Training for 50 mile bike ride
newway2b
Posts: 23 Member
Hi all I decided at the beginning of year to do the London to Brighton bike ride . I currently only ride my bike to work and back about 5 miles round trip.. not 55miles. I was wondering for anyone who is currently training or has trained in the past for long bike ride could give me some pointers please? And if you were training now if you fancy a virtual buddy?
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I've never really had any set training goal to add mileage in a certain time frame, but have done a number of 50+ mile rides, usually more just timed based on my free time and weather.
But either way, the only way to add distance is to add distance. Depending on your fitness level you may well be able to go much farther currently then you think you would. If not, gradually build your cardio base and leg strength to support the distance and pace you want to reach.
Also consider the extra support needed for long distances if riding by yourself. Tire repair gear, more fluids and solid fuel at some point, as well as possible pick up if you suffer damage to your bike that you can't repair or limp home. For most people, fuel will become more important at a set distance/pace. Generally you want to fuel as you go rather than wait until you are too much at an energy loss. Eat and drink before you need to to replenish calories you are burning. Bike fit and adjustments you might not notice at shorter distances can go from minor notices or annoyances to painful experiences or pace killers if not addressed.
More info on your specific ride might help others with specific training methods or goals and timeframes. And hopefully bring up some items other than what I have mentioned. Have fun, stay safe, and go ride your ride!1 -
The BHF site has a couple of training plans;
www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/london-to-brighton-bike-ride/training-zone/cycling-training-plans
The main thing is to get time in the saddle, adapt to it. There are a couple of fairly tough climbs on that route, so include climbing in your training.2 -
Hi all I decided at the beginning of year to do the London to Brighton bike ride . I currently only ride my bike to work and back about 5 miles round trip.. not 55miles. I was wondering for anyone who is currently training or has trained in the past for long bike ride could give me some pointers please? And if you were training now if you fancy a virtual buddy?
As others have said, the way to train to go more distance is to add more distance.
I am a weekend rider and regularly ride on weekends 20-60mi (30-100km.) But I'm also a fair weather rider, so if it's nasty outside, I'll go take a spin class.
I do second the concerns about fueling along the ride. If I'm riding at an 18-20mph clip, I'll burn 1000 calories in an hour. At some point, I need to start putting some fuel back into my body. Might just be a banana or apple, or a sports drink like a Gatorade or similar, especially if it's hot outside and I'm sweating as I ride.
Make sure your bike fits, as you'll be on it 3-4 hours I suspect. Make sure you have comfortable bike clothing to wear for that time period, and make sure you have a plan to refuel and hydrate over that time period.1 -
My basic approach was to cycle further and further distances. Lots of time in the saddle will help as it will not only strengthen your muscles, it will also get you used to sitting on the bike that long, and trust me, 50 miles is not the same as short commuter rides when it comes to your sit bones.
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Hills. Long slow hills. Practice them.0
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Second the suggestion above to look at the British Heart Foundation training plans, they are very good and worked well for me. As is their organisation on the day. I did a London to Bath ride for BHF and it was brilliant. Really well thought out route.
You definitely will need to do more long rides to acclimatise to the hours in the saddle.
The roads and scenery are lovely between the North and South Downs but the hills are challenging. Enjoy the view from Ditchling Beacon (when you get your breath back!). I'm training for a Royal Marsden (cancer hospital) Brighton and back event in May so will be covering some of the same roads for sure.
You might find Strava useful to track your progress.
Send a friend request if you like, very happy to help a fellow cyclist - especially one cycling for a cause close to my heart. (Excuse the pun!)4 -
If you haven't already, get a fitting for you and your bike. There are two obstacles to riding that sort of distance: having enough energy to finish, and being comfortable enough on your bike to finish. Having the bike fit to you helps you about issues that may not be apparent on shorter rides, like if the dimensions of the bike force you into the wrong posture.2
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This is pretty much what I use when I'm training for a 1/2 century...not exactly, but I use this for a template to follow in general.
