How to train for my 1st long distance" ride ??

[Dave7]

Does anyone have a link that has ideas of how best to train/get ready for a first long distance ride??

I mentioned on another thread that I am 68 (yesterday) and planning to do a 68 mile road ride.
As of last year I had built up to 40 milers.............then some wheels fell off
I found I had cancer and over the last 14 months had had 4 operations which knocked me back to scratch.Feeling gooood right now.
3 months ago we were robbed and my bikes were stolen. I have replaced them and have a nice road bike which I have not ridden yet.
I am very much a fair weather cyclist but am training on the exercise bike.......now up to 45 minutes (flat out) & 12 miles.
I plan to do the ride in May if possible but quite happy to do it later if that is unreasonable.

Any suggestions/thoughts welcome.
Thanks

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I like this article http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/training-for-a-century-ride/ if only because it demystifies things a bit.

 

[ianrauk]

I like this article http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/training-for-a-century-ride/ if only because it demystifies things a bit.

That's a very good article.
Though swap gels for jelly beans or haribo or such like and save yourself some dosh.. plus they taste much better.

 

[raleighnut]

Good advice there.

 

[gbb]

Pacing yourself on the day is a huge benefit. When I was fit I'd ride hard for 50 miles but anything over that, I'd start flagging (i was In my early/mid 50s). One of the last big rides was 125 km (80ish miles?), I went out for the day, determined to enjoy it and just rode at a steady pace, it felt like icould have just gone on and on. Knocking 2mph off your normal cruising speed makes a huge difference.

 

[Dave7]

I like this article http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/training-for-a-century-ride/ if only because it demystifies things a bit.

Quite good sense in that .........thanks.
I like the part that says you should have a weekly "total" mileage equalling somewhere near your goal e.g. in my case 6-70 miles.........I will do that.

 

[deadhead1971]

Hi all,

I'm the author of the article you've been discussing.

I was looking at my site stats and noticed some traffic coming from here, so I thought I'd drop by.

So nice to read your positive comments. Thank you!

Kind regards,
Alan
Www.scarletfire.co.uk

 

[Dave7]

Hi all,

I'm the author of the article you've been discussing.

I was looking at my site stats and noticed some traffic coming from here, so I thought I'd drop by.

So nice to read your positive comments. Thank you!

Kind regards,
Alan
Www.scarletfire.co.uk

If I get through the 68 miles I MIGHT send you a big kiss.
If I dont..........then I wont

 

[Freds Dad]

The link looks great advice. @Dave7 where are you in Cheshire?

 

[Dave7]

The link looks great advice. @Dave7 where are you in Cheshire?

North Warrington.

 

[Joffey]

My advice as an unfit fat man would be to make sure you can do a 50 miler without too many problems first and you should be fine as long as you keep hydrated and eat when riding. For me hydration is key - I ran out of water on a 100 miler last year and experienced the worse cramp EVER. My fave bike foods for long rides are flapjack, bananas & Soreen (and the odd bag of sweeties).

Good luck sir!!!

 

[w00hoo_kent]

For me hydration is key - I ran out of water on a 100 miler last year and experienced the worse cramp EVER.

I managed to run out of water on my test ride for the Ride London thanks to poor route planning, so that's a good point. The temptation is to pick quiet roads to minimise traffic, when you are sorting out your route make sure you know where you are going to stop to recharge batteries, don't just presume there will be somewhere on the way.

I also found the idea of 'what you do in a normal week you can do in a single day now and then' as a really comforting bit of advice coming up to the longer ride.

 

[ACS]

Dave just a simple good luck from me.

 

[Joffey]

Don't 'they' say that you can do 150% of your longest ride if you have been training? I would be pretty nervous trying to do 150!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Here's a thought: Try not to think of your training rides as training but as exploring. Search out interesting (ish) things like windmills or something and visit them. I like doing stuff like that - maybe not for everyone.