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punkypossum
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Cathryn said:
Go on, you know you want to!!!! And it would be such a good training ride!!!
Well, I've done it...
- Thread starter punkypossum
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Go on, you know you want to!!!! And it would be such a good training ride!!!
Punky,
I've read this thread a couple of times and thought 'now that would be a great thing to do.'
The problem is, I've got a devil on my shoulder telling me "No, you can't do that...it's too far...you'll wimp out...your bike is rubbish...etc"
I've just checked my diary. I finish work for half term on the Friday.
So, what I am saying, before the devil speaks again, if you want a buddy, I think I might be up for it.
I've read this thread a couple of times and thought 'now that would be a great thing to do.'
The problem is, I've got a devil on my shoulder telling me "No, you can't do that...it's too far...you'll wimp out...your bike is rubbish...etc"
I've just checked my diary. I finish work for half term on the Friday.
So, what I am saying, before the devil speaks again, if you want a buddy, I think I might be up for it.
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punkypossum
Donut Devil
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Surfgurl!!! Go on!!! Give it a go!!!
Believe me, I keep having recurrent moments of "I can't do it" alternating with "Will the bike be ok"... However, my latest info from the lovely organisers (no, that wasn't sarcastic) is that they will split us in 3 groups of 20 based on ability anyway, to avoid things getting too crammed and so that everybody can go at their own speed. I have resigned myself to joining the slow group, although I'm still hoping with a bit of training I might make it to middle standards!
Sign up, the more the merrier and it's all for a good cause!!!
Believe me, I keep having recurrent moments of "I can't do it" alternating with "Will the bike be ok"... However, my latest info from the lovely organisers (no, that wasn't sarcastic) is that they will split us in 3 groups of 20 based on ability anyway, to avoid things getting too crammed and so that everybody can go at their own speed. I have resigned myself to joining the slow group, although I'm still hoping with a bit of training I might make it to middle standards! Sign up, the more the merrier and it's all for a good cause!!! Well done punky, you know you can do it. Have you been on the justgiving forum? There is a specific cycling section and even if there are not enough responses to your particular ride, you can always join in the women for women threads for tips advice and support.
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punkypossum
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cyclebum said:
Oh cool - will have a look, thanks!!!
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punkypossum
Donut Devil
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Just do it, before the devil on your shoulder wins! 
you will have a GREAT time. don't worry about it. i did London to Paris this year, total of 314 miles over 4 days and it was the first big ride i'd done. The first day i crapped myself looking at the hills (i seriously would have cried but didn't want to show my weakness!) but i did it and i had a great time. here are my tips.
1. it's always more miles per day than the organisers say. when they say it's 60 miles today, get it into your head its going to be 67. the last two miles of the day are hardest, so if you think you are doing 60, you'll be dieing from 58 and it will be more like 65, but if you have it in your head its 67, you'll feel relief when it's only 65.
2. if it's a novice ride, the hills should be no worse than 10% for a mile (that is one that rises one metre in 10 metres distance). find one in your area and train on it. hills are always easier when you are climbing them with someone else. if you're not used to them, keep seated, relax the top half of your body and use your legs (granny gear if necessary) to get up them. try not to stand up unless it's a last resort. you will find it more tiring if you stand. if you don't make it up the ones near you, don't worry, like i said, when you're with a group it seems a lot easier.
3. get a she-wee.. i'm definitely getting one for next year.
4. look at the route and find out what is the most mileage is on any one day. before you go, try and train yourself to be able to complete this amount of miles on one day, and go out the following day to do a 20 or 30 miler. sounds hard, but the more fit you are the more you will enjoy it. the hardest part of these long rides is that you don't get time to recover, which is why you need to be able to do a significant amount of miles on 2 consecutive days. the third day was the hardest for me, but the fourth, being so close to your goal, all the aches and pains just disappear.
5. make sure you stretch out morning and evening, before and after each ride. very important!
6. sudocrem! assos! vaseline! the works!!!!! take it all and put some in a pot to take on route with you. (see also point 9 below). sudocrem works best, it sticks around longer than assos.
7. be prepared to lose your dignity... p!ssing behind bushes etc (often more desirable than continental toilets!)... this is why i'm getting a shewee next year... not for the bushes... for the loos!!!! they were horrible!
8. two bottles of fluids, one with energy drink, one with water. carry energy powders with you in plastic bags for refills on route.
9. proper chamois in the shorts, not foam padding! don't worry if you look a bit "padded out" in the nether regions, i did and i wish i hadn't been so vain! ha ha (see point 6 above)
10. don't forget your camera. take pictures of each other riding (send someone on ahead to take them), and every start, water/lunch stop, and finish each day. at the end bang them all in a photo album in time order and it makes a great story book. they will probably have an official photographer, but we found our own photo's were better.
think that's it. o yea, if you can, organise a meal the night before for people to meet up. it's a great way to get to break the ice with strangers and i met most of the people i rode with on our pre-ride meal, and it really bonded us.
pm me if you want to know anything else. i'm still buzzing from my trip and happy to go on and on and on and on ..... (as you can probably tell)
1. it's always more miles per day than the organisers say. when they say it's 60 miles today, get it into your head its going to be 67. the last two miles of the day are hardest, so if you think you are doing 60, you'll be dieing from 58 and it will be more like 65, but if you have it in your head its 67, you'll feel relief when it's only 65.
