Retired World Tour cyclist, Velo columnist, and podcast host are just a few hats that Bobby Julich wears. Now, he's contributing to a three-part series focused on testing various fueling methods to improve performance – all reinforced by blood glucose monitoring. Dive into part one!
In 1998, Bobby Julich became the second American ever to finish on the podium in the Tour de France, finishing 3rd overall. Fast-forward to today, while he’s been retired since 2008, he has stayed a part of the competitive cycling community – from coaching to consulting and more. Right now, he’s a columnist for Velo, a podcast host, and hosts weekly Zwift rides focused on mastering your metabolism with a glucose monitor.
So, what's the deal with these rides? Well, picture this: every week, Bobby's out there testing new fuel from The Feed like it's his job (which, let's be real, it kinda is). From gels to chews to hydration, he's leaving no bottle unturned. And guess what? We're here to spill the beans on his findings, starting with his hydration hustle:
Week 1:
First up, Bobby tackled the High Carb Drink Mix for a Level 1 60-minute ride.
Priming Meal: 9:30 a.m. or 2.5 hrs prior to workout
1.5 cups of oatmeal with peanut butter and almonds
Coffee with half and half and monk fruit as a sweetener
Fueling Strategy: Small sips from a bottle every 5 minutes
60g of carbs per hour in the form of a high-carb drink mix in 1 x 750ml water bottle
Comments:
“This was the first decent workout coming off a week-long sickness. I felt pretty good and well-fueled for this effort. I’ve used High Carb Drink Mix in the past and have had very good results, so I wanted to use a product that I had confidence in during the first Master Class ride of the year.”
Week 2:
Next on the agenda: Flow Formulas Race 90 Tropical Passion Drink Mix for a Level 2 90-minute ride. He started with the intention of just using Flow Formulas drink mix but hit a bump in the road and had to pivot his fueling strategy.
Priming Meal: 8:30 a.m. or 3.5 hrs prior to workout
2 pieces of dense rye bread with peanut butter, cream cheese, and apricot preserves with a medium-sized banana on top
Coffee with half and half and monk fruit as a sweetener
Fueling strategy: Small sips from a bottle every 5 minutes
60g of carbs per hour in the form of Flow Formulas Race 90 drink mix in 1 x 750ml water bottle
1 x bottle of water
2 x Amacx Drink Gel
Comments:
“I had never used Flow Formulas before this ride. Initially, it started off fine, but after the first 15' Steady State Effort, I started to feel a dip in energy. I quickly confirmed my glucose levels on my Apple watch and had a decision to make as it was less than halfway through the ride. So, I decided to take one Amacx Energy Gel 40 min into the ride to see if I could save the ride. Obviously, carbohydrate intake doesn't show instantly, so I was going into the unknown a little bit. I was able to get through the second 15' Steady State Effort but decided to take one more Gel 60 min into the ride just to help me keep going and improve my glucose levels. My glucose started to trend up and I was able to finish the ride feeling quite good again.”
Overall, not every product affects every athlete the same way. Not every product is a one-size-fits-all solution. While this plan had Bobby's back this time around, it might be a different story for everyone. That's why Bobby's out there, testing and tinkering, to find what works best for him - and that’s how you can find what works best for you, too.
If you have any questions on products to try or how a product affects you, you can contact our coaching team at coaching@thefeed.com.
Stay tuned for two more rounds of product testing with Bobby!
