You’re hammering through a long climb, legs burning, focus razor-sharp, when it hits like a brick wall: the bonk. Your energy vanishes, your legs feel like concrete, and that finish line might as well be on the moon. As a cyclist over 40, you know this feeling too well. Your body doesn’t bounce back like it did in your 20s, and misjudging your fuel can derail even the best rides. But what if you could see exactly how your body uses energy, in real time, and adjust on the fly to ride stronger, recover faster, and feel unstoppable?
I’m Hunter Allen, founder of Peaks Coaching Group, and I’ve spent decades coaching cyclists to their peak performance using data-driven precision. One tool has become a game-changer for my athletes over 40: the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). It’s not just for diabetics – it’s a secret weapon that gives you a live feed of your body’s fuel levels, helping you nail nutrition, avoid crashes, and train smarter.
In this guide, I’ll share how CGM transforms your rides, why it’s a must for cyclists over 40, and how to integrate it into your training to unlock your best performance yet. No fluff, no guesswork – just practical steps to fuel like a champion. Ready to take control of every ride? Let’s roll.
Your Body’s Fuel Tank, Exposed
Imagine your body as a high-performance bike engine. Your legs are the pistons, your lungs the air intake, and glucose? That’s the premium fuel keeping it all humming. Too little, and you stall. Too much, and you’re bogged down by GI distress and a possible glucose spike and following crash. As a cyclist over 40, your fuel system – metabolism, digestion, energy regulation – gets finicky. A meal that powered you a decade ago might now leave you sluggish or crashing mid-ride.
A CGM is like a dashboard for that engine. It’s a small sensor, usually worn on your arm or abdomen, that tracks your blood glucose levels in real time, beaming data to your phone or bike computer. Originally designed for diabetes management, CGMs are now a staple for endurance athletes like you. They reveal how your body burns fuel during a sprint, how it holds up on a century, or whether your recovery meal is actually rebuilding your energy.
For mature cyclists, this is a game-changer. Age slows your metabolism and recovery, making it easy to misjudge fueling. One ride, you’re flying; the next, you’re bonking because you ate too little – or the wrong thing. With a CGM, you’re not riding blind – you’re riding with precision.
Why CGM Is Your Edge After 40
Your 40s, 50s, 60’s or beyond bring changes – slower digestion, longer recovery, and less wiggle room for fueling mistakes. I’ve coached countless cyclists who hit a wall, not because they lacked grit, but because their energy tanked at the wrong moment. CGM changes that by giving you clarity to optimize every aspect of your rides.
Picture this: You’re 90 minutes into a Gran Fondo, and your CGM alerts you that your glucose is dipping and you are in the “slow slide”. You grab an energy gel, and within minutes, your glucose levels stabilize and gradually move up, keeping you strong for the final climb. Or maybe you notice your pre-ride meal spikes your glucose too high, leaving you sluggish. With CGM data, you switch to a lighter option – like oatmeal with berries, ground flax and almond butter – and feel steadier on your next ride. This real-time feedback lets you fuel smarter, dodging the “highs and lows” that kill performance.
Recovery is where CGM shines, too. After a hard ride, you should drink a recovery drink with plenty of carbs and protein and see your glucose level skyrocket! This is a good thing! This means that your body is about to absorb all those nutrients and your glucose should return to baseline within a couple of hours. I’ve seen cyclists cut their recovery time by tweaking post-ride meals based on CGM data, showing up fresher for their next session as they have successfully replenished their glycogen stores..
For high-intensity efforts like VO₂ Max intervals, CGM is your co-pilot. When you are in your optimal glucose zone, then you will be able to effectively do those intervals! This precision keeps you training at your peak without overtraining – a critical balance for cyclists over 40.
Making CGM Your Secret Weapon
Using a CGM isn’t about drowning in numbers – it’s about making your rides stronger and simpler. At Peaks Coaching Group, we use a 4-step framework – Assess, Plan, Train, Recover – to integrate tools like CGM into your training. Here’s how you can start, with practical steps to make CGM your edge.
Start by defining your goal. Want to nail fueling for long rides? Optimize recovery? Power through intervals? Clarity focuses your CGM use. For endurance rides, watch how your glucose trends over hours. For recovery, check how quickly your levels stabilize post-ride.
Try This Today:
Pick one CGM goal – like avoiding bonks on long rides. Write it down to guide your focus.
Next, track your glucose across a few rides – long endurance spins, high-intensity intervals, and recovery rides. Watch how your levels shift with effort. Do they stay steady, spike, or crash? During a recent coaching session, I had a cyclist notice their glucose dropped sharply at the 3-hour mark of a long 5 hour ride. They added a 25gram UCAN carb gel every 30 minutes, and their glucose levels held strong through the finish.
Try This Today:
Wear your CGM on your next ride and check your glucose every 30 minutes. Note when it dips and how your body feels.
Now, tweak your nutrition with the data. If your glucose drops mid-ride, try quick carbs like a gel or banana. If your pre-ride meal causes a spike, switch to an option with a little more protein and healthy fat – say, yogurt with fruit and almond butter instead of a bagel and jelly.. Experiment with timing: eat 2-3 hours before a ride or sip electrolytes during. Find what keeps your levels steady for consistent energy.
Try This Today:
Plan your next ride’s fuel based on CGM data: pack a carb snack if your glucose tends to dip. Test and adjust.
Finally, pair CGM with your training plan. Combine it with a power meter to see how glucose aligns with effort zones. For example, during VO₂ Max intervals (Zone 5, 106-120% of FTP), a sharp glucose drop might signal a need for mid-session carbs. This synergy maximizes your training efficiency, ensuring every ride pushes you toward your goals.
Try This Today:
Compare your CGM data with your power or heart rate on your next interval session. Adjust fueling if glucose drops too fast.
Why I’m Your Guide to Peak Performance
I’m Hunter Allen, and I’ve spent my career helping cyclists like you unlock their potential with data-driven precision. As the founder of Peaks Coaching Group and a pioneer in power-based training, I’ve coached athletes worldwide to podiums and personal bests. CGM is one of the tools I use to create personalized plans that balance fueling, training, and recovery – especially for cyclists over 40 who want to ride stronger without burnout. Whether you’re chasing a Gran Fondo win or just want to crush your weekend group ride, I’ll help you make CGM your edge.
Training + Competing With A Continuous Glucose Monitor Book -Autographed by the Author
“Hunter has done it again. This will be THE reference guide for every athlete using a CGM.”
Bobby Julich
Olympic Silver Medalist 2004
3rd in the Tour De France 1998
Fuel Smart, Ride Strong
Your 40s, 50s,60s, or beyond don’t have to mean fading performance. With a CGM, you can master your fueling, supercharge recovery, and ride with the power of your younger self – but smarter. Start small, use the data, and watch your rides transform.
Ready to fuel like a champion? Book a free performance consultation with me, Hunter Allen, at Peaks Coaching Group. I’ll build a personalized, 30-day plan to integrate CGM into your training, tailored to your goals and lifestyle, so you can ride stronger, longer, and smarter.
→ Book Your Free Performance Consultation with Hunter Allen
Your Strongest Rides Are Calling
Don’t let poor fueling steal your speed or stamina. Try one micro-action today – like tracking your glucose on a ride or tweaking your pre-ride meal – and feel the difference on your next ride. When you’re ready to unlock your full potential with CGM, I’m here at Peaks Coaching Group to guide you to rides that feel powerful, effortless, and exhilarating – no matter your age.
To your strongest rides,
Hunter Allen