Soloist Dave MacDowell rolls into his pit stop following his third lap of the 24 Hours of Adrenalin. The temperature has peaked around 28 degrees. A mound of watermelon and oranges appear in front of MacDowell, as he tries to take in an amount which will keep his legs pumping for the next 16 hours.

Soloist Brian Rode rolls into the same pit stop. He’s battling a cold and his legs have started to cramp in the heat.

“I need as much salt as I can take,” Rode tells his crew, who drop sodium tablets in his water bottle. They note he’s likely consumed six Big Macs worth of salt to combat the cramps in his legs. But the tactic works and by his next pit stop, his legs are back to normal.

Jasperites competing in the 24 Hours of Adrenalin tried several different strategies – especially when it came to fuel. As each rider worked to discover the correct mixture of sugar, protein, fluids and carbohydrates to fuel their ride, support crews did their best to keep them moving.

The heat at this year’s race proves to be the biggest hazard, as riders dehydrated quickly.

In what proved to be the most deluxe tent at the event, Freewheel invited Coco’s Cafe to feed them for 24 hours. Lynn Parcels cooked up exotic wraps and lots of chicken for the riders, complimented with fresh fruit and energy bars. Protein and energy is on the menu for most riders, as hummus and avocado are used liberally to fuel the riders.

“It was a success. We’ll definitely do it again,” said Freewheel Skinnys member Wendy Hall.

Under the watchful eye of rider Glen Leitch of the Patricia St. Deli, PGE team had a litany of choices

“We have just about every way you can cook a chicken,” said team member Todd Noble.

The teams brought food for all occasions, as the unpredictable weather can call for soup or wraps.

Many riders had to push themselves to eat even when they weren’t hungry, as they knew they needed the energy later on.

Pam Roy, Vidal and Beau Michaud also relied heavily on fruit, however with only a lap to go, energy came in the form of M&Ms to get them over the hump.

“You have to eat real food too, or you get gut rot,” Vidal Michaud said.

Soloist Cory Wallace has been adding honey to his water bottle, adding a natural sugar his body can use to keep him moving. 

“I’ve been trying it for a few months, but had to back off at the end because it was too sweet for my stomach,” Wallace said.

His stops included meals of hemp seed and banana chips, along with some specially made granola bars for short stops. His father mans the grill for more substantial meals.