143 Miles Advice Please
davidefernandes
Posts: 54
Hi, I'm quite new to road biking, after a bit of advice.
I'm pretty healthy and fit , have cycled between 20&40 miles for the past 4 weekends building up slowly to the latter. I'm looking to cycle 143 miles in September. Any advice on building up my distance, should I just keep adding 5/10 miles to my distance each time I go out?
Also, may be a silly question, but I find it hard to keep a slow pace, I seem unable to cycle slower than 18 mph on average. I did my 40 miler in just over 2 hours, but whilst I was going round I thought I was going pretty slow! Any suggestions to help, or is it just a case of make myself cycle slower?
Any help would be appreciated!
I'm pretty healthy and fit , have cycled between 20&40 miles for the past 4 weekends building up slowly to the latter. I'm looking to cycle 143 miles in September. Any advice on building up my distance, should I just keep adding 5/10 miles to my distance each time I go out?
Also, may be a silly question, but I find it hard to keep a slow pace, I seem unable to cycle slower than 18 mph on average. I did my 40 miler in just over 2 hours, but whilst I was going round I thought I was going pretty slow! Any suggestions to help, or is it just a case of make myself cycle slower?
Any help would be appreciated!
0
Posts
The difference from riding from 40 to 80 is massive so your going to have to prepare your self both phyiscally and mentally for 143.
I havent done any rides over 75 since December and I did 117 on Sunday, found it pretty easy, and managed to keep 19mph average over the distance so was a nice steady pace.
For me it was about getting the food and drink right for the ride, and also the week leading up to it. You have plenty of time to train for it.
Brakeless, for the distances I've cycled so far, I can eat straight after, not a huge meal however, just sandwiches and meat.
As you go up distances, then things you may have found comfortable before, may start to niggle - and certainly food can become an issue. Stomach issues (particularly not being able to eat) are closely linked to hydration in my experiences. Drink plenty and the stomach will keep working for days on end of riding long distances - get even a little dehydrated and the stomach can go on strike. I have found Nuun tablets very helpful in keeping me drinking and avoiding cramps.
Move around on the bike - use different hand positions, get out of the saddle (even if you don't need to - i.e. on the flat). Don't attack hills as much as you would like to - sit down and stay at a comfortable heart rate.
From my own experiences, I'd say a step up in distance of around 30-40% is nothing to be scared about. Learning to pace yourself is hard, just take it steady and don't shoot your bolt in the first half. I used to be regularly ride shorter distances at 20mph averages - but, unless you are supremely fit and strong, most people will not be able to keep that up for 143 miles - and I am now travelling at under 15mph moving average (but can ride quite a long way for several days in a row like that!). On the whole, pacing yourself will become more second nature as you go up the distances - it will probably involve a painful lesson of sitting at the side of the road after xxx miles, completely and utterly %^&*ed and not knowing how on earth you are going to ride the rest of the way!
At the end of each ride, have a think about the bits that hurt - and look to make them not hurt next time (adjust saddle or whatever).
Best of luck - 143 miles is a good distance.
Only thing I would add, is to break it down on the day. Treat it as 3x 40 or 50 mile rides. U know U can ride that distance. Ideally U ll have a feed stop, audax stylee, atthe end of each stage. Gives U something to look forward to. Scrambled egg on toast, or beans, or both, is good. And tea
When I'm on longer runs I'm much less likely to power over hills and more likely just to change down gears and spin up them. I also pay much more attention to eating and drinking.
If you're into gadgets a heart rate monitor can give you an idea of how hard you are pushing and whether you need to peg back a bit. Speed is not so good as too many other variables - hills, headwinds etc.
Dear me, as someone who is struggling to break out of 11mph averages to 12mph the constant reading of peoples average speeds makes me sad
It sounds like this may be an organised sort of ride, so perhaps feedstops are provided. If it is ad hoc then some forethought about when you are going to stop, and what you are going to buy/beg is worthwhile. I rode about 145 miles one Sunday last summer and while I'd sorted out a route I planned to stop whenever I saw somewhere convenient and I left it a bit late, it was a warm day, and the last 50 miles were quite painful, although a late stop for chocolate milk helped a bit.
http://app.strava.com/activities/14155746
The 5300 Calories figure is about right, it's worth thinking about what that means in terms of your daily food consumption.
I'm going to repeat that ride this summer, and do it better this time.
Paul
Don't be sad, join the audax gang!
I only manage the higher speeds at full on effort, for longer runs I'm similar speed to you.
I used to fret about my average speed and worry if I would manage sportives without getting swept up by the broomwagon. Audax minimum speeds are 15kph - so a little under 10mph
And cake stops are compulsory
Yep - I would agree with joining the audax gang for sure - base distance is 200km (125 miles). Plenty of great 200s in the calendar.
Good work on the 100. I'm sure I would be suffering more from liver pain if I went cycling in the Loire Valley
On a more serious note I have it in my head that the energy conservation mode is all about using fat as an energy source and saving the glycogen for the stiff climbs.
Seriously? :?
2016 - Cervelo R3
2013 - R872
2010 - Spesh Tarmac
To be fair, we don't know the nature of their rides. I did a 70 mile ride yesterday at an average pace of 16.7mph and it was bloody hard work! But it had over 5000 ft of climbing and was very windy. It could be their rides were table flat with a tail wind, but even then, I think most people on this site would not describe those sorts of average speeds for a sustained period of time as easy or steady.
