Edinburgh to St Andrew's route

AMcD
AMcD Posts: 236
edited June 2009 in Road beginners
Hi, as of today I am in training for this event in June but am seriously worried about what hills to expect.

Can anyone help me out with the exact route? I've entered but don't know if you receive a route map with your number or whether you are expected to just follow the other cyclists? There's no details of the route on the LEPRA website and I didn't find any other info by googling.

I really want to know when to expect the hills and to be able to train on the actual route before the day.

I'm not really a beginner to cycling but I am to this type of distance, and being quite overweight every hill is an effort :oops: . Today I managed 11 miles but needed two stops - it was the flattest route I could find from my house and still a struggle :roll: .
«13456789

Comments

  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    I wouldn't worry too much about the hills, AMcD. The worst one is at Loch Leven and it's more of a slog than difficult (the elevation profile in Steve928's link is deceptive). So long as you do some hills during your training you'll be fine.

    It looks like a nice route. I saw them rolling into St Andrews a couple of years ago and everyone had big stupid grins on their faces. :D

    What have you got planned training-wise?
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Thanks very much Steve, that's really helpful.

    Once I've copied the route to Anquet maps to get the elevations I'll know exactly where I'll be struggling :D .
  • shamey
    shamey Posts: 7
    AMcD wrote:
    Hi, as of today I am in training for this event in June but am seriously worried about what hills to expect.

    Can anyone help me out with the exact route? I've entered but don't know if you receive a route map with your number or whether you are expected to just follow the other cyclists? There's no details of the route on the LEPRA website and I didn't find any other info by googling.

    I really want to know when to expect the hills and to be able to train on the actual route before the day.

    I'm not really a beginner to cycling but I am to this type of distance, and being quite overweight every hill is an effort :oops: . Today I managed 11 miles but needed two stops - it was the flattest route I could find from my house and still a struggle :roll: .
    [q think you'll find losing a wee bit,and i'm not bing cheeky,weight buddy. Think it costs about a £ per gram to lighten your bike. Ditch the doughnuts and you'll be far quicker and quids in to boot. :wink: [/quote]
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Hi,

    For training Crapaud, I've decided to cycle four times a week starting with a minimum of 1 hour (for me that's only 11 miles at present). I might keep two of the runs this short but increase the other two so that one is eventually my long ride each week and the other a medium ride - oh, and of course, seek out those hills. I hope I can cover at least 2/3rds of the distance by June and will have practiced going over Cleish hill and the slog from Milnathort :D . I'm hoping adrenalin will help me the rest of the way :lol:

    As for losing the weight Shamey I know that's my main problem - it's like having a large child sat on your pannier rack - and it was my main reason for signing up for this ride as I needed 'something to aim for' . I couldn't lose all the 5 stone excess :oops: by the end of June but I'd be happy with 20lbs off and so would my knees :D .
  • pneumatic
    pneumatic Posts: 1,989
    It is a really good ride. You'll be fine. It is always an all-abilities event - I've seen people do it on Bromptons, MTB's even shopper bikes.

    the first stiff hill is Cleish but it really isn't that bad, there is a little puff after Kinross, rewarded by a great long downhill to Strathmiglo, the toughest climb is up after Freuchie towards Burnturk, short and horrible, but do not be ashamed to walk if you want to. The rest of it is just good riding.

    The arrival into St Andrews from Ceres is my old commute and it is a great way to finish a long ride, mostly downhill, probably wind behind and the Auld Grey Toon spread out in front of you against the sparkling sea.

    I'm a big fan of the Edinburgh St Andrews but I seem to have got myself embroiled in the folly that will be the Trossachs Ton the next day, so will miss it this year.


    Fast and Bulbous
    Peregrinations
    Eddingtons: 80 (Metric); 60 (Imperial)

  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Thanks for the encouragement! I like the sound of the downhill to Strathmiglo :lol: and the finish into St Andrew's with the fantastic views. I don't know the Freuchie/Burnturk area so will have a drive out there before I tackle it.

    Thankfully my tourer has MTB gearing to help with the hills :) . I suppose my main concern is hitting the wall or bonking do you call it in cycling?

