Training Questions - Help me Plan!

MaxPrime said:

I just rode 40 miles yesterday - I am gunning for a 70 mile ride in a month and 4 days from now. I was planning on doing a small ride - 30 or 35 miles on Tuesday and Thursday - and then a big ride each week on Saturday in increments of 5 miles. What do I need to do to reach my goals? Should I stop posting and start reading? What to read? Help!? 🙂 Thanks in Advance.

personally, i'd take a long a sports drink (carbo drink) plenty of fluid and something to eat, take your time over the distance and increase your speed everytime you go opposed to increasing the distance, depening upon how fit you are to start off with.

aslong as you take along adequate calories and fluid, and rest when you feel the need to. you'll find that it just gets easier and you will reduce the rest periods as you fitness levels increase.

best of luck accomplishing your goal.

closesupport said:

personally, i'd take a long a sports drink (carbo drink) plenty of fluid and something to eat, take your time over the distance and increase your speed everytime you go opposed to increasing the distance, depening upon how fit you are to start off with.

aslong as you take along adequate calories and fluid, and rest when you feel the need to. you'll find that it just gets easier and you will reduce the rest periods as you fitness levels increase.

best of luck accomplishing your goal.

So I shouldn't increase distance yet? I'm confused.

As for pace, I've jumped from 14.6 to 16.4mph since I began last month.

VERY good call on the carb drink - I was using just water and switched last week, I feel better. I have been taking 100 calorie energy gels every hour to keep from bonking - and obviously keeping a very strict, yet very sufficient diet.

Why should I go on pace instead of distance?

MaxPrime said:

So I shouldn't increase distance yet? I'm confused.

As for pace, I've jumped from 14.6 to 16.4mph since I began last month.

VERY good call on the carb drink - I was using just water and switched last week, I feel better. I have been taking 100 calorie energy gels every hour to keep from bonking - and obviously keeping a very strict, yet very sufficient diet.

Why should I go on pace instead of distance?

16.4 mph is as fast as any training ride I ever do (I have hills, some traffic stops, etc.). But why worry about speed?

I say that unless the 40 was tough, go 50, then 60 each of the last weeks. I don't buy all this stuff about slowly creeping up the miles. I never rode past 80 (and then only once) and banged out 105. No big deal -- I'm sure you can dish out a 70 right now, and after a 50 and a couple 60s, it won't be any more work than the 40 felt like.

MaxPrime, here you go ...
http://www.tucsonfirefighters.com/html/century_training_plan.html

Doctor Morbius said:

MaxPrime, here you go ...
http://www.tucsonfirefighters.com/html/century_training_plan.html

Awesome! Thanks so much.

Are there any other things besides nutrition that I need to worry about? I'm getting rid of my crappy (PAINFUL) shoes for a nice set of Sidis - any other friction points? Saddle? Thanks

Also, what should my meal be like the night before/morning of? I know carbs, carbs, carbs - I was thinking pasta the night before and oatmeal/granola the morning of - good?

MaxPrime said:

Also, what should my meal be like the night before/morning of? I know carbs, carbs, carbs - I was thinking pasta the night before and oatmeal/granola the morning of - good?

THATS RIGHT, PREPARATION IS THE KEY, THREE DAYS OR SO LEADING UP TO A BIG RIDE, LOAD ON CARBS, I USUALLY DO THE FIRST 2 WEEKS, ON A NORMAL DIET THEN 4 DAYS BEFORE START BANGING THE CARBS IN, ENSURE YOU REST,AVOID TRAINING THE DAY BEFORE, THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE, GO TRY YOUR 70. I THINK THAT YOU'LL BE SURPRISED IF YOU LOAD ADEQUATELY.

REMEMBER PLENTY FLUIDS, I HAVE A CARB DRINK THAT I TAKE WITH ME, SOMETIMES SOME ADDITIONAL ELECTROLITES, FROM REHYDRATION SACHETTES, LIKE DEORALITE.

REMEMBER YOU'LL REQUIRE 72 HOURS TO RECOVER COMPLETLY FROM ANY TRAINING RIDES, THAT'S WHY I SAY SKIP A TRAINING RIDE, THEN YOUR REST DAY THEN YOUR LONG RIDE, THATS YOUR 3 DAYS, THESE 3 DAYS HAS SUGGESTED SHOULD BE SPENT LOADING ON CARBS. YOU'LL FEEL PRETTY REFFRESHED TO START IT.

