Advise needed in going from 50-60 to 100 miles
PostieJohn
Posts: 1,105
Hi,
I've been upping my milage, out of enjoyment rather than any specific training, and am now in the 50-60 mile bracket.
But foolishing many months ago I signed up for the full 100 mile Southern Sportive (sept) and am a little concerned I'm not going to make it.
Today, for example, I've been out & chalked up 62 miles, but around the 40 mark I knew I would struggle to add a further 60 miles, esp as it was undulating/hilly. Around the 50 mile mark I stopped for a packet of pork scratching a snickers & lucazade (I was fed up with water), although I wasn't bonking it definately helped me get home.
Is it all about the milage or are there other handy hints and tips to get up to that kind of milage?, other than tow a small corner shop around with me.
I've been upping my milage, out of enjoyment rather than any specific training, and am now in the 50-60 mile bracket.
But foolishing many months ago I signed up for the full 100 mile Southern Sportive (sept) and am a little concerned I'm not going to make it.
Today, for example, I've been out & chalked up 62 miles, but around the 40 mark I knew I would struggle to add a further 60 miles, esp as it was undulating/hilly. Around the 50 mile mark I stopped for a packet of pork scratching a snickers & lucazade (I was fed up with water), although I wasn't bonking it definately helped me get home.
Is it all about the milage or are there other handy hints and tips to get up to that kind of milage?, other than tow a small corner shop around with me.
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Comments
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Mind if I tag along for answers to this PostieJohn?!
*Pulls up a chair*An MTBer, but with skinny wheel tendencies...0 -
I would recommend sports drinks, water, and plenty of food ie flapjacks, bananas, bagels. Little and often is the best way, eat whilst riding and drink plenty.
Good luck.Andy0 -
I'm in a similar position. been doing 50/60/70s on Saturday clube rides but have enteretd 105 mile sportive in August. Did 85 miles on my own last Saturday and the nutirtion was: 1.5 litres PSP22 energy drink, 0.5 litres water, 1 chunk malt loaf, 1 date flapjack and 2 go energy bars. On reflection may have been too much as I got a touch of the stomach cramps at about 75 miles but definitley didn't bonk. 5 hours and 12 mins in the saddle passed surprisingly quickly and I quite enjoyed it. No rain, but headwind for last 50 miles and just 1 puncture.0
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andyhuf wrote:I would recommend sports drinks, water, and plenty of food ie flapjacks, bananas, bagels. Little and often is the best way, eat whilst riding and drink plenty.
Good luck.
Hi Postie John
Good advice, the major difference between 50 miles longer distances is good fuelling and a reasonable pace.
Have a mix of sweet slow release foods and also something salty/savoury for the stops, just to stop the boredom of sweet food and to give some salt.
Always nibble and drink from the off. Jelly babies are easy as you go along.
Have a stop at 30 miles, 10 mins max, bit of food, stretch.
Do another 30, have a proper lunch stop...over half way now.
Do 20, stop and stretch and eat/drink (take this one easy after a decent lunch).
Do the final 20, eat and drink and celebrate.
Ride hills gently, take every opportunity to freewheeel down, accelerate slowly etc to conserve your body. Turn a lazy gear, relax.
Make sure you've got essential tools, wet weather gear, hot weather/sun gear glasses sun-cream etc.
But nibble and drink plenty!0 -
If you are riding a sportive event, there will be pro riders there and very fit amatures, let them go, don't be tempted to get sucked into a faster group. Ride it, eat , drink and enjoy.0
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I'd advise just riding at your own pace. Avoid getting sucked into faster groups unless you can lurk at the back and save energy by drafting.
Nutrition is very personal, but for a 100mile ride at a moderate pace I would normally eat a Nutrigrain elevenses (or a go bar) each hour and probably a couple of bananas at the half-way point. I just drink water on most rides unless I know it's going to be hard, I then take an energy drink - usually isostar and increase my food intake.
