Frequently Asked Questions

As you know, Bike Ride for the Kids is a charity ride supporting FIRST Lego League and STEM education. Donations go towards funding teams of students, along with the LEGO MINDSTORM robot kits they use to compete. We hope you consider asking your friends, family and coworkers to support you in your ride and toward our fundraising goal of $100,000. We recommend posting on your social media pages and sending emails to get donations. We included sample verbiage and graphics below. Make sure to include a link to your personal donation page in your post or email. You can find it by going to https://www.bikerideforthekids.org/profile/ and copying your personalized donation URL.

Whether you are biking or running, indoor or outdoor, you have a few ways to log your miles. First, you must have an account with Strava. After creating both your BRFTK account and Strava account, connect both accounts by logging into your profile on https://www.bikerideforthekids.org/profile/ and clicking the ORANGE “Connect with Strava” button. If you use one of the Strava-compatible wearable devices (check here), you can connect it to Strava.

Then, you need to join the two "clubs" in Strava associated with this year's BRFTK, so that your miles logged in Strava are read by the BRFTK system:

• Join the "BRFTK -2023 - Bike" club: https://www.strava.com/clubs/1169288
• Join the "BRFTK - 2023 - Run" club: https://www.strava.com/clubs/1169289

Make sure you do this before the virtual competition starts! Once the competition starts, get going! If you are biking or running outdoors, make sure to plan your route or connect to GPS so you can enter your miles in Strava after the activity. If you are using a stationary bike or treadmill, make sure to take a photo of your mileage after the activity. You can log miles manually by clicking the "+" button on the top-right of your browser or via the Strava app. More info on manual entry here.

This year we are not including walking in the virtual competition.

Yes! Treadmill miles will count for the Virtual Competition. We'd recommend taking a photo of your mileage at the end of each run so that you can reference it when you log your miles on Strava. If you use a smart treadmill (Peloton, NordicTrack, etc), or wearable device (Apple Watch, fitbit, etc) you can even connect directly to Strava so that it automatically logs your miles for you (more info here).

Yes! Station bike miles will count for the Virtual Competition, you have the option to use any type of stationary bike that captures mileage. We'd recommend taking a photo of your mileage at the end of each ride so that you can reference it when you log your miles on Strava. If you use a smart bike, like Peloton or NordicTrack, you can even connect it to Strava so that it automatically logs your rides for you (more info here).

Our general rule of thumb is a 1:4 run-to-bike ratio, meaning one mile of running at a moderate effort equals four miles of cycling at that same effort level. Cycling 12 miles is the equivalent of running three miles, with both effort levels being the same in a very general sense for cardiovascular fitness. We're also factoring in your dollars donated to your total score. Here's how the math works out: 

Therefore, if you bike 12 miles, run 3 miles, and have $100 donated, your total score is 8.50 points ((12*0.025) + (3*1) + (100*0.025))

There are official rest stops with water, gatorade, and snacks at the designated water stop locations. Sag wagons will be available for emergencies and support. Each rider will have his/her gear bag waiting for you at the finish line.

See additional FAQs (below) for rules, safety information, nutrition recommendations, etc.

Riders are welcome to use their own bikes but we also have partnered with a local bike rental company, 3rd Coast Cycles, who are supporting this year's event with discounted bike rentals. You can book your rental with them (using the provided link below) and then the rental bikes will be transported from the rental shops to the start line Friday morning and returned following the ride.

• Link to 3rd Coast Cycles bike rental reservations: https://forms.gle/HLuokfox9p9c1aAt8 

We strongly recommend that you use a road bike. No one has completed the ride on a mountain bike. A hybrid bike is doable, but the ride will be much more difficult than on a road bike. You do have the option of training on those bikes and then renting a road bike for the event.

Not the highway, though there will be a few miles along streets--but mostly rural country roads. The route consists predominantly bike paths and trails, including along the Lakefront Trail and through the Indiana Dunes State Park. The entire route is paved and the route will also be marked.

You need one to participate in the in-person ride. No exceptions.

We don't recommend anything that interferes with your senses while you are on the road. As a biker you are extremely vulnerable to cars and trucks, so reducing your reaction time is not a good idea. 

