Step up from 50mile to 100mile - Pedal for Scotland

crescent

Just wondered if anybody made the step up from the challenge ride to the full sportive ride this year and if so, how did they find it? The reason I ask is that I completed the challenge ride for the first time on Sunday in around 3 hours or so. Not an earth shattering time admittedly, but without wishing to sound arrogant I did find it fairly easy although I appreciate it is not meant to be too difficult as it is designed as a fun event rather than a serious race. I have only started doing +50miles this year and would like to try the 100miler next year. I will obviously build up to it in the preceding months but just wondered if anyone found the step-up to be too much or easier than expected.
Looking at the times in the Sun this morning I see a couple of people managed it in under 5 hours which is pretty impressive in my book.
I know there is a thread for the 94miler already but I didn't want to hijack it with a specific question.

Cheers

Omar Little

If you can do 50 miles just now then 100 miles will be no problem in a years time (providing you dont stick the bike away for months only taking it out again next September!) - you could also step up to that distance quite comfortably within a couple of months and probably also do it just now if you paced yourself well and ate enough. Although personally i think it might be more fun doing your first century as part of an event as it probably makes the achievement feel a bit more special.

The route of the sportive is about as easy as a 100 miler in Scotland gets ( the weather however made it more difficult this year) so would be good one to aim for as a first one. The downside though is that the next one is almost a year away. If you fancy having an event to look forward to over winter then i'd recommend the Etape Caledonia in May, "only" 82 miles but closed roads and thousands of other riders make it one of the highlights of the cycling year for me.

Garryboy

Will be watching this one with interest as in exact same position as you, did 50 mile this year in 2hr 49m and fancy the 100 miler next year.

Challenge for me will be getting longer rides in as I find it difficult with family / work etc to get out for long runs of over 3 hours even at the weekend. That and keeping interest up through the winter - although I have turbo and all the sufferfest videos, so no excuses really!

I think I will also need to think more carefully about when and what I eat when doing longer distance, I didn't stop on the 50 miler - just had cereal bar and jelly babies on route. don't think that would do it on 100 miler...

nhoj

I agree with everything Omar Little said. This would be a good sportive to do as your first. The weather can't be much worse next year.

I don't quite understand their guideline that if you can do the 50 mile ride in under 3 hours you can do the 100 mile ride. 3 hours is quite fast for 50 miles, and I'm sure plenty people who can't do 50 miles in 3 hours would enjoy the 100 mile ride. Looking at the times in today's paper, some people took over 10 hours and lots took over 9 hours. You make it as hard or as easy as you want.

youngy81

I was wondering the exact same thing, did my first organised ride in the challenge on sunday and finished in 3 hours 15. Have to say I loved every minute, especially the downhill section prior to avonbridge. Think i'm going to do the etape caledonia and the 100 mile sportive next year.

i'm going to look for a club or training partners around Glasgow as find it hard training on my own

Garryboy

youngy81 wrote:

i'm going to look for a club or training partners around Glasgow as find it hard training on my own

I was thinking the same, but my problem is I usually need to get out v early (around 6am) for training as I have young family etc etc Not a lot of clubs meet at that time!

fuzzynavel

Garryboy wrote:

youngy81 wrote:

i'm going to look for a club or training partners around Glasgow as find it hard training on my own

I was thinking the same, but my problem is I usually need to get out v early (around 6am) for training as I have young family etc etc Not a lot of clubs meet at that time!

I can appreciate that...I started going out with Edinburgh Road Club (ERC) about a year and a half ago but once I learned their 50 mile route towards Gullane and back I started hitting the road 2 hours before their meet up time so that I could get back to the house for about 10am. I stopped doing this over the winter and never started again in 2011.

In regards to training for the 94 miles on Sunday...I didn't bother....I don't claim to have any natural talent but I only registered on a whim a couple of weeks before the event...

I did some 50 milers and a 60 miler last summer (2010) but have only done 20 mile hill climbs for the last 9 months a couple of times a month when I could be bothered..

The reason for the drop in biking is that I have been going to the gym and lifting weights on a strict "once every 4-5 days High intensity" protocol and there was no space for cardio work.

My Garmin recorded the 94mile ride as 6 hours 21 minutes with 5 hours 58 mins in the saddle.

If I can manage it on virtually no training then if you plan ahead for it then you should have no issues with the distance.
Be warned though......it is a long way when your thighs start cramping at 30 miles because you have gone off a little too quickly!!

Thought I'd look at Etape Caledonia and if you go to the website you can register your interest for next year and be allowed to book tickets 24 hours before general release..

I've registered and will await the day....Think I've caught the bug again!!

Oh....one last thing.....If you are going to do nearly 100 miles...make sure that your bike is in good working order.....I managed to lose/break a bearing in my front wheel after 20 miles and had to listen to clicking every revolution for 74 miles!!
Also get some decent tyres that will offer some kind of puncture resistance such as Conti Gator skins....they will be invaluable..

crescent

Sounds like the Etape and the 100 mile sportive are very much on the cards next year then, work permitting.
The hardest bit for me on Sunday was cycling back home from Glasgow Green out to the southside of the city in the p***ing rain and gale force headwind which had arrived during the day. Managed to stay bone dry all the way through to Edinburgh but ended up soaked in the eight mile ride home.
Hot bath followed by a cold beer - nice end to a good day.

Cleat Eastwood

I found doing rides of about 60-70 miles was good practice, then pychologically all you have to do is tell yourself you only have 30-40 miles to finish.

The biggest chellenge on a longer ride is knowing when to eat/drink/refuel.

And whats good about doing longer rides with more experienced riders is the little tricks you pick up. I did part of a ride with a group from ribble bike club/wheelers or something and they would climb the hill sthen wait at the top and take a bite or a drink. I asked this old guy why he didnt just carry on and he said as he didnt know the course he was 'eating for the next hill'. Very wise them ribblers.

fuzzynavel

Crescent wrote:

Sounds like the Etape and the 100 mile sportive are very much on the cards next year then, work permitting.
The hardest bit for me on Sunday was cycling back home from Glasgow Green out to the southside of the city in the p***ing rain and gale force headwind which had arrived during the day. Managed to stay bone dry all the way through to Edinburgh but ended up soaked in the eight mile ride home.
Hot bath followed by a cold beer - nice end to a good day.

Now you have an idea how we felt on the 94 miler....was raining heavily for a lot of the ride!