White rose challenge

[Ohthehills]

Hi all
I am new to cycling and am currently looking at doing the white rose challenge next year "48 mile" short ride but that's not short for me!

I am wondering the best way to train for it and any advise on training plans ect.

I do use bkool and have broke the route into 3 sections so I can Ryde different sections to try get used to the course.

Should I ride one section weekly ie weekends and then do easier routes though the week or should I just do a zone training plan on bkool. Not sure what my best approach to training for this would be.
PLZ any advise would be fantastic

 

[rugby bloke]

Welcome to the Forum. My advise would be not to worry about the specific route. The key is get out and ride some regular miles, you will be surprised how quickly you get used to the distances. Ideally you should be mixing up the distances - a longer ride at the weekends and a couple of mid week shorter rides. To prevent boredom and to keep challenging yourself.
Good luck and enjoy the ride !

 

[Joffey]

Hi, I'd not worry too much about the actual course. I'd start making sure I could ride around 30 miles on flattish terrain first and then I'd start to introduce some climbs so by the time you are about to do the White Rose you are fine to do a 35-40 mile hilly ride close to the elevation of the route you will be doing. The remaining extra miles will be fine - if you can ride 35 miles you can ride 50.

I'd also try to get outside, the conditions this time of year aren't great but you'll breeze around that route if you can do 40 hilly miles in winter.

Good luck!

 

[Globalti]

If you try to recreate it on a trainer you will become saddle sore and bored. Better to get out and do short, enjoyable, good quality rides then build up the mileage later.

 

[Ohthehills]

The White Rose Classic is in June (I'm assuming that's the same thing). The 48 mile (77km) route is indeed quite hilly with 4177 ft (1273m) of climb.

You have plenty of time to prepare, and I don't doubt that a trainer will be really good for getting you into physical shape. But I don't know anything about them, so can't advise on how to use it.

But with a hilly ride you also need mental preparation. So when you feel ready, get out there and ride up some real hills. You need to learn to deal with that feeling you get when you crest what you thought was the top of the hill only to be faced yet more uphill, and you want to just get off, throw the bike in the hedge and walk home. You need to be able to figure out for yourself when it's a good idea to stand up for a bit, and when it's right to sit down and grind. These sort of things I doubt you can get from a trainer, no matter how sophisticated.

Yeah totaly agree with you, there is definitely a difference between the machine and the real road. body weight been one of them that's why I am training indoors over the winter time to try lose as much weight as possible. so when I get on the road again at the end of February ish.
hopfully the weight loss will make it a little easier.
Just wasn't sure on the best way to train indoors to optimise my training.

 

[Ohthehills]

Welcome to the Forum. My advise would be not to worry about the specific route. The key is get out and ride some regular miles, you will be surprised how quickly you get used to the distances. Ideally you should be mixing up the distances - a longer ride at the weekends and a couple of mid week shorter rides. To prevent boredom and to keep challenging yourself.
Good luck and enjoy the ride !

What would you recomend distance for long ride weekend and short though week?

 

[colly]

All good advice above. The only way to prepare is to just get out and ride. If you are an absolute beginner then a couple of miles is a good start. Get used to the bike and how it feels. Where it rubs etc. A sore undercarriage is pretty common but good shorts etc and a tub of Sudocrem will take care of that.
5 miles is a good target if you are new to it and once you can do that just go a little further. Vary the routes and push it a bit at a time.
Don't go hell for leather at the start, take it easy and it will happen. Before long what you thought was a longish ride will seem quite easy. 8 and 10 miles will soon be a jaunt.
Then you're hooked...........................there is no going back.
Once you comfortable with slightly longer distances start finding a few gentle hills and see how it goes.
The WRC is a real hilly challenge so learning how you cope with hills when you are tired should stand you in good stead.

Where abouts are you?

Edit: I did have a turbo trainer once but it was an awful experience tbh. so I sold it on.

 

[Ohthehills]

All good advice above. The only way to prepare is to just get out and ride. If you are an absolute beginner then a couple of miles is a good start. Get used to the bike and how it feels. Where it rubs etc. A sore undercarriage is pretty common but good shorts etc and a tub of Sudocrem will take care of that.
5 miles is a good target if you are new to it and once you can do that just go a little further. Vary the routes and push it a bit at a time.
Don't go hell for leather at the start, take it easy and it will happen. Before long what you thought was a longish ride will seem quite easy. 8 and 10 miles will soon be a jaunt.
Then you're hooked...........................there is no going back.
Once you comfortable with slightly longer distances start finding a few gentle hills and see how it goes.
The WRC is a real hilly challenge so learning how you cope with hills when you are tired should stand you in good stead.

Where abouts are you?

Edit: I did have a turbo trainer once but it was an awful experience tbh. so I sold it on.

