Your go-to safe space to learn about all things nutrition and endurance performance.

Elevating Cycling Performance: Serena Bishop Gordon’s Nutrition Journey

January 22, 2025

Welcome to the Endurance Eats podcast! This is your go-to safe space to learn about all things nutrition and endurance performance. Get ready for a journey packed with science-backed strategies, practical tips, and inspiring guests to revolutionize the way you think about fueling your body. Whether you’re a seasoned triathlete, a newbie runner, or a veteran cyclist, this podcast is for you.

What if eating more—not less—was the thing that helped you become a stronger cyclist?

For years, elite cyclist and cycling coach Serena Bishop Gordon could ride for four hours with little more than water. She trained hard, rarely missed workouts, and knew plenty about sports nutrition. But actually fueling herself consistently? That was another story.

Serena started cycling around age 30 after years as a runner and ultrarunner. She quickly moved through the racing categories, won an age-group national championship in mountain biking, and eventually began racing professionally.

But there was one big piece missing from her training: nutrition.

Like so many endurance athletes, Serena had learned to pride herself on getting through long workouts without much fuel. Four-hour rides without food weren’t unusual. She’d finish completely depleted, struggle through the final hour, and come home starving.

Eventually, she realized something had to change.

In this episode, Serena joins me to talk about what happened when she stopped treating nutrition as an afterthought and started treating it as part of her training.

We talk about increasing carbohydrates on the bike, prioritizing recovery nutrition, eating consistent meals, and letting go of the old “calories in, calories out” mentality.And one of the most interesting parts? As Serena started eating and fueling more strategically, she also saw changes in her body composition.

This conversation is such a good reminder that you can have all the nutrition knowledge in the world, but knowing what to do and consistently doing it are two very different things.

What You’ll Learn

– How Serena went from runner and ultrarunner to professional cyclist

– Why she used to ride for four hours without eating and how it affected the end of her rides

– The moment she realized training harder wasn’t enough if she continued skipping meals and underfueling

– Why increasing carbohydrates during training initially felt so uncomfortable

– How fueling more on the bike changed Serena’s energy, training, and recovery

– Why she separates her on-bike carbohydrates from the old “calories in, calories out” mindset

– The surprising body composition changes Serena noticed after she started fueling more

– Why eating consistently throughout the day reduced her intense evening cravings

– How recovery nutrition helps you get more from the training you’re already doing

– Why lunch was one of Serena’s hardest nutrition habits to change

– The simple post-ride habits she now uses to jump-start recovery

– Why having personalized guidance can be more powerful than reading another article or listening to another podcast

– Serena’s advice for female endurance athletes overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition information online

Guest Serena Bishop Gordon

Bio: Serena Bishop Gordon’s passion for playing outdoors and competitive drive motivates her to ride, train and race at the highest level. Off-road racing provides the perfect playground for pushing limits and striving for the next level.

She lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband, Ben, and her medium-sized pup, Piper, and loves coffee & chocolate almost as much as she loves riding her bike.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

If you’re putting in the training but still struggling with energy, recovery, hunger, or figuring out how much you actually need to eat, you don’t have to piece it together on your own. Apply for 1:1 Coaching with an ALN Dietitian

Special Blend Gravel Camp

Connect with Me:

Instagram: @alexlarsonnutrition

Website: alexlarsonnutrition.com

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#06: Cycling Nutrition: How Eating More Can Make You a Stronger Cyclist with Serena Bishop Gordon

On this episode of the Endurance Eats Podcast, I had the privilege of sitting down with Serena Bishop Gordon an elite gravel and mountain bike racer. She has a deep love for cycling and a mission to uplift women in sport and she’s sharing her story of how she elevated her cycling performance through improved nutrition and fueling.

elevating cycling performance - serena bishop gordon

Serena isn’t just about racing; she’s about creating a community. She leads the Special Blend Gravel Camp, where athletes hone their cycling skills and find empowerment. But today, we dove into a different journey— the transformation of her cycling performance through nutrition.

Serena came to cycling later in life, switching from a background in ultra-running to dominating the gravel and mountain bike scene. Living in Bend, Oregon, she shares her journey as a pro cyclist while balancing life with her husband, Ben, and their dog, Piper.

Despite her racing success, nutrition didn’t initially play a prominent role in Serena’s performance plan. “I had no concept of fueling for performance,” she admitted. “I would often ride for hours with just water and feel terrible by the end.”

Early Nutrition Struggles

Like many athletes, Serena had misconceptions about fueling. Coming from a running background, she was accustomed to minimal hydration and eating during exercise.

“I thought I could train my body to function without food,” she said. “I didn’t realize my body needed fuel to keep going. During rides, I’d take one gel an hour because the package said so, but I never trained with fuel.”

These habits left Serena:

Struggling through the final stretches of long rides.
Experiencing severe hunger and fatigue after training.
Failing to recover adequately for the next day’s workout.

A Turning Point: Taking Nutrition Seriously

After years of subpar cycling performance and inconsistent energy levels, Serena realized she needed help. She joined my one-on-one nutrition coaching program, where she worked with our expert dietitian, Mary.

“Working with Mary changed my life,” Serena shared. “It wasn’t about following a rigid meal plan. It was about learning tools and strategies that I could use long-term to fuel my performance and my life.”

Key Lessons in Nutrition for Cycling Performance

Separate Fueling from Diet Culture: Serena reframed her mindset, viewing carbohydrates as essential fuel rather than something to restrict.
Fuel During Rides: “On the bike, it’s all about grams of carbs—not calories,” she shared. Fueling more during rides not only improved her performance but also boosted her recovery.
Prioritize Recovery: Serena developed a post-ride habit of consuming a recovery drink immediately, calling it a “game changer” for energy and training consistency.

Whether you’re a recreational rider or an aspiring pro, Serena’s story offers valuable takeaways:

Trust the process when making nutrition changes.
Prioritize fueling to unlock your potential.
Find joy in the journey and create community along the way.

serena bishop gordon - pro gravel cyclist

Join Serena at Special Blend Gravel Camp

Interested in learning from Serena in person? Her Special Blend Gravel Camps offer a chance to build cycling skills, meet like-minded riders, and learn nutrition tips to fuel your rides.

I’m thrilled to join her at the Spring Camp in Oregon in 2025 to share my expertise on fueling for performance—and hopefully, gain new insights and skills for my gravel riding!

Check out Special Blend Gravel Camp for more information on upcoming camps.

Final Thoughts

Serena’s journey highlights the transformative power of proper nutrition and community in cycling. It’s not just about shaving seconds off your time—it’s about feeling stronger, recovering faster, and finding joy in the process.

Are you ready to make changes to your nutrition and cycling performance? Let’s take action together, head to my 1:1 nutrition coaching page and apply today!