What training do I need for a long ride, 100 miles + ?

BigLee1

How do folks
I was wondering today after speaking with a workmate who has done the Fred Whitton challenge, 114 miles over all the lake district passes, what training I would have to do to try it. I`ve just got back into road biking & try & get out as & when I can but usually only get a max , so far!, of 20 miles in the time I give myself, about an hour or so. I`m not a member of a cycling club & don`t really know anyone to train with as I work shifts & find it hard to get a regular traing partner! I should imagine doing something like this is the equivelent to marathon training for a runner.
So any tips for an absolute beginner?

BTW the bike is a `06 Trek Pilot 1.2 if thats any use

Cheers

Lee

Bronzie

Although I have not ridden it myself, the Fred Whitton is widely regarded as probably the hardest sportive in the UK and is definitely not to be approached lightly! The climbs are as steep as any you'll find in the UK (1-in-3 in places). Check the route profile here (and weep!): http://www.cyclosport.org/article.aspx?id=139&eventid=5

To be able to achieve it, you'll want to be able to ride solo at least 80% of the distance over similar (very, very hilly terrain) by about 1 month before the event. I say 80% because in a sportive, you'll be drafting behind over riders for at least some of the time which helps both with motivation and reducing energy expended.

So that would be around 90 miles of very hilly riding, which I'd expect to take you 6-8 hours. So your target by early April is to ride 6-8 hours over hilly terrain with minimal stops and not be a basket case at the end of it.

It's an achieveable goal, but it will take a big commitment on your behalf (time and will power). You'll need to increase your mileage / time on the bike by no more than 10% per week - this means you may struggle to get fit enough to ride the event in 2008 as it's in early May. Maybe build up for the 2009 event by riding some shorter / easier UK sportives in 2008?

I highly recommend riding with a club, or at the least try and find others locally to train with - riding upto 6 hours totally alone week after week is mentally very tough.

ash68

totally agree with bronzie.I've done a couple of sportive rides this year, but consider the FWC too hard for me in 08.I know I can go the distance, but the constant big hills would be too much at the mo.As has been suggested,why not build up to the FW by doing some slightly less demanding sportive rides in 08.Depending on which part of the country you're in, there should be some local ones to try out.Don't mean to put you off and if you go ahead and prove me wrong, then good on ya mate.

BigLee1

Thanks for that reality check guys! It was just an idea as I know a few people who`ve done it & I`m local to it to, I`ve done all of the passes before on a bike but of the powered type
I agree that it would probably be too much for me starting as a total beginner & much of the training would be done over the winter months.
I`ll carry on just enjoying my riding & getting over my own little challenges one by one & see how it goes!

Bronzie

BigLee1 wrote:

I agree that it would probably be too much for me starting as a total beginner & much of the training would be done over the winter months.

It would certainly be a big ask - I'd reckon on training for minimum 15 hours a week by April to be fit enough to even attempt this one (1x6 hour, 1x3 hour, 3x2 hour rides per week). Tricky to fit all that in around work and family but achieveable if you have an understanding wife / boss! At least you live in the Lake District, so you have the necessary terrain on your doorstep and know how hard the climbs are in reality.

BigLee1 wrote:

I`ll carry on just enjoying my riding & getting over my own little challenges one by one & see how it goes!

Why not set yourself some other sportives as goals for the '08 season and then decide whether you'll be able to commit the training to it for 2009? Good luck with it.

BigLee1

Good idea! I`ll have to see what is available in the coming months.

LeighB

Something to aim for would be the Three Counties Challenge. I completed this event and found it to be a good introduction to Sportives. I too live in the Lake District (well sort of- Kendal) and my training/riding through the winter consists of a couple of rides in the evenings through the week, about one hour and longer rides at the weekend. At the weekend I try to do at least one good ride with a few hills and another easier ride but still covering a reasonable distance. For example two weeks ago on Saturday I went from home up to Ambleside, Little Langdale, Wrynose, Hardknott, Broughton and back home (70 miles); on the Sunday I went to Morecambe and back (40 miles) taking in breakfast in the café at Morrisons. I vary my routes/distance/severity to suit the weather and how I feel. Just keep building up to harder rides and don’t forget to rest, when next year comes I am sure you will be ready for some Sportives.

ash68

If you're looking for alternatives you could try www.cyclosport.org They have a good list of the events next year and web link for entries etc.You may wish to have a look at the Northern Cyclone sportive in June, there is a choice of 3 routes and is very well organised.

rhnb

I'd echo what's been said, but there are some naturally talented bas***ds out there ;-)

We did a 'reccy' ride in April this year before the actual Fred Whitton. Had a guy with us who hadn't done over 60 miles before. Cleaned all the climbs (including Hardknott at 100 miles).
But - he's very fit, does some fell running, so he has the heart and lungs for it.

