LEJOG Training

[Christkd]

Isn't a training program the same as getting a few miles in but in a slightly mre structured way? I had a plan of how many miles I wanted to do each week before LEJoG. Sometimes I exceeded it, sometimes I didn't.

You could always do what one of our group did - training for day 2 was done on day 1. Training for day 3 was done on day 2......etc!

I have been active through martial arts for years but my first long ride (67 miles) had me suffering terrible hamstring cramps!!!!

It was purely the fact I wasn't used to working those muscles for such a long time! After some leg conditioning, spin classes and more longer rides (only 4 more before LEJOG) I was more than ready!!

Certainly some preperation is necessary for a sucessful journey but as Ian mentions you will get stronger and fitter as you go!
Try and get out and do at least one 80 miler before you go just so you know you can do it!

All the best

Chris

 

[Rebel Ian]

I have been active through martial arts for years but my first long ride (67 miles) had me suffering terrible hamstring cramps!!!!

It was purely the fact I wasn't used to working those muscles for such a long time! After some leg conditioning, spin classes and more longer rides (only 4 more before LEJOG) I was more than ready!!

Certainly some preperation is necessary for a sucessful journey but as Ian mentions you will get stronger and fitter as you go!
Try and get out and do at least one 80 miler before you go just so you know you can do it!

All the best

Chris

Hmmm, this getting fitter as you go on business. I'm not sure I really noticed that. My knees just kept getting more creaky each day!

I agree with Chris about getting some longer rides in. 1000 miles training is all good but if it's in stints of 30 miles you'll never know how you're gonna feel doing 70-80 a day. 96 miles was our longest! My only 'additional' tip would be to do back-to-back rides of that distance. If you can do 80 miles for two consecutive days you can do it for 10 or 12 or owever many you plan to ride for.

 

[Christkd]

Hmmm, this getting fitter as you go on business. I'm not sure I really noticed that. My knees just kept getting more creaky each day!

I agree with Chris about getting some longer rides in. 1000 miles training is all good but if it's in stints of 30 miles you'll never know how you're gonna feel doing 70-80 a day. 96 miles was our longest! My only 'additional' tip would be to do back-to-back rides of that distance. If you can do 80 miles for two consecutive days you can do it for 10 or 12 or owever many you plan to ride for.

I guess it depends on whether you are carrying any injuries etc as to whether you feel better as you go on! After the 3rd day I felt like death but from there I just felt stronger and stronger!!

 

[Rebel Ian]

I guess it depends on whether you are carrying any injuries etc as to whether you feel better as you go on! After the 3rd day I felt like death but from there I just felt stronger and stronger!!

Dartmoor National Park killed my knees!!!

 

[vernon]

Isn't a training program the same as getting a few miles in but in a slightly mre structured way? I had a plan of how many miles I wanted to do each week before LEJoG. Sometimes I exceeded it, sometimes I didn't.

You could always do what one of our group did - training for day 2 was done on day 1. Training for day 3 was done on day 2......etc!

Some training plans are obsessive with fixed ration mileage gains per week. Increasing pannier loadings. Tabulating the daily performance...

It can take the fun out of the preparation.

In reality LEJOG is not that demanding when ridden at a 10mph average speed. There's lots of pseudo science and psycobabble spun about the preparations needed. I contend that a person of average fitness can do the ride with minimal discomfort in a fortnight. It gets even easier if the time slot is stretched to three weeks. Reduceing the time slot does increase the level of fitness needed and hats off to those that do the ride in less than seven days.

 

[Christkd]

Dartmoor National Park killed my knees!!!

Lol We didn't do Dartmoor, we went via Launceston then on to Tiverton!!

 

[Gingerbloke]

I was aiming for a 12.5mph average speed for the whole run, ended up being over 16mph, with somewhere in the region of 1,000 miles done in the 4 months leading up to it.
If you have the time, I would certainly advise doing the distance you intend to ride, at least back to back if not on 3 consecutive days, how I felt at the end of the 3rd day was the worst I felt for the whole trip - However that was also the first night I had a real appetite.

You'll love the trip, but if you feel you need a rest while you are doing it - take one, the achievement is finishing.....!!!!

 

[Mitz]

Hmmm, this getting fitter as you go on business. I'm not sure I really noticed that. My knees just kept getting more creaky each day!

