50 x 50 - Any support welcome!

dizarch

Starting on 29 May 14 I am attempting to ride 50 miles per day for 50 consecutive days in support of Breast Cancer Campaign. This will include the Virgin Cyclone 63m in June.

I am a pretty unfit and overweight 51 year old but can ride 50 miles pretty comfortably. What i don't know is whether I can do it for 50 days in a row!

Any advice on nutrition, training (I started in earnest on Monday - http://www.strava.com/athletes/4664961 - stamina, not collapsing mentally etc etc would be greatly appreciated.

I'll be doing the vast majority of rides here in Northumberland because I have a business to run, a dog to walk and a family to care for as well as riding 50 miles every day so I have to be close to home. If anybody fancies joining me on training runs or during the actual challenge I would be very, very grateful for the company - I average about 14 to 15 mph at present but hope that will improve:-)

If anybody fancies sponsoring me then they can do so here - http://www.justgiving.com/Alistair-McLean4

Or follow me on Twitter (just to provide some additional motivation) here - https://twitter.com/miles505050

And lastly, if anybody knows any flatish fifty milers in Northumberland that avoid busy roads then I would dearly love to hear from you:-)

slowbike

Wow - that's some undertaking ...

we've just completed the 30daysofbiking challenge, mostly ok, but with a nasty cough/cold in the middle (including off work) there was no way it was ever going to be a distance challenge. Minimum I did was 1/2 mile whilst my wife completed at least 2 miles each day - most of the time it was more than that though.
The difficulty was fitting it all in - then the motivation - especially when it was dark and raining ...

With nothing else to do then I suspect 50x50 would be quite easy - but fitting it around everything else ... well - good luck! Keep eating and don't forget warmups and warmdowns including stretching.

johngti

Good luck with it! I've struggled a little to do 500 miles in 30 days what with trying to fit it in to work and family so massive respect

dizarch

Thanks guys.

I'm fortunate that I have my own business with staff I trust to take over when I'm out and about. In fact, they seem delighted by the prospect of my repeated absence:-)

schlepcycling

Can I come and work for you please, then have a couple of months off to go riding

drlodge

This is quite a target! Am following you on twitter... @drlodge

DiscoBoy

If you haven't already, get a foam roller and draw up a stretching plan.

MattC59

Good luck with that !!!!!

I met someone the other day who had just completed Route 66, 100 miles per day for 26 consecutive days !

50/50 is quite something !

meth_tical

+1 for the foam roller. I find after commuting to work each day and going on club rides, that later during the week when the legs are fatigued the foam roller really helps.
Make sure you warm up and cool down and ensure your eating and drinking enough.
Best of luck.

chris_bass

good effort, best of luck.

i think the forst week or so will be tough but then you and more importantly your body should get used to it, just think of all the extra food you can eat :-)

MJKCubed

Good suggestions from people so far concerning foam rollers. Try to allocate 30 mins after your ride to really look after your muscles. Think of it as preparation for the next day. I would also make sure that you have a good intake of protein straight after your rides. The body will need to repair the muscles and increased protein intake will help.

Nutrition: A little and often is the best policy when on the bike. Even off the bike you should be having a two or three small meals maybe two/three hours apart instead of one huge evening meal. The body will need to use its energy for recovery not digesting a mountain of food.

Sleep. This is the single most important part of your day. If you are serious about completing the challenge then you must make sure you get quality well managed sleep.

Spares. Make sure you have plenty of spares. Cables, chain, cassette, brake pads, wheels, tyres. Anything can happen at any time and it would be terrible to have to stop after 35 days due to a mechanical on your bike that needs parts.

I'm sure there will be other suggestions in the following posts. Good luck.

Initialised

Followed, I'm going to be seeking out 'Johny's Polish Shagfest'.

I averaged 41 miles per day throughout my 2000 kilometer March it was tough and took it's toll on my legs, fitness and bike lots of tubes, 2 tyres, chain, derailer, hangar and both brakes replaced shortly after. 50 x 50 is going to be harder and you start running out of routes after a week or so.

Here's a relatively flat 50 miler: http://www.strava.com/activities/120048936 as far as I can tell the Tyne Valley and the Coarstal Route are the only flat bits of Northumbria.

I'm planning to do the Cyclone again this year so I may see you there.

Eat
Sleep
Ride
Repeat

Best of luck,

dizarch

Guys

All the advice and good wishes are an inspiration. I'm feeling really positive about this and will definitely be buying a few spares and that foam roller. I was wondering if yoga might be the muscle stretch/relaxant required after each ride.

Ali

Pross

Thought this was a gear thread at first! Good luck, nice to see someone doing an unusual challenge.

Grill

Pross wrote:

Thought this was a gear thread at first! Good luck, nice to see someone doing an unusual challenge.

It would be a much more impressive challenge in that gear ratio...

marcusjb

Well good luck. I have to say that this is a good tough challenge. Mainly on a time management front - I wish I could spare the time each day.

You definitely do want a small stock of spares (tyres, chains, brake pads etc.), or spare bike(s). It really would be awful to have to give up due to a mechanical gremlin and having to wait for something.

dizarch

Hmmmm! I like the words "a spare bike(s)".

A good excuse to go out and buy another perhaps....just in case :P

marcusjb

Might help with boredom as well!

Different bike for different days.

I think I would get so bored, I would take out my 20kg shopping bike to spice things up!

But, in all seriousness, know where/who you might be able to borrow a bike from if it all goes tits up with your own machine.

dizarch

Funnily enough, I'm passing a bike shop during today's spin......might just pop in and browse!

kingofthetailwind

Best N+1 excuse ever!

Best of luck with the challenge.

drlodge

You definately need a backup bike (or 2) for this type of challenge.

pdstsp

I've done a few multi day long distance rides - but never anything like 50 days, that really is a challenge - and found that I always have a downer sometime between days 2 and 4 - just a general feeling of "why am I doing this?" and feeling a bit under the weather - I have spoken to a few others who have experienced the same thing. I think in my case it is maybe linked to fluid intake - I lose a lot of sweat and probably fail to replace it properly, which catches up with me after a few days. I always seem to come through ok but it can be a few miserable hours when it happens. So keep the fluid and food intake going.

Also - why not take yourself away somewhere flatter for a few days during the challenge - just to get a few easier days and maybe allow the body to recover a little?

Good luck with the challenge and keep us posted.

dizarch

Interesting, I will keep that in mind. I may move to Holland for 50 days as well:-)

Just done 60 miles and for first time averaged over 15mph - I know it ain't Chris Froome but it's pretty good for old fatty me. Hopefully it means the training and advice are all helping.

drlodge wrote:

You definitely need a backup bike (or 2) for this type of challenge.

Now, to do some stretching and ponder that new (spare) bike or bikes, I like bikes with an 's' at the end. Very much indeed :P

thegibdog

I'd spend the next 4 weeks making sure your position on the bike is pretty damn perfect. Any niggles will get amplified day by day without any opportunity for rest and recuperation.

dizarch

thegibdog wrote:

I'd spend the next 4 weeks making sure your position on the bike is pretty damn perfect. Any niggles will get amplified day by day without any opportunity for rest and recuperation.

Indeed! A chance conversation yesterday evening with a colo-rectal surgeon (it's amazing the jobs people do) revealed that piles are likely to be the greatest obstacle to success.

That's something to look forward to then