    I had a sneak at the Trossachs Ton - sounds like a great ride and, errr, exhausting too :D . Have a great day.
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    That sounds like a good plan, AMcD.

    You don't say where you're from, but if it's Edinburgh, or nearby, you might want to consider going out with Spokes. They do easy-going rides of 35 - 40 miles once a month (I can't link directly to the page because it's a pop-up, but the info's on the links under 'Events' on the RHS). One advantage of this is getting used to riding with other cyclists - it can be a bit unsettling if you're not used to it.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • gordoncp
    gordoncp Posts: 994
    pneumatic wrote:
    It is a really good ride. You'll be fine. It is always an all-abilities event - I've seen people do it on Bromptons, MTB's even shopper bikes.

    I saw a penny farthing a few years ago :shock:
  • SCR Pedro
    SCR Pedro Posts: 912
    pneumatic wrote:
    the first stiff hill is Cleish but it really isn't that bad, there is a little puff after Kinross, rewarded by a great long downhill to Strathmiglo...

    As an addition to this. The descent into Cleish can be mental, but the road is pretty good. I'd still advise being cautious.

    The descent into Strathmiglo is ace, but the road is shocking. My best advice is to stick to the right of the road, especially before you go under the canopy of trees. Honestly, it's that bad in places. I thought I had wrecked a wheel in one of the pot-holes last week.

    Pedro
    Giant TCR Advanced II - Reviewed on my homepage
    Giant TCR Alliance Zero
    BMC teammachineSLR03
    The Departed
    Giant SCR2
    Canyon Roadlite
    Specialized Allez
    Some other junk...
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Strewth, more things to worry about. I forgot there would be other cyclists and I haven't ridden in a bunch before :roll: . I just presumed I'd be at the back on my own :lol: . The Spokes rides sound like just what I should aim for in about 6 weeks time - I'll check out their timetable of runs. Part of my plan is to eventually be able to join a club for their easy rides and company - but something less informal like Spokes would be just as good. I live in Dunfermline so easy to get to.

    I think I drove along the Strathmiglo route whilst coming back from Falkland a couple of weeks back - it was a single track road that we took from the back of the village (just to see where it went) and I'm sure it was posted Route 1? We eventually ended up at Wester Balgeddie before joining the A911. And yes, it was full of potholes!
  • shamey
    shamey Posts: 7
    shamey wrote:
    AMcD wrote:
    Hi, as of today I am in training for this event in June but am seriously worried about what hills to expect.

    Can anyone help me out with the exact route? I've entered but don't know if you receive a route map with your number or whether you are expected to just follow the other cyclists? There's no details of the route on the LEPRA website and I didn't find any other info by googling.

    I really want to know when to expect the hills and to be able to train on the actual route before the day.

    I'm not really a beginner to cycling but I am to this type of distance, and being quite overweight every hill is an effort :oops: . Today I managed 11 miles but needed two stops - it was the flattest route I could find from my house and still a struggle :roll: .
    [q think you'll find losing a wee bit,and i'm not bing cheeky,weight buddy. Think it costs about a £ per gram to lighten your bike. Ditch the doughnuts and you'll be far quicker and quids in to boot. :wink:
    [/quote You deffo don't want to be pushing yourself to the limit buddy,you'll soon sicken yourself.Try just going out and turning the pedals over in a lowish gear so yor legs are spinning rather than pushing/pulling. you'll enjoy your miles so much more.Before you know it you'll be going quicker and further.Spinning makes the pounds fall off you too,so does the right diet though,ditch the fats.Honestly a low fat diet coupled with regular exercise will blind and bless you with fitness. I was away from the bike for 20 years.I smoked,heavily and drank lots of booze.My diet was *&$t.My body was pretty much a wreck when i think back. I bought a bike from Velo Eccose and 6 months later, after ditching the baggage, I was racing.
    Muscle memory for sure,even after all these years. But I NEVER compleatly toasted myself untill I knew I was fit enough to do so.Best of luck to ye buddy.Check out the Edinburgh Road Club web site.They are a first class club who welcome beginners very warmly indeed.Kindest regards,Shamey. Berwick Wheelers. :wink:
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Hi Shamey,

    I've been off the bike for about 15 years too - before that I commuted every day, cycled to my running club, ran, cycled home, cycled to the shops etc etc. If I wasn't cycling somewhere I was running. Then I stopped running due to injury, bought a car for my new job .......... and the result is 15 years of piling on the pounds :D .