2. if it's a novice ride, the hills should be no worse than 10% for a mile (that is one that rises one metre in 10 metres distance). find one in your area and train on it. hills are always easier when you are climbing them with someone else. if you're not used to them, keep seated, relax the top half of your body and use your legs (granny gear if necessary) to get up them. try not to stand up unless it's a last resort. you will find it more tiring if you stand. if you don't make it up the ones near you, don't worry, like i said, when you're with a group it seems a lot easier.
3. get a she-wee.. i'm definitely getting one for next year.
4. look at the route and find out what is the most mileage is on any one day. before you go, try and train yourself to be able to complete this amount of miles on one day, and go out the following day to do a 20 or 30 miler. sounds hard, but the more fit you are the more you will enjoy it. the hardest part of these long rides is that you don't get time to recover, which is why you need to be able to do a significant amount of miles on 2 consecutive days. the third day was the hardest for me, but the fourth, being so close to your goal, all the aches and pains just disappear.
5. make sure you stretch out morning and evening, before and after each ride. very important!
6. sudocrem! assos! vaseline! the works!!!!! take it all and put some in a pot to take on route with you. (see also point 9 below). sudocrem works best, it sticks around longer than assos.
7. be prepared to lose your dignity... p!ssing behind bushes etc (often more desirable than continental toilets!)... this is why i'm getting a shewee next year... not for the bushes... for the loos!!!! they were horrible!
8. two bottles of fluids, one with energy drink, one with water. carry energy powders with you in plastic bags for refills on route.
9. proper chamois in the shorts, not foam padding! don't worry if you look a bit "padded out" in the nether regions, i did and i wish i hadn't been so vain! ha ha (see point 6 above)
10. don't forget your camera. take pictures of each other riding (send someone on ahead to take them), and every start, water/lunch stop, and finish each day. at the end bang them all in a photo album in time order and it makes a great story book. they will probably have an official photographer, but we found our own photo's were better.
think that's it. o yea, if you can, organise a meal the night before for people to meet up. it's a great way to get to break the ice with strangers and i met most of the people i rode with on our pre-ride meal, and it really bonded us.
pm me if you want to know anything else. i'm still buzzing from my trip and happy to go on and on and on and on ..... (as you can probably tell)
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punkypossum
Donut Devil
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Buggi, thanks for all the tips and details, really appreciate it! Wasn't going to leave the house without sudocream anyway, but might pack an extra pot now! 
Still not sure about the shewee tho, think I prefer to lose my dignity behind a bush, but we will see! 
Still not sure about the shewee tho, think I prefer to lose my dignity behind a bush, but we will see! Hi Punkyp., I've not been around lately keeping on top of things, I've actually been in hospital and had an emergancy op last week, but now I am finaly begining to return to normal and can begin to believe my surgeons when they told me I would still get to India 
. I've still got another couple of weeks before I can get back into training and this late in the day (India 6 weeks on thurdsay!!) I am following all their advice so I don't jeopodise anything. One thing I will say though is that I am now confident putting in all the early training has payed off. My resting pulse has always been around 80, but even pre op and in alot of pain it was between 50 and 55 which is amazing (once it was even 48! ) This is just one indication of fitness which hopefully with a 3 week enforced break should not affect me too much so It's worth not starting too late cause you never know.
We talked a while back about meeting up for some rides which I don't think will happen before India but once back the pressure will be off for me,we must get that organised. I saw Arch and Cathryn mention coming to wave you off which if I can manage it would be great.
but now I am finaly begining to return to normal and can begin to believe my surgeons when they told me I would still get to India . I've still got another couple of weeks before I can get back into training and this late in the day (India 6 weeks on thurdsay!!) I am following all their advice so I don't jeopodise anything. One thing I will say though is that I am now confident putting in all the early training has payed off. My resting pulse has always been around 80, but even pre op and in alot of pain it was between 50 and 55 which is amazing (once it was even 48! ) This is just one indication of fitness which hopefully with a 3 week enforced break should not affect me too much so It's worth not starting too late cause you never know.We talked a while back about meeting up for some rides which I don't think will happen before India but once back the pressure will be off for me,we must get that organised. I saw Arch and Cathryn mention coming to wave you off which if I can manage it would be great.
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punkypossum
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Hi cyclebum,
I read on the justgiving thread that you had to go to hospital, hope you are soon back to normal and good luck for India!
Definitely still up for meeting up for a ride (especially once my lovely new forks are fitted), lets make sure we get something sorted out once you've recovered from mossie bites and delhi belly!
I read on the justgiving thread that you had to go to hospital, hope you are soon back to normal and good luck for India!
Definitely still up for meeting up for a ride (especially once my lovely new forks are fitted
), lets make sure we get something sorted out once you've recovered from mossie bites and delhi belly! Sorry to hear you're on the sick list CB. Hope the surgeons have put all the right bits back in the proper places etc and you're up and taking the lightly boiled egg and buttered toast etc
Excellent news about the resting pulse rate. All the pressure of going under the knife and you can keep it down to a gentle 55 bpm! Very positive. You'll have no trouble in India.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
yeah, sorry to hear you've been in hospital CB, get well soon!
thanks guys, I certainly feel on the mend today and have managed a whole day without pain killers. I even took a walk to the postbox to post my Chrisie cards which I thought might be too much but was fine. Roll on the next couple of weeks till I can get poor Bertha out for a ride though I suspect my first few ventures may only be round the block!
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punkypossum
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Poor Bertha, hope she is not being neglected and still getting some tlc and a regular pat on the saddle, even though you are out of action!
