Unfit! How to prepare for a sportive

markcraven66

I have been asked by a friend to sign up to a sportive next year but not sure how to prepare for it, I ride my bike for pleasure and no where near ready for this type of endurance. I have a passion for many sports, but these have conditioned me for short bursts of speed and quick recovery rather than endurance.

Anyone got any tips of how to prepare and condition myself for a sportive?

Im pretty new to this any help and advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers Mark.

guinea

Most sportives are pretty simple, so unless you're heading to a particularly long or hilly one you just need to ensure you can handle the distance.

The only way to do that is to ride more and more. If it's not until next year, just keep riding through the winter to keep your bum used to the saddle and then up the miles. If you can commute, ride at nights occasionally and try a longer run at the weekends you'll sail round.

Remember, they are not races. Just enjoy at your own pace.

DHA987S

How far is it and how far do you usually ride?

markcraven66

Im not sure how far yet i haven't decided which to sign up to, my mate does two or three a year, and he has been badgering me to get involved for a while now. I am more of MTB than road and try and get out when i can between other sports.

But i know im going to have to put more focus and time into the bike to get up to a decent level.
I currently shopping around for a road bike, (which i guess is a starting point) but whatever the distance is, the aim is to be ahead of my mate, i need a goal and beating him is mine! haha.

Cheers for the replies guys!

The aim once i get a road bike is to start with the commute to work which is about 20 miles round trip, but not sure im even ready for that.

dw300

Need way more info man come on ..

How far is it, what date, how far can you cycle now, how fast can you cycle for an hour, 2 hours, 3 hours at the moment, what do you weight, etc ..

Alex_Simmons/RST

markcraven66 wrote:

I have been asked by a friend to sign up to a sportive next year but not sure how to prepare for it, I ride my bike for pleasure and no where near ready for this type of endurance. I have a passion for many sports, but these have conditioned me for short bursts of speed and quick recovery rather than endurance.

Anyone got any tips of how to prepare and condition myself for a sportive?

Im pretty new to this any help and advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers Mark.

Here's something I prepared earlier:

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/h ... ive-25946/

simon_e

dw300 wrote:

Need way more info man come on ..

How far is it, what date, how far can you cycle now, how fast can you cycle for an hour, 2 hours, 3 hours at the moment, what do you weight, etc ..

Don't forget Max HR, threshold power, ramp test results, your Vo2Max, power output graphs, bio passport....

Also, your bike frame must be carbon, not more than 2 years old, and fitted with 50mm carbon rims. It's a legal requirement

Ride lots. Do a mix of rides at various intensities, building the distance. If the route is particularly hilly add in some hilly rides. TBH any of the generic training plans/outlines should do, it doesn't have to be complicated. Some links I found:
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/articl ... t-1-29340/
http://roadcyclinguk.com/riding/your-fi ... uries.html
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/sportivetips

Make sure your bike is in good, serviceable condition before the event - tyres, tubes, brakes (pads and cables), drivetrain etc all working 100%. Most mechanicals, even punctures, can be avoided by PM.