Hints and Tips Please

[Bubba8582]

Hi All

I am entered into the Vatternrundan in Sweden in June, and im a total novice rider. The Vatternrundan is a 300km ride in one hit. I have started my training but am looking for some hints and tips in what kind of training i should be doing, how long i should be riding for to build up for it etc.

Any hints and tips at all would be very much appreciated, as i really aint got a scooby doo what i should be doing, apart from riding that is!!

And if you have ever competed in this event or know anyone who has done it before, a brief description of your experience would be great to get an idea of what the ride is like

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions

Thank you in advance

 

[bof]

Hi All

I am entered into the Vatternrundan in Sweden in June, and im a total novice rider. The Vatternrundan is a 300km ride in one hit. I have started my training but am looking for some hints and tips in what kind of training i should be doing, how long i should be riding for to build up for it etc.

Doable, if you've got OK fitness.

Make sure your bike is comfortable as possible - saddle at the correct height and horizontal position relative to the pedals, handlebars the right reach, saddle the right width for your seatbones and that you have good shorts, shoes and mitts as well.

Try and ride as often as you can - short distances are fine, using the bike for commuting, shopping, going out etc.whenever possible.

Get in one longer ride a week at the weekend. Try to build this one up to 60miles/100km as quickly as possible - this weekend if you can. Do it at a pace where you feel comfortable and take in drink (buy something called Nuun tablets which are flavoured salt to ensure you get your electrolytes, popping in one portion tor each alternate bottle of water) and take along whatever carb rich foods you like to snack on and nibble away. Do a few of those, then try a 150km ride followed by a couple of 200km rides. If you can manage those, you'll get round and you might even enjoy yourselves.

If you can't drag out your mates as company, try Audax events (they go upto and beyond 200km) or a slower club ride (to around 100km max) to ride with others as that encourages you to go faster than you would on your own and gives you company. CTC rides are another possibility, but they're too slow and have too long breaks for my liking.

 

[Fiona N]

I totally agree with Bof - time on the bike is of the essence. The food stops are quite widely spaced IIRC - about 75 km - so you have to be able to do this as a minimum without a break. The course isn't completely flat but the hills are such that many people are so knackered when they hit them that they may as well be Alpe d'Huez - so keep something in reserve.

I did the Vatternundan at a time a few years ago when I was really fit and was steaming on the way 'back' - riding in the big packs at more than 40kmph. But I could easily ride 300km on my own so I had no doubts about getting round. If you don't have that confidence and experience, you have to be a bit more conservative - ride with others when they're going your pace but don't be tempted to jump onto the big, fast packs and waste energy keeping up those speeds (drafting is fine if you're competent at riding close enough and trust your fellow cyclists - without these, riding at 40kmph is nerve-wracking and energy intensive)