Building up to longer distances

[Flick of the Elbow]

I'd only done 2 40 mile rides before I did Manchester to Blackpool which is 63 miles and half the miles were rolled away while chatting while riding, and as in an above post lots of fluids and some food

Funnily enough, my first long ride was also the Manchester to Blackpool charity ride, only, instead of finishing in Blackpool, I joined 3 of my workmates in then riding home to Derby. Can't remember how far that was but I do remember stopping in a country pub at about 100 miles thinking how much better I was feeling than on the previous 100's I'd ridden when 100 marked the finish. Hence my state of mind observation.
I subsequently discovered Audax, did three 600's over the following years and numerous of the shorter events. 600 was always enough for me, PBP distances never appealed.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I prefer @Flick of the Elbow approach for a novice. A sit down (on the grass or with coffee and cake) can bring the spirits (and glycogen?) back up pretty quickly. I've taken several people London to Brighton who really only could cycle 10 miles or so. But with a good break every 10 miles you can pretty well recover completely, so a 60 mile ride becomes 6 10 miles rides, which they can do.

For people grossly under-prepared (such as those you describe) for a longer ride that sounds good advice. But let's just focus back on the OP who said:

Is there any specific way to build up to doing a 50 mile ride . . .I have done 40 miles a few times but not yet gone up to 50

He is not a novice and I suggest that, for him/her my approach will serve him/her in better stead. You be suggesting that people who feel a bit iffy on a running marathon stop and have a little walk next. Far better to keep jogging, and the same goes for cycling 50 miles, when you've already cycled 40 on previous occasions.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

He is not a novice and I suggest that, for him/her my approach will serve him/her in better stead. You be suggesting that people who feel a bit iffy on a running marathon stop and have a little walk next. Far better to keep jogging, and the same goes for cycling 50 miles, when you've already cycled 40 on previous occasions.

Besides riding numerous audaxes I've also run a couple of marathons and there's no comparison between the two. If you stop in a marathon your legs quickly seize up. If you stop in a bike ride they don't.

 

[Ajax Bay]

If you stop in a marathon your legs quickly seize up.

Sorry, I have no idea what happens when you stop in a marathon. Never tried it - sub 2.30 speed (bitd) doesn't allow for stopping.

I didn't suggest stopping btw, in fact I positively discouraged it.

 

[Tin Pot]

Run-walk is a tried and tested route to completion:

http://www.runnersworld.com/newswire/study-runwalk-strategy-can-make-marathon-hurt-less

However, 50miles on the bike is nothing like a marathon, so the comparison is indeed invalid

 

[Ajax Bay]

Who runs a marathon to 'hurt less'? (OT)

 

[Tin Pot]

Who runs a marathon to 'hurt less'? (OT)

Fair play - how about walk-run for speed?

http://www.220triathlon.com/trainin...tegy-to-become-a-faster-triathlete/10504.html

I know what you're going to say - who buys a bike to become a 'triathlete'?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Powering through has it's uses, but if you are close to bonking, it's miserable, and you will just get slower and slower and sadder and sadder.

Ha ha! That's familiar. A nice turn of words.

I've never "bonked" by the way - I've read about it and it's never happened to me. It's just that when I do a ride that's beyond my range limit (whatever that happens to be at the time) I know I will "get slower and slower and sadder and sadder" at the end. I call it the "misery zone". Eating, drinking, resting, whatever. It just delays the inevitable. When the spring has wound down, that's it. It takes more than a sit down and a piece of cake to wind it up again.

That said, I think the OP just needs to keep riding and maybe ride a bit more, and will be fine.

 

[Tim Hall]

I prefer @Flick of the Elbow approach for a novice. A sit down (on the grass or with coffee and cake) can bring the spirits (and glycogen?) back up pretty quickly. I've taken several people London to Brighton who really only could cycle 10 miles or so. But with a good break every 10 miles you can pretty well recover completely, so a 60 mile ride becomes 6 10 miles rides, which they can do.

