LEJOG - a step too far?

stannie

After a year of illness and injury and a few years of relative sedentary lifestyle I decided to commit to doing LEJOG next August. It is a supported trip over two weeks, so I thought it should be possible.

So today I got back on my bike after no cycling (or any real exercise ) since last March.
Oh My God! How hard can this be? I only did a 4 mile ride, it took half an hour and I was nearly dead at the end of it. Admittedly it was not a flat ride, but 7.7mph!!!!!! (on a road bike, not a MTB)

I hope I haven"t committed myself to something I cannot do.
I am not really after training tips or diet advice ( Ideally I have about 25kg to lose!). I know there are other threads around where I can search for this. I just need some encouragement - or a kick up the backside.

Does anyone really think this goal is achievable or is it a step too far in the next 9 months?

Cousin Nick

I did JOGLE in October this year. I had planned to do lots of training, but due to work and other commitments, I didn't!
Ours was also a supported trip over 2 weeks, broadly taking the CTC YHA route, so an average of 100k per day.
My best advice would be to get the miles in between now and then. 9 months should be plenty of time to get the body used to 6, 7, 8 hours in the saddle. Try to fit in some long days back-to-back, just so you know what a 100k ride is like the day after a 100k ride.
I'm in my early 50's, reasonably fit and without any specific training I completed JOGLE without too much trouble (swollen Achilles and a few days of knee pain).
So, work on it, and then go and do it. You won't regret it

Kimble

Don't know much about your age or previous fitness but the 25kg target is at least do-able in part if not in full. You need to start steadily and build up those winter miles as soon as possible. take it easy pace wise and make sure you layer up for the cold properly. make sure your bike / kit is in order and up to the training miles. set some fitness (distance / speed) and weight targets but don't expect to lose much / any weight in the first month as you build muscle mass. bearing in mind your weight loss target, start eating for fitness too as your cycling workload increases as not getting enough of the right food is a sure way to feel run down from repeated (daily) exercise.

start commuting to work if that's an option, also aim to do some 2 or 3 day back to back 50K plus days so you get used to being in the saddle for consecutive days.

You won't need to be insanely fit for LEJOG if supported and over 2 weeks but you want to be fit enough to enjoy it comfortably and not be nervous about fitness over the course of the event.

Guanajuato

Anne, You've recognised nice & early that getting out there will help. Don't fret too much, just build the time in the saddle up and don't go for all-out speed. You'll get faster without realising. The first few rides will feel hard, but it will get easier. But you've got plenty of time to build up, despite it being a rubbish time of year for cycling. I'd take it relatively easy over winter, then start building up once we're into warmer weather and lighter evening.

Here's my first ride from Strava, and like you, it felt like it nearly killed me. I'd been out riding more for a month or so before that - the first time I did a variation of that loop it was closer to an hour. :-o That September I did a 36 mile charity ride followed immediately by another 11 miles with my daughter. I'd lost about 12lb in that time, and another 6 or so since. Did my first (unsupported) 50 miler almost a year to the day after that first ride.

Just turned 40 and had the best part of 20 years of sedantary life, after being pretty fit (and competitive!) at school. I now have a fairly regular loop that is more than twice the distance and a lot more hilly than that first one, and I'm gradually getting closer to getting under an hour. I use Strava as a tool to help me see I'm getting faster/going further. Whether you do that is entirely your choice, but it works for me.

cougie

Impossible to tell really this far out with so little to go by.
Certainly you have your work cut out - but unless theres a health issue - you will be able to progress and improve over the next 9 months. It's up to you - how hard and well you can train. You'll have to get used to riding 70 - 80 miles a day for 2 weeks.

Are you doing it as the only rider or are there others in a similar position ? Fear of failure would drive me on.

Oh and a turbo might help you for when the snow comes - you cant afford to take weeks off.

stannie

Thanks for the replies so far. It has given me some encouragement.
I have just hit 50 and as I said before! significantly overweight. I guess this is my middle age crisis! I used to be quite fit in my teens and twenties (my degree is in Sport and recreation Studies) and did a lot of mountain biking in my 30s. I did a Chichester to Chartres cycle ride about 5 years ago Day 1 - 20 miles, Day 2 - 90 miles, Day 3- 50 miles with very little preparation. But it was very difficult on Day 2 and I would want to be a lot better prepared for LEJOG which is obviously a lot longer and a lot hillier.

I haven't really done a lot cycling since then, but up until last year I could manage 30 miles quite easily (but slow) without any training. This year I have had a major operation and a fractured foot so cycling has definitely been at the bottom of my list of things to do. I am now prepared to put in the effort required to do the ride. I can ride 3 times a week for up to a couple of hours with a longer ride at weekends once The weather improves. I have invested in a turbo trainer and a copy of some Sufferfest videos along with a subscription to Trainer Road.
My plan is to get out on the bike whenever I can, and train on the turbo if it is not possible. (In Glossop rain, snow and fog will probably mean I will be on the turbo for most of December to March)

I am doing the ride as part of a group of very mixed ability but I do not yet know anyone else who will be going. I certainly don't want to fail but I guess I just wanted to know if it was achievable.
Watch this space for my progress.

durhamwasp

Cycling is the key, as daft as it sounds. You need to do a lot in the next 9 months, building up week by week. Set yourself attainable targets getting harder each month, maybes put a couple of sportives in there to give you some short and mid-term targets too.

Cousin Nick

Hi Anne,
So, 5 years ago you tapped out a 90 miler followed the next day by a 50 miler, with only a little training. That's a good sign and you know you can (or could) do that, so in many respects you know what to expect.
Will all your training be alone, or do you have a bunch of friends for regular rides? I find that riding with friends is much more fun - the general banter and social side of it makes rides much more enjoyable than constantly being on my own (tho' I do really enjoy solo rides when I get the chance).
I think enjoyment will be key. You've got to want to do it (by that I mean training rides as well as LEJOG itself).
Speaking as someone who is also 'over half way' in age, don't forget things like stretching, and also resting - give your body time to recover after big rides when they come. Watch the fuelling too. Although you want to lose weight, you will still need the fuel for longer rides.
Get excited about LEJOG! Make it your mission for 2014 - get on the bike, ride, train, enjoy, and then go and do it.
Keep us all posted on how its going.
N