Training for a hilly 200km road ride

arnie1000
arnie1000 Posts: 22
edited January 2011 in Training, fitness and health
Although I have enjoyed getting out on my bike for some time, I wouldn't say I was an avid cyclist. Wanting to get into it a bit more, I purchased a Specialized Allez road bike late last year and have done a couple of longer rides - 80-90 miles (as well as plenty of shorter ones (20-30 miles and below).

However, I have just signed up for the Wiggle Dragon Ride in June. It is 200km, 3000m of climbing and you have to finish in under 9.5hrs to be classed as a finisher. I live in Suffolk, which makes training on those kind of hills impossible as it is pretty flat!!!

Has anyone got any tips of what structure my overall training should take. Is it endless miles in the saddle or more structured than that. Say 1 day hills, 1 day speed, 1 day long rides (built up gradually) and any other riding I can get in between?

Any help would be great.

Cheers

Comments

  • heliphil
    heliphil Posts: 59
    I did the Otztaler Radmarathon ( 238km with 5500m climb) last year with no real experience of long rides - I just did my normal 45 mile round trip to work by mountain bike 3 times a week - and then some long rides at the weekend (only about 5 during the summer) on my road bike which included the Orchid 100 mile ( in about 5hrs 23) I live in essex which is nothing like the Alps !!!!! and it worked for me

    p.s Make sure the bike is in good nick with new tyres and tubes for the big day.......
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    Welcome to the forums, arnie.

    As you can already do rides of ~90 miles you should be capable of finishing a 200km (125 miles) one without any probs. I'd be inclined to seek out the nearest decent hills in the area and do repeats on shorter rides - no doubt someone will be along shortly to reccommend some. There's nothing wrong with taking the car or train out to hillier areas.

    Re. training plan, you've pretty much got it sussed: I'd suggest 3 short intense rides and one long one per week. I'd try and seek out better hills on the long rides and build up to the finishing distance a few weeks before the event.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Seem to remember a topic not that long ago that mentioned hills in Suffolk, depends where you are, but I know of a couple around Copdock / Ipswich way.
  • arnie1000
    arnie1000 Posts: 22
    Thanks for the replies.

    I work in Ipswich and live about 22 miles outside. I am starting to use the bike to commute to work and back (I have today). I will start this once a week and maybe increase to 2 or 3 times in the next couple of months.
  • EPSHeaven
    EPSHeaven Posts: 8
    hi arnie, a few of us have booked onto the dragon in ipswich, feel free to come and join us for rides at weekends in the upcoming months.
    we've also booked for the suffolk sunrise 100 miler, and i am doing the warwich 100 in april to get prepped.
    normally i would do nove colli in italy, 210k 5000k climbing and coming from ipswich was never a hindrance!

    patience and lots of training is all thats needed

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