Powering through has it's uses, but if you are close to bonking, it's miserable, and you will just get slower and slower and sadder and sadder.

Following to to the cake advice above, low blood sugar can mess up your critical thinking. So when/if you get a puncture, have a snack first, before you try to fix it. (It means you get to eat with clean hands too).

 

[jefmcg]

He is not a novice and I suggest that, for him/her my approach will serve him/her in better stead. You be suggesting that people who feel a bit iffy on a running marathon stop and have a little walk next. Far better to keep jogging, and the same goes for cycling 50 miles, when you've already cycled 40 on previous occasions.

I think we all agree he could cycle 50 tomorrow. He really doesn't need advice on how to do that, he should just do it.

My tip, I guess, is if he wanted to ride 100 tomorrow, he could do that too. Just 2 long stops at the 40 and 70 mile points should do it.

 

[Lemond]

Following to to the cake advice above, low blood sugar can mess up your critical thinking. So when/if you get a puncture, have a snack first, before you try to fix it. (It means you get to eat with clean hands too).

Great advice. I did London to Paris for charity last summer and there were a couple of stages where I just didn't eat and drink enough and really suffered. The frightening bit is that I had everything I needed with me, but that mental fog just kind of sneaks up on you (I've since read that some pros carry timers to remind them when to take a drink or eat something, as even they can sometimes forget). Amazing how quickly you can recover after a drink and just a small amount of food.

Physically, I coped quite well with the distances, apart from a lovely saddle sore which sprung up on the drive home from Paris. But mentally, I found it really draining, to the point where preparing my kit each morning got very laborious. Sometimes I'd pack and then unpack my bag a couple of times, because I'd forgotten where I'd put things. It was an amazing experience and I learnt so much. Doing it again in July (just for fun this time) although skipping the London to Newhaven bit so we have more time to sight-see in France. Will be much better prepared this time around.

 

[Ajax Bay]

low blood sugar can mess up your critical thinking. So when/if you get a puncture, have a snack first, before you try to fix it.

I put some jellybabies (bagged) in with my spare inner tube, as a sacrificial offering to the p***ture fairy, for this very purpose. (NB Replaced weekly)

some pros carry timers to remind them when to take a drink or eat

Having an 'alarm on lap complete' eg for 5 miles, serves a similar purpose, and you can see how well/fast you've cycled the last 5 miles and ponder the excuses for it not being under 20 minutes while you eat/nibble/drink or reflect how much downhill/downwind it's been when you see 15 something come up.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

you can see how well/fast you've cycled the last 5 miles and ponder the excuses for it not being under 20 minutes while you eat/nibble/drink or reflect how much downhill/downwind it's been when you see 15 something come up.

I'm sensing, AB, that you and I are at different ends of the ends of the competitive spectrum. I can honestly say that I've never had to ponder an excuse during a ride !

 

[Swifty]

I think we all agree he could cycle 50 tomorrow. He really doesn't need advice on how to do that, he should just do it.

My tip, I guess, is if he wanted to ride 100 tomorrow, he could do that too. Just 2 long stops at the 40 and 70 mile points should do it.

Thanks for all the various tips on preparing for a 50 mile ride .whilst I am quite confident I could achieve the distance ok it was more a case of being able to do it sensibly without creating myself any long term problems .even though I am getting closer to 60 years old I have only in the last 18 months got back into cycling since a teenager but do quite like the idea of pushing myself if I can can manage 40 miles around Shropshire and Cheshire at weekends so hope the sportive I am planning will be much flatter than what I normally ride quite surprised by how many people have taken up this thread

 

[Lemond]

If you've done a few 40s you can probably handle 50 without too much trouble. But if you're at all nervous why not just ease up to it with a 45 miler or two?

I went from 30 to 50 in one jump and wish I hadn't. Everything was going fine until I passed the 40 mile mark and then the pain kicked in. Unfortunately I was 10 miles from home so just had to tough it out. Great sense of achievement though