My First 50 miler

bails1310

Thought I would post re my first crack at the above yesterday, some of what I did might help others as this was my first proper ride and on my own.

Have been commuting for the past 24 monhts on a MTB and up to circa 100 miles a week, took the plunge in Nov and purchased a Focus Cayo, added a full bike fit but have struggled to get out much since then.

Decided to see family in Derby so took a route which I'd driven beforehand from Sutton Coldfield to Ashbourne and accross to Hazelwood. Night before, apart from getting some good z's, ate a good amount of pasta, the morning I made sure I drank and had a wopper of a bowl of porridge.

I took 2 x 750 ml of energy drink, 2 gels [Lucozade] and a peanut bar. Ride ended up as 52 miles, first 25 I did in 1hr 18, second [Derby has some great hills!] took a bit longer and got there in a total of 2h 50. Managed to push through the 40nph mark briefly which felt good.

Invested in a cycle comuter [Cateye Strada] which really helped knowing how far, how fast, how much longer I had to go.

Only thing which wasn't great is the standard Focus saddle which after 30 miles felt bloody awful so must change. Also, although I dont like the taste of the gels I've tried so far, after eating the bar I struggled for a bit until this had settled down, would probably stick with gels when I go again.

I was farily nervous and being new to this, wasnt sure if I'd taken on more than I could managed - had a great day and to be fair, would have preferred to have carried on.

Hopefully some of this may help another newby popping their first ride cherry.

danowat

bails1310 wrote:

ate a good amount of pasta, the morning I made sure I drank and had a wopper of a bowl of porridge.

I took 2 x 750 ml of energy drink, 2 gels [Lucozade] and a peanut bar.

For 50miles? blimey!

bails1310

danowat wrote:

bails1310 wrote:

ate a good amount of pasta, the morning I made sure I drank and had a wopper of a bowl of porridge.

I took 2 x 750 ml of energy drink, 2 gels [Lucozade] and a peanut bar.

For 50miles? blimey!

Sounds like too much? I didnt used it all but didnt want to run out of beans first time out.

danowat

I am probably being a bit candid, for a first 50 miler its probably wise to take more than you need, but the reality is, you probably don't need that much.

Good job though, I remember doing my first 50 miles and it was a milestone

Bobbinogs

If you are taking energy drink for fuel then why not treat yourself to some real food for the route as well, like a banana, flapjack, few slices of maltloaf wrapped in foil, jam sandwich, etc. When you need a pickup (and a lot of it is psychological) give your body something it recognises as enjoyable rather than gulping down some gloop. I always feel great after noshing something I really like (like apple crumble and ice cream at a cafe stop the other week, although probably not practical for mid-ride ).

thecrofter

I would say that's a bit more than is necessary for 50miles. If you are of average weight in 50 miles you'll use between 2400 and 2800 calories. Obvously your body has reserves which it will use, but you don't have to replace every calorie you burn with a new one going into you system. Your system will compensate over the next day or two.

For 50 miles I find it's enough to take 750ml of water (it's not warm enough to get too dehydrated - dehydration is your main enemy) and that's it. Mind you my body is more used to coping with these demands. For comforts sake and for something to do I will take a Rice Krispies bar and some jelly babies.

The more you do the more you'll tune in to your body's requirements.

EarlyGo

Hi bails,

Nice one fella! The 50 is a big milestone. Think you were wise to take more sustenance than you really needed as if you bonked before 50 it would have been disastrous! Whats your next goal?

Agree with bobbinogs about taking real food on a leisure ride. Gels are all well and good for mega-distances and racing etc, but my body much prefers something that it recognizes as real food.

Regards, EarlyGo

danowat

EarlyGo wrote:

Agree with bobbinogs about taking real food on a leisure ride. Gels are all well and good for mega-distances and racing etc, but my body much prefers something that it recognizes as real food.

Big +1 on this.

I only use racing fuel when there is no other alternative (stopping for a coffee and a cake in a 100 mile TT isn't a great idea )

bails1310

EarlyGo wrote:

Hi bails,

Nice one fella! The 50 is a big milestone. Think you were wise to take more sustenance than you really needed as if you bonked before 50 it would have been disastrous! Whats your next goal?

Agree with bobbinogs about taking real food on a leisure ride. Gels are all well and good for mega-distances and racing etc, but my body much prefers something that it recognizes as real food.

Regards, EarlyGo

Thanks for the replay - gels are off the menu from now on.

The wife went up in the car so you can imagine how much I wanted to avoid making that call for a lift, might be the reason for over stocking.