For those who still choose to ride with headphones in, here is some advice:

• Ride with only one ear bud in. Since you are on the right side of the road, use the right headphone and leave the left one out. This will allow you to be more aware of surrounding hazards that will be on your left hand side while riding or turning.
• Keep the volume at a reasonable level. Again, you need to be aware of your surroundings. Turn off the music in areas where heightened awareness is required. Mute or pull out your headphones to focus on your surroundings when needed.
• Avoid looking at your music device. Distracting yourself to change the song is dangerous. If you are going to listen to music, make a playlist of songs that you won't be tempted to skip through. 

No one is allowed to ride alone. EVER. There are a couple of reasons for that:

• Riding with someone allows you to take turns breaking the wind, making the ride easier. This is already a difficult ride - no need to make it tougher on yourself. 
• If anything were to happen to you where you were seriously injured or unconscious, having someone there to call for help could save your life.
• Extreme fatigue can impair your ability to make judgments. You are much more likely to notice extreme fatigue in another person that you are in yourself.
• In the event that someone's phone stops working (due to rain, spilled Gatorade, impact from a fall, etc.), the rider can use their partner's phone for any needs.

So even if your partner is sucking wind and going slower than you would like, you still need to stick with them.

Tips on riding in a pack:

• Space yourself so that you are a safe distance from the person in front of you, pending your bike experience. Generally, it is as close as 6" for experienced riders. If you are a novice, stick with 12" to 18" until you become more comfortable.
• ALWAYS keep your hands over the brakes. Taking your hands off will restrict your ability to react, which could be dangerous for not only you, but the people behind you as well. 
• If you choose to draft (be within 18" of someone's tire),you need to make sure the person breaking wind knows about it. Biking with someone drafting off you means you need to be more cautious and careful. This includes no sudden braking or swerving, and increased signaling.

When riding in a pack, you need to be mindful of the person behind you. You must signal, even if you aren't being drafted. The signals are pretty basic:

• Hand pointing at the road: this indicates road hazards such as potholes, branches, etc.
• Hand down, fingers together pointing downward, open palm facing the riders behind you: slow down or caution.
  • This is useful when coming up to an intersection or other area where riders would need to slow down.
• Arm out parallel to the ground: This indicates the direction you wish to turn at an intersection.

Intersections:

• It is the lead biker's responsibility to assess the situation at the intersection. If you are the leader of the pack, you want to signal for the other riders to slow as you approach the intersection.
  • REMEMBER: you are on the road so you are obligated to follow the rules of the road.
  • Once you have gotten to the intersection and made the assessment, the lead biker must signal the action to the rest of the pack. Keep in mind that you must be sure the intersection is going to be clear for the entire group. Err on the side of caution as you judge the situation.
• If you are in the back of the pack, this is a good time to tighten up the separation between you and the majority of the group.
  • If you are going to stop, drop your fist and shout "STOP".
  • If you are going to proceed through the intersection, signal by waving people forward and using the word "CLEAR". 
• If you are a subsequent rider in the pack, it is always a good idea to shout "CLEAR" if the intersection remains safe for passing.
  • There can be 30 seconds between the first and the last person passing through the intersection and subsequent rides shouting "CLEAR" keep it safe for the last people in the pack.

Directions:

• See "The Route" page on our website.
• We hand out a laminated queue sheet that has a turn-by-turn set of directions. There are about 25+ different directions with mileage markers for those using GPS watches or odometers on their bikes. You should use this queue sheet for directions throughout the ride. Put it in your packet when you are not using it. Most bike jerseys have a pouch on the back to slip something like this into it also.
• Do not use your phone while riding. If you think you are lost, pull off the road to check your phone to map. Mapping on your phone while biking is not something any rider should be doing. Use your phone at the rest stops to look at the next stretch of mileage, turns and directions.

Addded Safety:

• Many people ride with a "ROAD ID". It is a cloth bracelet that goes around your wrist with critical information on it. Your name, next of kin contact info., insurance policy number, etc. should all be listed. In the event you are in an accident, this gives the paramedics all of the critical information needed so that they are able to treat you. This is especially important if you are unconscious or allergic to any medications.
  • You can buy a Road ID bracelet at www.roadid.com and is a pretty good way to spend $20 .
  • Another way to have this information on you is to put it on an index card or sticker inside your helmet.
• If at any point you feel like you are beyond your limits and do not want to continue riding, you can call a sag wagon to come and pick you up.