I agree with Chris about getting some longer rides in. 1000 miles training is all good but if it's in stints of 30 miles you'll never know how you're gonna feel doing 70-80 a day. 96 miles was our longest! My only 'additional' tip would be to do back-to-back rides of that distance. If you can do 80 miles for two consecutive days you can do it for 10 or 12 or owever many you plan to ride for.

30 mile4 runs is what I'm doing. When I started the thread I didnt mean to intimate I had a specific training scheme ... I'm just really interested to see what people did before they started.

I guess it depends on whether you are carrying any injuries etc as to whether you feel better as you go on! After the 3rd day I felt like death but from there I just felt stronger and stronger!!

Strangely from the start I have suffered no twinges, and (worryingly) I dont now gfeel like I have ridden too far when I get of my morning ride. Maybe I need to push myself more, I dont know. I am expecting that the first two days from Lands End will be horrendous. I have no illusions about that.

I was aiming for a 12.5mph average speed for the whole run, ended up being over 16mph, with somewhere in the region of 1,000 miles done in the 4 months leading up to it.
If you have the time, I would certainly advise doing the distance you intend to ride, at least back to back if not on 3 consecutive days, how I felt at the end of the 3rd day was the worst I felt for the whole trip - However that was also the first night I had a real appetite.

You'll love the trip, but if you feel you need a rest while you are doing it - take one, the achievement is finishing.....!!!!

My partner in crime is aiming at 15 mph. I dont work, but he has just the two weeks off, so has to do it in that time span.
Our first day is 50 miles to St Austell, so I do intend to get the wife to drop me off somewhere 50 miles away and I'll make my way back. The hills here are a nightmare though

 

[Rebel Ian]

Our first day is 50 miles to St Austell, so I do intend to get the wife to drop me off somewhere 50 miles away and I'll make my way back. The hills here are a nightmare though

Our day 1 was 65 and we went beyond St Austell to Lostwithiel (Lanhydrock actually). It's once you get beyond St Austell that the roads are just constantly undulating. Was a real killer on day 1. Good choice to stop at St Austell.

 

[wintonbina]

Some training plans are obsessive with fixed ration mileage gains per week. Increasing pannier loadings. Tabulating the daily performance...

It can take the fun out of the preparation.

In reality LEJOG is not that demanding when ridden at a 10mph average speed. There's lots of pseudo science and psycobabble spun about the preparations needed. I contend that a person of average fitness can do the ride with minimal discomfort in a fortnight. It gets even easier if the time slot is stretched to three weeks. Reduceing the time slot does increase the level of fitness needed and hats off to those that do the ride in less than seven days.

I think I can see both views, I trained hard (as did all of our team except for my 19 year old son who didn't do any miles at all (bar 200) and he coasted it!(we averaged 15mph) So its horses for courses!!!

 

[Gingerbloke]

When I first really upped my mileage from less than 100 miles a week to somewhere near 250 during summer 2010, I had a problem with my left knee, turned out to be a muscle inbalance, which was leading to my kneecap tracking out of line. If this would have happened to me during LEJOG, I certainly wouldn't have completed it. It's all about knowing what you can cope with...!!!!

 

[Mitz]

Well, up to 43 miles now ... although the last 12 miles I had to cycle in the pouring rain with no waterproofs, as I havent got around to buying any yet. Who would have thought it, The rain in Spain falls mainly on ........ the poor bloody cyclist in the hills around Xativa, Valencia

 

[Christkd]

At least its warm rain!!!! The rain you'll get here (if at all) will be quite different!!

Keep pushing the mileage to ensure you are capable of doing an 80 miler, I'm sure you are but it helps with your mindset when you start LEJOG to know you can complete that sort of mileage, just gotta do that every day during your trip!!

Good luck

Chris

 

[Rebel Ian]

Well, up to 43 miles now ... although the last 12 miles I had to cycle in the pouring rain with no waterproofs, as I havent got around to buying any yet. Who would have thought it, The rain in Spain falls mainly on ........ the poor bloody cyclist in the hills around Xativa, Valencia

We got soaked at least once a day for a week but after the first couple of days you get used to it and just carry on. Once you're soaked you can't get any wetter so you might as well just carry on. Stopping just makes you get cold!

 

[vernon]

We got soaked at least once a day for a week but after the first couple of days you get used to it and just carry on. Once you're soaked you can't get any wetter so you might as well just carry on. Stopping just makes you get cold!

The ride will also generate false memories. I don't recall much rain on either my LEJOG or JOGLE. My photographs say otherwise.