Week Monday Wednesday Weekend Weekly total
Week 1 6 miles 9 miles 12 miles 27 miles
Week 2 9 miles 12 miles 20 miles 41 miles
Week 3 12 miles 12 miles 25 miles 49 miles
Week 4 12 miles 20 miles 28 miles 60 miles
Week 5 13 miles 25 miles 30 miles 68 miles
Week 6 13 miles 25 miles 35 miles 73 miles
Week 7 15 miles 30 miles 40 miles 85 miles
Week 8 20 miles 30 miles 50 miles 100 miles
I ride about 50 miles per week just for general fitness so I start with week 4. This ramps up rather quickly so you may want to double up on certain weeks or add miles more slowly if you're not used to cycling a lot.
I often have to break up some of these rides and add an extra day or even 2 due to time constraints, but I make sure I'm getting long rides towards the end of at least 35-40 miles. If you can ride 85-100 miles per week, you'll be pretty comfortable on your 1/2 IMO. Make sure you include some climbing on your rides.
Also, get a bike fit if you haven't already. Nothing worse than logging miles with an improper fit.0 -
I'll basically second what everyone else has said. I would also say, figure out how to eat and drink on the bike well before your ride. Not just literally how to do it but what you're going to eat, how it makes you feel, when you think you might need it, etc. Also practice changing a flat. I'm assuming there will be support at the event, but it's a good think to know how to do in general - especially if you end up having a flat while you're training for the event.
Lastly, invest in bike shorts (or bib shorts) and remember to wear them without underwear (doing otherwise would defeat the purpose.1 -
This might sound crazy, but I bet you could bike that distance without significant training! I'm not a biker at all, and on a trip to Miami with my husband, we rented bikes and biked down to a couple keys and back without a problem! 43 miles round trip. It was glorious, and that was on crappy rental bikes. Enjoy your awesome trip!3
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Ok as folks have said use the provided training plan organizers do know what they are doing. Start lengthening your rides.
On actual day-commando under padded women specific bike shorts is the way to go. No chafing.0 -
Thank you everyone. I feel inspired to get going now. I did a 8 mile bike ride after work today.got super hungry so will need to eat often it seems. Need to get padded pant things. It all feel a bit heavy on my hybrid. .. I may have to explore using my mountain bike. How to I carry everything?0
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Thank you everyone. I feel inspired to get going now. I did a 8 mile bike ride after work today.got super hungry so will need to eat often it seems. Need to get padded pant things. It all feel a bit heavy on my hybrid. .. I may have to explore using my mountain bike. How to I carry everything?
Well done.
Tyres make a huge difference on hybrids and mountain bikes, swapping knobbly off road tyres for road tyres reduces rolling resistance markedly. As does the right tyre pressure of course!
The trick is to carry as little as possible. I may even have resorted to weighing two one pound coins to see if they weight less than a single two pound coin....
"Sleeves" & "legs" make a great lightweight additions for long rides to cope with variations in temperature and pack down really small when not needed.
Example - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/arm-leg-warmers/
There's food and drink stops along the way so no need to carry all your food and drink for the entire day, just enough to get to the next stop.
A cycling jersey has big back pockets you can stuff things in.
A small saddlebag and your pockets should be enough - otherwise there's a good chance you are simply taking too much stuff.0 -
In terms of carrying things, I carry two tubes, a CO2 pump and cartridge(s), tire lever, patch kit, smallish multi-tool, and a few dollars in my saddle bag. All of my food (mainly gels or chews) goes in the back pockets of my jersey. My phone and keys typically also go in my saddle bag and when I'm carrying a mini pump that isn't my small CO2 one it also goes in a jersey pocket.
You can also turn a water bottle into a tool container of sorts of buy a ready made one like this.
The hunger thing is going to be a bit personal I think. I personally don't get hungry after 8 miles (and don't eat anything on the bike if I'm doing 8 miles) but I will eat a large protein heavy sandwich after 40. After an hour to an hour and a half on the bike inside I typically just eat dinner (or lunch) and go on with my day as normal. That isn't to say I won't eat back most of the calories I expended, but it won't be a, "I need to eat NOW!" sort of thing. There will be people here, I suspect, who would do something totally different depending on their physiological needs.0 -
I just came back into cycling after a couple of decades away. Family bought me a nice new bike as a retirement/Christmas gift, to pedal my way into a much healthier place.