Visibility:

• Although most bikes already come with reflectors on them, tail lights or headlights are a good precaution.
• Hi-Vis/Reflective Gear makes it easier to be seen on the road as well. The sun starts to set earlier in the fall so some people may be finishing up the ride as it grows darker. The Reflective Hi-Vis gear can help you to be seen up to 1000' away at night while white clothing is only visible 250' out at night, in a car's headlights.
  • You can also affix reflective stick packs to your gear if you don't have anything reflective. www.roadid.com sells these stick packs on-line.

Additionals Items to Have (optional but recommended):

• Riding Gloves are nice and make you look totally sweet while protecting you from ripping up your hands when falling. It seems trivial, but your palms take a long time to heal, and your hands are used for a lot of stuff.
• Sunglasses/Safety Glasses keep the bugs and wind our of your eyes and prevent from excessive squinting (we have to make sure to watch out for those crow's feet!). Wear a pair that is comfortable for you and will stay on your head during the ride, a suggestion is using frat straps to make sure the glasses do not fall off at inconvenient times. We ride east in the morning so the sun can be in your eyes for hours.
• Spandex are nice because of the way it slides on the road if you were ever to fall. In addition to the comfort factor associated with biker shorts, the added safety aspect is a nice corollary benefit.
• Bring rain gear and warm layers, could be low 60s when we start and there's always a chance of precipitation.
• Bike lock if you need one.
• Phone charger for when you arrive (Strave, MapMyRide, etc. will suck your battery for over 100 miles).

• Tire levers
• An additional tube
• Source of air (CO2 canisters or a hand pump)
• The know how

Additionals Items to Have (optional but recommended):

• Riding Gloves are nice and make you look totally sweet while protecting you from ripping up your hands when falling. It seems trivial, but your palms take a long time to heal, and your hands are used for a lot of stuff.
• Sunglasses/Safety Glasses keep the bugs and wind our of your eyes and prevent from excessive squinting (we have to make sure to watch out for those crow's feet!). Wear a pair that is comfortable for you and will stay on your head during the ride, a suggestion is using frat straps to make sure the glasses do not fall off at inconvenient times. We ride east in the morning so the sun can be in your eyes for hours.
• Spandex are nice because of the way it slides on the road if you were ever to fall. In addition to the comfort factor associated with biker shorts, the added safety aspect is a nice corollary benefit.
• Bring rain gear and warm layers, could be low 60s when we start and there's always a chance of precipitation.
• Bike lock if you need one.
• Phone charger for when you arrive (Strave, MapMyRide, etc. will suck your battery for over 100 miles).

Have you ever heard that "slow and steady" wins the race? That definitely applies here. If there is one mistake that people make it is that they start off too fast. Starting off too quickly can dig you into a hole that is rough to get out of.

The same way you wouldn't do an all-out sprint and try to PR your mile during the first mile of a marathon, you need to be mindful of your pace on this ride as well. So how fast should you go at the start? We recommend a pace where it is comfortable to have a conversation. If you are panting at the start, you are going too fast. Your fastest race is one where you keep a relatively steady pace for a long period of time, so stay reasonable for the first 5 miles or so before you start to pick up your pace. We can't tell you where that pace is, but the best test is the "conversation test". Keep in mind that most people are pretty gassed for the back half, so don't use the conversation test at that point, just power through.

Many people assume you need a CamelBak, and for a long time I wore one on this ride. However, recently, I stopped wearing it and am very happy with my choice. That being sad, it will not be the right decision for every rider, so take your own personal experiences in to account.

If you are more experienced, in better shape, and have a better idea of how much hydration you are going to need, a CamelBak may not be required. Most advanced, fit riders do not need more that a 40-60 Oz. bottle of fluid on them at any given time. If you bike has two water bottle holders, you can hold that amount on your bike. This will also take the weight off your shoulders/back, which is very nice. Keep in mind that your water bottle needs to have a "squirt top"; drinking from a standard bottle while riding a bike is both challenging and dangerous.