    One thing I did learn was to listen to my body, have rest days, and pace myself so hopefully there's little chance of me 'toasting meself" in training :wink: . Also, whilst commuting another cyclist told me not to push the high gears too as you suggest. Most hills I'm on my granny ring and never climb out of the saddle :wink:.

    6 months on the bike and back to racing is quite an achievement. You must've been very single-minded to achieve that and good on yer. Did you quite smoking at the same time? Did the cycling help the cravings? Luckily I don't smoke, and wouldn't miss the drink but cutting out the cheese on toast and chocolate is my cross to bear :) .
  • shamey
    shamey Posts: 7
    AMcD wrote:
    Hi Shamey,

    I've been off the bike for about 15 years too - before that I commuted every day, cycled to my running club, ran, cycled home, cycled to the shops etc etc. If I wasn't cycling somewhere I was running. Then I stopped running due to injury, bought a car for my new job .......... and the result is 15 years of piling on the pounds :D .

    One thing I did learn was to listen to my body, have rest days, and pace myself so hopefully there's little chance of me 'toasting meself" in training :wink: . Also, whilst commuting another cyclist told me not to push the high gears too as you suggest. Most hills I'm on my granny ring and never climb out of the saddle :wink:.

    6 months on the bike and back to racing is quite an achievement. You must've been very single-minded to achieve that and good on yer. Did you quite smoking at the same time? Did the cycling help the cravings? Luckily I don't smoke, and wouldn't miss the drink but cutting out the cheese on toast and chocolate is my cross to bear :) .
    Yip gave up the fags but I was riding the bike and still having the more than occasional ciggy. i then thought?? why am i doing this?? stopped the fags all together and I could not belive what was happening to my body.I went from pot belly to six pack much to the mrs delight! I also improved my stamina by huge margins :wink: ,much to the mrs delight.lol.Honestly my freind,don't hurt yourself just now.Save that for later.I now ride fixed as my hack bike,that is the way to go once you have improved your fitness enough to be able to handle the demands that riding fixed has on you.And, on the subject of the granny ring.There is no shame in riding in the wee ring.You'll get fitter quicker riding a smaller gear than you will pushing a big one. you will also burn more calories.I love my cheese on toast and I love my chocolate eclairs.I just had to pass on them for a while.I can eat whatever I want now.Enjoy the bike.I'm now 42 and am fitter than i was when i was racing as a laddie.Back then I finished in the top 10 in the Meldons MTT.My very first event, against a full field including all the top riders in scotland,120 If I remember.Riding for Dunedin CC. Good luck and enjoy it. kind regards Shamey :D
  • shamey
    shamey Posts: 7
    shamey wrote:
    AMcD wrote:
    Hi Shamey,

    I've been off the bike for about 15 years too - before that I commuted every day, cycled to my running club, ran, cycled home, cycled to the shops etc etc. If I wasn't cycling somewhere I was running. Then I stopped running due to injury, bought a car for my new job .......... and the result is 15 years of piling on the pounds :D .

    One thing I did learn was to listen to my body, have rest days, and pace myself so hopefully there's little chance of me 'toasting meself" in training :wink: . Also, whilst commuting another cyclist told me not to push the high gears too as you suggest. Most hills I'm on my granny ring and never climb out of the saddle :wink:.

