Training for a week in Spain in November

cw42

I wasn't sure where to put this request as it covers a few areas, so it's in beginners as I'm just getting back into road riding after a break for a few years.

I'm off to Spain in November, staying with my mum who's retired there, for a week. I'm also off the w/c 28th September, and had the idea to do that week what I'd like to do in Spain, namely ride everyday.
Mum lives in Sierra de Yeguas north of Antequrea and I've likened the area to Yorkshire with olives. It really is a beautiful area and the roads around there are generally very good.
So, my plan is to ride everyday in september just to see if I can, so I'll have no surprises when I go to Spain. What would be the best way to get in the miles? Long rides at the beginning of the week, then getting shorter, or short rides to aclimatise then longer?

Also, if anyone can offer any advice on flying into Malaga from Manchester, I'd very much appreciate it

Just worked out a nice route:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 44014&z=11

dutchwallpaper

Looks like a good route!

I will be riding around Andalucia in late November also so if you have any ideas, tips regarding routes im all ears!


cheers,

Byron

daveclow

my advice on flying into malaga would be to generally let the pilot do most of it

daveclow

my advice on flying into malaga would be to generally let the pilot do most of it

huuregeil

Lucky you!

Short rides getting longer is definitely the way to do it. You develop "legs" over a course of a week like that and find yourself with much more stamina at the end of the week, the middle bit being the hardest. If you go long then short, you'll just start knackered and stay that way!

If you can, I'd highly recommend heading west and seeing if you can hit the Pueblos Blancos starting from Moron de la Frontera to Ronda, and then SW from there, all the way to Conil on the coast. (Maybe with an overnight stop if needed). I've not ridden there but have driven through the region and it's stunning, really pretty towns, plus this is flamenco and sherry country, so fun nights out to be had :-)

http://www.andalusia-web.com/route_1.htm

cw42

daveclow wrote:

my advice on flying into malaga would be to generally let the pilot do most of it

Yes, I was going to do that 8)

cw42

dutchwallpaper wrote:

Looks like a good route!

I will be riding around Andalucia in late November also so if you have any ideas, tips regarding routes im all ears!


cheers,

Byron

Booked my flight for the 15th - 23rd november, you around those dates? I'm hoping to document the ride in some way, maybe a blog, or probably via my facebook page.

cw42

huuregeil wrote:

Lucky you!

Short rides getting longer is definitely the way to do it. You develop "legs" over a course of a week like that and find yourself with much more stamina at the end of the week, the middle bit being the hardest. If you go long then short, you'll just start knackered and stay that way!

If you can, I'd highly recommend heading west and seeing if you can hit the Pueblos Blancos starting from Moron de la Frontera to Ronda, and then SW from there, all the way to Conil on the coast. (Maybe with an overnight stop if needed). I've not ridden there but have driven through the region and it's stunning, really pretty towns, plus this is flamenco and sherry country, so fun nights out to be had :-)

http://www.andalusia-web.com/route_1.htm

That area looks gorgeous, and I'm sure my mother has explored it before now. I'll have to ask her about it while I'm there.
I'm really using this first trip as a experiment to see how easy it is to do. Got my bike bag yesterday so all set on that front, booked the flights which is £115 all in, so that's not too bad. I'm going to take your advice and build up to the route I posted by doing some shorter rides first of all. The area is easy to build up short routes of 20 - 40 miles ish to get my legs in. Then maybe do the big one on the friday/saturday before coming home on the sunday

Thanks for all the advice guys.