My mistake 🙄

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I signed up for a 72 mile with a 4,500 ft total climbs for Action Ride Wessex Downs. Been riding my mountain bike all winter so no reason to be concerned. How wrong I was.
First was the seat on my road bike no longer fitted my rear end because I’ve not road that bike for 5 months. The second problem was I was using smaller top thigh muscles that I never used on my mtb. Maybe due to slightly different riding positions.
For the first time ever, I started to get the cramps after 50 miles and I knew if I stopped I’ve had it. When freewheeling I had to have equal pressure on the pedals or the least pressure thigh muscles started to lock up.
The third mistake was I had no idea how much distance I had left to ride. I was getting desperate to finish due to cramps, so I checked on google. It said 10 miles with moderate hills. I mile later I noticed the food stop, why bother if it’s only 10 miles and I’ll be laying on the dirt in pain🤷‍♂️. well yes it was ten miles if I went google directions but it turned out to be 20 miles😞. I only realised when I thought I must be near the finish and rechecked google and it told me I’ve got another 10 miles to go 😥 I managed to ride the cramps off 5 miles before the finish.
I’ll prepare better next time🤣

 

[Jameshow]

Sounds like not enough electrolytes!

Take a a sports drink or drink with a pinch of salt in it.

 

[Buck]

Pre hydration is much more important than during the ride. Then to prevent night cramps, post hydration!

Make sure you get out on your road bike and chek your fit is correct too. Might be a variance between the two bikes which exacerbated the ride challenges.

 

[Jameshow]

Pre hydration is much more important than during the ride. Then to prevent night cramps, post hydration!

Make sure you get out on your road bike and chek your fit is correct too. Might be a variance between the two bikes which exacerbated the ride challenges.

After about an our your performance suffers after 3 hours it suffers badly, 6 hours your dead meat with adequate refueling..

 

[Buck]

Don’t disagree. I could have been clearer. My point was that many people don’t hydrate ahead of a ride so they are playing catch up throughout the ride and failing.

In ride hydration (and eating) replaces that expended during the ride not before!

 

[Alex321]

After about an our your performance suffers after 3 hours it suffers badly, 6 hours your dead meat with adequate refueling..

I think you meant without adequate refuelling

 

[Drago]

The last sportive I marshal'd at one old feller was on a full squidgy MTB, and he was far from being the last through.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

Sounds like not enough electrolytes!

Take a a sports drink or drink with a pinch of salt in it.

as soon as I started getting the cramps I drank loads of the stuff 🤣

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

Sounds like not enough electrolytes!

Take a a sports drink or drink with a pinch of salt in it.

I left the start with two large bottles of electrolyte and a full malt loaf. I wasn’t near bonking out and I’d drank around 600 ml before the cramps set in around 40 miles in. Most likely not enough liquid and electrolyte. Mind you at the end I was on borrowed time 🤣
Last year I was fine doing 60 miles with 3,500 ft of climbing every weekend.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I’ve ordered some beetroot juice (pre ride)and going tooled up like John Wayne with bananas. Not having that happening again .

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Don’t forget to ride the bike you intend to use for upcoming events. Plus get some longer rides as necessary. The leg muscles need conditioning and shorter rides don’t cut it.

 

[ExBrit]

Until I started carrying salt pills on rides I would frequently suffer from cramps. I did find getting off the bike and walking for 5 minutes would help relieve incipient cramps a lot.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

Don’t forget to ride the bike you intend to use for upcoming events. Plus get some longer rides as necessary. The leg muscles need conditioning and shorter rides don’t cut it.

Your right there, I assumed because I kept riding throughout the winter I’d be good to go 🤣👍

 

[BrumJim]

Sounds like you bit off a bit more than you could chew at that point.

There is nothing that warms the heart, strengthens the legs and galvanises the resolve better than biting off a little more than you can chew, but still getting through it anyway. You may be better prepared next time, with better fueling, getting hydration right, and carefully studying the parcours before setting out. And you will finish without the cramps and look of desperation on your face.

On the other hand, your body will be so much better, so you could probably have done it successfully without all those changes.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

You are so right, this weekend is going to be 60 mile with only 2,000 ft of baby climbs 😂