Next goals are getting quicker over the miles I've done [definatley could have gone out faster on the route I did now I know my own ability a bit more] and increaseing ultimatley to first 100.

Where I work has a factory in France also so have thought about organising a charity ride from B'ham to Paris ride over maybe 4 or 5 days later in the year.

I played golf for 12 years and gave it up after my dad past away. I'm 39 now & never thought I'd find something that would give me the same amount of pleasure and wish I'd dicovered it soner. The wife thinks I look requally as daft in cyclings gear as I did in golf jumpers.

markos1963

Well done on your first fifty, obviously next goal must be 100km then onward and upward to 100miles. As others have pointed out you probably went over the top nutrition wise but it was best to be careful at first. I have found over the last few years riding that I can cut down on what I eat and drink whilst riding, anything up to 50 miles I can cope with a cereal bar and 750mls of squash. Longer distances I'll take a bit more with me just in case I start running low on energy( the only time I use gels is if I'm getting very tired or some big climbs are up ahead.)

Mikey1976

Well done on your first 50!
I normally take 2 x 750mls but filled half water and half energy drink. Dont take no food, I just make sure I have some porridge before hand. There is a 50 mile route I do from Sutton which goes out through Bodymoor Heath and then around Twycross and back accross the top of Tamworth. Lovely country roads and hardly any traffic.

bails1310

Mikey1976 wrote:

Well done on your first 50!
I normally take 2 x 750mls but filled half water and half energy drink. Dont take no food, I just make sure I have some porridge before hand. There is a 50 mile route I do from Sutton which goes out through Bodymoor Heath and then around Twycross and back accross the top of Tamworth. Lovely country roads and hardly any traffic.

Hi Mickey - Is that a club ride or your own?

Mikey1976

There is about 5-6 of us that go out every weekend, sometimes maybe only 2-3 go out because of work etc, not part of any club though.

The Man Chump

I'm doing my first 50 this year, I'm up to 35 miles and looking forward to it. 100 next year (Seems like a bit of a hike at the moment, but so did 35 when I first got on)

Silly Old Hector

Great to hear on two counts :
i) you have a Focus Cayo (same here - I'm liking mine lots and the saddles not too bad)
ii) you're struggling with the food thing (I'm taking gels etc, then bringing them all back !)

All the best for your next target

paulr68

Well done that man!
I joined the 50 miler club on sunday too, got to say it felt great (but hard) x2 energy drinks x2 slices of malt loaf and a pocket full of jelly babies and plenty of encouragement from my bike buddy... 100km here we come!

Crankbrother

Ignore all the nonsense about the water ... Take as much as you feel comfortable with having ... If 1.5 litres is what you think you might need then take it ...

I take 1.25 litres (500ml low sugar sports drink topped up with 250ml water & a 0.5l bottle of plain water) on even a 25mile ride ... and I do drink about 90% of it ... On a 50 mile ride i'd buy at least another 500ml bottle of water on the go to top up ...

Same with the food, pasta the night before and a decent slow release cereal in the morning is perfect ... I'd have eaten 3 or 4 cereal bars (400-500 cals or there abouts) on a 50 miler so yourvenergy gels sound about right ...

Now obv. It's horses for courses but I think younhad the right idea and took a sensible amount of food and intake to get you round the course ... If you aren't looking to lose several lbs of weight then eat what you think you'll need ... Better safe than sorry until you learn exactly what you need ...

Bordersroadie

Well done mate, roll on the 100!

Lots of good advice on here. I'd agree, take more than one bottle water if you feel you need it, over-hydration isn't the same problem as under-hydration. For a fast (for me) fifty I usually take a loaf of soreen, flattened and stuffed into a pocket, and at least 1lt of water.

Eat some decent carbs an hour or two before you go - someone suggested porridge, my personal choice too, with a big dollop of Golden Syrup! And get hydrated before you depart - makes a big difference.

Muffintop

bails1310 wrote:

Also, although I dont like the taste of the gels I've tried so far, after eating the bar I struggled for a bit until this had settled down, would probably stick with gels when I go again...I was farily nervous and being new to this, wasnt sure if I'd taken on more than I could managed - had a great day and to be fair, would have preferred to have carried on./quote]


All the gels taste bloody awful. You're better off with real food (parmasan potatoes) and an energy drink. Possibly some sweets as well. Munching on the easy bits before you think you need them.

Also when you're trying to go that bit further, quiting whilst you're ahead is a good idea. Don't want the psycology of finding your last 'endurance' ride hell.

