Doing my first solo 100miler tomoz

freehub

songbird wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

songbird wrote:

Any reason why you don't use proper race fuel ie powerbars/SIS go bars? They are a lot better than fatty choc bars and water alone is also a odd choice. You will be able to ride better/long and faster with the correct food and drink.

Good luck!

Because they cost a bomb and I'm sure a chocolate bar is a good enough substitute...

Really!!... I would ask your coach about that one.

I've asked my coach, and he says all these sporty energy bars, gels, powders, are a load of bollox.

Anyway, I totally messed up on eating strategy, It's cause I have to stop every time I want to eat cause I have not perfected none handed riding yet, so I can take my gloves off to hold my food properly.

I don't think the eating was related to my bad performance on the second half, my performance has always buggered up after 60 really, Last year I could last ok up to 100 with a group ride.

Anyway, I got one puncture, I had to take a detour and go to masham cause the road I was supposed to use was no good. So up the climb out of lofthouse, then down the decent, during the decent I got a front flat and wondered why I could not steer properly, I came to a bad and managed to slow down but I had to use my cleat too, which is also buggered up. Then whilst being about 60-70 miles from home, I found my pump was struggling to work, so I was there going off my head nearly crying cause I'm 60 miles from home and dunno wtf to do cause I'm in the middle of no where. I then realised it was the punctured tube I was trying to pump up. So I proceeded to use a new tube, and I got abit of air in to get me to masham.

I asked if anyone had a proper pump, but apparently the nearest bike pump was Bedale, so off I went 5 miles up the road to Bedale to find a **** bike shop that did not have a track pump, but some old tube pump or something. Got abit more air in.

Then off I went, my GPS view on 0.5mile zoom, I guessed a route home till I reached knaresborough , it was an A road all the way and I nearly got ran over a couple of times.

Headwind too. So even on the flat, I was doing like 12-13mph cause I was knackered.

The first 45 miles was 21mph avg going pretty easy due to the wind.

Glad I managed it like without bottling it. Will take 3 days off the bike now, perhaps 4, or 5.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/29183807

Average of 15.4 for 43 miles, damn, I deffo was knackered.

I had no cafe stop but an hour and a half went on time p1ssing about, changing tube, p1ssing about in bedale with a shite pump etc..

Jeff Jones

I usually train on water + snickers, especially when it's cold. They're not perfect but they're cheap and calorific.

When I race I rely on gels.

freehub

Are snickers better than Mars Bars?

Would 10 gels get me through a ride as good as say 8 snickers or something? I might get some gels because they're easy to open.

SBezza

Save the gels for racing, at over a £1 a gel, it is an expensive ride if you went through 10 of them, and you might feel a bit sick having that many.

Choc bars are probably OK, but I would choose something a little better, even cereal bars are probably better, and don't cost that much. I generally use Eat Natural bars, though these are more expensive than a choc bar, they are probably a better alternative.

Not that I would recommend it, but I have done a 100M TT, just with energy drink, and 4 gels.

Also if you have done 100 miles in a group, you can do it on your own, just might be at a slower pace.

Fastlad

freehub wrote:

Are snickers better than Mars Bars?

Would 10 gels get me through a ride as good as say 8 snickers or something? I might get some gels because they're easy to open.

Nevermind the 8 snickers bollocks, i think you better get a decent pump that works and get used to identifying a puncture before you venture out again!!! Jeez, boys nowadays :roll:

shockedsoshocked

freehub wrote:

songbird wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

songbird wrote:

Any reason why you don't use proper race fuel ie powerbars/SIS go bars? They are a lot better than fatty choc bars and water alone is also a odd choice. You will be able to ride better/long and faster with the correct food and drink.

Good luck!

Because they cost a bomb and I'm sure a chocolate bar is a good enough substitute...

Really!!... I would ask your coach about that one.

I've asked my coach, and he says all these sporty energy bars, gels, powders, are a load of bollox.

Who's your coach? You may want to point him in the direction of http://jap.physiology.org/

But, like others have said, save gels for racing. They're easy to open and get down your neck when you're on the rivet, you simply can't choke down anything solid at that intensity. Having a very good breakfast also helps.