In the old days, I put a lot of miles on a touring bike, and carried a lot of stuff around with me when doing anything other than a loop around town. I was a good Boy Scout ("be prepared") gone OCD, LOL.
Now, I myself *AM* the load I'm carrying around, and I'm changing my tune to a more minimalistic everyday carry.
Small underseat saddlebag with multitool, tube/levers and/or patch kit (varies), oddments kit (disc brake spacer, zip ties, $20, etc., in a hardshell eyeglasses sportcase that keeps things organized in the saddlebag). A small handlebar bag with my cell phone (doubles as a gps/ride recorder and of course, camera), "cafe security cable and padlock" (keeps the honest folk honest while you buy coffee or use a trailside porta potty), small first aid pack ("cuts kit" basically), tissues, tiny notepad and pen, sportsglasses for reading, etc. For on-road riding, I've got front and rear "be seen" blinky lights and wear a hi-vis bandolier. Helmet and gloves and sunglasses; water bottle and small pump on the frame [I'm on the fence about CO2]. I've had a Clif bar in the handlebag since January, haven't seen the need to use it, and, frankly, it's starting to look a little crumpled.
As my range gets longer, the weather more variable and I'm starting into more remote rail trails, I'm adding a small trunk bag for a robust U-lock, second water bottle, packable jacket, small sunscreen, bannanas/snacks, etc. Nothing like the load I used to hall around (of course, modern tech replaces a heavy dedicated camera and some other obsolete things). It may turn out that having a trunk bag eliminates the need for the handlebar bag. We'll see.
I made up a paracord necklace with a homemade "ride ID" (inkjet-printed photo ID with medical conditions/emergency contacts/etc., sealed into a "self-laminating" card envelope from Staples), spare car key [I lock the car at the trail head and carry a spare valet key with me], spare house key, padlocks keys [I'm at the age where my eyes struggle with the tiny numbers on combo locks if I don't have reading glasses], and a life jacket whistle (my other major activity is sailing).
I have found a source of plus-sized cycling apparel. Now that I have actual cycling jerseys with back pockets, I'm trying to re-imagine what to carry where to make good use of them, LOL. While I didn't wear padded cycling shorts back in the day and was OK, I do now. I've gotten tenderer in my old age, LOL. Wouldn't ride without them.0 -
Funny thing: YouTube suggested the following three vids today. From GCN ("Global Cycling Network"), one of my subscriptions:
"How to Ride 50 Miles" ...
https://youtu.be/bHxLQhQryZc
"How to Ride Long Distances" ...
https://youtu.be/8TTGRLcXFyk
"How to Train for Long Rides" ...
https://youtu.be/GvZzgeIBh68
FYI and good luck.
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All been said before but don't underestimate how much energy you will need, and how much water you need.
You can do 50 miles. I started doing 5 miles in July last year, and was doing 50 by October. I took my kids (10 and 8) who at the start could only do a mile or two, and by November one of them did 30 miles with me.
Take breakfast bars, bananas, anything with a lot of energy but light (flapjacks etc).
Start of with canal towpaths and fairly flat rides, and add a hill in every so often.
Look at some group rides (HSBC etc) and sign up for a few. You will be surprised how the miles can just go when you are with others.
Plan your rides, and try and do circular routes that you can get home within a few miles if you need to, but go as far as you can when you are out. You can start increasing the distance as you get better. Always try and vary your routes.
Take the bike out in the car, and drive to some places you want to see and cycle around them. Theres nothing worse than a boring bike ride.
Give yourself plenty of time, start early if you can, and good luck!!
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artbyrachelh wrote: »This might sound crazy, but I bet you could bike that distance without significant training! I'm not a biker at all, and on a trip to Miami with my husband, we rented bikes and biked down to a couple keys and back without a problem! 43 miles round trip. It was glorious, and that was on crappy rental bikes. Enjoy your awesome trip!
