argh! just did the math this morning! Seeing I work weekdays - and if lucky I can only get out for a 40 km once a week after work ride - I figure out I only have 6 real training rides left (next two weekends and both holidays)... Biking the streets of Montreal on moving day should be oh so much fun!- NOT! I heard we should cut back the week before the ride - so just planning to do shorter rides the weekend of the 4th/5th... Having out of town guests that weekend should help with that problem! So - my goal is to do at least one 150 km day between now and the ride. I'm hoping to get that done on the 27th at the Metropolitan challenge (please someone arrange for nicer weather this time!)... I was also hoping to do a 260 km weekend at some point - although my max so far has been 168 for a weekend (this past one)... I've had several people tell me I don't have to do any practice rides as long as the actual ride but I know I'll feel better if I do... I remember the first time I did 75 km - I thought it was so hard - although the next two times I did that much it was easier... What are your thoughts and plans for the last few weeks of training? Any tips? concerns?
I'm focusing mostly on inline nationals which is a week before the ride, and doing a lot of skating and strength training.
I'm taking a bit of a break right now due to exhaustion, will get back into my usual schedule on Wednesday.
I might get one 75 - 100k ride in before then, but that would be about the max.
The one saving grace in all of this: my guide is not an athlete, so I will be leisurely tooling along at half my rated power. My heartrate is probably going to stay below 130 all the way.
I was wondering something similar. I ride to work everyday 42km total and that's 4 days a week then on the week-end we will ride two big rides no less then 80km or hills. I take one day off a week. So now my question is when do I take time off to be ready for Saturday July 11th. I'm on vacation starting the 5th of July and have a big bike trip in the eastern townships planned for the wkend before the ride. The length on the daily rides are variable. I was figuring I would do some real easy rides monday and tuesday then take time off wed, thurs, and friday. Any advice????? Please???????
It's not the pedaling that you have to worry about. As long as you can last more than 3 hours in the saddle, you will be fine. There are 25 days left, like I said before, you are all still going to do it, but trying to train too hard is not that good, you might burn yourself out, or injure yourself. If you can pass that 3 hour mark, you will be fine.
The last week before the ride you should only be turning the peddles about 1 hour max per day, nothing major, but putting more into your fuel. Eating more carbs, and storing energy in your system.
am I seriously supposed to eat pasta for the next 3 weeks??? Not that I need another reason to eat pasta - but I've already gained 5 lbs training for this ride!
Hmm, I noticed that too after the 80km we did the other day-the scales went up! Here's hoping its all those new muscles I developed!
According to the guide they sent us recently-it notes:
DOWNSHIFT GEARS The week before The Ride, its time to scale back your training and let your muscles recover and rebuild. Be sure to get plenty of rest; hydrate your body with water, fruit juices, and sports drinks; and eat a diet rich in carbohydrates and protein. Youll find that come Day One youll have an abundance of energy as you begin your 2-day trek to the Finish Line.
My plan is to get in a bunch of inreasingly longer rides. That's what I do anyway. My schedule doesn't allow for a lot of rides anyway, so I'm generally doing one ride a week. I know that's not good, but that's reality.
I'm up to 150 km rides (OK, 147 to be exact). This weekend, I will try (depending on the weather) for 140 km or so each day, to simulate the actual ride, then the following weeks, just doing long rides (at least 150 km).
THERE ARE ONLY 3 WEEKENDS LEFT! For me that means 3 rides before the big day (4 if I manage both days this weekend). The event will be over & done before we know it.
We only need to stock up on carbs and proteins the last week to ten days before the ride, Right! I'm going to rest 4 days brfore the ride but on the friday just spin around my little town to loosen up my muscles.
Get a massage after your last hard workout, then just easy spin 1-2 times.
That way you will have nice loose muscles and lots of power
I'll probably have to consciously easy up all the way through, too bad my guide and I are not on a tandem. She's not experienced enough to pilot a two-seater or I would have gone that route, as I'm a pretty good stoker.
For the non-jocks:
The pilot is in the front and basically handles all the eyes/brain stuff like steer, brake, maintain balance, verbally request more or less power.
The stoker is on the back seat and basically acts as an auxiliary engine, just pedal and let the pilot handle everything else.
No, I will be doing it for 1 week, but recommended for this type of ride is 2 weeks. Get in one last long ride the weekend before, and then just spin for the week before, just to move the muscles.
On the other we were asking about stores, clear off the credit card for this one: La Cordée http://www.lacordee.com/en/produits/liste/velo3/
I am not sure about the other locations but I have been to the Laval store and was amazed with the size of the store, very similar to MEC but with more cycling items.
thanks Sharkies. We did 127 km yesterday in a little over 7 hours... so I'm hoping that it shouldn't take more than 8 - although our breaks yesterday were less than 10 minutes each - so I'll aim for 9 hours... All I can say is I'm glad I don't have to race to catch the last 6:00 p.m. shuttle and my Dad will be waiting to bring us home..
Thanks for the links Dez - I thought I spent all I could on this sport - guess not!
