Am I mad - 75 miles, 8 weeks to train

secretsam

Have entered the Chiltern Cycle Challenge 75-mile ride on 24th March

Went out on first ride since October* yesterday, 24 miles, nearly killed me

What are my chances and what do I need to do? I have a turbo trainer available, not used it yet :roll:

* injured knee then abroad for 6 weeks, then ill, then snow, them's my excuses

logitech208

Ride more simples, 75 miles as a one off is easily doable for most people and you will have others riding as well which will give you the incentive to keep going.

CiB

Practice going up hills. And down them too. There are some good climbs and descents on the CC, if the route follows last year's.

75 miles is doable from a standing start in 8 weeks. Once you can do about 50 without blowing up you'll do 75 without much bother by having groups to ride with, and the adrenalin of doing the ride.

Is it March 24th? Ponders getting an entry again...

ShutUpLegs

secretsam wrote:

I have a turbo trainer available, not used it yet :roll:

Look at the 'Trainerroad' thread in the training forum. Then decide if its for you

StorckSpeed

8 weeks no bother - Increase your long run by 5 miles every week. In 7 weeks you'll be riding 60 miles.
Remember to take some fluid and some food with you when you hit the 40 mile mark.
In between, do some hill reps, sprints and a potter.
Hopefully with all that exercise you'll lose a bit of weight which will also help.

Good Luck and remember your supposed to enjoy it.

BobScarle

Training to do a 75 mile run in 8 weeks time should not present too many problems. As others have said, increase your distance slowly until you can do 50 - 60 miles, the day will carry you through the rest. Think seriously about fuel for the ride and use your training time to experiment.

As for being mad, well only you and your psychiatrist can really answer that!

BigDaddyG

You guys have put my mind at ease as well, I have signed up for a 60 mile Sportive in 4 weeks time with 3 friends. I have gone from 15 miles and can now comfotably do 40miles but I have not had chance to push it further due to bad weather, although I have been doing 4 turbo sessions a week with Sufferfest videos.

This weekend I have a 50 miler planned with 4 friends who are training for the Fred Whitton so this should be a good test of my fitness/capability as I think we have a decently hillly route planned through the lakes.

pride4ever

Cut the calories to about 1600 a day and do interval HIT training on the turbo 2/3 times a week at 30 minute per session. Then destroy that ride with ease.

Kieran_Burns

The thing with any of the longer rides is not so much base fitness (if you can do 25/ 40 you can sure as heck do 60), it's making sure you eat and drink enough as you go 'round.

The first time I completed a 100K was a great milestone and easier than I thought because I got the nutrition right. I've done the same route lots of time since and blown up on a couple... simply because I forgot to eat or drink when I needed to.

The hurdle you need to cross is mental, not physical.

btiratsoo

Take some blood out now and simply re-infuse it the day before. No sweat. Ha.

On a serious note, listen to everyone's advice. Slowly increase your long weekly run and eat and drink at the correct moments. Remember food and drink. Then just enjoy it!

Grill

My third ever ride was 77 very hilly miles. You'll be fine.

BigDaddyG

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The thing with any of the longer rides is not so much base fitness (if you can do 25/ 40 you can sure as heck do 60), it's making sure you eat and drink enough as you go 'round.

The first time I completed a 100K was a great milestone and easier than I thought because I got the nutrition right. I've done the same route lots of time since and blown up on a couple... simply because I forgot to eat or drink when I needed to.

The hurdle you need to cross is mental, not physical.

The drinking is not a problem as If I dont drink enough I get headaches, so I always make sure I have plenty with electrolytes. Food wise I quite often have porridge a fair bit of time before I set off and when I am out I will have a bananna, would you guys reccomend other stuff for the ride........fruit, flapjack etc or gels??

Thanks for the advice!!

Kieran_Burns

Gels are (for me) the airbags of longer runs. There in case of a crash.

I generally have bananananananas (how do you stop spelling that bloody word?) which I love the taste of but hate the texture... flapjacks (can be too stodgy sometimes) or malt loaf jam sandwiches (which are just great: near - immediate sugar hit and longer burn)

VTech

I think its inspirational, I personally dont think I could make it but im trying to get better.
Would be good if you could make a thread of how you get on, someone suggested that to me as it could give inspiration to others if my training worked out, likewise yours would do for people like me.
I hope it all goes well for you.

apreading

In a simlar boat - havent been on the bike sinxe 1st December apart from 2 shortish 12 mile runs. But I have been going to spin classes 2-3 times a week for most of that period. Want to do a 100km Audax on 2nd March and wondering if I can...

Was regularly doing longer rides all of last year, and riding 60-70 milers at least once a month pretty much all year.

So fingers crossed...

secretsam

CiB wrote:

There are some good climbs and descents on the CC, if the route follows last year's.