That would seem quite unpleasant IMO. Not sure how you were riding, but I typically finish a 50 mile ride in about 3-3.5 hours depending on terrain and other conditions. I've done quite a few cycling events and train for them and I'm still pretty knackered by the end. Of course, those are different than my cycling wine tours, etc which are done at a very leisurely pace. Most tour events and whatnot are timed and you only get so much time on the course...and then of course there's the competition...even if it's not a true race, I'm still wanting to do my best.1 -
Oh my goodness, yes it took us all day! From 7am until 7pm. Lots of breaks, lots of sunscreen! I'm sure we were exhausted but looking back at it, now 3 years ago, I only have glowing memories! Haha!0
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Yeah CO2 has gotten me out of a pinch a few times and I've helped someone else out with a flat once with one (he refused to give me anything less than $20 in thanks despite my telling him it was way too much), but I am starting to carry a small hand pump in one of my jersey pockets. I figure, there will be a time when I wish I had it and it's not obtrusive enough to warrant not carrying it. That said you cary way more things than I do!Small underseat saddlebag with multitool, tube/levers and/or patch kit (varies), oddments kit (disc brake spacer, zip ties, $20, etc., in a hardshell eyeglasses sportcase that keeps things organized in the saddlebag). A small handlebar bag with my cell phone (doubles as a gps/ride recorder and of course, camera), "cafe security cable and padlock" (keeps the honest folk honest while you buy coffee or use a trailside porta potty), small first aid pack ("cuts kit" basically), tissues, tiny notepad and pen, sportsglasses for reading, etc. For on-road riding, I've got front and rear "be seen" blinky lights and wear a hi-vis bandolier. Helmet and gloves and sunglasses; water bottle and small pump on the frame [I'm on the fence about CO2]. I've had a Clif bar in the handlebag since January, haven't seen the need to use it, and, frankly, it's starting to look a little crumpled.
As my range gets longer, the weather more variable and I'm starting into more remote rail trails, I'm adding a small trunk bag for a robust U-lock, second water bottle, packable jacket, small sunscreen, bannanas/snacks, etc. Nothing like the load I used to hall around (of course, modern tech replaces a heavy dedicated camera and some other obsolete things). It may turn out that having a trunk bag eliminates the need for the handlebar bag. We'll see.
I made up a paracord necklace with a homemade "ride ID" (inkjet-printed photo ID with medical conditions/emergency contacts/etc., sealed into a "self-laminating" card envelope from Staples), spare car key [I lock the car at the trail head and carry a spare valet key with me], spare house key, padlocks keys [I'm at the age where my eyes struggle with the tiny numbers on combo locks if I don't have reading glasses], and a life jacket whistle (my other major activity is sailing).
I have found a source of plus-sized cycling apparel. Now that I have actual cycling jerseys with back pockets, I'm trying to re-imagine what to carry where to make good use of them, LOL. While I didn't wear padded cycling shorts back in the day and was OK, I do now. I've gotten tenderer in my old age, LOL. Wouldn't ride without them.
I also have a RoadID which I wear 24/7. I finally broke down and bought new bib shorts today after an appointment. So much grumbling from me at the price which was the 15$ more than the not-bib shorts I was also thinking about, and maybe $20 more than the Pearl Izumi shorts I am replacing (I have four pairs that I will likely replace over the next 6 months). Yes I bought Castelli so that's expensive, but it was the same price as the other not Pearl Izumi brands that they had (I didn't go to REI which has brands that are less expensive). I have also learned that likely even at goal weight I will probably not fit into a large - because Castelli. I'm 200lbs and wear pants with a 36 inch waist and an XL was somewhat tight over underwear (but will be fine without). Given that my goal weight is 160ish I suspect XL is where I will stay as far as Castelli is concerned.
I should note too that I have been doing most of my riding inside which is exponentially less comfortable than riding outside. I still wear padded shorts outside, but I suspect if I was riding outside exclusively I would have gotten a few more months out of my current selection of shorts without my body demanding I get new ones.0 -
Thanks for your comments.