    6 months on the bike and back to racing is quite an achievement. You must've been very single-minded to achieve that and good on yer. Did you quite smoking at the same time? Did the cycling help the cravings? Luckily I don't smoke, and wouldn't miss the drink but cutting out the cheese on toast and chocolate is my cross to bear :) .
    Yip gave up the fags but I was riding the bike and still having the more than occasional ciggy. i then thought?? why am i doing this?? stopped the fags all together and I could not belive what was happening to my body.I went from pot belly to six pack much to the mrs delight! I also improved my stamina by huge margins :wink: ,much to the mrs delight.lol.Honestly my freind,don't hurt yourself just now.Save that for later.I now ride fixed as my hack bike,that is the way to go once you have improved your fitness enough to be able to handle the demands that riding fixed has on you.And, on the subject of the granny ring.There is no shame in riding in the wee ring.You'll get fitter quicker riding a smaller gear than you will pushing a big one. you will also burn more calories.I love my cheese on toast and I love my chocolate eclairs.I just had to pass on them for a while.I can eat whatever I want now.Enjoy the bike.I'm now 42 and am fitter than i was when i was racing as a laddie.Back then I finished in the top 10 in the Meldons MTT.My very first event, against a full field including all the top riders in scotland,120 If I remember.Riding for Dunedin CC. Good luck and enjoy it. kind regards Shamey :D
    What date is the gig in june?
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Hi Shamey,

    Good on yer again! Just don't tire your Mrs out :D . I bet she's really proud of you. Must be a great feeling to get that fitness back, bet you'll be beating the young lads this time round.

    It's daft -when I ran and cycled I too could just eat what I wanted and don't really know why that logic evaded me for 15 years whilst I piled on the lbs! I'm 42 now too. I suppose it was just motivation I needed to get out on the bike consistently - and it's not easy trying to find cycling gear that fits and doesn't hug the curves too much :oops: .

    This morning I did another 10.5 miles - kept the gears lower than the last run, although I can't say I pushed it then either. I found it much easier until I hit the wind at the end, but don't have that exhausted feeling this time. Plan another 10 on Friday (can't wait to get out again) and next week will do the same. Think I'll start increasing my longer run on week 3 and add a fourth easy ride in week 5. Don't want to do too much too soon.

    The Edinburgh ride is on 20th June. I've already woken up in the night thinking about it - how sad :D .
  • shamey
    shamey Posts: 7
    You sound like you've got the bug again alright.I'm signed off work at the moment awaiting an op on my thumb.Fortunately I can ride the bike for around four hours before it starts to get painfull.So just now I can get out as much as I like.It is however, very easy to over train. Especialy so when you'll start to notice a difference.I fell into that trap about a year ago,trying to play catch up on all the miles I'd missed due to laziness. It turned out to be a step backward for me,I ended up trashed.You want to be incresing your 'training' by about 10% per week. Make that count.That doesn't stop you going out for a pedal though,as long as your only out for a leg turn over. I don't think It's that sad waking up thinking about an event.You'r obviously focused! Best, Shamey. :arrow:
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    AMcD, here's the training planfor the Trossachs Ton (PDF file, page 6). It's for a 100 miler, but might be useful nonetheless, and is similar to what you've got planned. The 2/3rds rule is a good guide to whether you'll finish or not, but in my experience - and it's only my experience - it can make the last few miles a bit of a slog. If you feel you can push it a bit further towards the end of the training, on the longer Sunday runs, it'll make the actual event that bit more pleasant.

    Hope this helps.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Hi Crapaud,

    The plan seems perfect for what I had in mind, thanks very much - pity the Edinburgh ride isn't a few more weeks away to give me that extra time. I've already got the bug and am planning next weekend's route tonight! Today's ride was just perfect - lovely weather, great views and hardly any traffic - you can't beat it.

    Today I managed 14.7, feeling as good as I did on the 10-11 milers I have been doing. My overall heart rate and calorie use is decreasing whereas my overall mph is increasing slightly so all looking good. Still only at just over 11mph but spinning the gears so it feels easy and sustainable. I'm not bothered about my speed as such, just want to cover the miles. My only goal is to complete the 67 miles without feeling totally wasted. I realise 2/3rds distance in training will probably make the last 27 hard so will do my best to get that bit closer.