Amoger

On the gels point - I've tried a lot of brands as a runner, and the only ones I like are the SiS Go gels - not syrupy, don't need to be taken with water, fairly tasteless ("tropical" flavour best in that regard) and do the trick.

Good to always have some "emergency rations" like jelly babies too.

bails1310

Thanks everyone, really good advise.

I dare say there is a point somewhere else, but assuming I'm of a resonable fittness already, are there any non-nutrition obsticles from 50m to 100m, assume just steady increases of say 10 - 20 each time?

I felt pretty good still at 50 so hoping it isn't a huge jump, just more of what people have recoomended and putting in the time?

markos1963

bails1310 wrote:

Thanks everyone, really good advise.

I dare say there is a point somewhere else, but assuming I'm of a resonable fittness already, are there any non-nutrition obsticles from 50m to 100m, assume just steady increases of say 10 - 20 each time?

I felt pretty good still at 50 so hoping it isn't a huge jump, just more of what people have recoomended and putting in the time?

I reckon you're not too far out. I usually add 5-10 miles a week to my base of 50miles if I'm looking to do a 100 with a rest week on week 4. So about 8 weeks of training. Make sure you do it at a level 2 effort level only going higher on hills and headwinds, don't worry about average speeds that can come later.

Muffintop

bails1310 wrote:

Thanks everyone, really good advise.

I dare say there is a point somewhere else, but assuming I'm of a resonable fittness already, are there any non-nutrition obsticles from 50m to 100m, assume just steady increases of say 10 - 20 each time?

I felt pretty good still at 50 so hoping it isn't a huge jump, just more of what people have recoomended and putting in the time?

I'd say 10 mile increases over the next couple of weeks until you get to 70ish and then increase it by 5-10 miles going on different routes/directions. With a few chop downs in between, eg. 50 miles flat is alot different than 50 miles with some serious climbs and undulating. Same as a route you know is alot different than going round a place you've never been before. I'm doing the etape caledonia and in a few weeks when I hit 60+ miles so will be repeating the 'noughties' (60, 70 etc)on very different routes.

Muffintop

Another tip is to count the miles backward when you get to half way - especially when you're finding it a slog - and don't think about the miles behind you, only those infront. 40 miles is alot easier to do when you can mentally block out the previuos 60, and you just KNOW you can do 40.

bails1310

Hyperthetically speaking........if someone wanted to ride more a 100 on say 2, 3, 4 consecutive days, is there different training for this or would it be previous posts in heaps. How often would you need to be doing 100's before you think about it?

chippyk

Fairly recent returnee to cycling as I struggle to get over running injuries. Good to see a few people from Sutton Coldfield. Building up to a 110 mile ride to Yorkshire in the Summer, struggling for traffic free routes around Sutton without getting lost although Lichfield, Atherstone and Tamworth way are my favourites.

essjaydee

First off congrats.....great feeling when you break a milestone...no pun intended

I'd stick with the saddle for now though. You said you've not used the bike much so the saddle and your arse have to get used to each other and suddenly doing a long ride isn't the best or kindest introduction

Get some more miles on it and see how they get on with each other first :idea:

bails1310

I tacked onto a club ride in Nov which leaves Mere Green island on Sat & Sun mornings which was good, about 30m and route was quiet. Not been since then due to daddy duties, work etc but plan to turn up again pretty soon as keen to keep the momentumgoing. They were a friendly lot, sure they would welcome you if you wanted a ride out. Let me know if you do & I'll join you.

MarksMintness

On a longer ride (for me) I took a pack of jelly and bit off a few cubes when I was flagging. I heard somewhere it was good stuff, and you know what? It was. Perked me right up! Obviously not the sugar free jelly...

anto164

I remember doing my first 50mi ride. Was absolutely knackered after it (my first 50mi was done in 2hr56min iirc)

All my rides now are between 50 and 70 miles now. What a difference a couple of months make! I think of nothing about going out for a few hours now.

I only take an oat cereal bar which i eat half way through, and some water. That's all that i need when riding as i normally have a fair tea/dinner the day prior, and a bit before i go out.

But I always take with me 2x emergency gels just in case i need them for some reason.

daysofspeed

Only ridden three times since getting my bike.

9, 18 & 27 miles. Will try for 34 or 41 next - snow permitting! - laps of Richmond Park being how I'll increase). Aiming to get fitter & faster but mainly shed some blubber.

Good reading about a 50. Look forward to it. I'm unfussed about my speed right now taking pride in distance for now.