successive centuries

bobhitch
bobhitch Posts: 87
edited November 2009 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all,
Iam riding to Morzine in July from south wales in July to see the tour.we need to do the ride in 6 days so it essentially means 6 successive rides of 110 miles.
we have all done the etape and several uk sportives,such as the dragon ride ,so are ok with 100+ mile rides with some serious climbing. These rides were all one off and on lightweight roadbikes not on fully loaded touring bikes for 6 days on the trot.
any tips on specific training regimes greatly appreciared .

cheers bob

Comments

  • chrisw12
    chrisw12 Posts: 1,246
    Where in Wales are you guys from?
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    very good saddle
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    Ride long rides back to back - friday evening, saturday, Sunday? 100 miles a day with plenty of food, the right gears and good cycling fitness background shouldn't be a problem. it is tiring but not in a devastating way. A comfy bike that youre used to is a must of course!!
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    You'll be fine, pace yourself and if you feel tired each morning, once you get going you'll be ok. Although it might be that everyone has at least one bad day.

    Make sure you eat enough, not just in calories but balanced with vitamins and minerals. So not just pasta every night. But don't overdo it either, you should eat on the bike or stop to refuel, don't gorge on a big breakfast and a big dinner only.

    Pick a nice route, don't go direct. I'd come down via Flanders, the Ardennes, Luxembourg and then via Strasbourg and then the Vosges and Jura. Hilly but if you just plow through Northern France, the only brief highlight in between dull roads and out of town shopping strips will be the Champage area.
  • hopper1
    hopper1 Posts: 4,389
    bobhitch wrote:
    Hi all,
    Iam riding to Morzine in July from south wales in July to see the tour.we need to do the ride in 6 days so it essentially means 6 successive rides of 110 miles.
    we have all done the etape and several uk sportives,such as the dragon ride ,so are ok with 100+ mile rides with some serious climbing. These rides were all one off and on lightweight roadbikes not on fully loaded touring bikes for 6 days on the trot.
    any tips on specific training regimes greatly appreciared .

    cheers bob

    You're obviously used to training for particular events. I'd just continue what you've been doing, but start doing it on the tourer. Add load to vary your resistance.
    You'll also confirm that you are compfortable on the bike at the same time :wink:
    I envy you your challenge.
    I wish some guys from my club were up for something like this... :cry:
    Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    If you can push for the whole of a 100 mile sportif then just riding 100 miles at a leisurely pace will be easy. Once you can do 2 back-to-back 100 milers without too much trouble you'll be fine for 6 IME. I did 5 back-to-back 175 milers having done several 175 mile rides, but only one ride where I rode a significant distance the following day....
    More problems but still living....
  • nolf
    nolf Posts: 1,287
    I tried a back to back century over the summer, just to see how I felt, and found that actually i felt surprisingly good.

    Legs were tired for the first 20 miles but then you warm up and get into a good rhythm, in a group it shouldn't be too bad. Just make sure you don't hit the hills too hard and go too far into the red.

    Agree with the whole load of vitamin supplements, perhaps worth speaking to a proper nutritionist who will know what you'll need.

    At the weekend do back to back hundred mile rides. If time allows you to do a double century ride most weekends, then you should be laughing by the time of the tour. It sounds like you're going to be supported, so takes a lot of the weight from your shoulders!

    Variety + quanitiy with regard to food, and an electrolyte energy drink. if you're just on water you may struggle to get enough of the vits and minerals (that you sweat out) in you.
    "I hold it true, what'er befall;
    I feel it, when I sorrow most;
    'Tis better to have loved and lost;
    Than never to have loved at all."

    Alfred Tennyson
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    nolf wrote:
    Agree with the whole load of vitamin supplements, perhaps worth speaking to a proper nutritionist who will know what you'll need.
    Not really supplements, just a varied diet. Don't eat pizza and pasta every evening, avoid baguettes and jam every morning too.
  • bobhitch
    bobhitch Posts: 87
    Thanks for the advice, chrisw12- we will be cycling from chepstow down to Portsmouth,I've got a ski chalet in Morzine near the town centre v.close to the start of the avoriaz climb. so the route plan would be to get the ferry to Portsmouth and head towards orleans and across south of Paris. any route advice greatly appreciated as well.
    we won't be supported but will travel pretty light as I leave enough stuff in the chalet so will only take a couple of changes of clothes for the journey and we will stay in hotels/chambres d'hote en route.

    cheers bob
  • bobhitch
    bobhitch Posts: 87
    just correcting an error- the last post was supposed to say getting the ferry from portsmouth to caen -sorry
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    bobhitch wrote:
    head towards orleans and across south of Paris. any route advice greatly appreciated as well.
    Why not go to Orleans and then take the Loire valley for as long as you can? As well as some nice roads, there are also some good cycling paths. Bear with me, as many of us don't want to ride on cycle paths, they're useful for riding to the shops but not for touring. But I think the Loire valley has some proper paths that are wide and well surfaced. Try asking in the touring section on here if it helps.

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