CARL DECKER
At age 47, this former XC Olympian and singlespeed world champ may call himself “as old as hell”, but he’s still competing, as well as managing Giant’s gravel riders – in between frequenting the Mexican restaurants and breweries of his hometown, Bend, Oregon
“I see food as one of life’s great pleasures. But there’s a dichotomy – riding allows you to eat what you want, but eating what you want lessens your ability to ride! And getting off the couch to make decent food gets harder and harder with each long day in the saddle.
“Eating for races runs the gamut. I’ve carried things that are eyebrowraising. A pork chop – that was awesome, hours into a cold ride! I’ll also shove a bunch of yams in the oven until they’re caramelised inside and soft, then peel them like a banana – they’re sugary, cheap, have complex carbs and taste pretty damn good.
“PB&J sandwiches are good, but to step that up, peanut butter, honey and banana sandwiches are soft, don’t freeze or melt, and have a ton of calories. If I’m riding with a friend, we’ll go to a Mexican restaurant and have a real lunch and horchata [rice milk].
“We do a lot of veggie stir-fry dishes in our house (see above), often over fried rice, or with eggs. I’m pretty liberal with nuts and toasted sesame oil. Another dish I remember learning from fellow racer Barry Wicks years ago and still really enjoy is mushroom risotto.
“I really like the effect coffee has on me. So much so, I only drink coffee on race days, so I get the full benefit. It cleans me out, ready to race! There’s an ergogenic effect too – it gives you more energy and helps you burn fat.
“My first race sponsor was the local brewery and I used to live pretty well off of free beer and pizza (I was 22 and delivering pizza to support my racing habit). But as I age, the buzz seems to require more pints, while the hangover requires fewer. Beer is one of the first things to go when I’m training, because it makes me feel like shit and it’s calories I don’t need. I do love the good stuff, but not too much of it! I have a troubling weakness for eggnog, too, so I’m fortunate it’s only available during the holidays.”