SPINNING IS A GOOD ENCORPORTAION, IF YOU CAN SPIN UPTO SAY 30MPH OR MORE THEN BRING IT BACK DOWN, WHEN YOU REGAIN 10MPH OR SO THEN AGAIN, AND REPEAT IT A NUMBER OF TIMES DURING YOUR TRAINING RIDES, YOU'LL FIND THAT YOU CAN MAINTAIN IT LONGER THE MORE REGULAR YOU DO IT. THIS WILL HELP IF YOU RIDE ON SHORTER RIDES "REMEMBER YOUR PEDALLING TWICE AS MUCH, SOMETIMES 3 TIMES AS MUCH"

ROLLING STARTS ARE ALSO A GOOD ONE, I USUALLY SLOW TO ABOUT 5MPH
THEN PUSH IT AS HARD AS I CAN IN THE LARGEST GEAR I HAVE UNTIL I REACH THE HIGHEST SPEED I CAN, THEN I'LL TRY AND BEAT THAT SPEED AND THE LENGTH OF TIME I MAINTAIN IT FOR.

BUT IN MY OPINION THE BEST WAY TO TRAIN FOR A 70MILE RIDE, IS TO RIDE 70MILES, IF YOU WANNA IMPROVE ON THE ABILITY TO RIDE THAT 70 RIDE FOR 100. NOW OTHERS MAY DISAGREE, THIS WORKS FOR ME.

I'm in a similar situation - just did my first 50 mile ride, getting ready for a metric century in a few weeks. I anticipate no problems, as I'm already pretty close in milage.

One thing I learned sunday though, is the importance of solid food on a ride that length. I finished that 50 miles (on water and carb drink only) slightly nauseous and wasn't able to keep up drinking the sport drink like I should have. Next sunday, I'll try fig newtons on the ride.

-danch[font=&quot][font=&quot][/font][/font]

danch said:

I'm in a similar situation - just did my first 50 mile ride, getting ready for a metric century in a few weeks. I anticipate no problems, as I'm already pretty close in milage.

One thing I learned sunday though, is the importance of solid food on a ride that length. I finished that 50 miles (on water and carb drink only) slightly nauseous and wasn't able to keep up drinking the sport drink like I should have. Next sunday, I'll try fig newtons on the ride.

-danch[font=&quot][font=&quot][/font][/font]

Try adding a tiny amount of salt, not to much, i usually add between a half to a full teaspoon of salt to fruit juice, and water. my second bottle contains,an ANTIDIURETIC (Dioralite) 1 to 2 sachettes, reduces output of urine by increasing reabsorption of water by kidney. probably not a good idea to use on a training ride. I usually feel the benefits within seconds.

or an alternative solution: Use [1 level teaspoon salt] and [8 level teaspoons sugar] to [1 litre of water] - using warm water helps the sugar to dissolve more quickly and can be easier to stomach if it's at the same temperature as your body.

lvrc.orgrs01ga.htmOpen ↗

I started training today - this is going to be tough!

closesupport said:

Try adding a tiny amount of salt, not to much, i usually add between a half to a full teaspoon of salt to fruit juice, and water. my second bottle contains,an ANTIDIURETIC (Dioralite) 1 to 2 sachettes, reduces output of urine by increasing reabsorption of water by kidney. probably not a good idea to use on a training ride. I usually feel the benefits within seconds.

or an alternative solution: Use [1 level teaspoon salt] and [8 level teaspoons sugar] to [1 litre of water] - using warm water helps the sugar to dissolve more quickly and can be easier to stomach if it's at the same temperature as your body.

lvrc.orgrs01ga.htmOpen ↗

That was good nutrition information - I think I am all set. The only thing I don't know is - what liquid meals can you digest right before a ride?

MaxPrime said:

That was good nutrition information - I think I am all set. The only thing I don't know is - what liquid meals can you digest right before a ride?

i usually have a full english breakfast, 2hrs or so before a long ride, sausages, mushrooms, ash browns, beans, tomatoes, toaste and bacon and half hour or so before that cerial, but this i am aware is to be my last meal before my long ride and every calorie counts, the final 2 hrs i try to spend hydrating.

not a very healthy meal you might be thinking, it doesn't have to be fried. what works for me might not work for others i understand.