Help please

[Claire Walton]

Hi I have just joined this site as I need help and encouragement and a new set of legs !! I have just signed up for a 450 miles ride from Bury st Edmunds Suffolk to Glasgow in July over 5 days I did London to Cambridge and London to Brighton rides in 2012 but that's it haven't been out in over a year but did a 35 mile first ride last Saturday need help with a training plan please if anyone can advise I would really appreciate it Thanks

 

[Dangermouse]

Hi Claire to CC

The only advice I can offer is get out and get as many miles in your legs as possible, start low and work up to some decent, long rides.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Welcome Claire!
I will refrain from giving advice (see user name ) but I can organize a welcome comity for when you get here!

 

[Fab Foodie]

As others have said, get the miles in!
But ....
Do it constructively. By which I mean mix up the kind of riding that you do. Mix longer gentler rides with short hard fast ones. Practice hills. If you can ride with a club or a small group this helps.

Things you need to think about: being in the saddle for long hours, being out in foul weather, developing a fueling strategy that works for you, develop your kit list.

 

[MikeG]

Join a club, Claire. That forces a routine on you, such as a Sunday club run every week, maybe a midweek ride too, and maybe the occasional time trial from a local pub.

As far as preparation for 90 miles a day for 5 days.......you'll need to build up the mileage gradually, to acclimatise yourself to spending long hours in the saddle, but my view is that long rides don't actually do an awful lot for your fitness. I am a big fan of short fast rides for fitness work. 10 miles as fast as you can achieves much more than a ploddy 50 miles in my experience. And build in some hilly rides. Don't do repetitions up the same hill, as that is just tedious, but take a hilly route and do it hard.

Keep a diary, or plot a graph. If you can be doing 100 + miles per week by May/ June, you'll be fine for the ride, so long as you have also done a ride or two of 90 miles. Then taper (ease off the training) for a couple of weeks before you go.

Mike

 

[Spinney]

Make sure your saddle and bum are comfy together! You can put up with a sore rear for one long day ride, or even 2, but for 5 days in a row you really want to be sure you have the comfiest set up you can.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi and Claire.

I won't try to add anything to what's already been said except don't let @Pat "5mph" fool you about not being able to do distances: link

 

[biggs682]

as others have said get the bike comfy and build the miles up gently ready for the onslaught of @Pat "5mph" welcome party

 

[i hate hills]

Welcome Claire i'm struggling for motivation to get out too...