Worried about 50 mile sportive

redrabbit

Bit worried as my road cycle event is in just 15 days. It's 50 miles and so far I've only been on 4 road bike rides and have done:

1) 20 miles
2) 25 miles
3) 30 miles
4) 23 miles

Had the bike since July. With work it's quite difficult to fit the rides in as each one takes 2-3 hours.

I'm keen to avoid riding before work (like if I'm on a late shift) as I'm always really sleepy and lethargic after a ride. I've got a few days off next week so plan two rides - one around 35-40 miles, and one around 15-20.

I've never done a sportive so worried about how it will go. My biggest problem with riding is a sore lower back and sometimes sore arms/elbows.

Mikey23

Hilly or flat ... And how does it compare with your training rides?

HebdenBiker

Sore back/arms? You will probably get used to the position but as a short-term measure to get you round the sportive you could try flipping the stem over to get a higher front end. See if that eases the pain.

If you're doing 30 miles you'll be able to do 50. If you're really worried about the distance, break the ride down into 10/12/15 mile chunks with breaks in between. It's not a race so do your own thing and don't worry.

And [premature] congratulations on your first half-century

HebdenBiker

...and as for your plan to do a long ride and a short ride, yes it's a good idea. You won't build much fitness in a fortnight but the longer ride will give you confidence re the distance. Treat the shorter ride as a recovery ride - don't hammer it - just get your legs spinning.

cookeeemonster

Just take your time and dont worry about it. People do the london to brighton each year with zero training on rubbish bikes and while it takes them forever they still do it.

You'll be absolutely fine!!!

redrabbit

Thanks for your advice.

I did wonder if I should try and cycle almost every day, just to keep the legs moving. To be honest, my legs don't feel that bad on a 30 mile ride, I just feel tired. I think it's more conditioning and like you said, getting used to the position.

On the week of the cycle I may try to do two small rides and then 2 days rest before the 50 miler.

I'm doing "Bike Oxford" -> this is the route http://www.bikeoxford.co.uk/events/routes-and-costs

It says 50.3 miles +1946 ft / -1948 ft

I don't think that's too hilly, not sure though

redrabbit

CookeeeMonster wrote:

Just take your time and dont worry about it. People do the london to brighton each year with zero training on rubbish bikes and while it takes them forever they still do it.

You'll be absolutely fine!!!

Excellent Point CookeeeeeeeeeeeeMonster

I am fairly fit from weight lifting and eat fairly well. Looking forward to it now!

HebdenBiker

redrabbit wrote:

I'm doing "Bike Oxford" -> this is the route http://www.bikeoxford.co.uk/events/routes-and-costs

It says 50.3 miles +1946 ft / -1948 ft

I don't think that's too hilly, not sure though

It's a rolling course. Not much flat and lots of little kicks. Take it really easy on the climbs for the first two thirds of the ride. Then if you're still feeling good you can hammer the final miles.

city_boy

Use your 40 and 20 mile training rides to practice a few things such as eating and drinking on the bike and getting your gearing right for the climbs - make sure you include a few hills in your training rides.

A few flapjacks, banana and maybe a couple of gels in your back pockets should see you through 50 miles, just make sure you keep some food and drink going in regularly even if its a bite or two of flapjack every 15/20 minutes and a swig of fluid.

You'll p1ss it, as we say up North

Best of luck!

ai_1

Rolling courses can be tiring since you have to keep changing your rhythm but because no climb lasts too long they're not likely to actually break you!
If your legs are feeling reasonably okay at 30 miles I'm sure you'll be fine with 50. If your back and arms tend to hurt then perhaps hop off the bike from time to time to stretch and loosen them up a bit. Also move around your hand position regularly as you ride. Most people spend most of their time on the hoods but it's a good idea to move to the tops, drops or corners very regularly for anything from a few seconds to a few minutes just to stay flexible and avoid hand numbness etc.
Make sure you eat and drink during the ride. You may do 30 miles without food and with little water but 50 miles might be enough to leave you feel pretty drained before the end if you don't have some snacks en route. Stick a few cereal bars in your pockets and fill up at the water stops.

BLW

Try not to worry, hopefully I shall put one’s mind at rest.

Between now and then, try to fit a mid week ride in, let’s say a 15- 20 miler and on a weekend aim for a 30- 40 miler. Don’t worry about the time or increasing the speed, just concentrate on maintaining a average speed and being comfortable, have few stops in between for a minute or two for a drink and stretch.

Start thinking about your diet, as in what you are eating from now on so you can start making changes if needs be, make sure you are eating lots of healthy foods and drinking plenty of water, find out now what energy snacks and meals work best for you, so your body is well prepared and feeling it’s best before the event.

If you are suffering few a few aches ad pains around your lower back/shoulders etc, it may just be because your core strength has not had time to improve yet due to the limited time you’ve spent on the bike, however, now’s your chance to adjust your bike set up if it is that, if you think there’s an issues stemming form that but so only make very tiny adjustments now (seat post height, angle of the seat, angle of your bars, raising them etc) and test it out, see if you are more comfortable on longer ride after you have made a tweek, but don’t do it all in one go, otherwise you could make things worse or not know exactly what’s working for the better.

Don’t push too much too soon by getting carried away in keeping up with other folk which is easy done, you don’t want to burn out once you reached 30 miles and have nothing left in the tank for the rest of the ride, you’ll soon find catch people up and pass people…who will have done just that. Better to finish the last 6 miles feeling strong and fresh with energy left to burn, than having tired legs and feeling exhausted, if you feel like that latter, then you’ll feel even worse on the night. Drink plenty during that night, you don’t want a post cycle headache and feeling groggy the next day.

Padded shorts, if you’ve not got a pair then get your self kitted out with a few pairs, see which are more comfortable, it’s good to have a choice and a favourite pair!

Eat well on the day before and on the morning of your sportive, fuel up with slow release foods and keep well hydrated, avoid large meals, little and often is best then take your quick energy release drink and snack with you on your ride, two bottle carriers on your bike is handy, one for your energy drink and one with water.

Remember the three golden rules, eat before your hungry, drink before your thirsty and go at you own pace.

Couple of my friends did a 45 mile sportive and the most they had ever done is about 8 miles up the road and credit where it’s due, they did really well and didn’t struggle at all to be fair, so you should be fine.

Enjoy

tony1967

OP - 3 weeks ago I rode 28 miles, the furthest I'd been on a road bike.
7 days ago I did 42.
Today I did 50.
Don't hammer the uphill bits and you'll be fine.

fatdaz

A friend of mine recently did 200 miles in 2 days, including the Surrey hills, as the result of a drunken bet. He's nearly 17 stone and, while he's pretty fit, the furthest he had ridden as an adult prior to the event was 3 miles. I'm obviously not recommending going straight from nothing to 100 miles a day but he managed the rides without having to walk any by making sure he was fuelled and watered, taking breaks when he needed to and going at a pace he was happy with. His ar*e and legs were sore for a couple of days afterwards but he finished and won the bet.