Neil--
"Because the cycling is pain. The cycling is soul crushing pain."0 -
im the same as you postie done 2 early sportives swrc events the longest a very wet 100km but having signed up for the southern sportive full distance and a week later the kent sportive 140km have been worried about getting round
thanks all for the advice look forward to seeing you there
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Pro riders? Who?John C. wrote:If you are riding a sportive event, there will be pro riders there and very fit amatures, let them go, don't be tempted to get sucked into a faster group. Ride it, eat , drink and enjoy. I havent seen any in sportives othere than the recent one I did in Italy and he was a druggie
Anyway, if you guys are doing 50 miles on rides you will be able to do a hundred. I would try at least a 70 mile ride as prep first though.
You do not have to ride a 100 mile ride training to be able to do a 100.
I started in November and have done 4 sportives over 200km.
Initially i was taking toooo much food.
Now I just take 2 bananas, 3 gels and an energy bar then I top up at feed stations.
I take a bottle of water and a "very concentrated" energy drink. A lot of my mates laughed when I did this but at each water point I dilute the energy drink more so there is still energy drink left at end of ride. OK it is sickly until first stop but I sip water from other bottle with it
I did cramp in one ride and when I was in Italy some one advised me to take a magnesium drink. It was in a little tube and blackcurrant flavoured.
I took two and the ride was 210km with 4100m climbing in 37 degrees heat. I did not get any cramp until close to finish on a climb so I will be looking to source these drinks here :-)
So basically you just need a slightly longer ride once a week and learn to feed and drink regulary during ride.0 -
So it seems to be, that moving up a level in milage means I have to step up with food.
Unfortunately being a bit of a 'channel 4 documentary' when it comes to eating, i've never really paid much attention to that side of things.
I sugest you all go out and buy shares in Malt Loaf, cos that was the only thing to catch my eye.
Thanks for the help, I'll keep you posted, when the rains not coming down in stair rods.0 -
Last year my rides were no more than 60 miles and that included normal rides, events and sportives. This year I've moved up to 75 miles in the rides mentioned previsouly and I also did the British Sportive at 120 miles, 45 miles more than I had done.
I think the important things to do are:
Pace yourself.
Drink plenty of water, some very 15 minutes.
Use energy drinks.
Keep eating. I ate a mixture of bars, eating half on the hour and the rest 15 minutes later.
Ensure you've got the right gearing for you, wether that's a double or compact with the right cassette on the back, or a triple.
Dunedin3970 -
Pro riders? Who? :oldwelshman wrote:John C. wrote:If you are riding a sportive event, there will be pro riders there and very fit amatures, let them go, don't be tempted to get sucked into a faster group. Ride it, eat , drink and enjoy.
There were several teams on the Etape du Dales back in May, Can't recall which ones but they were there with support from the team cars.0 -
Did my first century in the circuit of the cotswolds ride back in June - bit of a baptism of fire !!.
Before that 70 was my longest.
I think the secrets to stepping up to a century as i would see them have all been listed above
1) dont start off too fast - pace yourself
2) Keep eating and drinking
3) enjoy yourself
Don't ever get to the stage where you are hungry or thirsty as that is too late.
The food I took was all similar and I got bored with eating it, so try to take a variety, bananas, nuts, cereal bars, jelly babies etc. and use an energy drink not just water.
If you can do a ride closer to 100 miles before it will give you confidence that you can do it on the day, but I'm sure you'll be ok for a one-off with the mileage you are doing0 -
I had never gone above 75k in one ride before I did my first 200k. The main thing I changed was making sure to eat on the bike, which I had never done before. Was also careful to pace myself and not go too fast at the start.0
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John C. wrote:oldwelshman wrote:
Pro riders? Who? :John C. wrote:If you are riding a sportive event, there will be pro riders there and very fit amatures, let them go, don't be tempted to get sucked into a faster group. Ride it, eat , drink and enjoy.
There were several teams on the Etape du Dales back in May, Can't recall which ones but they were there with support from the team cars.
I doubt very much if they were pros or top amateurs, look at the rersults times and it will tell you.
There are some tour organisers who arrange support cars for riders in such events, seen them abroad but not sure if they do them here.
There are always guys in team shirts but not necessarily top guys.
If I managed second in one then that proves there are no pro's in them 0 -
Pro rider
Dave Lloyd
OK not now but he was and a very good one at that.
I accept your comment about the support cars for none pros.0
