Training for 108 mile bike ride - advice needed, please
pacrfish
Posts: 266
in General Chat
Help, please!
My company has come up with the idea of a 'team-building' exercise which is a 108 mile bike ride from the Midlands to Norfolk. There will be a support vehicle, and the plan is to cycle in pairs. You can stop as often as you like, and hitch a lift in the car if all else fails. It's not meant to be a race(!). It takes place on Fri 29 Sept (day off work, at least!)
My longest bike ride ever is 60 miles, back in June before the 70.3 (also my longest race). I did 33 last week, and hope to fit in 50 this week. But I have no experience of beyond 60, and won't be able to fit another long ride in before the day.
So does anyone have any advice on longer bike rides? On nutrition, comfort (or lack of it!), on what to do, what to avoid (apart from falling off, which I'm a bit prone to do).
I'll be riding with a guy who is much fitter, faster and more experienced than me, but at least he doesn't mind waiting for me. However it is essential that I beat my husband, who is riding in another pair!
Any advice??
Thanks
My company has come up with the idea of a 'team-building' exercise which is a 108 mile bike ride from the Midlands to Norfolk. There will be a support vehicle, and the plan is to cycle in pairs. You can stop as often as you like, and hitch a lift in the car if all else fails. It's not meant to be a race(!). It takes place on Fri 29 Sept (day off work, at least!)
My longest bike ride ever is 60 miles, back in June before the 70.3 (also my longest race). I did 33 last week, and hope to fit in 50 this week. But I have no experience of beyond 60, and won't be able to fit another long ride in before the day.
So does anyone have any advice on longer bike rides? On nutrition, comfort (or lack of it!), on what to do, what to avoid (apart from falling off, which I'm a bit prone to do).
I'll be riding with a guy who is much fitter, faster and more experienced than me, but at least he doesn't mind waiting for me. However it is essential that I beat my husband, who is riding in another pair!
Any advice??
Thanks
0
Comments
Don't RACE it, imagine what it was like at Wimbleball and double it. Adopt the most comfortable position on your bike not the most agressive remember this will take you a complete working day! maybe 6-7 hours.
Use your gears a lot don't "go for the burn" up the hills, if you feel good in the second half you can up the nwork rate.
You will need to take on food and not just gels, depending on how well you can eat on your bike you could just relax and keep riding or stop for a break to eat. Are there going to be defined stop points on the route? Will the support vehicle be with you? If you stop you will find the first 5-10 minutes afterwards hard to get to grips with, keep warm and move around. I have done 100m in 5 hours on 2 Mars bars a banana and 1 bottle of water, but i wouldn't go that fast now and i would need more to drink and eat.
Good luck
David
Just enjoy it
David
Comfort definitly get padded shorts, and if you don't have them get SPD pedals and shoes for your bike they make such a difference.
Chocolate peanuts I found are brilliant for energy really gave me a big boost!
I hope this is of some use, good luck with the cycle.
Paul
I just thought I'd let you know that haveing never cycled more then 40 miles in one go, I wnet out on Saturday and cycled 105 miles.
The numbers of signicance are :
7hrs 'on the bike'
9.5 hrs elapesed time - I had a couple of long breaks, one over 1.5 hrs
Av speed 24 kmh
I don't think that there is a problem cycling long distances, racing long distances yes but cycling it no.
I am not a cyclist, I'm a runner, so I was quite pleased to have reasonable average speed 'on the bike'. When I do it again I won't be taking breaks of more than 15min.
To keep going I had drink with me and stopped for 2 bananas and 4 chewy bars and a couple of stops for cups of tea.
I found it hard going at around 80 miles, had a couple of chewy bars and was ok from there on.
Colin
I'm heartened to hear about the 100+ miles after a previous experience of only 40. Some of the others in the group have a theory that if you take it easy it willl all be OK. 7 hours on the bike seems pretty quick to me, though! But why would you not stop for longer than 15 mins on future rides??
Did 57 miles yesterday on 3 gels, 1 cereal bar, sports drink and water and I was feeling really hungry for the last 15 miles - I'm going to have to get this nutrition cracked. Choc peanuts sound good.
Will let you know how it goes ...
and I was thinking you are joking[&:]