anyone done a 200 miler?

maddog 2
maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
My biggest milegae so far is 150 on a coast to coast ride a couple of years ago.

I fancy doing a coast to coast to coast over two days in Spring, which would be about 300ish miles, as I'd do different routes there and back.

Then I thought of maybe doing 200 miles on the first day, and 100 on the second, as a twist.

Anyone done it?

150 was pretty hard and I certainly didn't fancy doing much further but these things are all relative...
Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer

Comments

  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    I'd be interested in the replies as I'm thinking of doing a 176 mile ride in one day next summer (the entire Cheshire Cycleway), been thinking of doing it for ages.
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    Like you say everything is relative. 200+ mile rides are quite common in the world of Audax where a 400km is the usual maximum "daylight" ride and 600km+ events are relatively "normal". And earlier this year all manner of mad cyclists (myself included) on all types of machine rode the 875 miles from london to endinburgh and back in 4-5 days (one guy took 2.5 days!)

    My 3 happenworth is that if you've done 150 miles in a day you could most likely do the extra 50. Think v good idea to do the 200 first as the 100 next day will feel like a breeze.
    Martin S. Newbury RC
  • gert_lush
    gert_lush Posts: 634
    I've done 200 and not as bad as you may think, we did it this summer along the south coast from kent to Dorest, took just over 13 hours in total. There was 3 of us and we had all done 100 miles a few times before so we just took it easy, left about 4am and got too our destination at 5.30pm. We were on our road bikes and just took loads of snack and stopped quite a bit to refuel with pasta etc whereever we found on route. It was definately easier than we thought but still a challenge, ended up diong another 17 miles at teh end t take it to 217 to get to a good pub we knew. Didn't feel too bad the next day a little stiff but have felt worse after 100miles before, i thinks its because it was pretty flat a bit of a tailwind. Having said that I certainly would have struggled doing 100 the next day!
    Sounds strange but being mentally prepared is almost the key, get to a good fitness and know that you are going to do 200 miles and then somehow it seems to go ok. :D
    FCN 8 mainly
    FCN 4 sometimes
  • trickeyja
    trickeyja Posts: 202
    dodgy wrote:
    I'd be interested in the replies as I'm thinking of doing a 176 mile ride in one day next summer (the entire Cheshire Cycleway), been thinking of doing it for ages.

    Furthest I've been is 174 miles up into Shropshire, Welsh borders and back.
    Go for it, it isn't as bad as you think as long as you:
    -have a plan B short cut route in case you can't make it,
    -leave early,
    -take lots of food.

    Tomorrow I'm off to Exmoor... Porlock Hill after 110 miles will be interesting!
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,972
    I rode a solo 175+ miler once... but that was when i was 30 something... under 10 hours which ain't bad. Pula croatia to verona Italy.. (bailing out of civil war zone... working at a beach bar caught caught up in it all)

    ran out of money and did the entire ride on one chocolate milk drink and water...felt ill at the end thou. you are indestructible when you are young

    in a small group with proper feeds 200 miles WOULD have been no issue I think.. solo would be a bit head wrecking....

    100 miler ain't no thing really.....

    as gert lush says its mental state... just decide to do it I guess...

    would be tempted to do the 100 miler first
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • vorsprung
    vorsprung Posts: 1,953
    I did a 450km (280 miles) solo ride at the end of August, it took 25 hours. I started at 9:30pm and finished at 10:30pm the following night

    It was a try out for a 400km event I hope to be running next year in June

    The event ( and the try out ride) route is Taunton, Tiverton, Minehead, Bridgwater, Frome, Bath, Chepstow, Michaelwood M5 services, Frome again and then finish at Taunton
    The total ascent is estimated at 3300m which is fairly benign for 400km
    Linky to enter

    http://www.aukweb.net/cal/calsolo.php?Ride=10-401
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,972
    vorsprung wrote:
    I did a 450km (280 miles) solo ride at the end of August, it took 25 hours. I started at 9:30pm and finished at 10:30pm the following night

    It was a try out for a 400km event I hope to be running next year in June

    The event ( and the try out ride) route is Taunton, Tiverton, Minehead, Bridgwater, Frome, Bath, Chepstow, Michaelwood M5 services, Frome again and then finish at Taunton
    The total ascent is estimated at 3300m which is fairly benign for 400km
    Linky to enter

    http://www.aukweb.net/cal/calsolo.php?Ride=10-401

    I question the sanity of this long audax thing...
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,972
    db
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    I have done 245 miles in a 12 hr TT, done it a bit faster than I would normally do that sort of mileage, but prior to that all I had done was a 300km Audax, so at a more leisurely pace, and a couple of 100 mile sportives.