    As it is I've got the bug and will be wanting to do other longer events (perhaps something less hilly than the Trossachs) later in the year. I'd have to pick charity events without a time limit though. And then perhaps sportives next year :lol: .
  • tyax
    tyax Posts: 106
    Hi AMcD,

    Just posting to offer some encouragement :D I went thru a similar cycling experience to you last year, started cycling at the beginning of the year, then decided to try Pedal For Scotland (Glasgow to Edinburgh, 54 miles) in September last year. Thanks to cycling and walking I've lost about 5 stone in total over 20 months or so, and could probably be doing with losing another couple, but I'm fitter than I've ever been as an adult 8)

    I've signed up for Edi-St. Andrews in June, and like you am concerned about the hills. I tried to drive what I percieve to be the route, from St. Andrews down but it got dark by the time I got to down to Kinross :lol:

    I didn't do a lot of proper training for PfS (15-20 mile runs once or twice a week... more often once! Kept this up over winter tho), but want to change that this year, as I was struggling towards the end of PfS - first 30 miles were easy peasy, next 15 were more challenging, and the final 10 were a struggle! I was doing it on an MTB last year tho, this year I've got a skinny-tyred fast hybrid thing so hoping that'll help. I've reached the stage where I can do my 15 mile tun in one go, whereas when I started out I was doing 8 or 9 miles and having to stop 3 times!

    As it is I've done a 45 miler to North Berwick last weekend, and again was struggling at the end, so need to do something. The wind didn't help (coastal, not flatal - it was in my face all the way home from Berwick - no fun). My work's an 18 mile round trip from one side of Edinburgh to the other so even doing that once a week would help. Need to sort out the clothing logistics tho!

    Good luck with your training, keep us up to date :D
    2010 Specialized Competition Secateurs, hell yeh ;)
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Thanks so much for the encouragement. Seems like I'm starting an identical journey - my goal is to get a decent BMI of about 22-23, that would mean losing 5 stones too (currently losing 2lbs per week). I won't be the skinny young thing I was when running but I believe at 42 a lady needs a bit of flesh to pad out her face :lol: .

    I too am concerned about the hills, and the wind, forgot about that :roll: . I'll be following, as much as I can in theory, the Trossachs ton training Crapaud posted but this weekend I'll be 3 miles short of the projected long ride. I've decided to do the Rosyth - Cleish route (17 miles from home) and my husband has agreed to collect me in Cleish :D . That will be my first serious hill. The weekend after I plan to do Milnathort to Ceres, about 20miles - again husband will drop me off at Milnathorp and collect me in Ceres - he's been asked to keep his distance and not tailgate me :lol: - don't want to look like I need a minder :lol: .

    After that I plan to join a Spokes run to get used to riding in a group. I have a bad habit of changing my bar end gears by looking down - not good if someone suddenly stops in front of you :o .

    I've got a decent steel tourer with wide tyres for extra comfort. It's strong and sure footed, just what I need :D .

    I only had a short run today - only 33 mins but was feeling a little tired in the legs from Sunday's marathon 14.7 miles :D . Don't want to overdo it. Thursday I'll get back to 10-11miles.

    My works only 10 mins by car so it's hardly worth getting on the bike, especially as it takes longer to pack the bag, change when you get there etc etc. In two weeks I start a new job 20 miles away so bike commuting will be out of the question. As it is, getting organised is the key and perhaps picking a less direct route to avoid Edinburgh's traffic. Let me know how it goes!
  • tyax
    tyax Posts: 106
    My BMI's never going to be anything like "ideal", but to be honest I'm not too fussed. I prefer the idea of being fit rather than getting caught up in numbers... that said I'm impressed with the 6 inches I've lost off my waist so far!

    It's really good when you can get someone to pick you up at the end of longer runs. Apart from meaning you don't have to ride the same route twice (which can be tiresome!) it's great to think that if you get a puncture or anything like that you can get picked up. I've only been caught out once with a puncture, but fortunately I had tube/tools with me to sort it out. I knew that saddle pack thing was worth the money :lol:

