Did my first 50 miler.....by accident!!

Mr. Andy

Managed to do my first 50 miler this morning, so feeling slightly pleased with myself......and more than a bit foolish!

Set off with a view to doing high 30's to 40 - drop by to see a friend around half way round for tea and cake stop (well, a mule bar!) and then steadily work my way back home. No rush, just enjoy the quiet lanes.

Problem came at the point where I decided to try a new route home and ended up going the wrong way. No sign posts, no signal on the iphone to get a map and worst of all not enough in the way of fuel.

When i finally got my bearings realized that I would need to add around another 10 miles to my ride to get me back home :shock: Really began to suffer as the miles rolled on. Even the slightest incline felt like a killer hill by the end


So.....lessons learnt this morning? Make sure I know where I'm going before I take detours and take enough snacks and Carb drink.

But....I did achieve my first 50, so still got that sense of achievement in spite of it all.

Mettan

Congrats - sounds like a good ride.

Dancing Bear

by default not such a bad idea - stopped you thinking about the big 50 barrier in advance - so you next 50 will seem easier and better planned I hope

Peddle Up!

Getting lost when you've clocked a hundred can dredge up some primal fear too. :shock:

carbongimp

well done mate i can relate to leaving stuff i did a 25 after work doing real well got to half way mark went for my drink .oops left in the kitchen at home by the time i got home i could of drunk from puddles!

dmch2

Some good distance PBs happening this weekend. Your 50miler, I did 100km and someone did 100miles in another topic.

Why did we do it in the fog after the end of summer?!

Lillywhite

Mettan wrote:

Congrats - sounds like a good ride.

Yeah, two firsts - 50 miles and the dreaded bonk.

dmch2

I narrowly avoided bonking by going as slow as possible up hills in the granny gear and coasting downhill for the last few miles. Not much fun!

Last time i bonked it was after only 30 miles on a pretty flat route so i've improved a lot!

Kendal Black Drop

dmch2 wrote:

Some good distance PBs happening this weekend. .... I did 100km and ...

I upped my PB from 42 miles (first weekend on road bike) to 66 miles (six weeks on), which is I believe 106km. I ate loads of raw chewy bars and jelly babies.

dmch2

I had a big bowl of porridge before and a nutri grain bar at 20 and 40 miles. I was slightly hungry for the last couple of miles but my legs were gone rather than lacking food.

I do need a top with rear pockets though so i can nibble on sweets as i go. Only just getting the hang of drinking on the move!

Until i got tired i did have clipping in nailed though - 5 times in a row perfectly

StanwaySteve62

I did a 100 miles at the weekend and defo good to be energy prepared

RetroSi

You lot won't like me for saying this & so will also be saying why do it then. But here goes. :!:

When I was 15 (1980) I belonged to Charlotteville Cycling club & each Sunday I'd go out with the club & way back then you either hung on or got dropped. :shock:

Not like the club I now belong to, Portsmouth Northend, very conscious, no leaving anyone behind. 8)

Anyway, back to my "dig"; back then Sundays started out at 7am & finished at 6pm for those that kept up & around 9pm for those (me) that didn't & 240 miles later. :oops:

Yep you read right they averaged 24mph of which I finally managed 3 years later to keep up with a Club trophy showing my 27.4mph average for that year.

So my "dig" to you all is this, keep going because you've a long way to go yet & 100 miles is nothing let alone 50.... :arrow:

By the way for those still reading & not thinking F... idiot, in time trialing there's a thing called "evens" which basically means a minimum average of 20 mph over any & all distances. :twisted:

So something else for you all to aspire too... :idea:

daviesee

^^^^ :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: ^^^^

StanwaySteve62

Thanks for the insight, wonder what your other two posts are

dmch2

How much easier is riding in a group?

I don't think any of us with new distance PBs are claiming to be great, it's just another step as we get better.

And i'm well aware that making xxx miles is very different to doing a decent speed for the whole distance!

thefonz78

I bonked big style thursday did 40miles which is a record for me. first 20 miles was a breeze averaging 17mph then i hit the wind head on 20 miles from home i knew i made a mistake. crawled home at 8mph i dont know how i did it the wind was howling. It the fisrt time i have experienced heavy head on winds. it really kills you.

daviesee

dmch2 wrote:

How much easier is riding in a group?

I don't think any of us with new distance PBs are claiming to be great, it's just another step as we get better.

And i'm well aware that making xxx miles is very different to doing a decent speed for the whole distance!

It's kind of like getting a light tailwind.
I have not done a direct comparison but I would imagine 3-5mph .

dmch2

daviesee wrote:

dmch2 wrote:

How much easier is riding in a group?

I don't think any of us with new distance PBs are claiming to be great, it's just another step as we get better.

And i'm well aware that making xxx miles is very different to doing a decent speed for the whole distance!

It's kind of like getting a light tailwind.
I have not done a direct comparison but I would imagine 3-5mph .

That's quite a difference.

So my solo later autumn durham 60miler means i'd not have a problem with a flat summer 100 mile sportive where i could find a group cycle in.

Still need more practice to make it comfortable rather than nasty over the last few miles though!

gingernash

I accidentally did my longest ride so far too on the weekend (50 miles). Had hoped to do 40 or so but ended up taking two wrong turns. Felt ok as relatively flat and had a lot of fuel available (had a Mule bar half way and some Clif shot blocks too).

Was fairly eventful ride:

- Nearly got knocked off bike by some old duffer who failed to see me coming and just pulled out across the road and then tried to edge me off.

- Found a really good way of going up hills fast. End up on a horrible A road with people going past you at 70mph :shock: i really put the hammer down to get out of there.