Cycle 1000 miles in a month?

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Swanage53

Well-Known Member
Location
North Hampshire
Hi guys and girls,
I am looking for thoughts and guidance on cycling 1000 miles in a month.

First some background I am 56 years old and took up cycling some 5 years ago to get fit. In August 2015 I did my first "long" solo ride of 85 miles, which started as a joke but I raised over £1000 for charity, in August 2016 I did a 120 mile ride with 2 others and a couple of 80 mile(ish) Sportives. Last year I didn't do any rides nearing 80 miles, and I did 2400 road miles during the year. At various times I have commuted to work, covering anywhere between 20 and 50 miles per day. I know I am not quite as fit as I was during 2016. This weekend I have done 2 rides of about 30 miles each at an average speed of 15mph. This is pretty typical of where I am at present, with a couple of evenings a week on the rollers in the garage.

I want to do 1000 miles during June as a personal challenge and for charity sponsorship, which will include commuting approx 50 miles 3 days per week, a couple of 80 mile Sportives, which will obviously need topping up with more miles.

Does this look like a practical proposition, and what sort of regime (training and food) do I need to be looking at?

Thanks in advance.

Alan
 
It’s do-able. Make sure your bike and kit are comfortable. Then get out and do it. It sounds like you’re at a reasonable level of fitness.
 

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
June this year is a good month to do it as you get 5 full weekends so more free time . Target works out at 33.3 miles a day or 233 a week .Many of us on here do that sort of milage . The options are complete some super long rides or ride everyday . Personally I go for the everyday option longer rides at weekends and top up miles during the week. . Between now and then I would do some runs of consecutive days to get use to riding on tried legs
Good luck on your challenge keep us updated
 
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1/6 is a Saturday. Bang out 80 or 100 miles on Saturday and Sunday and you'll be 16-20% towards your goal, but only 7% through your time.

Make sure your plan allows for some days off due to life or minor injuries: plan to finish a few days before the end of the month.

I've done 1000 miles one month, but that included a single ride (over 4 days) of 750 miles. I'm not sure I have achieved that target on any other month.
 
I tend to do the most miles in May. Two bank holidays probably helps. Your body will tell you that you are doing too much, but it is surprising how quickly the tired legs disappear within a few miles of getting back on the bike the day after a big ride. I kind of miss that dull ache in the thighs I used to get doing big mileage months!
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
I did a similar challenge a decade ago where I was aiming for 5,000 miles.

If you break the back of the mileage during the week, then a long ride on a Saturday and a shorter one Sunday will see you there. If you do 25 miles a day Mon - Fri that is 125 miles. Then do a 100 miles Saturday. Then either have Sunday off or fit in a couple of easy hours. If you can manage to be away by sunrise on the Sat, it is a magical time and you will likely have completed the 100 miles by lunchtime. Then perhaps arrange a mini tour for one or two of the weekends in June where you clock up around 80 miles a day to deliver 285 miles weeks for those. One of my challenges was to complete a circuit round the outside of my county between the hours of sunrise and sunset. Extend the commute home on nice days, those extra miles add up. Plot your progress on a chart on the wall or whatever motivates you. If sponsored post a daily blog on how you are feeling / getting on. Keep them engaged.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Used to be just shy of my monthly commuting distance. I just got on and rode, never bothered with training so can't offer advice other than don't overdo it early on in the run up to June.

Best o'luck and let us know how June faired for you. Good or bad, by your own expectations.
 
Its easily doable I done 12 of them or more back in 2013; its just having the time and realising that, unless you are superfit, you can't ride at the same intensity every day. On low intensity days you just have to sit and balance but do minimal exertion. Good luck :okay:
 

mangid

Guru
Location
Cambridge
Hi guys and girls,
I am looking for thoughts and guidance on cycling 1000 miles in a month.

First some background I am 56 years old and took up cycling some 5 years ago to get fit. In August 2015 I did my first "long" solo ride of 85 miles, which started as a joke but I raised over £1000 for charity, in August 2016 I did a 120 mile ride with 2 others and a couple of 80 mile(ish) Sportives. Last year I didn't do any rides nearing 80 miles, and I did 2400 road miles during the year. At various times I have commuted to work, covering anywhere between 20 and 50 miles per day. I know I am not quite as fit as I was during 2016. This weekend I have done 2 rides of about 30 miles each at an average speed of 15mph. This is pretty typical of where I am at present, with a couple of evenings a week on the rollers in the garage.

I want to do 1000 miles during June as a personal challenge and for charity sponsorship, which will include commuting approx 50 miles 3 days per week, a couple of 80 mile Sportives, which will obviously need topping up with more miles.

Does this look like a practical proposition, and what sort of regime (training and food) do I need to be looking at?

Thanks in advance.

Alan

I quite often do more than 1000miles a month (21.5K last year), most of it is commuting miles, so yes, it's doable.

Get into the routine of commuting as soon as possible, don't let weather put you off, miles in the legs.

No specific training, and I don't eat differently to the rest of the family, just slightly larger portions.

Bike maintenance is also key, a clean bike feels quicker, mileage eats components (chains, sprockets, bottom brackets), keep on top of them, and have spares ready. I religiously clean the bike after every ride, and drivetrain after anything wet or dirty.
 
OP
OP
Swanage53

Swanage53

Well-Known Member
Location
North Hampshire
Good morning all,

Thanks for all the comments so far.

I think the biggest thing for me is pacing it through the month. My original thought is to work towards 2 days per week that I will not cycle, for various reasons including rest days and practical reasons. My commute varies between 10 and 38 miles, so I can reasonably expect to do at least 20 miles per day without extending the commute home which I was doing last year. Combination of commuting by train and bike means that it is not unreasonable to clock up 50 miles in a day quite easily.

There are two minor issues the first is travelling by train with a bike - which is not always easy and the second is fear of having a bike stolen, which is what happened last year.

With regard to aching legs the day after (Pumpkin the robot) I know that one from having done previous "long" rides and I have gone out the next day for a few easy miles to loosen up.

With regards to equipment I have 2 bikes both of which are comparitively new, kept clean, maintained by me and serviced once a year by local cycle shop.

I fully plan to keep everyone updated including sponsors, the charity, friends colleagues, employers and of course anybody interested on this forum.

Thanks again and please keep any comments and observations coming.

Alan
 

Soltydog

Legendary Member
Location
near Hornsea
You've plenty of time to train for doing this in June, try a few things out before than & see what works best for you. Last year I did 50 consecutive days of at least 50km & it was hard going on the legs, constantly aching for the last week or two. I find that if I do a long ride (100 miles ish) then it takes more than 24 hours rest to fully recover, I'll tend to be stiff & aching for two or more days :blush:
If the weather is favourable at the beginning of June I'd aim for at least 300 miles a week & then it gives you a chance if something slows you up at end of the month :okay:
Good luck with it
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
I set myself the same challenge last year. I cycle to work, so that made 20 miles per day which I extended, then some bigger rides on my rest days. At about 33 miles per day, my best advise it to get ahead of the required daily mileage. Missing a few miles, or a day, later in the month is very difficult to recover
 
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