I'm more likely to fall off the fence into the CO2 camp than not. I've got 29x2.35" tires that pumping to pressure with a mini frame pump, except in "extremis" situations, makes me think twice. I'll continue to carry one though. I'm still in gear ramp-up mode from Christmas, and can't buy everything all at once. The bike, as a retirement gift from the family, was a financial indulgence in and of itself. And an act of faith - it wasn't clear at all if riding would be OK for me (I've posted some backstory on this in other MFP threads).
200lbs and a 36" waist are far-off fever dreams for me. I haven't seen those numbers since high school football 40+ yrs ago. Try aerotechdesigns.com for a decent selection of plus-sized gear at reasonable costs. I've gotten long and short-sleeved jerseys, shorts and long-legged tights that have been of good quality. That being said, riding, gym work and dietary management through MFP have helped me drop 18 lbs since New Years. I've lost 7-8 lbs twice in this period since we spent several weeks traveling in March and had some relapsed weight gain. I've got more to go to meet my goals for this year.
24x7 ride-id type medic alerts as you have are good things. I've got some chronic and problematic conditions that justify my carrying something, but I think that completely healthy riders would be prudent to, as well. I made my own after looking at commercial alternatives. I carry one card in my wallet, one on the paracord necklace for biking as described in the previous post, and another paracord necklace with the ID, gym member scan tag and locker key that I wear at the gym.
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LOL. I just fell off the fence. CO2 will be added to my kit.
I was pumping up last evening to ride this morning using my trusty floor pump, and for some reason, the adapter head (I have presta) did not make the usual good seal, and I lost my pressure. So out came my mini pump. For my 29x2.35" tires, it took way over 400 pumps to get to a satisfactory pressure of 43psi (I usually ride with 45-50). I had figured it would be a lot of pumping, but I hadn't actually done it with these tires/this pump. Exhausting!
Now to shop around for a decent inflator.
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LOL. I just fell off the fence. CO2 will be added to my kit.
I was pumping up last evening to ride this morning using my trusty floor pump, and for some reason, the adapter head (I have presta) did not make the usual good seal, and I lost my pressure. So out came my mini pump. For my 29x2.35" tires, it took way over 400 pumps to get to a satisfactory pressure of 43psi (I usually ride with 45-50). I had figured it would be a lot of pumping, but I hadn't actually done it with these tires/this pump. Exhausting!
Now to shop around for a decent inflator.
@mjbnj0001
I went for a mini pump that you can also use as a CO2 inflator.
Perhaps the best of both worlds?
(I find it useful to be able to part inflate the new or repaired tube after a fixing a puncture while I get the tyre back on the rim and then fully inflate with the CO2.)0 -
artbyrachelh wrote: »Oh my goodness, yes it took us all day! From 7am until 7pm. Lots of breaks, lots of sunscreen! I'm sure we were exhausted but looking back at it, now 3 years ago, I only have glowing memories! Haha!
One of my favorite events is the Tour de Rio Grande Valley. It's flat as hell and you can just fly, especially if it's a windless day.1 -
A few years ago I went from no exercise for the best part of a decade to doing a 90 mile ride in the space of 4/5 months. When I first got on the bike I struggled with a ride of around 3 miles, I started slowly by riding to work once a week which was about 3 miles and then increasing the number of days. I added a weekend ride which started around 10 to 15 miles increasing to my longest of around 45, I also added miles to my commute as I got stronger. I'm sure given your better starting point you will be fine just make sure you get used to being in the saddle for a long time.
The one tip I would add is get used to fueling your rides with energy drinks and gels and if you can find out the brand that will be used on the day all the better as not everyone reacts well to them.0 -
I rode 20 miles this Saturday (yesterday) with my new padded shorts.. my butt hurt in those and when I got off the bike my legs and butt felt funny and wobbly.. but it was my first attempt. I only started commuting to work a year and a half ago.. I was very unsure how I was even getting through this last winter on a bike, but here we are in spring. I love my bike ride to work..