Thanks for reply

I am in north yorkshire so surrouned by the hills, I know I need to get into shape, and with the winter nights I really don't wanna ride the roads where I am. I did the final third of the ride on Saturday (on my trainer) and it was hard.
my machine only gos to 10% so the real route had 19% in parts so I know it's gonna be alot harder and that just the last 3rd of the ride.

then tonight I did a ten mile flatish ride and then went for a long walk with the dog! Legs are now telling me they have worked hard, was gonna do the same on Wednesday then long ride on Saturday again but wasn't sure if thats gonna be too much too soon? Or is that a good way to train?

 

[colly]

Thanks for reply

I am in north yorkshire so surrouned by the hills, I know I need to get into shape, and with the winter nights I really don't wanna ride the roads where I am. I did the final third of the ride on Saturday (on my trainer) and it was hard.
my machine only gos to 10% so the real route had 19% in parts so I know it's gonna be alot harder and that just the last 3rd of the ride.

then tonight I did a ten mile flatish ride and then went for a long walk with the dog! Legs are now telling me they have worked hard, was gonna do the same on Wednesday then long ride on Saturday again but wasn't sure if thats gonna be too much too soon? Or is that a good way to train?

Spacing it out like that you should be ok. Never used that kind of trainer or really ever done and proper 'training' but I understand over training can put you back quite a bit. Probably unlikely at this stage but just listen to what your body and aches and pains are telling you.
Achey legs after a ride where you have pushed the distance, done more climbing or lifted your average speed just means your muscles will adapt and get stronger.
19% ? That's a hill you will know all about when you are on it. I think that would be true for almost everyone on here. There is no easy solution to steep hills.
Sit and twiddle or get up off the saddle and grind, or most likely some of each. The lighter you are the better. Mind you if you are riding hilly roads all the time you will soon get to know what you can do.

Good luck.

 

[PaulSB]

By all means use your trainer to build strength, stamina and general fitness but don't expect this to help significantly with the specific route/event.

There is no substitute for training on the bike and Zwift etc. do not replicate real riding. Don't get sucked in to thinking if I can do it in the garage it will be OK on the road.

My advice would be to ride your bike through the winter on days when you can. Just ride and enjoy it and build up your distance if possible.

Your event is in late June. If you begin training, on the road, in early March you will be ready for the WRC. Aim to be comfortable with hilly rides of 35 miles or more. That will easily get you through 48 miles.

 

[Ohthehills]

By all means use your trainer to build strength, stamina and general fitness but don't expect this to help significantly with the specific route/event.

There is no substitute for training on the bike and Zwift etc. do not replicate real riding. Don't get sucked in to thinking if I can do it in the garage it will be OK on the road.

My advice would be to ride your bike through the winter on days when you can. Just ride and enjoy it and build up your distance if possible.

Your event is in late June. If you begin training, on the road, in early March you will be ready for the WRC. Aim to be comfortable with hilly rides of 35 miles or more. That will easily get you through 48 miles.

Thanks Paul good advise I will definitely try get out on the weekends if the weather holds up.

 

[Joffey]

Thanks for reply

I am in north yorkshire so surrouned by the hills, I know I need to get into shape, and with the winter nights I really don't wanna ride the roads where I am. I did the final third of the ride on Saturday (on my trainer) and it was hard.
my machine only gos to 10% so the real route had 19% in parts so I know it's gonna be alot harder and that just the last 3rd of the ride.

then tonight I did a ten mile flatish ride and then went for a long walk with the dog! Legs are now telling me they have worked hard, was gonna do the same on Wednesday then long ride on Saturday again but wasn't sure if thats gonna be too much too soon? Or is that a good way to train?

Where about in North Yorkshire? I live there too - there are some great routes round here that will prepare you easily for that ride.

 

[rugby bloke]

To put it in context, I rode my first 100 miles (RideLondon) 4 year years ago. I started my training in the April of that year, the event was in late July. At first I could only ride 10 miles before running out of gas. I gradually built up so I was riding 25 miles midweek ans 60 - 70 at the weekends. you won't need these sort of distances but I imagine you will need more practice with the hills. If you get out in the winter and build up a good base fitness you will be well ahead of the curve.

 

[Globalti]

You need to build muscle bulk as well as fitness. Shortish high intensity rides will do that. At the same time you can develop mental strategies and techniques for climbing. Don't underestimate the extra demands this will put on your body's reserves so be sure to eat and rest well. As muscles grow, joints and connective tissue take longer to cope with the stresses so watch carefully for signs of strain, especially in your knees.

Remember that improvements in strength and fitness happen during the three days AFTER you have stressed the muscles so always give your body time to recover.

 

[Ohthehills]

Where about in North Yorkshire? I live there too - there are some great routes round here that will prepare you easily for that ride.

Harrogate mate what about you