Bitten off too much......

Hpg86

I have just signed up for the Action Castle 100 on 18th May this year as my first sportive. I have been cycling since February and thus far have cycled 50 as my longest non stop ride clocking in just over 3 hours, averaging 150 miles a week. I consider myself a fit guy even though I'm carrying a bit of excess timber. Is this too much? Has anyone got any good sessions to add to my repertoire other than merely miles in the saddle.

Thanks in advance

HPG

sbbefc

If you're averaging 150 miles a week you'll walk it. I've been averaging probably half that since the turn of the year and done a solo 100. Youll also have the benefits of drafting with it being a sportif.

KevChallis

I have signed up for one on the 10th May, 100miles, I have only been training 3 weeks on the road bike.

I may suffer, but I will get round

BobScarle

A few things to remember. Try out food and drink before the event, do not experiment on the day. You will be on the bike for anything between 6 and 8 hours so you will need to eat. Eat well but not excessively the day before and ensure you drink plenty.

If you can do a long ride or two before the event then great, but as you average 150 miles a week you probably will not need that. If you try to race away at the start you may find by halfway you are cooked.

Take it steady, you can always sprint the last few miles back. Forget about average speed. It's a charity ride not a race. Get round the course and don't forget the most important thing....enjoy it. Good luck

#david2012

I'm in the same boat... Signed up for FT London sportive in 3 weeks time. Only just back up into the 50+ milers, not sure I've done enough. But maybe by some of the responses I might get round

Hpg86

Thanks for the replies, I feel a bit more confident now!

dee4life2005

When I started cycling a couple of years ago, I completed my first solo 100 miler within 4 months on a heavy hybrid and I was about 3 stone heavier than I am now. At that point I was doing similar weekly mileage to you, and had done one ride of 75 miles before doing the 100 miles. Increasing the distance wasn't really an issue in the end, although the legs were feeling it from about 85-90 miles ... probably because I went out a little too hard at the start. Pacing is key.

One thing I would say is that for fueling on the ride make sure you don't just take gels with you ... you`ll get sick of they after a few hours and want something a bit more normal to eat. Whatever you take, try it out on a ride or two before the big day to make sure it doesn't disagree with you when cycling. A bag of jelly babies is always handy to have on a long ride.

The other tip, and it may seem obvious especially for May, would be to wear a high factor waterproof sun cream ... and ideally take some spare with you to top up if needed. And shades to protect your eyes from all the flies / midgies / bees that are about at that time of year.

Bobbinogs

The biggest newbie mistake in sportives that I see is getting caught up in the excitement of riding with a peleton. It can be very intoxicating whizzing along...until after 50 miles the wheels fall off because the rider hasn't eaten or drunk for the whole ride and hoping to maintain the 19mph avg over a lumpy terrain was always a tad optimistic. Hence, try to make sure you ride at the pace you feel you can sustain and don't forget to eat/drink as you go. It is better to finish strong as you will then be champing at the bit for the next ride...hit the wall at 80 miles and you won't want to do a sportive ever again.

Tjgoodhew

I did my first solo century a couple of weeks back and you will be surprised at how physically straight forward it is if you have the right food and drink to get you through and pace yourself early on.

From my experience its all in your head. Break it all down into stages and reward yourself once you have finished each stage with some food or a 5 minute break. I rewarded myself every 20 miles with a handful of jelly babies.

Being able to deal mentally with the fact you will be cycling for over 6 hours is half the battle. Physically it sounds like you will be absolutely fine

ForumNewbie

Tjgoodhew wrote:

I did my first solo century a couple of weeks back and you will be surprised at how physically straight forward it is if you have the right food and drink to get you through and pace yourself early on.

From my experience its all in your head. Break it all down into stages and reward yourself once you have finished each stage with some food or a 5 minute break. I rewarded myself every 20 miles with a handful of jelly babies.

Being able to deal mentally with the fact you will be cycling for over 6 hours is half the battle. Physically it sounds like you will be absolutely fine

If the OP does it in 7 hours (average 14mph) he will be doing very well.

secretsam

I've done something similar. Signed up for a 100 miler at the end of June.
Am doing more miles on the turbo, but on the day I may take the chicken-out of the 60 miles route. ..

Bobbinogs

SecretSam wrote:

I've done something similar. Signed up for a 100 miler at the end of June.
Am doing more miles on the turbo, but on the day I may take the chicken-out of the 60 miles route. ..

Be very careful about assuming that turbo miles mean anything at all when it comes to a long lumpy route. I did warn a colleague of that as he trained for a triathlon but he said the turbo was more convenient. On the day, he suffered big time on T2.

Clockworkdog

Inspiring stuff. Mileage wise I am just under the 50M mark and plan to push the other side with my first 50+ this weekend.

The 100M does seem slightly intimidating but the advice on here is really encouraging. I think I may look for something around September time although that may be quite warm then.

Just have to find something not a million miles from Essex....

secretsam

Bobbinogs wrote:

SecretSam wrote:

I've done something similar. Signed up for a 100 miler at the end of June.
Am doing more miles on the turbo, but on the day I may take the chicken-out of the 60 miles route. ..

Be very careful about assuming that turbo miles mean anything at all when it comes to a long lumpy route. I did warn a colleague of that as he trained for a triathlon but he said the turbo was more convenient. On the day, he suffered big time on T2.

Boo hoo hoo nothing I am doing on the turbo is helping?

Bobbinogs

The turbo helps a lot but more for high intensity to add the edge on base miles. Things like Sufferfest Angels are good for hill training and then interval work for general sharpness and attack ability...and not forgetting gentle spinning for great recovery. So, I am a big fan of turbos...but as part of training rather than training in itself as they alone cannot prepare a rider for 7 hours in the saddle with big hills throughout. Hope I didn't sound too negative, wasn't meant to be.

RideOnTime

How much is too much?

TFC1

I am training for a big charity ride at the end of may (Madrid to Lisbon in 5 days) and did my first century solo yesterday after acquiring my first road bike in October.

Found it surprisingly OK and, apart from getting the miles in, my main advice is to take more food than you think you will need! i was struggling on a coule of 80 milers as ididnt take enough and sisnce i increased the amount i am eating during the ride it has helped a lot.

As for how it feels afterwards... 24 hours on i feel a bit tired but no major aches. Doing it 5 days in a row in 30 degree heat is going to be tough though!

Good luck and enjoy!

sadlybiggins

Clockworkdog wrote:

Just have to find something not a million miles from Essex....

You could do the Action Medical Research Essex Ride 100 on 31 August: http://www.action.org.uk/event/essex_100_2014

Starts and finishes in Gosfield School, Halstead

J3w3ll3r

I too have just signed up formy first 100miler in Norwich plus I'm in the Ride100. I have been cycling for about 18 months in which time I have only managed 2000 miles, I have done several offroad rides over 70miles and just done my first 50 on the road bike this Sunday

I'm pretty confident with the right pace and food I will be ok

alphacharlie

I'm signed up to the Arrow Sportive on 1st June, doing it with a good mate who's a racing snake but we have both agreed to do it for the laugh so not planning on any record breaking. Doing the 67 mile option and been building the miles up slowly to beyond the 50 mile point over the past few months. Now the weathers better and with 5 weeks to go I'm starting to think about what I need to carry and eat/drink more so that has all been tried out before the day.
I'm hoping that once this one is done I can get a 100 miler out of the way later in the year.
Cheers
AC

secretsam

Nasty ear infection and jaw issues have totally wiped me out, so my century attempt has been binned.

I'm so miserable you'd not believe - had similar problems last year with a bad hamstring pull