Up until the first water station (~35 miles), you are relatively close to a gas station at any given moment. The only spot that gets tough and secluded is after water stop #2. There is a 20 miles stretch that basically has no gas stations and no water fountains. Simply plan accordingly when you hit water stop #2 and make sure you fill up there.

How Much?

In terms of how much to drink, it really varies based on your physical condition, age, hydration at the start of the race and weather. The easiest rule is to make sure you are drinking even when you are not thirsty, 8-12 oz per hour is the minimum, and especially drink when you are feeling thirsty. Another tip is to mindful of your urine color and its frequency. It may sound gross, but these are both great indicators of your hydration level. Check online for the color charts to give you a visual aid and err on the side of caution. You are better off stopping to use the restroom frequently rather than being dehydrated.

If at any point you notice that you have stopped sweating, this is a very bad sign. When you stop sweating, it is an indication of extreme dehydration and I hope that no one gets anywhere close to this point. Vomiting usually ensues as a result and that will only make the rest of the ride harder. Again, it is always better and safer to take a little more fluid than not enough.

What to drink?

In terms of what to actually drink, I recommend a sugared, non-carbonated sports beverage or water. A sports beverage would be Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, etc. Avoid the reduced calorie beverages like "Vitamin water Zero" because the sugars in the full-bodied versions help fuel the long ride and increase the absorption of the fluid during the exercise. I like to balance it out with water because the sports drinks can be fairly acidic and can upset your stomach. Some people also add electrolyte tablets to their water, which is a nice way to get back salts lost via sweat without consuming the calories from the sports drink during an event like this. The only thing I would really worry about is upsetting your stomach, which could happen if you drink too much at a time (more than 6-8 oz.) or too much sports drink and not enough water. Frequent, smaller sips are better than infrequent, large gulps.

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A lot of people have asked me about nutrition and hydration as part of doing a long ride like this one. I have more than ten Century bike rides, several marathons and dozens of runs exceeded 2 hours. Although I am not an expert, I have learned some things along the way that will be helpful. Proper hydration an nutrition will allow you to perform at your best and minimize the amount of pain you are in. Additionally, it will reduce dizziness/fatigue, making the ride safer for you as well.

-John Roche

Eating is obviously an important part of your performance, and we all know that better performance means you get off the bike and start drinking beer earlier.

The Night Before

Limit or avoid alcohol assumption. Eat a balanced meal at night; yes, it should involve carbs but it should also involve protein and healthy fats too. If you are having pasta, make it whole wheat and have it with some EVOO and chicken to balance out your macro nutrients. The night before is a time to make sure you are mindful of your fiber intake. Stay consistent with what you typically consume, and any sudden increases of fiber intake can lead to emergency bathroom stops during the ride, which is something no one wants. Definitely make sure to stay hydrated the night before, drink plenty of water with your meal and a little before you go to bed. Obviously, make sure to get enough sleep!

The Morning Of

If there is one thing that I want you to take away from this email it is this: EAT BREAKFAST THE MORNING OF! I can't stress that enough. Similar macro nutrients breakdown as your dinner the night before, but make sure to add some fruit. Your body has been fasting all night, waking up and starting a bike ride on an empty stomach is totally insane. Fruit and complex carbs should be the cornerstone of your breakfast that morning.

Cold Rolled Oats, one to two hard boiled eggs and some fruit would be a great breakfast. Greek yogurt, whole wheat toast and fruit would work as well. Whatever your meal may be, just make sure to consume water. Avoid coffee, tea or other drinks that dehydrate you. Again, don't forget to be mindful of your fiber intake.

During the Ride

All of this careful planning is to prevent calorie deficiency the day of the ride. Your bike ride will burn approximately 5,000 calories. If you get to a point where you run out of glycogen, carbohydrate energy stored in your body, you are going to "bonk", also known as hitting the wall. Your performance will drop significantly, i.e. you may go from cruising at 20 mph down to a riding at 8-10 mph. It is pretty humbling and it feels like you got hit by a sack of bricks, so pretty terrible. Those who have experienced it now what it feels like. I had to walk the last 7 miles home from a 22 mile run after bonking this summer, it ended up taking me over 2 hours, instead of less than 1 hour, to complete those 7 miles. A humbling, miserable experience, so how do we prevent this?
First, make sure to eat properly before the ride as described above. During the ride, you want to make sure you are taking in calories. But how do you make sure you taking in enough? Check out this advice by Scott Jurek, basically the Micheal Jordan of ultra-marathons. His racing expertise was at 100 mile races and 24 hour races, and yes, he would run much further than 100 miles in 24 hours. He is currently the record holder in the US for 24 hour races with a distance of 165.7 miles, wrap your mind around that! Anyway, this is the formula he uses:

