Training for the Lakeland Loop.

davelakers

Ive registered for the Lakeland Loop in April next year and I need to step up my routine and my training for the big occasion.

Im 15 stone, 5ft 10 and I know I need to lose a bit of weight to get me up the hills better (Ive already lost 2 stone). At the moment I commute to work most days (weather permitting) which is a relatively flat 24 miles round trip. At weekends I usually go out and do average of 40 miles over various routes, some hilly some flatish.

What I really need is advice on the best preparation, diet and training for the event. The distance will not be a problem for me but the hills, esp the passes, might be.

Any advice would be welcome and appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

LeighB

Hello Dave, I think the best thing to improve your hill climbing is to climb hills. I did the ‘Three Counties Challenge’ this year and when you come to a big climb after a few miles its hard. I live near the Lake DIstrict (Kendal) and have been over Wrynose and Hardknott (part of the Lakeland Loop I think) on a training run and these are very hard climbs. To replicate the sheer effort and strain these climbs induce would be difficult in the normal world. Make sure your bike has a compact or a triple chainset and have a ride up to the lakes and give some of the climbs a go, that way you will have more of an idea of what you are up against.

a_n_t

mmmmmmmmmm................hardknott :shock:

davelakers

a_n_t wrote:

mmmmmmmmmm................hardknott :shock:

I really wish you hadnt posted that pic...............

Thanks.................

a_n_t

why? It would be motivation for me..........i'd take a copy out training and sneer at it!

liversedge

I did this event this year on April 15th as a taster for the FWC. You need good endurance but there aren't as many passes as the FWC and it is a small loop. Looking at my data from the day I can see that there was 2050m of climbing over 95km and there was only 106 entrants.

Two pieces of advice - work out where the start is before the morning of the event and get in a group on the day, even if it is a small one. Firstly so you have someone else to stop you getting lost and someone to work with on the drag north through keswick.

it was my first trip to the lakes and was an awesome experience. hardknott was hideous but one of those things every cyclist must experience. another tip for hardknott is to make sure your brakes are in good working order and when decending brake on the drops not the hoods. and watch out for the little sting in the tail after wrynose, theres a little climb just when you think its all over....

and make sure it doesn't rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!

a_n_t

liversedge wrote:

Iand make sure it doesn't rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if only!

steverile

Trough of Bowland should give you some hills from where you live?

andy610

how far is it to the top of hardknott pass, and do a lot in the lakeland loop walk at times up it

Anonymous

Agree with afore mentioned advice....The Lakeland loop is a fair bit easier than the FWC as its basically the same route (apart from taking in the climb of Red Bank), except you miss out Hawkshead,Kirkstone,Matterdale,HONISTER(be grateful for that),Newlands Pass.

Although being honest hitting Hardknott West at any distance is just awful....I can only think of one or two climbs in the whole UK what come into the same difficulty category as hardknott West....its really is hard to explain...even that photo don't do it justice...and have a good look at that photo as that's the last real steep ramp before the top....the previous sections are disgraceful aswell (and one or 2 bits even steeper)

Best advice...get a triple with big cog on the back...I personally use a 30x27 lowest gear and I'm pedalling square going up that!....Wrynose afterwards isn't in the same league as Hardknott (the other sides a totally different matter), you've got one really steep ramp and its over...but coming so late on it will still hurt like bloody hell.

As said before...drive over and have a look at what kind of undertaking youve taken on...you can't explain in words the severity of such a formidable hill...I've been up tons of climbs aboroad...Ventoux/Tourmalet/Galibier etc and Hardknott frightens me every bit as much as those continental giants :shock:

davelakers

steverile wrote:

Trough of Bowland should give you some hills from where you live?

Longridge Fell and the Trough are my usual training routes. Im going to be climbing Longridge Fell from Ribchester as training, up to the top past the New Drop Inn. Thats quite a good start I think, then I can build it up from there.

Ive been told of a killer climb near Chaigley, Birdy Brow or something. Its supposed to be one of the hardest round here.

The Mechanic

Find the longest, steepest hill you can

Step 1: Ride up hill as hard as you can
Step 2: Repeat Step 1 until you can't stand up.