I have equally eaten too much in past when going to work sijo and been super slow.. I have also had the unpleasant experience of getting a oak milk cappucino and then riding .. that was not a good day.. I think the milk was off. I got really bad stomach cramps, the shakes and felt like I was gonna vomit .. so unknown coffees are not my friend at the moment.
I need to find which drinks are better for me. Is it better to fuel on energy drinks rather than water.. and are gels better than sandwiches/cereal bars?
I am trying to add more ride time after work on way home.. although I had a lovely day yesterday... since starting this post you guys have helped me feel super empowered .. thank you
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"I need to find which drinks are better for me. Is it better to fuel on energy drinks rather than water.. and are gels better than sandwiches/cereal bars? "
You can't fuel yourself on water - you need calories as well as hydration and that gets to be a bigger factor when your rides get longer.
Energy drinks contain electrolytes as well as sugar(s). That will be more important now that Spring seems to have finally sprung and temperatures are higher.
You can buy electrolyte tablets to mix in water (good for short but sweaty rides) but it's more efficient to get calories and electrolytes in the same drink when your rides get longer.
Gels win for portability and light weight but for you I would advise that they aren't at all necessary for your ride.
You will have plenty of opportunity to stop and snack. It's not a competitive event and you might as well enjoy some snacks.
Gels really aren't pleasant unless you happen to like very sweet gunk with the consistency of snot!
I only resort to gels on really long and unsupported rides. I did a 60 mile ride yesterday just on energy drink and a cereal bar.
Some of my go to snacks are Soreen malt loaf and cereal bars, energy dense, tasty and easy to digest. I tend to keep my fat intake low as that seems to make my digestion really sluggish.
Well done on your 20 miles, good effort.
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Well done! I would give yourself time to get used to the shorts. If things don't get better in a few weeks to a month of regular riding I would think about trying out a new saddle. Also depending on where exactly is hurting think about chamois cream. The wobbly legs thing could be a result of riding farther than you have in the past. I know Sometimes my legs feel a bit awkward right after I get off of my bike after having ridden for an extended period of time, even if I've ridden that length on a regular basis. It goes away fairly quickly.
In terms of food it's fairly personal though you do want to eat things that are easy to digest. Historically I've gone for gels and chews but I suspect as I am able to get outside again later this spring I'm going to move towards rice cakes and possibly jelly beans (as a personal reward for getting up steep climbs). I also sometimes eat stroopwafels if I have them on hand.
I suspect you know this, but just in case, you don't fuel on water. Water is for hydration. In terms of sports drinks, depending on the weather and how much you sweat you may or may not need one. For a 20 mile ride in not particularly warm weather I highly doubt you would need one. When I did 100k ride last summer (which was self supported), of the four bottles of water I drank only one of them had sports drink in it. Likely something from Scratch Labs. If you are going to go the electrolyte option it will be another, "one size fits all (are you seeing a theme here?). For instance, while I know plenty of people who like Nuun, it makes me nauseous. I also know people who drink far less water than I do - given how quickly I can find salt collecting on my brow (from sweating) I am ok with my drinking lots of water. Also while you can use sports drinks for fuel I personally don't (hence why I only drink one over the course of four plus hours).Is it better to fuel on energy drinks rather than water
Also there are a ton of Youtube videos about eating and drinking on the bike. GCN and Cycling Weekly are my favorite channels on that front. That isn't to say you shouldn't feel comfortable asking here of course!0 -
I went for a mini pump that you can also use as a CO2 inflator.
Perhaps the best of both worlds?
(I find it useful to be able to part inflate the new or repaired tube after a fixing a puncture while I get the tyre back on the rim and then fully inflate with the CO2.)
Thanks for the input, appreciated. With a brand new minipump already, I think I'll just add a CO2. I've lost 2 lbs this week (now 20 since Jan 1st), so I can "afford" the couple of grams, LOL. The minipump hangs on my water bottle case, so not an issue of room. I think I've got space in my saddlebag for a CO2 chock and a cartridge. My prelim research has me looking more to the Lezyne Control Drive than some others.0
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