Cycle 1000 miles in a month?

[Tigerbiten]

I start to get fit for a tour with trying to do 100 mile per week, either lots of short rides or a few longer rides.
After a month or so I'll start to up the distance so that at the start of my tour I can fairly easily do 150 miles per week.
I find it's best if each week I either do 4 short rides in one block, a day off, a longer ride, another day off.
Or 3 short, off, 2 long, off, 3 or 4 short, etc, etc.
Mixing and matching the distances makes it more "fun" and if it not "fun" you'll soon stop.

I then at the start of a long tour I find my first 1,000 miles tends to take around 35 days.
I then tend to knock 5 days off each of the next 1,000 miles until I get down to 20 days per 1,000.
I'll then keep that speed until the end of the tour.
I find that weeks 2-3 are the hardest on tour because I've run my reserves down but I've yet to build my full cycling fitness.
After that it just gets easier as I rebuild my reserves as I get cycling fit.
And I'm now the well wrong side of 50 but as I don't work anymore I've got plenty of time to do it in.

So it's easily possible if you take your time to build up to it.

 

[Swanage53]

Hi guys and girls,
Thought I would give a quick update if anybody is still interested? I have upped my road miles and had a better January than last year, although recent bad weather has meant sometime stuck in the garage on the rollers so the past couple of weeks has been a bit slow. Managed a couple of quick rides this weekend, only short, today was flippin' cold and wet but better than the rollers. I have noticed that my fitness level is improving although I have a long way to go. I have booked a place on the Chilterns Samaritans ride at the end of June to finish off the month and a friend who did it with me a couple of years ago is coming down from up north to join me for the day. It's a great event which I am looking forward to. Last time I did the 80 miles in 5 hours 44 mins including stop at feed station. If I can knock a couple of minutes off this year I will be more than happy. ☺

 

[Ming the Merciless]

How is your wife getting on with building her fitness? Am I right in thinking you will be doing your challenge together?

 

[Swanage53]

How is your wife getting on with building her fitness? Am I right in thinking you will be doing your challenge together?

No my wife hasn't cycled for a number of years because of issues with her legs, and cycling then for us was just a few miles at a leisurely pace, nowhere near the level that I am doing.

 

[13 rider]

Keep at it @Swanage53 . Keep us posted looks like your heading the the right direction

 

[davidphilips]

1000 miles a month should be ok as long as you build yourself up to it slowly, This last 6 months (apart from really wet,windy or very cold days) i have done a club run every morning that works out about 350 a week and i am not the fastest or fittest in the club and apart from taking a lot of milk i dont have any special diet or take supplements.

My advice only do big miles if you really like cycling and are ready to keep cleaning a bike and replacing chains etc, do not use cheap chains as the difference in price between say a pc830 and a pc850 is only a few pounds but a sram pc 850 lasts at least twice as long (in my view any way) good luck and happy cycling.

 

[Boon 51]

Prior to me breaking my leg 1,000 miles a month was about standard for me but I don't drive.

Ditto.. About the same for me until I broke my hip.

 

[Swanage53]

Ditto.. About the same for me until I broke my hip.

All these broken limbs, am starting to think that cycling is actually bad for you health? hope all is well now for both you and Raleighnut.

 

[raleighnut]

All these broken limbs, am starting to think that cycling is actually bad for you health? hope all is well now for both you and Raleighnut.

My broken Femur had nothing to do with cycling, it was a simple fall, however I landed on a Pallet Truck and the impact snapped it into 3 pieces.

I've only ever broken Collarbones (and strangely both little fingers) from bike tumbles in 50+ yrs of cycling.

 

[Swanage53]

Hi guys and girls,

I've not been around these parts lately, so I thought I'd better give you an update. Well it's day 2 and I have done 119 miles so by my reckoning I am on day 4ish based on 33 miles per day average. Tomorrow should give me at least another 40 miles but then I have 2 enforced rest days due to work commitments. I am confident though that I should have at least 250 miles under my belt for next weekend. So looking good so far and legs are good. Last month I did 450 miles including a couple of days of 65 miles, so I have a bit of work to do. Most importantly the cash sponsorship is rolling in.

I will try not to leave it so long next time.

Thanks for indulging me.

Alan

 

[13 rider]

Well done so far . Keep at it @Swanage53 .

 

[Swanage53]

So 8 days in and 283 miles done so far. A bit less than I would really like, but today the wind was brutal and I only managed 24 miles. I also got wet yesterday but did get 49 miles done. So tomorrow I think it's an early start and get a few miles in. Sponsorship pounds are going up and my personal mass pounds are going down, despite my increased eating. So it's win all round. More updates later.

 

[Swanage53]

So it was a tough week to say the least, although it started well! Sunday I clocked up 70miles around the Thames Valley and Monday was a planned rest day which I was glad of come Monday evening. Tuesday started reasonable but couldn't do the full 23 miles to the station and could only do 15 because of the road conditions. Fortunately my route runs parallel to the railway so I have a choice of stations where I can catch my train. The ride home was a little better and managed 23 miles. Wednesday 23 miles followed by 11 miles on the way home due to being constantly wet and battered by the wind. Thursday I didn't bother, I was so fed up. Yesterday was better and managed 23 miles each way followed by 40 miles this morning. Currently am on 517 miles so am ahead of where I need to be but wanted to have more in the bank. Am confident that I should be able to get 270 miles in, subject to the weather so fingers crossed, and thanks for you interest.

 

[13 rider]

You would have thought June would have been a good month weather wise for your attempt but not so . Keep at it

 

[Swanage53]

You would have thought June would have been a good month weather wise for your attempt but not so . Keep at it

That is why I chose June, that and the long days.