    The wind isn't that much of a problem unless it's howling, I've been caught out a few times near the coast thinking "hmmm no wind at all, completely still air... great" even tho I'm doing 15+mph, then wonder why I appear to be cycling into a gale on the way back! I can only assume when I'm cycling with the wind behind me that I'm in a sort of windless bubble, will have to watch out for it in future... But in my recent cycling history the wind has only been a problem once or twice, so I wouldn't be too concerned. My biggest current problem with long cycles is soreness of the posterior region - my new bike came with a Charge Spoon-esque saddle on it, which was murder after 20 miles, but I think I've got it sussed with a Specialized BG seat. Hopefully anyway. If that fails I'm going to fit the seat off a 1980's Raleigh Chopper :shock: :lol:

    Having been inspired by this thread, I've printed off the training regime that Crapaud posted (many thanks for that!) and butchered it a little... decided to pretty much follow the first eight weeks as normal, then skip to the final two. The last two weeks appear to be a sort of "keeping topped up" phase rather than actual training, and all the time up to that seems to be staged increases. There's a short, nasty hill local to my house, it's ridiculously steep but not long at all, am going to try and fit that into my 5/10/15 mile training runs. I wasn't "for" the idea of training until now, but it'll get me out on the bike 3-4 times a week, and I think that's probably most important at this stage! :D
    2010 Specialized Competition Secateurs, hell yeh ;)
  • fuzzynavel
    fuzzynavel Posts: 718
    Tyaxnoob and AmcD....If you two are anywhere near edinburgh then have a ride around Arthurs Seat....not the biggest hill in the world but it is certainly good practice. Do laps until you can't pedal any more and then force yourself to do one more....my previous best was 5 laps but I managed 11 laps on Sunday......so my climbing and recovery is certainly improving. It may work the same for you.
    17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    "hmmm no wind at all, completely still air... great" even tho I'm doing 15+mph, then wonder why I appear to be cycling into a gale on the way back!

    ROFL - that's exactly what happened to me last week! Didn't realise it was windy till I returned the same way - doh!

    I'm glad you're inspired too. I also have a very nasty hill if I ever cycle home from work. It's great fun though as it makes me feel kind of daring - it's pitch black without street lights (as I finish at 10pm) but thankfully there's a wide cycle path separate from the road. I have to go up it in my tiniest gear and swerve from side to side just to keep upright :D .

    As for the saddle, being a girl looks are all important. I did have a Specialised Jett on my bikes. They are very comfy but boring looking. So I treated myself to a brown and blue retro looking one (think it's a Charge) to match my blue frame - unfortunately after a very painful 14.7 miles on Sunday I decided it would never do (doesn't have the centre cut out) and ditched it in favour of my tried and trusted Jett. Such a shame - it looked great on the bike :lol: .

    I'll think of getting a lift to Arthurs Seat when I'm stronger. I know it's a continuous smooth climb and part of the New Years Day triathlon route (yes, you've guessed it - something I'd like to aim for in the future :lol: - think I might be getting carried away with myself).

    Strangely, I like the idea of being a bit focused and "in training". Tomorrow I'm going to drive the Cleish route just to make sure I know where the turnings are for the weekend. It's definately stopped me worrying about starting my new job - I now wake up in the night worrying about hills, exhaustion and potholes :lol::lol: .
  • fuzzynavel
    fuzzynavel Posts: 718
    AMcD wrote:
    "
    I'll think of getting a lift to Arthurs Seat when I'm stronger. I know it's a continuous smooth climb and part of the New Years Day triathlon route (yes, you've guessed it - something I'd like to aim for in the future :lol: - think I might be getting carried away with myself).

    .

    It is a reasonably smooth climb at about 5-7% gradient according to my garmin. it increases to about 13% ish for about 50 yards before going back to 7, 6 , 5 etc before getting flat. It is a nice ride once you get in the zone and is just enough to get me tiring before it flattens out, it does get easier once you keep repeating a route.

