RAGBRAI training

Skip the "workout" and do more miles on the bike, unless your workout is hooking your bike up to a trainer and putting in a bunch of time on it during inclement weather. Otherwise, gym-type leg exercises have little to offer the long-distance cyclist.

Time in the saddle is what you need.

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Originally Posted by elanzarotta [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Can anyone give some suggestions on how much riding I need to per week?
What would be a good diet to start in order to prepare for this?
And finally what are some good leg and lower back exercises?

My 14 year old daughter did a similar cross state ride many years ago.

Her training consisted of doing a series of group training rides each Saturday and Sunday. 5m, 10m, 15m, 20m, 30m, 40m, 50m, 70m, 100m (I guess these were the distances on successive weekends.) But the more miles you do up to the event distances at the speed you expect for the event the better. By all means do the training ride series if there is one for the ride. It helps you understand how to ride with the group.

Take it easy during the event. It is not a race. Stop at each place that has food and drinks. Eat a bit and drink a bit. Ride a few hours and take a longer break. Keep your body temperature down - water on the head or some shade helps.

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Bicycling requires about 30calories/mile. And very few additional nutrients. Eat your normal food. If you start to lose weight, eat what you like. Junk food is sufficient. I prefer to drink chocolate milk on my rides. It provides water and calories. It tastes good. I digest it well. It has some nutrients.

Best training for RAGBRAI would involve lots of beer. I recomend 3-5 beers a night until your system is used to it then slowly ramp up until you can handle 6-12 beers a night. At this point you will be ready for RAGBRAI.

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Originally Posted by MMMhills [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Best training for RAGBRAI would involve lots of beer. I recomend 3-5 beers a night until your system is used to it then slowly ramp up until you can handle 6-12 beers a night. At this point you will be ready for RAGBRAI.

I've not ridden RAGBRAI, but I have heard about the partying--slipped my mind. Beer is a good post-ride drink...

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by jpr95 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I've not ridden RAGBRAI, but I have heard about the partying--slipped my mind. Beer is a good post-ride drink...

I can't remember where I saw the picture, but last year (if I'm dismembering correctly) there was a gent pedaling a 4-wheel bar.

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I am planning on participating in RAGBRAI this year and I'm going to start training. So I am looking to see what the best ways to train are. I plan to combine a diet, riding, and working out. Does anyone have any suggestions on what is the best way to do this.

Can anyone give some suggestions on how much riding I need to per week?
What would be a good diet to start in order to prepare for this?
And finally what are some good leg and lower back exercises?

You should post in the "Cycling Training" sub-forum about possible training methods and schedules. How long are your rides now? How many miles do you pedal in a week? a month? You should include that info in your post to the training sub-forum. You can also ask there about nutrition and hydration on the ride. In the post include some information about your level of fitness (weight, height, resting heart rate, and etc.) and anything that might affect hydration and nutrition needs, as certain illnesses/diseases/processes can tend to dehydrate a person or alter their calorie intake needs.

RAGBRAI isn't a ride so much as it's a party you just happen to attend with your bike in tow. I also have likened it to riding your bike at a state fair for 7 days in a row. The hardest part for me was the heat, not the riding.