Norwich 100 miler

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Newbee

New Member
Hey all!

I am off to do the Norwich 100 miler at the beginning of June and I am looking for some advice.

I was originally just doing 26 miles on a mountain bike at the weekend, but I have now purchased a road-bike and stepped up the sessions, doing 40 miles last Sunday and doing three sessions of 10-15 miles during the week. In my current plan I just steadily increase the mileage until a couple of weeks before the 100 miler, peaking at an 80 mile run out.

Also I don't currently take any food/enery drinks with me.

Please can anyone offer me advice on, what I should be eating/drinking and if my schedule looks ok?
 

redfox

New Member
Location
Bourne End, UK
40 miles is a fair way to go without drink, unless you are finding it on the way round. At least take some water with you.

Sounds like you are well on track for a 100 miler in June. Start taking an energy drink with you as the distances increase and stop for a bite to eat somewhere on longer rides.

To be honest if you can ride 50 miles comfortably, then you should be able to make it round a one-off 100 miler. An 80 mile outing will to show you how you might fair on the 100, but I wouldn't worry about doing a lot of them.
 

wafflycat

New Member
You need to keep hydrated, so start taking (and drinking) some isotonic drinks with you. Drinking little and often will keep you hydrated and your energy levels up. You really, really, really don't want to bonk. In cycling terms a 'bonk' is not the same as what it meant when at high school.. Also take an energy bar, there's loads available.

For buying in any sort of quantity, buy isotonic powder in a tub which you make up to the required amounts, and same for energy bars - works out much cheaper than buying from supermarkets.

See:-

energy drink
energy food

On a long ride I have a couple of big bottles of isotonic made up, take some gels with me (I love these in raspberry) and an energy bar. At the end of the 100km audax on Saturday, I felt fine and was fine throughout the ride.

Where are you based? If in Norfolk, visit Specialised Cycles in Connaught Road and you can buy energy bars/drinks in small quantities & different flavours to try out.
 

JonC

New Member
Location
Milburn, Cumbria
The Norwich 100 is a good introduction, fairly flat. Try to ease your distances up. 2 X 30 miles in the week and a 60+ at the weekend. Two weeks before put in an 80 weekend - then enjoy you will be fine. Possably look at the Suffolk Sunrise ride from Woodbridge??
 
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Newbee

New Member
Thanks for all the advice everyone. It sounds like I am on the right sort of track with my training, just need to start eating when I am out too. All recommendations, tips greatly received.
 

wafflycat

New Member
I'm tee'd off that once again, it looks as if I'll have to miss the Norwich 100 due to possibly having to transport the offspring to a time trial. Same for the Suffolk Sunrise one. Bah!
 

Christopher

Über Member
What are you, a taxi? Tell the lad to cycle there, race, then cycle home. Fifty or so miles at 4AM on a Sunday is the perfect warm-up for a bit of TT'ing (or so it says in this here Cycle mag of August 1955). Make him ride fixed as well...
 

wafflycat

New Member
I was thinking of making him cycle there & back on a unicycle, with his TT bike strapped to his back (got to look after those Zipp wheels & tubs). :smile:
 
OP
OP
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Newbee

New Member
Kids do mean that u have a lot less "me time", maybe you could drag him with you on one?

I did a 44 mile run yesterday and had the strangest things happen. I felt fine all the way around and was drinking plenty of water. When I got back I had a bath and felt quite faint and queasy and had to have a lie down. Then I had some sparkling water and had a sensation at the back of my throat and room of my mouth, like I had burnt it. Has anyone has this happen to them before and if so can they give me any advise. I am thinking of taking a bottle of isotonic drink with me next time.
 

wafflycat

New Member
The offspring is into timetrialling and he's not bad at it. Not brilliant yet - but he's working on it. His uni has given him a sports' bursary in respect of his cycling, so getting him to & from events comes first. Which is not a problem for me in reality. It just means there's the odd clash, and when it happens, his competitive cycling comes first.
 
Hi Newbee,
I am also aiming for the Norwich 100 - my first one. Chose it as it is fairly flat (but told to be careful of headwind) and a nice circular route.

You seem miles ahead of me as I am a bit of a wimp in the cold weather and have not been out on the bike since before Christmas.

I did the London to Brighton last year: my first year of biking and found it quite easy on my mountain bike. No on a road bike so should be OK. You will have no problem if you are up to decent miles at the moment.

I think Malt loaf is the greatest food to take. Bit sweet for a boost and a bit of substance too. It also stays together if you sit on it or drop it by accident.

good
 

Will1985

Über Member
Location
South Norfolk
Looks like we'll have a nice big CycleChat posse there then! I'll even have my jersey on too.

Last year I did it in 5h21m ride time (there is a mandatory 30 min stop at Felbrigg), so my target will be to get closer to 5h this year.
 
I was split between ticking the "8 hour" and "10 hour" box on the entry form but went for the 8. I have not long had my road bike so am still getting used to it being a bit faster.

Although it is not the Alps around here (North Hampshire) we do have a few hills to contend with that slow us down a bit.

I will be pleased just to finish in under 10 hours! I only enter these things to give me some motivation to go out in all weathers on my bike. Otherwise it sits in the shed too much.
 
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