My first 100+ mile and first 200km ride!

trickeyja

Yesterday in a moment of madness I decided I would cycle the Gospel Pass...

I set off on my own at 1pm from Cheltenham and meandered down the lanes towards Newent, then Hoarwithy and along the B road to Hay. 65 miles and I was at the foot of Hay Bluff and climbing. The climb wasn't actually as bad as I expected - it took about 40 minutes though. Once at the top it was downhill along the annoyingly twisty but very scenic road to Llanvihangel Crucorney then back along the country lanes and Ross road through Skenfrith.

I got back at about 10:40pm feeling half dead. I was fine until about 110 miles but the last 16 were painful... however it was a great sense of a achievement and a very picturesque journey.

http://www.mycyclinglog.com/ride_detail ... lid=195384

oxon

pat on the back fella

DW01

Amazing
This is my next milestone and i can't wait, just gotta find the right time...

Out of interest, what and how much food and drink did you take?

trickeyja

Thanks Oxon

DW01 - I had a decent breakfast and a good meal before I left. When I left I only actually brought two apples with me! About 50 miles in at Peterchurch I stopped at a Londis and bought a Lucozade, a pack of Maltesers, a Bounty and a large Galaxy bar (cycling's a great excuse to eat unhealthily). This gave me the boost I needed before the climb up the pass (548m). After that it was more downhill than up. At Skenfrith I stopped for a pint of Coke and some crisps, then at the garage at Churcham I got a Dime bar as well as some batteries for my rear light which was dying.

So to answer your question I didn't bring much but bought most of my food... As for drink I brought my 2l Camelbak and a 750ml bottle of water.

unclemalc

trickeyja - how did you feel i) a short time (1-2 hours) after you'd finished and ii) the next morning?
Headaches? Muscle fatigue or pain? Saddle soreness/numbness?
What would you change in terms of food/hydration?

Can I ask how old you are too?

I'm curious about the recovery period after a long, non-competitive ride, as I know how I feel..... :shock:

trickeyja

Hi Unclemalc,

Well when I got back from the ride I was pretty tired and my neck was quite painful. I was also a bit saddle sore. My legs weren't feeling too bad though. Today my neck and shoulders hurt but apart from that everything seems ok. Legs are stiff but not painful. I will probably go on a short ride this evening to loosen up...

I didn't bonk and I had plenty of fluids so I don't think I would really have changed anything regarding hydration and food.

I'm 16 by the way.

unclemalc

trickeyja wrote:

Hi Unclemalc,

I'm 16 by the way.

16!! :shock:

The 36 year difference probably explains why I feel like a dead dog the next day then....
I'm fine ~24 hours after, but my whole body tends to go into shutdown soon after a longish ride (50 -75miles).
I will try to eat more than I do on such a ride.
Ta for your reply young sir.

il_principe

Great ride isn't it! I'd suggest doing Gospel the other way round, it's a tougher climb but the descent into Hay is much more fun. I did it back in March with 2 friends who's parents live neat Huntington, it was so windly coming over the top of the pass that we were nearly going backwards! Great ride though, I envy you having all that on your doorstep! Here's us at the summit:



Just an aside - that's an awful lot of fast release carbs you munched. I suggest trying bananas and some power/muesli bars in the future. Also worth getting some Zym or Nunn style hydration tablets to drop in your water - make sure you keep those salts/minerals topped up.

inseine

Well done Trickey, that's quite a ride on your own.
I did what I think is my longest ride last week at 208kms but it was an organised event and there were 2800 others to follow! I've done lots of rides over 100 miles but never that far before. I felt pretty tired the next day but my club mates were out on the club run as usual, so maybe it's just me!

dennisn

trickeyja wrote:

Hi Unclemalc,

Well when I got back from the ride I was pretty tired and my neck was quite painful. I was also a bit saddle sore. My legs weren't feeling too bad though. Today my neck and shoulders hurt but apart from that everything seems ok. Legs are stiff but not painful. I will probably go on a short ride this evening to loosen up...

I didn't bonk and I had plenty of fluids so I don't think I would really have changed anything regarding hydration and food.

I'm 16 by the way.

Ah, to be 16 again. Was I ever 16? Maybe, but I do know that at 60, and after a ride like your's, I have more than my share of aches and pains. It doesn't get better with age.

Dennis Noward

unclemalc

dennisn wrote:

I do know that at 60, and after a ride like your's, I have more than my share of aches and pains. It doesn't get better with age.

Dennis Noward

I knew this already , but seeing it in print (?) makes it worse...
Cheers Dennis :shock:

trickeyja

jashburnham wrote:

Great ride isn't it! I'd suggest doing Gospel the other way round, it's a tougher climb but the descent into Hay is much more fun.

It was a fantastic ride - very scenic. I had done pretty much the same ride once before but I had an overnight stop. That was on my mountain bike though. I haven't tried the route up from the valley but I imagine the descent to Hay would be better, over the open mountain road. It was frustrating down the valley because there were so many corners that I couldn't go much more than about 20mph.

jashburnham wrote:

Just an aside - that's an awful lot of fast release carbs you munched.

Thanks for the advice, I will bear this in mind. I had run out of bananas though... :roll: