New to Sportive question

[CanucksTraveller]

Hope I'm okay posting this here, wasn't sure if it was a question for the Newbie area or Sportive.

My company has organised an annual charity sportive the last few years, (choice of 10, 25 and 60) and after quite a long cycling hiatus I entered last year to do the 25 on a hybrid. It went well and I completed with no problems in just about two hours and a little bit.

This year I'm on a light road bike and personally weigh in at a stone and a half lighter having lost fat earlier this year, and I feel the 25 probably won't stretch me enough. I've planned on the 25 anyway, but now I'm considering the 60, and the ride is just 4 weeks away. I haven't trained for a 60 by the way, the most I've done so far is 25, and I'm just starting to build a few more miles in. I'm restricted of course, with working 5 days a week and having a family life too, like many.

I hear stories of there being something of a wall at about 40. I'm focused on hydration and fuelling to try and beat that bonk, but something in my mind is nagging at me that I'll never do 60. It's quite a hilly 25, but the 60 leaves the 25 course and flattens out on a long loop through Beds so it's no more elevation really.

I suppose the crux of my question is will a 60 take me by surprise, i.e. is it a really significant jump from 25 to 60 as a one-off? With only 4 weeks to go, would you recommend a go at the longer distance? I'm slightly nervous if I'm honest.

 

[Joffey]

If you can do 25 really easy I wouldn't be too bothered about a 60. As long as you can ride about 40/45 miles you will do the 60 no probs. Just take it steady on the day and build up to it the next few weeks.

Eat and drink plenty.

Good luck.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I hear stories of there being something of a wall at about 40.

I have never heard of that.

 

[vickster]

Go out early tomorrow or Sunday, ride 40, see how it feels take plenty of fluids of course

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I have never heard of that.

It was something to do with glycogen stores in the muscles, at 25 you're not going to deplete them, and apparently at 40 plus, you certainly will at some point. That was the gist. I think it's probably just a case of eating and drinking right (which you probably do routinely), so if I do that then it shouldn't be a problem.

I'll try and fit in a maximum this weekend and see where I am, I think if I could do 40 training, I can do 60 on the day. I just have to do that 40 first.

Thanks so far everyone.

 

[mjr]

Never heard of it at 40, but I think there's one about 85-90... so you won't hit it on a sixty.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just for the sake of clarity, are your units in miles? So "a 60" is 60 miles, not km?

Anyway, the idea that there's a "wall" at a given distance strikes me as nonsense. We're all massively different and the distance where people will get tired will be different. When I returned to cycling a few years ago 100km / 60 miles was a massive, massive challenge. I'd get very tired. Now it isn't such a challenge (unless it's hilly) because I'm more used to distances.

If you regularly ride 25 miles, how do you feel at the end of it?

If you're feeling OK, then think about pushing on to the 60 mile ride. Remember you can dial back the effort level a bit too, meaning you'll feel a bit better at the end of the 25.

If you're feeling shattered, or if your contact points (backside, hands/wrists) are really suffering after 25 miles, then maybe the 60 miler isn't such a good idea.

But it's entirely your call. The "walls", to the extent that they exist at all, exist inside you and are personal to you, both physically and mentally.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Units are miles yes, sorry I should have specified.

I wouldn't say I regularly ride 25, more like once a week or two weeks with 12-15 on a weekday night twice a week. I generally feel fine after a 25, little bit shaky afterwards until I rest and eat. Contact points are perfectly okay.

I need to train and see, at least I have the 4 weeks to build up a bit, although I accept that I'm not going to make myself Superman in 30 days.

 

[ianrauk]

You say it's a company sportive. Therefore I guess you will be riding with colleagues. Some who are probably in the same situation as you. Riding with others makes the miles go quicker. So stick with some other riders to help each other. If some are going too fast for you then drop back and find some others.

 

[Hill Wimp]

^^^ riding with others definitely eats the miles quicker and there is honestly no wall at 40. Whoever told you that is talking twaddle. We are all individual to be fair and most of us eat far more calories than we need day to day so the majority of people will be able to ride 40 miles with no issues.

For me the uncomfortable bit comes at 70-80 miles but that's because I don't do it enough.

Food and drink plenty, pace yourself and you will be fine.

 

[Pale Rider]

All the stuff you read about glycogen and walls is conflicting and in any event is applicable to pro or at least keen amateur racers.

You are neither.

An hour spent on the bike will do you a lot more good than an hour spent reading often dodgy nutritional science on the internet.

 

[e-rider]

Hope I'm okay posting this here, wasn't sure if it was a question for the Newbie area or Sportive.

My company has organised an annual charity sportive the last few years, (choice of 10, 25 and 60) and after quite a long cycling hiatus I entered last year to do the 25 on a hybrid. It went well and I completed with no problems in just about two hours and a little bit.

This year I'm on a light road bike and personally weigh in at a stone and a half lighter having lost fat earlier this year, and I feel the 25 probably won't stretch me enough. I've planned on the 25 anyway, but now I'm considering the 60, and the ride is just 4 weeks away. I haven't trained for a 60 by the way, the most I've done so far is 25, and I'm just starting to build a few more miles in. I'm restricted of course, with working 5 days a week and having a family life too, like many.

I hear stories of there being something of a wall at about 40. I'm focused on hydration and fuelling to try and beat that bonk, but something in my mind is nagging at me that I'll never do 60. It's quite a hilly 25, but the 60 leaves the 25 course and flattens out on a long loop through Beds so it's no more elevation really.

I suppose the crux of my question is will a 60 take me by surprise, i.e. is it a really significant jump from 25 to 60 as a one-off? With only 4 weeks to go, would you recommend a go at the longer distance? I'm slightly nervous if I'm honest.

never seen a wall at 40
I'm a fat bastard and cycled 200 miles in 11 hours last year - you worry too much, just do it!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Yes I'll be riding with a couple of colleagues so there's some moral support at least. If I have to drop back and ride with people I don't work with directly that's fine, we're all in the same boat. You're right, I should stop worrying and just get on with it.

@Pale Rider - This wasn't me reading pseudo science on the internet, it was a conversation with the event organiser, he rides an awful lot so I thought I'd at least listen and then check for opinion here too. Your tone makes me feel bad that I asked, there's no need for sarcasm here really. I'm just trying to learn.

 

[Tim Hall]

As others said, comfort on the bike is a key issue. 60 miles is around 100km, so you're going to be on the bike around 5 hours, give or take. If your bum starts hurting at twio hours, the rest won't be so much fine.

Regarding nutrition "eat before you get hungry, drink before you get thirsty" works for me. I'm very bad about drinking enough on hot days and have to remember to do so. Food is easier, but I'd still pack a couple of nutty bars in a jersey pocket, just in case.

Go and enjoy it.

 

[Pale Rider]

Yes I'll be riding with a couple of colleagues so there's some moral support at least. If I have to drop back and ride with people I don't work with directly that's fine, we're all in the same boat. You're right, I should stop worrying and just get on with it.

@Pale Rider - This wasn't me reading pseudo science on the internet, it was a conversation with the event organiser, he rides an awful lot so I thought I'd at least listen and then check for opinion here too. Your tone makes me feel bad that I asked, there's no need for sarcasm here really. I'm just trying to learn.

No sarcasm from me, I'm just agreeing with the other replies which say, in terms, glycogen and all that stuff is not relevant to a cyclist who can already ride 25 miles and more, but wants to do 60.

I would go as far to say you could complete the ride without eating or drinking anything, although there's no point in trying to do that.

I've found fluid consumption to be more dependent on ambient temperature than ride difficulty.

In other words, you will need to drink a lot more doing 60 miles in five hours in boiling hot weather than you would if you did the same ride at the same pace on a cool day.

Nutrition can also be over-thought.

As an old roadie once told me: "You can cycle a long way on a banana and a Mars bar."

To which the sarcastic answer is: "Yes, but you can cycle a lot further on a bicycle."

Good luck, and don't take the ride too seriously - you've no need to.