Oxford to Lands End and back!!

[Pickles]

I have said i will do the above ride in September!! (must be mad) I am 38 and have never done any distance riding before. But plenty of time to train! I ride about 3 miles a day to work and back but thats about it!!
Anyway i got my new bike last week i got a Giant Defy 2. It feels good to me but have nothing to compare it with apart from my rusty old mountain bike! So Thursday i went a quick spin. I did a 5 mile loop just to get out on the bike. Friday and Sunday I did a 10 mile ride. I kept a pace of just over 15 mph! Felt fine after both.
This lunch a couple of guys from work took me out for what they said was going to be about 18 miles. 1 wrong turn from the guy who knew where we were going and it very soon ended up 30 miles!! We kept it to about 16.5 mph. Which would have been more but i struggled for the last 5. My legs arent to bad but my shoulders and arms are hurting!! Still enjoyed it though!!

Any tips on training would be greatly recieved!! I was tinking A car would be the best place to start!!

Cheers

Andy

 

[srw]

Slow down. It's easier to ride further if you're not knackered. A constant 12mph will take you 72 miles inside a day, allowing time for lunch and coffee. At that speed you'll be up and down to Lands End inside a week.

 

[Pickles]

Cheers mate but we are doing it in 5 days!!! Its a work / charity thing! Hence why we are getting used to the pace!!

 

[andy_spacey]

go out everyday.
One day long then one day short , one day long, one day short, 2 days off,
Then up the miles by 5 miles on the long and 1 mile on the short,
Start of with 20 miles for the long and 5 miles for the short,

so It will look like this, 20,5,20,5,off,off 25,6,25,6,off,off 30,7,30,7,off,off,35,8,35,8 off,off
you should get upto 35miles fast, but once you start to feel like you hitting a sticking point run the cycle twice to three time,,
something like this twice 35,7,35,7 off,off 35,7,35,35, off off,

The first two weeks are all neurological conditioning/ improving the muscle input,output of the muscle you already have.
After the first two week your muscle fibres start to grow/ muscular hypertrophy
But because you are on a four day cycle you will build muscular endurance
The long day is the workout and the short day is active recovery.
But even on your day off you walk a couple of miles
You have to stretch every day for 15 to 30 minutes.

Just so you know . I am a personal trainer specializing in human performance and conditioning.
I also give you driving over 3 years ago,
Did Coventry to Santander last year solo/camping and in for week starting a solo 3000 mile ride


You have a challenge ahead of you but it can be done, You just have to want it. Rain and shine.

Its easy to fail but only people who give up fail
so don't give up.
Change the mind and the body will follow
Good luck

 

[snorri]

['quote="Pickles, post: 1782603, member: 20651"] I am 38 [/quote]
Could be quite a challenge.


Just joking, you haven't reached your peak yet.