• Lower Range: (Body Weight in lbs/2.2) * 0.7 = grams of carbs per hour of exertion
• Upper Range: (Body Weight in lbs/2.2) *1.0 = grams of carbs per hour of exertion

I am a 175 lbs, for me that means an intake somewhere between 220 to 320 calories in carbs per hour. Since there are 4 calories per gram of carbs, that means 55-80 grams of carbs/hr. If you were to convert that to food, my upper limit would be  Clif Bar (43g) and a 16 oz Gatorade (16g carbs per 8 oz) per hour for a total of 75 grams of carbs. Having a medium banana (27g) during the same hour would put me over the edge. Overeating can be a problem as well; this diverts blood from your muscles and send them to your digestive track. Just like hydration, frequent, small consumption of food is better than slamming down a bunch at once. However, you are better off overeating than under eating.

Make sure you are taking in enough calories/fluids. It will make the ride more enjoyable and will decrease your total time on the bike and speed up your recovery.  If you have never done a truly long distance event, it can be hard to appreciate how important this is. Once you bonk during an event, you'll know, it is the worst.

In terms of what to eat and when, you are better off with more complex food early in the race and tapering off to simpler sugars later in the race.  Keep in mind; you are undertaking something pretty extreme for your body so you don't want to distract too much blood from the effort of exertion to your stomach in an attempt to digest a ton of complex food later in the game. Early on, I may have a peanut/almond butter and fruit sandwich, then transition to a Clif Bar and a piece of fruit. Later, I'll only have fruit, sports drinks and simple sugars like Clif shot Blocks or GU Chomp, which are basically like fruit snacks for distance athletes. I generally don't like the "GU" packets that are liquid, as they are tough to consume and fairly messy, so getting them on your hands stinks. Some of the Shot Blocks/GU Chomps have caffeine in them which can be helpful towards the end of the race. To try and stay ahead of the curve, I eat breakfast when I wake up, then snack about 15-20 minutes before the ride starts. Pretzels are also a popular choice among other riders because they are simple sugars with plenty of salt to replenish the salts lost via sweat. Avoid foods that are difficult to digest and low inc carbs - such as trail mixes that have a lot of nuts/seeds in them.

My advice is to create a calorie plan BEFORE the race. Crunch the numbers and figure out what types of food you like. Make sure you have enough available. If you are unsure how long it will take for you to complete the ride, plan for a 10-12 hour ride. Our aid stations will have plenty of water/Gatorade, along with fruit/shot blocks. They can supplement your nutrition plan, but are not meant to support the entire calorie needs of 60+ riders.

After the Ride

It is also very important to eat plenty of food when you are done riding. Most people don't have trouble following this piece of advice. Once you are done riding, try to eat some proteins and sugars within 30-60 minutes of finishing. The exercise will suppress your appetite immediately after you get off the bike, but you will have to ignore that illusion and power through. If you don't, your hunger will come at you like a freight trail about an hour after you finish. Plus, eating right after you get off the bike helps speed the recovery. Continue to hydrate until your urine runs clear, which may take some time. Continue to drink sports drinks or other hydration aids (coconut water, sports beverages, electrolyte tablets, etc.) as they re-hydrate you faster then water. 

While this is a little known fact, copious amounts of light beer is actually great for your body after a long bike ride. Okay, maybe I made that last part up, but make sure to celebrate your victory when you make it to South Bend!

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A lot of people have asked me about nutrition and hydration as part of doing a long ride like this one. I have more than ten Century bike rides, several marathons and dozens of runs exceeded 2 hours. Although I am not an expert, I have learned some things along the way that will be helpful. Proper hydration an nutrition will allow you to perform at your best and minimize the amount of pain you are in. Additionally, it will reduce dizziness/fatigue, making the ride safer for you as well.

-John Roche