How to train for 100mile Exmoor Beast.

NITR8s
NITR8s Posts: 688
edited August 2012 in Training, fitness and health
Now i know the simplist solution is to get out a cycle long distances with tough hilly route, but is there any way to train without spening 5 hours+ in the saddle as I dont really have the time.

This weekend I done 42 miles on Saturday and 30 Miles on Sunday, but I fear this is going to be great for the first half of the sportive but I am not really preparing for after about 60 Miles.

Does anyone have any suggestions or am I simply gonna have to find more time to get out and cycle longer.

Comments

  • mike101
    mike101 Posts: 42
    The first 100 mile ride I did was the Dartmoor Classic in June. Prior to that the longest ride I did was 75 miles. I think you'd need to be up to around that mark a few weeks before the event. Intervals etc are good for fitness but only being in the saddle prepares you mentally/physically for being in the saddle for 6 hours +
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    I think you’ll need to find the time to do at least one 100 mile ride. As Mike 101 said above, being in the saddle for that amount of time prepares you for the slog. I took two guys out on Saturday on their first century (109 miles to be precise). They’d both done 80 mile sportives before but that was the furthest they’d gone in one sitting. They were really drained by the time we got home.
  • dw300
    dw300 Posts: 1,642
    How much climbing is there?
    All the above is just advice .. you can do whatever the f*ck you wana do!
    Bike Radar Strava Club
    The Northern Ireland Thread
  • NITR8s
    NITR8s Posts: 688
    dw300 wrote:
    How much climbing is there?
    1854 meters, not sure what that is in feet.

    Ive done 1 100 mile ride before in July and it nearly killed me, that was fairly flat too. It took me 7 hours 51 mins. However, I had only started cycling in March so I am still finding that I am getting stronger every week. I really want to beat that time to show that I have improved since then, so I am determined to get better. I have recently joined my local club and are going out more. But i can only manage to get out at the weekend for a few hours.
  • vs
    vs Posts: 468
    edited August 2012
    Exmoor is a tough place to ride. Constant undulations, lots of very steep grades (25 - 30%) and very changeable weather. If you have never ridden on Exmoor you will probably be shocked how hilly it is. Your average speed will probably be lower than you may think and you will therefore be on the bike for a lot longer than you think. A good base fitness will help most, coupled with some decent hills in the legs. The last 40 miles will hurt, you'll see, they are a slog. My best advice is do the 100km, a more enjoyable route.

    However The Beast misses all the really tough Exmoor climbs although the weather can be really bad.

    I recently completed the Strava 'Rapha Rising Circle of Death' challenge in one ride on Exmoor and that was a BEAST: http://app.strava.com/rides/13491877
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    ^
    Cool story, bro
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    Check out the book below. It is specifically targeted at folks who only have limited training time and comes complete with a detailed plan for a first time 100 mile ride.

    Apart from being a good training approach the shorter harder efforts it uses are also good for the climbs you will encounter.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Time-crunched-Cyclist-Powerful-Time-Crunched/dp/1934030473
    Martin S. Newbury RC

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