    Try and set a route to time trial yourself. Take it easy first time out and set an easy-ish time for your self. Next time out you should aim to beat the time and shouldn't have too much difficulty for the first couple of rides. Once you stop improving at that distance then add another couple of miles and time yourself over that route...rinse and repeat. I personally get a buzz out of beating my times if I know I have worked hard the previous time out! It doesn't happen the same way for everyone though.
    Good luck with the training.
    17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!
  • tyax
    tyax Posts: 106
    Yep, I loved the look of the black/white/red Concept SL seat (rebranded Spoon, it'd seem) on my Focus, but it absolutely killed my behind, so it's now living abandoned in the conservatory, waiting for the day when my butt has shrunk enough :roll: :lol: Oddly enough the WTB Rocket 5 on my Mongoose MTB has never given me any real problems, but I'd been using one of those gel-filled ass-pads before I figured out that they cause problems of their own.

    Training regime commenced: went out on my training run on Tuesday night, despite the 15-20 mile Sunday runs 5 miles seems hard after work! That said, I'm sure I'll strengthen up as I train. Two problems - headset has come loose, but I obtained a spanner and tightened it up, and my rear mech has been getting progressively worse at jumping out of gear (bike is only 3 month old, probably got about 200-250 miles on the clock) so that's annoying the pants off me on climbs/pulling away from lights. Disgruntling :evil:

    Last night was so cold and miserable that I decided to go to the council gym instead of the 5 mile cycle - done 10KM on the exercise bike, 20mins of 6.5KPH fast walking, and a few thousand metres on the rower, which was nice :)

    The idea of being "in training" is becoming more appealing, gives me more to talk about with my workmates who'll (hopefully) be sponsoring me, as opposed to PfS last year when I just ate slightly less cakes and went for slightly longer Sunday runs :oops:
    Tyaxnoob and AmcD....If you two are anywhere near edinburgh then have a ride around Arthurs Seat....not the biggest hill in the world but it is certainly good practice.
    I am about 2 miles from Arthurs Seat fuzzynavel, but it's one of my pet hates! I done a charity cycle last year (Big Bike Ride) which involved one lap, and I failed to make it up the Duddingston/Commie Pool side and ended up walking bits of it! I've attempted it once since then, but it was on the way home from a 30 mile cycle, maybe not the best judge of whether I'm capable of it :? I'll try and incorporate it into my training... do you go up Duddingston side or the Meadowbank side?
    2010 Specialized Competition Secateurs, hell yeh ;)
  • fuzzynavel
    fuzzynavel Posts: 718
    tyaxnoob wrote:
    I am about 2 miles from Arthurs Seat fuzzynavel, but it's one of my pet hates! I done a charity cycle last year (Big Bike Ride) which involved one lap, and I failed to make it up the Duddingston/Commie Pool side and ended up walking bits of it! I've attempted it once since then, but it was on the way home from a 30 mile cycle, maybe not the best judge of whether I'm capable of it :? I'll try and incorporate it into my training... do you go up Duddingston side or the Meadowbank side?

    I've never tried to go up the Duddingston side as the traffic comes down that side. There aren't any no entry signs but that doesn't fill me with confidence.

    The only way to make the hill your friend is to ride up it. If you can't get all the way up then make a mental note of where you got to and then try to get further the next time. I couldn't always do comfortable laps of the hill.....Before I got my road bike and some motivation I would do one lap and then ride home. Now I will do three laps and home in less time than it used to take to do one lap. Practice, Practice, Practice...

