300km cycling in a day

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yirara
yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a bit crazy. A friend made me aware of a 320km cycle tour through the Netherlands on the longest day of the year. And I just decided that I want to do this. Which is crazy as I never cycled more than 40km on a day. Crazy? Me? :D

At least my bike is not too bad: it's a fairly lightweight trekking bike (mountain bike gear system, no suspension, suitable for travelling, offroading and city). I might finally exchange the bar from a slightly raised straight one to a flat, slightly longer one.

And I need to fix a few problems on the gear system as I fell yesterday when I found out it's not a good idea to cycle over slightly tilted wet glazed tiles. Ouch! I don't think I'll be able to work out this week. :s

Anyway, lets just do this :)
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Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,905 Member
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    My husband and I did a 300 km randonnee about 2 weeks before his accident. That's the last long ride we've done.

    But prior to that I've done heaps of 300+ km rides. I'm a long term long distance cyclist. :)

    Build up to it. Aim for a century in March or April if you can. Century = 160 km. Then go for a 200 km 2-3 weeks later.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Nah, the weather is usually too rubbish for cycling here. I might just wing it and see what happens. I'm not trying to beat a speed record. And worst case I drag myself to the next train station and go home. Even though I'd miss out on the finisher beerglas and hefty dinner :D
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,905 Member
    edited December 2018
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    You'll feel do much more comfortable if you actually train for it ... even a little bit.

    If the weather is bad join a weekly spin class at the gym. That's a start.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Well, I do cycle to work every day, and once the winter is over I will cycle more as I don't own the car and want to visit all communities of the Netherlands somehow. But yeah, it's not a lot.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    You'll feel do much more comfortable if you actually train for it ... even a little bit.

    If the weather is bad join a weekly spin class at the gym. That's a start.

    this reminds me of my husband who trained for his first ever 10k race by doing parkrun once a fortnight... :laugh:

    But he did finish I take it? That's all what it's about as far as I'm concerned.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    yirara wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    You'll feel do much more comfortable if you actually train for it ... even a little bit.

    If the weather is bad join a weekly spin class at the gym. That's a start.

    this reminds me of my husband who trained for his first ever 10k race by doing parkrun once a fortnight... :laugh:

    But he did finish I take it? That's all what it's about as far as I'm concerned.

    of course....
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
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    garystrickland357 wrote: »
    So you are planning to ride 320 km in ONE day and your training plan is to "wing it"? Please let us know how this turns out for you.

    Miserably, I suppose :D

    Though the big failures in my life were always those I really prepared for, and those that went well enough where I winged it. Both sports, school and uni, professionally... and relationship :D
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    yirara wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    You'll feel do much more comfortable if you actually train for it ... even a little bit.

    If the weather is bad join a weekly spin class at the gym. That's a start.

    this reminds me of my husband who trained for his first ever 10k race by doing parkrun once a fortnight... :laugh:

    But he did finish I take it? That's all what it's about as far as I'm concerned.

    Yeah a parkrun is what, 5k? Meanwhile your commute is how long? Even minimal actual training would help you.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    yirara wrote: »
    Nah, the weather is usually too rubbish for cycling here. I might just wing it and see what happens. I'm not trying to beat a speed record. And worst case I drag myself to the next train station and go home. Even though I'd miss out on the finisher beerglas and hefty dinner :D

    Honestly that's an incredibly bad idea.
    Not for the speed but for the needless suffering and hugely increased chance of failing to complete the event. Time in the saddle will make a massive difference to the chance of succeeding and getting some enjoyment out of it.

    Would also recommend switching to a road bike, I did a century ride on a hybrid but once I borrowed a road bike for a 115 mile event I never went back to doing long distances on flat bar bikes.

    Apologies if I "mis-remembered" (thanks for that word Hillary!) but are you in the UK?
    If yes have a look at the Audax UK site for events and guidance and if you change your mind about preparing for the event the British Heart Foundation has some really good training plans.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    If the weather's not great have you considered an indoor trainer?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited December 2018
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    I don’t think OP actually asked for our advice , and that seems evident from their responses! :#
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    yeah - even as a cyclist, i wouldn't just go out and do 300km without training - i'm aiming for a double century (miles) in May next year and starting training for that now (320km) - just winging it is a recipe for getting injured (says the person who essentially just winged a marathon and argueably her last ironman)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Nah, the weather is usually too rubbish for cycling here. I might just wing it and see what happens. I'm not trying to beat a speed record. And worst case I drag myself to the next train station and go home. Even though I'd miss out on the finisher beerglas and hefty dinner :D

    Honestly that's an incredibly bad idea.
    Not for the speed but for the needless suffering and hugely increased chance of failing to complete the event. Time in the saddle will make a massive difference to the chance of succeeding and getting some enjoyment out of it.

    Would also recommend switching to a road bike, I did a century ride on a hybrid but once I borrowed a road bike for a 115 mile event I never went back to doing long distances on flat bar bikes.

    Apologies if I "mis-remembered" (thanks for that word Hillary!) but are you in the UK?
    If yes have a look at the Audax UK site for events and guidance and if you change your mind about preparing for the event the British Heart Foundation has some really good training plans.

    Netherlands, now. No, I don't have the cash to buy a second bike, and neither the space to store it. I will have to do a few longer rides, but I don't want to train properly for it as a) weather b) rubbish weather c) I'm tough and can do some amazing things. But I can not train cardio regularly anymore due to some as of yet unknown possibly endocrine problem. I get sick if I do cardio regularly. A very tough day is fine though. I know that from some very long, very strenuous, very untrained hikes earlier this year and a few other things.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    here are a couple of links for you to check out:

    https://www.active.com/cycling/articles/12-training-tips-for-an-ultra-distance-ride-880710
    https://www.verywellfit.com/bicycling-a-double-century-training-schedule-3119434
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,420 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    here are a couple of links for you to check out:

    https://www.active.com/cycling/articles/12-training-tips-for-an-ultra-distance-ride-880710
    https://www.verywellfit.com/bicycling-a-double-century-training-schedule-3119434

    Thanks a lot <3
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    @sijomial reminded me of another issue. If this is a supported ride, you will potentially put a fair amount of unexpected weight on the people running SAG than is necessary or even appropriate. It's one thing to have multiple flats (despite carrying multiple tubes or running a tubeless setup), get unexpectedly dehydrated, accidently take a wrong turn, etc. Those are all unexpected events. On the other hand, if you go along with your plans (or lack there of), it's almost to be expected that you won't finish. Not because of some inherent physiological flaw that is unique to you, but because you're a human being who didn't train and doesn't have the bike fitness to predictably complete the ride.

    As I and others have said, there are so many resources (some of which are free) that would help you do this successfully and it's foolhardy to not use them.

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