Training for a 150km cycle event.

Ben_Likes_Beer wrote: »

Around The Mountain - 168 days to go.

Last Saturday I went for another long (for me) ride, 64km, and averaged 20.93km/h.
Tuesday and Thursday I went for 1 hour ride after work, I have to keep these shortish at the moment because it's still winter here and it gets dark early.
Yesterday I swapped out my big knobbly tyres for some 1.7 road tyres.
Today I repeated last Saturdays ride and averaged 19.49km/h. It was quite a bit windyer this week than last and colder so I was wearing a sweater, so battling the wind probably explains the slower pace.
I still can't help but feel a wee bit disappointed though.
I'm not feeling like I'm totally spent at this distance but I am a bit wobbly on my feet for a few minutes after getting off the bike.

How much are you drinking? Water, of course.

Ben_Likes_Beer wrote: »

I eat a 200ish calorie muesli bar at the half way (about 90 minute) mark.

In the beginning, on rides over 2 hours, try 200 cal/hour. After you get a bit fitter you can probably reduce that.

Ben_Likes_Beer wrote: »

The most uncomfortable thing so far is the butt pain from the saddle (whoever designed these things must have been a saddist) so padded shorts are going to be on my shopping list at some point.

1) Make sure your bicycle is set up so that it fits you.
2) Try several different saddles and get one that works better for you.
3) Get padded shorts with padding that covers your sitbones.

...

Ben_Likes_Beer wrote: »

I've done long rides four weekends in a row now so wondering if I should have a rest next weekend. My plan for the now is short rides after work Tuesday and Thursday then a long ride Saturday or Sunday. I can't train on the actual course because it is a 600km / 8 hour drive from where I live :-)

Don't have a complete rest, but you could ease back on your distance this coming weekend. Maybe only a 50 km ride.

Ben_Likes_Beer wrote: »

Machka9 wrote: »

How much are you drinking? Water, of course.

Not much. I take an 800ml bottle in my bottle holder and have a small drink from to wash my muesli bar down at halfway, I don't really feel thirsty until I finish and then I down the lot in pretty much one go (so I guess I am thirsty, just not feeling it until I stop?).

Drink more. This will also give you the chance to learn how to drink (and eat) while riding which is a skill I find very useful.

Ben_Likes_Beer wrote: »

Machka9 wrote: »

How much are you drinking? Water, of course.

Not much. I take an 800ml bottle in my bottle holder and have a small drink from to wash my muesli bar down at halfway, I don't really feel thirsty until I finish and then I down the lot in pretty much one go (so I guess I am thirsty, just not feeling it until I stop?).

Yes ... drink more. Lots more!

You should be aiming for one of your 800 ml bottles every 1-1.5 hours while you ride.

When it gets warmer down here, you'll start getting headaches if you try 60+ km rides with such little water.

I road my first and so far only century seven months out from a major knee surgery (which involved breaking and realigning part of my tibia) where part of the recovery involve being non-weight bearing on the surgical leg for six weeks. I had also fractured my shoulder four and a half or so months before that century. Needless to say, the circumstances could have been far better. I think I was only really able to spend three months really preparing for the century and, again, that was with a left leg whose muscles were far weaker than your average person's (regardless of biological sex).

So yeah - keep at it and you'll be just fine. As I said earlier in this thread, there are plenty of century training plans that go from nearly zero to 100 miles in 12 weeks or less. Just google "century training plan" and you'll be inundated with them (both free and paid).

Congratulations.
So glad you completed the ride.
Have a good recovery.
Update, and post your next excursion.

Cheers, h.