100 mile sportive in June

dmch2

I've signed up for the cyclone in June and am concerned that 104 miles is a long way.

I started road cycling in august (but had done a 4 mile commute for years at previous jobs, some rowing and running) and can now do 40 miles no trouble (just drink water every 10 miles).

i've done a hilly (6000ft climbing) 60 miler but was very tired afterwards even with 3 stops for a cereal bar and breather and lots of rests on the proper hill.

A typical week is probably 70 miles made
up of a 30-40 miler and one or two twenty milers. I don't often get time to go further or more often so always try to do them as hard as I can.

So should i just keep riding as I am now going further when I get the time and not worry or do I need to step things up in the spring?

Not aiming to break any records but would like to get round reasonably comfortably and have the option of stepping it up the last 10 miles or so.

vorsprung

dmch2 wrote:

I've signed up for the cyclone in June and am concerned that 104 miles is a long way.

1) 104 miles isn't that far in the summer
2) in spring everyones "performance" takes a step up if they've been riding all winter
3) it isn't a race
4) the profile for last year claimed 1205 metres ascent so it's not tough for climbing

dmch2

I thought the climb was more than that - must have got it mixed up with a different event!

So it's only 3/4 the amount of climbing I've already done plus 40 more flat miles. In the sun rather than the fog I did my 60 miler in.

Should be a doddle then!

I know it's not a race, but there's a difference between a nice ride at a decent pace vs a 10 hour slog because you're nowhere near fit enough. Sounds like it'll be the former

ColinT2

I below is an extract from the Northern Rock Cyclone website:-

Ride C – 104 miles
A serious challenge for the more experienced cyclists or those who are very fit. The route is very hilly with 2374m (7789ft) of climbing. The route is very choppy with 8 significant climbs and the highest point is Troughend Common (340m), west of Otterburn in the Cheviot Hills. Riders competing this distance will have the additional challenge of achieving Gold, Silver or Bronze Standard for their ride. The standards are set as follows:

Gold Standard - under 5hrs 40 mins

Silver Standard - 5hrs 41 mins - 6hrs 30mins

Bronze Standard - over 6hrs 31mins

chrisw12

What if someone does it in 5 hrs 40 min and 22 secs, what do they get then? :roll:

amaferanga

I haven't done the route, but I know that part of the country well and it won't be easy (I have a feeling that either no-one or only a couple of folk managed a gold time this year).

But you have loads of time to get ready. I did a couple of 100 miles sportives earlier in the year having done only a couple of rides anywhere near the distance since the previous summer. I was buggered by the end of them and it took me a while to fully recover from each of them, but I got round pretty quickly so there's no need to bang out 100 mile rides week after week to be able to ride a good time.

Garz

You have bags of time to build up your endurance (be able to complete the distance in one go) till around six weeks before the event. Then you can tail off the endurance and concentrate on speed, hills and technique.

Should be straight forward, so just get out, ride and enjoy!

dmch2

I'll just keep doing what I'm doing then cool!

I'd like to do at least one 80 miler beforehand to give me the confidence that 100 isn't much further.

hugo15

I've done the Cyclone twice. Whilst it isn't as hilly as some of the Sportives out there there is still plenty of climbing and it's fairly rolling when your aren't climbing.

I've managed to get round in OK shape both years on a diet of a couple of commutes per week and a 50-60 mile ride at the weekend. I would just try to keep getting out through the winter and then step it up in the spring by increasing the distance of your long rides by a few miles each week.

ColinT2

What if someone does it in 5 hrs 40 min and 22 secs, what do they get then?
You get to keep your bike!!

Yeah...it depends what your definition is of a hill......the Fred for example is hilly (I'd say) but generally I would class the cyclone as undulating

dmch2

It's just over half the climbing of the Fred (2100 vs 4100m) but probably 100 times more than one in Norfolk!

I usually cycle on the North edge of the pennines from Durham so I'm guessing it's similar to that.

ColinT2

dmch2...its a lovely area to cycle around; the best tea room must be Parkhead Station?- I know it well and the infamous Crawleyside bank. Keep training on that hill on the cyclone will be a stroll in the park....except the Ryals of course!

dmch2

ColinT2 wrote:

dmch2...its a lovely area to cycle around; the best tea room must be Parkhead Station?- I know it well and the infamous Crawleyside bank. Keep training on that hill on the cyclone will be a stroll in the park....except the Ryals of course!

I've passed parkhead station once (45 miles into the 60 miler). Didn't know it was there. If i'd stopped for cake the climb homewards into tow law wouldn't have hurt so much!

Luckily I was going south so crawleyside bank was easy! I'll try going clockwise next time I feel brave

ColinT2

Tow Law....windy town good old Chris Reay for composing a song about the place....or is that windy village!

dmch2

ColinT2 wrote:

Tow Law....windy town good old Chris Reay for composing a song about the place....or is that windy village!

I love the rides eastwards from it. either to lanchester then home to durham or via colsey colliery. Both basically slightly downhill, great views, decent tarmac, massive wind turbines and no traffic

Jon8a

As for riding over winter, just keep at it. Don't worry too much about distance until spring when it warms up. Then try and do some 60-80 mile rides. You won't need to have ridden 100miles to make it round the course. I think It was my third century last year (ever) and I got round in 5h 45 minutes. But then I rode a lot of shorte rides. Might be worth getting out with a club as knowing how to ride in a group will make things easier.

The route is rolling, but the hills are steep in places and you do need to be a ble to climb a bit.
The route is available on bikely.

dmch2

Jon8a wrote:

As for riding over winter, just keep at it. Don't worry too much about distance until spring when it warms up. Then try and do some 60-80 mile rides. You won't need to have ridden 100miles to make it round the course. I think It was my third century last year (ever) and I got round in 5h 45 minutes. But then I rode a lot of shorte rides. Might be worth getting out with a club as knowing how to ride in a group will make things easier.

The route is rolling, but the hills are steep in places and you do need to be a ble to climb a bit.
The route is available on bikely.

Group rides are tricky as a) i have a small child and b) my wife works random shifts (midwife) so i get out whenever i can but it's usually only twice a week. Especially as all our family live down south so we're often away at weekends.

If she goes on maternity leave that temporarily solves b) but makes more of a) !

bigpikle

I posted the same question at the start of this year albeit about a different event

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... light=mile

and I just rode as often and as much as possible and made it no problems. Just get out and ride, do lots of hills and build your base endurance and you'll have no problems at all.

mrushton

Just ride some audaxes - 200km.