick and easy to digest before I leave. This can be weetabix, cornflakes, shreddies or a similar cereal. Shortly after arriving at my desk I will have another breakfast: porridge, bagels, croissants or muffins often feature. My current favourite is an amazing breakfast muffin that my wife prepares for me. Have a look here for details: Breakfast Muffins.

Accompanying a copious coffee intake I also get to snack on cake, biscuits, fruit and nuts all through the day. And I really do mean all through the day! How much more enjoyable is that than filling a car up with fuel?

I’ll be honest that it does take a fair bit of preparation but there is always a fallback option of vending machines or work canteen if needed. There’s no doubt in my mind that this beats filling a car up and watching your credit card take another hit though!