Sportive Training

neilmacd

I've entered next years Etape Caledonia but I'm not really sure what training I should be doing for it.

I've just started cycling again after a 5-6 year lay off although I've never done anything like a Sportive.
So far I've been doing long rides between 35-50 miles at weekends averaging about 15-16mph plus commutting to work and back.
I was planning on keeping htis up until around February or so next year and then upping the long rides and trying to do some intervals to build a bit of speed too.
Ideally I was reckoning in doing it in under 6 hours.

Any suggestions or training tips or am I heading down the wrong direction totally with what I've been doing so far?

Wooliferkins

Both C+ and Cycling weekly have published sportive training plans in the last year for beginners and upwards. I used last years to get me round Paris Roubaix and was well chuffed. The C+ ones are probably on this site somewhere I'm sure a kindly staffer will point you in the right direction.

dave milne

35-50 miles at 15-16mph average is very good if your main goal is an 80 mile sportive.

Very simply your first goal is to build endurance which I suspect you're already doing quite well and then to build power where your intervals come in, exactly as you've said

To be perfectly honest you can keep doing what you're doing then up the mileage a bit next year and you'll have no problems.

Join a bike club if you can will give you a lot more reason to go out when it's cold

Philip S

You'll be fine as you are. I did my first Etape Caledonia this year. I was doing a 35-50 milers most weekends at this time last year, then a couple of months ahead of the EC I started raising the mileage by 5 or 6 miles weeks. I think the longest continual ride I did was 70 miles a month or so before the EC. I also did the Drumlanrig Sportive at the start of May, which is a similar distance to EC, but has the benefit of a lunch break in the middle of it to allow for some recovery and refueling. When the EC came around I got round fine (apart from the delay for tacks) riding well within myself with some friends.

I don't know how hilly your rides are at the moment (must be a few hills over in the West), but I'd certainly aim to fit in some hill rides ahead of the EC. It's nowhere near as mountainous as some people make out, but I guess it all depends on what you're used to. I was able to shoot up the Schiehallion climb past some people who were really toiling. Spoke to one guy from Essex who said he'd never seen anything like it... If you can, there's no harm in going up to Killin one day in Spring to ride over the climb both ways - it takes the unknown out of the climb, and would also be decent bit of hill training.

neilmacd

Thanks for the replies guys - much appreciated.

Think the rides I've been doing so far have had around 1200-1700 feet of climbing. Mainly short sharp hills.
I think the thing with the EC I'm worried about was looking at the profile and the amount of climbing involved but from reading a few posts on here it's not as bad as it looks.
I used to basically ride 10 mile TT's with nothing in the way of training so I've never done anything approaching the distance or climbing involved.

Reckon once I've got myself a bit fitter I'll take myself off round Dunoon and that neck of the woods as there are a few belters of hills round that way.

Thanks again

beinbhan

I did the etape route at the end of July I have only had a road bike since June although I have mountain biked for years I agree with Philip the Schiehallion climb isn't that bad its a couple of steep ramps and a long climb, I didn't exactly shoot up it but I didn't stop either. You shouldn't have any problems with the route if you are already doing 50 mile routes with some hills, that was about the longest route I had done, I live in Perth so you get used to hills no mater where you ride By the way I weigh 18 stone hopefully a lot less when the Etape comes round