There's some more info on the FWC route, (write-up and pics etc) and some other rides in the Lakes that you might want to try here...
http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk/localrides/index.htm

Really, you can only answer the question yourself, by steadily increasing your mileage over the winter months and not avoiding the hills (not easy round here anyway). Then, see how you feel. I will say, you need to be quick off the mark to get in the FWC, so watch their web site, which they're re-vamping this year I hear.

Where abouts in Cumbria are you Lee?

Captain Fagor

One other important thing. Unless you live locally and have contacts that can somehow assure you of a place in the field (I suspect that a lot of this goes on), then you'll just have to join the rat race with the rest of us to try and get a place. This is by no means assured, as it's massively over subscribed.

Having said all that, the training wouldn't be wasted, as there are plenty of other good sportives through the year.

nasahapley

Hi all,

I've read this post with great interest as I too am planning on doing next year's FWC which will also be my first sportive. Following on from what Captain Fagor said, does anyone know what the chances of getting a place are if you don't know the right people? Less than 50/50?

I obviously will do other sportives having trained through the winter for it, but I spend a lot of time in Keswick and know most of the route so would like to kick off my sportive career with this one!

rhnb

Well I'm not sure how many entries they got this year, but I do know there were something like 200 odd hand delivered! The next morning (first post) a huge sack of mail arrived and they then withdrew the application form from the web. So 50/50? Less than that I'd have thought.

What I would say is, I was talking to one of the guys who helps organise the event and I was surprised to hear that he did have quite a few places left in the end. Well worth giving the organiser a ring if you're not successful I'd have thought and asking him to put you down for any cancellations. Some folk don't even let him know they're not going to be there of course, which deprives others of a place.

One thing is almost certain, I wouldn't think they'll be increasing the size of the field. They're very aware they need public and police support for the event, and the roads are narrow.

Good luck with your entry!

ash68

seems they are a victim of their own success.It's a challenge everyone, including me, would like to do one day. But the sheer number of entries means we can't all do the ride.Still there are plenty of other sportives, I notice the Three Counties in the lakes gets a good review and is earlier in the year in 08. Think I might give that one a try myself. Looks a very hard challenge in its own right.Anyone do it this year? any comments?There's also the Cumberland Challenge based in Brampton,Cumbria and The Northern CYclone Based in Newcastle and northumberland area.Both not far from the Lakes and both well organized events with good climbs included.

rhnb

Did the Cumberland Challenge in 2006 and it was a good event (weather was atrocious). Would have ridden it this year, but it clashed with the Bealach-na-Ba Challenge - my favourite ever sportif ride. Hope to get in it again next year. It's just getting there that's the problem!
Who'd have thought it a couple of years ago even - sportif rides clashing for dates ;-)

The Three Counties was by all accounts a good well organised ride. Think it was just a tad late in the year for the length of it, as in I'd probably need lights ;-) but that's a minor crticism.
If they're moving it to earlier next year, then I'd definitely be up for a pop at that. It looks a seriously tough ride (which I guess is why it's called a challenge!) Kirkstone from Patterdale side so late on in the ride will be brutal I would think.

So many to choose from now!

ash68

looks like The Three counties is on the 6 july in 08, should just about give me enough daylight to get round Rode over The Kirkstone Pass from Patterdale this summer on the tourer for two days r&r in Ambleside.It's about 80 miles from my home and a real sting in the tail. Just got over the top without putting a foot down, but it was a close thing. Just seems to wear me down, even going along the side of Ullswater is lumpy and undulating.Read the council are resurfacing the road this week so it'll be a nice smooth ride next year, unless some bugger digs it up again before then

BigLee1

rhnb wrote:

Where abouts in Cumbria are you Lee?

I reside in Workington

cumbriamike

In a similar position myself having moved here to Penrith a few months ago, done lots of miles in North Yorkshire but this summer started to tackle some serious hills around this area. I would love to do the FWC one day but the Cumberland Challenge & Three Counties are my aims for next season. I will be over 50 by then but what the hell cycling has made me feel fitter than 25 years ago! No one has mentioned the 'Cumbrian Christmas Cracker' (16th December) & as I am considering entering it, has anyone got more info about this event.

ash68

never done it cumbriamike but more info at www.epicevents.org/section.php?xSec=2
The lakeland loop looks interesting as well. Well, interesting in a bloody hard sort of way