    I would set aside 13 maybe 14 hours for the complete 200 miles, so you don't have to go at too hot a pace, that you suffer really badly the next day. I probably couldn't have done 100 miles the day following my TT, but I am sure at a more leisurely pace it wouldn't be a problem if you have done 100 mile + rides before.
  • AndyRubio
    AndyRubio Posts: 880
    I did 191.8 miles a couple of years ago through mid Wales i.e. very hilly > 5000m climbing. The key thing was I did it with a mate, makes all the difference.
  • its the ability to recover from riding 200 miles that is the key so this means training on weekends with your Saturday ride increasing each week until you can ride 200 miles then riding the next day.
  • vorsprung
    vorsprung Posts: 1,953
    vorsprung wrote:
    I did a 450km (280 miles) solo ride at the end of August, it took 25 hours. I started at 9:30pm and finished at 10:30pm the following night

    It was a try out for a 400km event I hope to be running next year in June

    The event ( and the try out ride) route is Taunton, Tiverton, Minehead, Bridgwater, Frome, Bath, Chepstow, Michaelwood M5 services, Frome again and then finish at Taunton
    The total ascent is estimated at 3300m which is fairly benign for 400km
    Linky to enter

    http://www.aukweb.net/cal/calsolo.php?Ride=10-401

    I question the sanity of this long audax thing...
    I question the sanity of riding ten miles on a dull circuit on your own against the clock but noone is listening :)

    On a long ride when dawn breaks and the sun appears I feel quite sane
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    vorsprung wrote:
    vorsprung wrote:
    I did a 450km (280 miles) solo ride at the end of August, it took 25 hours. I started at 9:30pm and finished at 10:30pm the following night

    It was a try out for a 400km event I hope to be running next year in June

    The event ( and the try out ride) route is Taunton, Tiverton, Minehead, Bridgwater, Frome, Bath, Chepstow, Michaelwood M5 services, Frome again and then finish at Taunton
    The total ascent is estimated at 3300m which is fairly benign for 400km
    Linky to enter

    http://www.aukweb.net/cal/calsolo.php?Ride=10-401

    I question the sanity of this long audax thing...
    I question the sanity of riding ten miles on a dull circuit on your own against the clock but noone is listening :)

    On a long ride when dawn breaks and the sun appears I feel quite sane

    I'd endorse last sentence. Unexpected highlight of my year was the first time I rode through a night. I thought it would be murder, instead it was quite magical.
    Martin S. Newbury RC
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,972
    bahzob wrote:
    vorsprung wrote:
    vorsprung wrote:
    I did a 450km (280 miles) solo ride at the end of August, it took 25 hours. I started at 9:30pm and finished at 10:30pm the following night

    It was a try out for a 400km event I hope to be running next year in June

    The event ( and the try out ride) route is Taunton, Tiverton, Minehead, Bridgwater, Frome, Bath, Chepstow, Michaelwood M5 services, Frome again and then finish at Taunton
    The total ascent is estimated at 3300m which is fairly benign for 400km
    Linky to enter

    http://www.aukweb.net/cal/calsolo.php?Ride=10-401

    I question the sanity of this long audax thing...
    I question the sanity of riding ten miles on a dull circuit on your own against the clock but noone is listening :)

    On a long ride when dawn breaks and the sun appears I feel quite sane

    I'd endorse last sentence. Unexpected highlight of my year was the first time I rode through a night. I thought it would be murder, instead it was quite magical.

    riding at night is ok...its the preceding 12 hours in the saddle bit i have a problem with :wink:
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    cheers all

    I'm going to give it a go. All I need to do now is persuade my mate...
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    good luck..let us know how it goes...
    Martin S. Newbury RC
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    I found it really hard after 150 and needed the company of fellow riders to keep me going otherwise I could have easily taken a shortcut home. Really glad I did it, but I have no intentions of repeating the experience.
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • stubbo
    stubbo Posts: 43
    My coast to coast (to coast) this year was Clevedon, just outside Bristol, taking in the Dunwich Dynamo and then...... back again.

    All in, 880km which took me about 56hours(stopped at the folks for a couple of hours kip), oh nearly forgot, cracked my frame sometime during the journey which fortunately i didn't notice until after.

    This might seem a bit mad but was a bit of a training exercise for the LEL 3 weeks later (1400km in 115 hours, done in 98hrs).

    All i can say is, the more effort you put in upfront (training that is) the more you'll enjoy it.