    I'm planning doing Edinburgh to Montrose next month if I get some decent weather so I'm slowly building up the miles in my legs too....only done 62 miles in one go so far....need to get another 35 on top of that if I am to make it....Will add another 5-10 miles every week until I am up to about 90ish. I will probably go up via st Andrews direction and across the Tay bridge to Dundee....not exactly sure what to do after that as they changed the Dundee-Arbroath road to dual carriageway...There is a cycle path though..Should be fun!
    17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!
  • tyax
    tyax Posts: 106
    fuzzynavel wrote:
    I've never tried to go up the Duddingston side as the traffic comes down that side. There aren't any no entry signs but that doesn't fill me with confidence.!
    Sundays, when most of the roads in that park are shut to traffic - fantastic :D Seriously, I'll have a go at the Meadowbank side during my regime of terror, don't think I'll be threatening the records of these lunatics who fly up in a couple of minutes tho :)
    fuzzynavel wrote:
    The only way to make the hill your friend is to ride up it. If you can't get all the way up then make a mental note of where you got to and then try to get further the next time. I couldn't always do comfortable laps of the hill.....Before I got my road bike and some motivation I would do one lap and then ride home. Now I will do three laps and home in less time than it used to take to do one lap. Practice, Practice, Practice...!
    So what you're telling me is I need to get a road bike? I can go with that :wink: Maybe once I've lost a few pounds, and gotten over the worry that a roadies wheels will explode under my bulk the first time I steamroller a pothole :lol: I'm laughing, but it is a genuine worry... EBC had 15% off everything at the weekend, and I spent time drooling over a Spesh Allez 18 which would have been well under £500 with discount, before buying £70's worth of gloves, pump and tools to console myself :shock:
    fuzzynavel wrote:
    I'm planning doing Edinburgh to Montrose next month if I get some decent weather so I'm slowly building up the miles in my legs too....only done 62 miles in one go so far....need to get another 35 on top of that if I am to make it....Will add another 5-10 miles every week until I am up to about 90ish. I will probably go up via st Andrews direction and across the Tay bridge to Dundee....not exactly sure what to do after that as they changed the Dundee-Arbroath road to dual carriageway...There is a cycle path though..Should be fun!
    That sounds like a monster ride TBH, well beyond my present capabilities... but good luck with it! I think 100 miles is not within my grasp in the immediate future, but maybe sometime soon :wink:
    2010 Specialized Competition Secateurs, hell yeh ;)
  • fuzzynavel
    fuzzynavel Posts: 718
    tyaxnoob.... I've seen the Arthurs seat challenge site before and they do appear a bit quick.....I'm about 13 minutes to get all the way around from the meadowbank end at the loch back to my starting point....I've never timed myself up the climb before but don't expect it to be anywhere near the 3 minute average of the challenge.

    The reasons I was motivated after buying a road bike were:
    1. I was quite fat....at 17 stones and 5'11" I was no lightweight....now stabilised at 15 stone but my body shape is still changing.
    2. I had spent £500 on the bike and another few hundred on extras and I wasn't about to waste that money (and prove my wife right in the process!!).

    I regards to the 100 miler.....it will be my first and I will meet my wife at the in-laws in Montrose for a lift home the next day.....she's not even vaguely interested in my cycling and thinks I am a lunatic for pushing myslef so hard which is annoying sometimes! I still have a lot of work to do but I see 1 month as a decent time scal to double my distance. I have been easily coverng the 50 miles for a while now and it was easy to get up to 60 by adding a few laps of Arthurs Seat on the end of my 50 mile run....For my next trick I will extend my weekly run to 60 miles with a few laps of the hill at the end for fun.
    17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    "It is a reasonably smooth climb at about 5-7% gradient according to my garmin. it increases to about 13% ish for about 50 yards before going back to 7, 6 , 5 etc before getting flat. It is a nice ride once you get in the zone and is just enough to get me tiring before it flattens out, it does get easier once you keep repeating a route. .

    Thanks for the info fuzzynavel but I don't understand gradients :oops: . How do work out a gradient - do you need a Garmin (I could borrow my husband's :D )? I've used Anquet maps to plot my routes and it just shows the profile of the route per mile (in feet above sea level). For example, today I knew that at 6.5miles I'd have a steep bit and the route would gradually climb to the 15 mile point and that the last two were all downhill. Thankfully the Anquet map and my bike computer were spot on.

    I was quite sure I'd really struggle today as all my other rides have been flattish and fairly cool. It took me three hours to pluck up the courage to head out the door! The first flat 6 miles flew by and all was great until I headed through Crossford up to the Carnock road. A super fit Dunfermline CC rider flew past up the hill with a cheery good morning. I was overheating at this point (still wearing a winter top!) and stopped to take off my superflous gilet. After that the only two stops I had were to swap over empty water bottles (the spares in my pannier) and to arrange my lift home just as I set off up the hill to Cleish. This hill was such an anticlimax in terms of effort - yes I was tired, hot and in my granny ring but nowhere near stopping :D. In fact I didn't want to stop and could've done a few more miles today. The descent with the super views of Loch Leven was FANTASTIC.