Is it March 24th? Ponders getting an entry again...

Don't know about the route, but yes, it's the same ride

Last year's had a horrid section through an industrial estate (why?) and a bit of Amersham (ditto) but the rest was ace...apart from the 1 in 3 hill that had everyone walking (and they made the poor souls doing the 35 mile ride go up it as well... :shock: ). Other than that it was ace, and the weather was even nice!!!

Maybe see you there, seeing as I'm now committed (in more than one sense )

CiB

Aah the industrial estate complete with totally broken-up road surface. Happy days. The long drop IIRC was soon after crossing the M40 with a long road through a wooded area into a narrow lane with a long long downhill to a T - I saw nearly 50 on the computer before hauling it back for the turn but being the size I am most of those I'd passed passed me on the next long drag up

Anyway - thanks for flagging it up. I've just entered. Need to get back on the bike with just 0.77 miles so far this year, due to a mix of weather, apathy, flat batteries and a spate of flats on the super-duper tyres that turn out to be made of rice paper.

secretsam

@CiB - I also had a 'moment' towards the end involving a single-track road, a bend and a Range Rover coming the other way. Thankfully the pad in my bib shorts was quite absorbent...

Whizzy223

Hi
Are you local to the Chilterns? I am based in Haddenham and am training for a BHF charity ride on March 23.
Thanks
Emily

secretsam

Whizzy223 wrote:

Hi
Are you local to the Chilterns? I am based in Haddenham and am training for a BHF charity ride on March 23.
Thanks
Emily

Hey there

Just down the road - sunny Aylesbury

What's the ride on the 23rd? Mine's the Chiltern Cycle Challenge, run by Iain Rennie Hospice (possibly also known as the "Rennie Way")

vala

Anyone got a copy or link to the route?
Thinking about entering (35 miler) but will be on a singlespeed.

RubbishCyclist

Top tip from me, on the day especially as you get further into the ride you really cant eat too much. I did a 120 mile charity ride last year and a lad doing it with me didnt eat nearly enough and every hill became heart breaking for him. In the end his spirit was broken and the mere sight of a hill had him off and walking. Peanut butter, Jam and seedy bread is ace for keeping you going!

Beckers62

If you can get out a couple of times a week for a decent ride, I reckon you should be able to get where you need to be fitness wise.

Shame they don't post the route up. From previous descriptions on this thread I am guessing it comes back to Wendover and possibly Stokenchurch

I am getting back into riding this year, having ruptured my achillies tendon last March. I did a couple of rides before Christmas. So far this week I've managed 3 rides and a total of 65 miles (did 32.5 today... and am completely done in)

There is no substitute for saddle miles. Good luck

CiB

Can't remember the detail or find the route anywhere but from memory it's out of Aylesbury, west then south to Princes Risborough then a meander over the M40, Watlington, back towards High Wycombe then Amersham, Berko, and an indirect run back to Aylesbury with deviations to find a few more roads with the stiffest climbs. You don't want an easy day out surely?

Looking at my log it was 76 miles last year (did I miss a turn somewhere and go a mile up the road then turn back? Yep...) and took about 5 hours. Leave at about 8:30, you're all done by early afternoon with the rest of the day to enjoy.

You'll do well to park up somewhere close as they do hand out a lot of goodies at the start and you'll find yourself wanting to dump them rather than carry them with you. The car park at the back of the town centre is the handiest.

Whizzy223

Hi

The BHF cycle is from Cambridge to Coast (Southend) if you fancy doing any training cycles just shout.

Thanks

Emily

giant_man

You've got 8 weeks, not 8 days, it's very possible.

secretsam

Whizzy223 wrote:

Hi

The BHF cycle is from Cambridge to Coast (Southend) if you fancy doing any training cycles just shout.

Thanks

Emily

Are you really, really slow???? If so, then maybe, yes!

anto164

I'm doing the same..

Entered the cheshire cat 100mi ride on 24th March, and i haven't ridden much over the winter at all. (my combined mileage from Dec - beginning of Feb was 43 miles :-p )

Did 50mi sat, 50mi sun (both feeling empty by the end of the rides) and doing 75flat miles tomorrow. As long as i can do 75miles easlily on the flat, i'm transitioning to 70mi very hilly in the weeks preceeding the event.

You'll be fine, just eek it up gently.

royce

Lol if you're mad I must be stark raving!!
I've agreed to take part in a 175 mile 2 day ride.
Cardiff to Heathrow Airport...
3 weeks training so far 4 more to go :shock:
It's all in a good cause tho http://www.helpingharry.net

Good luck with your ride

secretsam

It's all f**ked up, in case anyone cares

Not been on a bike in 3 weeks, life's gone against me

'Nuff said

marylogic

Sorry things aren't great, but you won't have lost all your fitness in 3 weeks. Best wishes whatever you decide to do.