Anonymous

Fastlad wrote:

Woah!!! easy on the Chocs there lad. One snickers is fine but three bars of crap?? I've done more century rides than i care to remember and my food choice is usually- 3-4 bottles (usually just water) buying extra at shops etc when needed. Small sandwiches with banana (pennies to buy) A half of a sorreen loaf cut into small bite size pieces with butter and jam (sainsbury's sell them for £1) and maybe some jellybabies!! Believe me....the soreen fruity malt loaf gives incredible energy and tastes a million times better than any powerbar!!

Soreen is food of the gods!

Radioactiveman

Well I think you did pretty well to say you weren't very well prepared. I think I would have struggled even with the best pump on the planet and all the products SIS produce.

I use a big pump for MTB and was thinking of getting a large carbon frame pump like this http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... 70_510_mm_ Worth a look maybe ?

Well done on the miles and good luck for next time.

iain_j

As I always tell myself... centuries aren't meant to be easy

On the scale of Mars Bars - energy gels, how do plain old bananas rate? Admittedly the peel is messier than a plastic wrapper.

Fastlad

Bananas are fantastic compared to gels and mars bars. Natural sugars, potassium, complex carbohydrates. More awkward to transport, granted but on a wholemeal bagel or bap they are very hard to beat

fastercyclist

iain_j wrote:

As I always tell myself... centuries aren't meant to be easy

On the scale of Mars Bars - energy gels, how do plain old bananas rate? Admittedly the peel is messier than a plastic wrapper.

It's biodegradable. Why would you take it back with you?

100% against plastic litter, but a banana skin? :roll:

rolf_f

Pokerface wrote:

Way too little fluid for a 100 mile ride. More food would be beneficial, but you really need to stop somewhere and refill your bottles. Take £2, stop at a petrol station and get a giant bottle or two of water. Good hydration is more important than food.

Most I've done since I started cycling again is around 80. Have to admit, in non hot weather, 2 bottles (with energy powder) was fine for me. I'd struggle to take much more in.

And I tend to use the odd gel later in my rides as I just can't really digest much else then. Start with bananas and energy bars and then more on the energy drink and gel later.

Looks like a nice route as it happens.

rolf_f

Fastlad wrote:

Bananas are fantastic compared to gels and mars bars. Natural sugars, potassium, complex carbohydrates. More awkward to transport, granted but on a wholemeal bagel or bap they are very hard to beat

Bagel? That's are just pre-stale bread

iain_j

fastercyclist wrote:

iain_j wrote:

As I always tell myself... centuries aren't meant to be easy

On the scale of Mars Bars - energy gels, how do plain old bananas rate? Admittedly the peel is messier than a plastic wrapper.

It's biodegradable. Why would you take it back with you?

100% against plastic litter, but a banana skin? :roll:

They biodegrade, but they do it slowly. A discarded black, shrivelled banana peel looks as bad as a plastic wrapper to me.

nasahapley

iain_j wrote:

They biodegrade, but they do it slowly. A discarded black, shrivelled banana peel looks as bad as a plastic wrapper to me.

That's why I make sure I chuck mine a long way from the road.

freehub

I had 2 bananas also on the ride.

My legs are so dead now like, I can hardly walk. I hope when I've recovered I'll be abit faster/stronger. I hope it's just cause I did it on my own, but by the standards of the group rides I do over 100 miles, the performance was pretty crap.

Airwave

freehub wrote:

I had 2 bananas also on the ride.

My legs are so dead now like, I can hardly walk. I hope when I've recovered I'll be abit faster/stronger. I hope it's just cause I did it on my own, but by the standards of the group rides I do over 100 miles, the performance was pretty crap.

Don't be to hard on yourself,when your riding in a bunch you could be saving up to 40% of your energy.So if you go off to fast when your on your own there's only one way it's going to end.Next time you'll know better how to pace yourself.Also coming back against the wind would just about put the tin lid on it.But you'll remember the ride for a long time&have a chuckle when you look back on it.Most of us have done the same thing at some stage

Pokerface

Not to be pedantic, but tossing a banana peel on the road (or the side of the road or anywhere but in a bin) is littering and you can get a ticket for it. Same goes for apple cores. Doesn't matter if it's bio-degradable or not.

Yes, it's silly - but that's the law.

freehub

Is it right that my legs should be aching alot after a good training ride? If I go out for a training ride, should I be pushing slightly harder each time, assuming I've had proper recovery between? As all I'm doing is damaging my muscles as that's the way they get stronger by repairing. So my rides should end in my legs aching each time? Apart from recovery rides that is or steady rides.

