LAEL WILCOX
The food and drink that sustains some of our favourite riders
This ultra-endurance legend has logged some serious bikepacking miles, helping to develop the 1,673-mile Baja Divide route in Mexico and winning the 2,700-mile Tour Divide race through the Rocky Mountains five times, after being the first woman to finish the event in 2015. The Alaska native tells us why she quit alcohol and how she used to plan rides around organic farms...
“I start the day with a big glass of water. Espresso comes next. If I’m at home, I try to do yoga every morning. Then, I eat salad for breakfast, with eggs and grains – rice, quinoa or buckwheat. Growing up in Alaska, there was little in the way of local food – delicious salmon and halibut, but no fruit and a very short season for growing vegetables. So, in my regular life, when I’m not racing, I love eating and preparing fresh food.
“Going to places with warmer climates is stunning for me. It’s amazing to pass fruit trees and pick
figs, cherries, plums or apples during a bike ride. I used to plan long-distance rides so I could volunteer on organic farms. For two summers in a row, I worked on a farm in Corsica. We grew 50 different types of tomato and sold them at farmers’ markets. I loved it!”
RACE FUEL
“While I’m racing, eating can be a chore, particularly if I’m resupplying from convenience stores in the USA, where the food quality is generally low. In Europe, it’s a different story. I’ve raced across Switzerland and France, and it’s such a treat to have bakeries in almost every town. I try to eat on my bike to save time, so I’m looking for anything fast and portable.
“I work with Gnarly Nutrition and JoJé Bar. Both are great to take with me on rides. I’ll take a caffeine pill and drink a Gnarly vegan protein and power greens shake – what a difference! On longer days, I rely a lot on ‘real’ food – pizza, burritos, sandwiches and stuff. For the Arizona Trail Race, I packed entire cheesecakes in aluminum foil!
“On rest days, I’ll treat myself to chocolate lava cake or non-dairy ice cream. I stopped eating dairy because it aggravates my asthma. That’s tough, because ice cream is my favorite food and such a great calorie source while racing. Cheese doesn’t cause me as many problems as milk, yogurt or ice cream, so I still eat regular pizza. For a savoury treat, we get [US fast food chain] In-N-Out Burger. So tasty!”
BACK HOME
“Steak is a healthy go-to dish for me. I love marinating one overnight and grilling it. Lately, I’ve been eating a lot more plant-based protein – spaghetti with Impossible meatballs or Impossible chicken nuggets is surprisingly good. My wife got really into making fresh pasta. I really love rice, too. It’s all pretty basic stuff.
“That pasta-and-meatballs dish is usually reserved for before and after a long ride or race. The sauce is simple – I sauté onions and sometimes garlic in olive or avocado oil, add the meatballs and some Rao’s marinara sauce, and simmer. When the pasta is cooked, I add it to the sauce so it all gets coated. A little parmesan cheese is an extra treat.
“To wash it all down, I like drinking espresso, yerba-maté tea, water and ginger immunity shots. I stopped drinking alcohol about a year ago to focus on my performance. It’s made a huge difference to my mood, sleep, energy levels and productivity. I used to drink a lot of fizzy drinks while I raced, mainly Coke. Now, I often fill my bottles with sweet iced tea instead.”