I cracked 70 miles today..

[Alan O]

It's funny you should mention that. Yesterday I was starting to think about wether or not I could tackle the magic century. As time goes by I'm sure curiousty will get the better of me and will have a go at it. It's going to a long way off though before I get to that stage, but it's going to be good fun training for it :-)

I reckon reaching a target of a hundred, or any distance, can be achieved more easily than many people think - by getting your pacing right.

A lot of people push their rides, and end up with aching legs, sore knees, or whatever, and feel (probably quite rightly) that to reach a greater distance at the same pace will require more training, better fitness, stronger legs...

But, on the other hand, if you go at a slower pace that does not push your legs past what they can continuously achieve aerobically, and keep the fuel and water intake going at the same rate it's being used up, it then only becomes a matter of time - and there's no reason why you can't keep going all day.

At least, that's my theory, and it's my approach to the 100-mile I'll be doing in a little over a month. My rides so far have only been in the 40-50 mile range (although mostly off-road and so more demanding than road miles), but the key thing is I've been going at a pace that doesn't tire out my legs - I go for a walk afterwards as a 'warm-down' and a short ride the next day, and my legs don't feel like they're anywhere near their limit. (I'm also doing shorter harder-pushing rides, so I'm gradually getting my comfortable pace up a little too).

So when I do my 100, I'll be finishing way behind the faster riders - but I've got all day, I'll have a bag stuffed full of high-carb goodies (and sausages) and I'm confident I'll manage it.

Alan

 

[johnnyb47]

Well said Alan.
I think your "spot on" in saying that pacing your self is the key to achieving a century. The legs don't feel to bad this morning. In fact they had felt worse doing a flat out 20 mile ride before now. My bike still felt very comfortable yesterday even at the end. My backside wasn't complaining from the razor saddle and neither were my wrists or neck. It was just my knees that were feeling a little worse for wear and a few localised pains in my legs. A couple of beers last night soon sorted that out though..
I'm glad it's raining today as its given me a good excuse to leave the bike well alone and recover somewhat. How on earth these professional cyclists can keep covering the mileages each day as well as race them makes a mere mortal like me appreciate how fit they really are.

 

[si_c]

My all day pace is somewhere around 2/3 of my flat out commuting pace. So aiming for an average speed of around 15mph.

I can comfortably keep that going all day, whereas my commute pace I can manage for a couple of hours tops.

 

[Ice2911]

It's funny you should mention that. Yesterday I was starting to think about wether or not I could tackle the magic century. As time goes by I'm sure curiousty will get the better of me and will have a go at it. It's going to a long way off though before I get to that stage, but it's going to be good fun training for it :-)

The fun part on the training for a 100 is the number of legitimate cake stops. You have to make sure you eat and drink enough to keep you fueled for the duration of the ride. Good enough excuse for me ps you don't need to do a 100mile ride in your training, I think most would say if you can do 75% of a distance you are training for then you should be able to do it on the day.

 

[delb0y]

My all day pace is somewhere around 2/3 of my flat out commuting pace. So aiming for an average speed of around 15mph.

I can comfortably keep that going all day, whereas my commute pace I can manage for a couple of hours tops.

This thread is making me feel decidedly slow!

 

[jonny jeez]

I ......... can we say Yarrrrrrrr instead ? It'll make it more fun being pirate themed .

Yarrrrr.

Although soon it'll be jonnybeton

 

[Markymark]

If you can do 70 now in a couple of weeks you could do 100. Just ride a little slower and stop a little longer and eat more.

 

[Alan O]

you don't need to do a 100mile ride in your training, I think most would say if you can do 75% of a distance you are training for then you should be able to do it on the day.

Yep, I definitely agree with that - there's a psychological boost on the big day too, which really does make a difference.

Alan

PS: Actually, I'd go a bit further and suggest it can actually be a bad idea to reach the 100 in training for a 100-mile event - because you'll have taken away the big incentive to make it on the day.