I was taking it steady on the way out, or at least, I thought I was, I know I averaged 21 all the way to lofthouse but it was a tailwind. I look like something from hell though atm my eyes are red as blood.

inseine

Is it right that my legs should be aching alot after a good training ride?

You don't need to get back knackered after every ride. OK, you push yourself but going 1% harder has the same training effect as going 10%, you just recover quicker. It's OK to do your session and get back feeling pleasantly tired, not beat up!
Make the steps, but tiny ones work better than big ones.

Heckler1974

freehub wrote:

I was taking it steady on the way out, or at least, I thought I was, I know I averaged 21 all the way to lofthouse but it was a tailwind. I look like something from hell though atm my eyes are red as blood.

21 is still kind of quick, it's a long long game on your own. It's very easy with a tailwind on the way out to think you have wings on your shoes and really push it but you're burning juice you'll need for maybe double that distance. A steady pace throughout to do the distance, then up the pace a little next time you do that distance.

To be honest if I got those figures though I'd be quite pleased with my performance, yeah you had some set backs, you learned some lessons, but you did the distance. You have to accept you will be slower on your own......

Fastlad

freehub wrote:

Is it right that my legs should be aching alot after a good training ride? If I go out for a training ride, should I be pushing slightly harder each time, assuming I've had proper recovery between? As all I'm doing is damaging my muscles as that's the way they get stronger by repairing. So my rides should end in my legs aching each time? Apart from recovery rides that is or steady rides.

I was taking it steady on the way out, or at least, I thought I was, I know I averaged 21 all the way to lofthouse but it was a tailwind. I look like something from hell though atm my eyes are red as blood.

your legs will ache when pushed hard enough! The more you ride the stronger you'll become. Remember though, your muscles will need proper nourishment and i don't mean mars bars etc. I drink a bottle of Forgoodness shakes, it's a choc or banana milkshake full of carbs and protein and then i have fish or lean meat with veg for the sheer protein value! Your muscles will not repair themselves without the correct nutrition!

freehub

I don't do too badly with nutrition tbh, my muscles have being repairing themselves for the time I've being cycling and I'm not a slow cyclist by any means. I can't afford posh energy bar and all that for cycling so I make do with snickers, mars bars, homemade flapjack, all of which seem to push me.

My trainer gives everyone a mars bar before they leave, and he's produced TdF riders in his time, so Mars Bars can't be 100% bad, unless he's just trying to kill everyone now.

Fastlad

Lets be honest, nobody ever won the TDF on mars bars!! Ok, you don't have much money. Get youself down the supermarket and stock up on tins of tuna and salmon, infact, any oily fish and whilst your there get some veg!! Keep it simple, unrefined foods are cheap! Have you tried sweet potatoes? Fantastic food with baked beans, cheese, tuna, chilli etc! All cheap. I'm telling you man, keep the chocolate to a minimum. It's full of refined sugar which will play havoc with your energy levels!

freehub

I live on jacket potato and bakes beans.

I love tuna in a tin but I got put off finding weird red and brown bits in it and some hard bone like bits once. It's as if they take a whole tuna and just mash it up without taking the organs out.

Pokerface

Fastlad wrote:

Lets be honest, nobody ever won the TDF on mars bars!! Ok, you don't have much money. Get youself down the supermarket and stock up on tins of tuna and salmon, infact, any oily fish and whilst your there get some veg!! Keep it simple, unrefined foods are cheap! Have you tried sweet potatoes? Fantastic food with baked beans, cheese, tuna, chilli etc! All cheap. I'm telling you man, keep the chocolate to a minimum. It's full of refined sugar which will play havoc with your energy levels!

When was the last time you ate fish and steamed veg while on a 100 mile bike ride? :roll:

Fastlad

Somebody's not been paying attention I was talking about recovery!!! As in after a ride.

Now, keep up

Pokerface

And he was talking about what he eats ON A RIDE.

Maybe I missed the part where he said he eats Mars Bars as recovery food. Did I?


And nowhere in your post did you mention recovery food. But I'm slow and miss things. 8)

Fastlad

Well, his coach did give him a Mars bar after training. Recovery time eh?


Don't worry, i'll keep you right

inseine

I just can't believe that Mars bars are the best or cheapest energy replacement. It's been said but malt loaf is good and you can get packs of 6 cereal or fruit bars from Decathlon for 1.50euros or whatever they are in the UK.
I no coach but your coach saying it's all bollox is talking crap I'm sure.