Smithers & the FD, not bragging at all just stating a fact, cycling quick on a flat route is fairly easy, was asking about a longer distance as I know I won't be able to keep up 18mph over 143 miles. I don't use strava, I use Endomondo, can you view the below link? I have done a few others between 20 & 40 miles all around 18mph.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/191802901/7606521
Pacing and nutrition was the key for me - if you go off at 19mph you'll blow up massively. Take it steady and set your watch to beep every 20 mins or so so you can eat or drink. I'd get a bento box on the top tube that you can fill with food.
I think you should be able to go up 10 miles or so per week. If it starts to get to be a bit of a stretch - have a repeat week of last weeks mileage.
Faster shorter midweek rides should help too if you can get them in.
I did a 107 mile sportive a few weeks back and the 'winner' managed in in just over 7 hours - that's 16 mph. OK it was hilly, but 19 mph average over 100 miles is pushing pro standards.
(it took me 9 hours incidentally)
I do a 20 mile loop 3 - 4 times a week, it's pretty flat and i average between 18 - 19 mph. Longer weekend rides up to 70ish miles i'm between 16.5 and 17.5 mph. Anything longer than that then i'm at 16.5 max. The longer rides do involve a few small climbs but nothing major, i just seem to slow down the further into the ride.
I'm still trying my hardest to do the 20 mile loop in an hour but don't seem to be getting any faster.
I do lots of different rides, so it hasnt been just down to stepping it up with nothing between. In the week I ride around the 30-40 miles a couple of times and at weekend, Saturday I will do approx 40-50, and then the long ride on Sunday which will be around 50-60. I do a long long distance ride around once a month, which will be 70ish and then throw in a 100 miler about 3-4 months apart, if that makes sense.
@Thesmithers, there is no bragging intended, just trying to help someone that is planning a long ride, thats all.
19mph is far from pro standards! and also I am certainly way off pro standards!.. The route os 117 i did isnt exaclty mountain ranges, we were only really tested on one section after 52 miles (White horse Hill, Uffington). Also our Ave speed would have been quicker, maybe 19.5ish, but one of us (out of 4) started to bonk so we were waiting to regroup quite a bit on the way home, unitl he said to leave him for the final 10 miles.
I am not trolling! honest!
I dont upload to Strava, but here is the garmin data ..... NOT EDITED!!! you will notice its a fairly flat route of only 2500ft of climbing which i am sure wouldnt be much of a challenge to hold a higher pace.
Distance: 115.79 mi
Elevation Gain: 2,507 ft
Calories: 7,970 C
Avg Temperature: 62.2 °F
Details
Timing
Time: 6:23:43
Moving Time: 6:05:30
Avg Speed: 18.1 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 19.0 mph
Max Speed: 33.5 mph
I did the same route in July 2012, adding on 5 miles at the end of the recent one.
Distance: 110.54 mi
Elevation Gain: 2,431 ft
Calories: 7,400 C
Avg Temperature: 58.9 °F
Details
Timing
Time: 6:09:00
Moving Time: 5:54:12
Avg Speed: 18.0 mph
Avg Moving Speed: 18.7 mph
Max Speed: 35.9 mph
I am talking about Average MOVING speed by the way, we were regrouping, had junctions and traffic lights and stopped for something to eat
After 2 hours the body has to use fat reserves.
There are 3 problems with burning up all your glycogen in the first 2 hours
1) Energy from fat can't be used at the same rate as glycogen energy. So your body won't be able to keep going at the same rate
2) In order for the energy from fat to be generated a certain amount of glycogen is used. The body will convert a certain amount of the fat to glycogen to keep the process going but obviously that's a bit less for body fuel
3) The brain requires a certain amount of glycogen to work properly. If you get really low on glycogen it's really a bit nasty
So it is important to pace yourself. What I have found to be effective is to hold my rate of work down so I only have to breathe through my nose. The actual pace - once warmed up - isn't that much lower but it feels like a lot less energy is being used.
Apologies to any Physiologists reading this. This is the moron bike rider version, not a text book
follow on
I started cycling last July but ramped it up from mid Jan when I got a road bike, my 'bread & butter' is my 70-80miles a week commuting/lunchtime rides, these are shorter distances but quite intense - I tend to ride in at 19/20mph (generally downhill) and home at 15-17mph (uphill) now and this has improved over the last few months.
I then fit the longer rides in as and when I can, have done a couple of sportives at 85 & 100miles but nothing higher, both of those have averaged at 16mph which I was happy with, I found the first one (85miles) a lot harder though and the 2 main things I changed for the 2nd ride were
- Pace myself better, I really struggled the 2nd half of the 85mile one after going out too fast, I was averaging 18.5mph after 46 miles and that then dropped down
- Eat more on the go - 2nd sportive I made sure I was eating and drinking more often, little amounts
I don't get chance to get out every weekend and do a longer ride with family commitments but I've been trying to build on what I've learnt so far, have a couple of sportives planned, 60miles and 104miles
http://app.strava.com/activities/56521145
The sportive I was referring to above had 10,000 ft (or very very nearly at least) of climbing over 107 miles - I guess I just think that's typical as it's just what the terrain is like in Wales.
http://app.strava.com/activities/55166597
This is my 70 miler from Monday. Not the sort of avg speed I would have liked, but thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. My strategy was to take it easy during the first half of the ride, keep my avg around the high 16s to 17mph, then put the hammer down during the second half to bring it more into the high 17s or 18mph. Sadly, the wind had other ideas. It was so strong I just couldn't really get the speed up in the end. http://app.strava.com/activities/56563940
I'm most proud of this ride, earlier this month http://app.strava.com/activities/53739363. Looking forward to quitting the smoking to see what difference that makes.
Great rides those two, well done!
I've found its very hard to get a ride in without any sort of wind impact recently, the two sportives I have done both had a strong headwind for 40-50% of the ride which made it tough