# Couch to 1400k



## Nebulous (25 Jan 2017)

Anyone got a couch to 1400k programme? 

I've been successful in getting a place on LEL, 1433 km in 5 days and am looking for any advice anyone can offer to give me some chance of completing it! I'd rather not hear, "you'll never make it." or "You should have started two years ago." I am where I am as the saying goes. 

I started cycling seriously about seven years ago, but following an accident with a car I reduced my leisure cycling but still commute a short distance, with occasional fair-weather long rides. I also do a couple of sessions a week on a gym bike. 

The most I have ever done was a 300k audax, the snow roads which I completed in about 15 hours. 

I'm going to Gran Canaria in mid-March for a couple of weeks holiday - which now means bike hire and putting some serious miles in. 

So how do you train for long-distance endurance cycling, instead of for speed or power?


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## Dogtrousers (25 Jan 2017)

No advice but I love the thread title.

Good luck!


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## Nebulous (25 Jan 2017)

User46386 said:


> You need to join a club and be riding a lot I'd say, 178 miles in a day is a lot.
> If it was me I'd be trying to do at least a hundred each day at the weekend, when is it?



It's the end of July. I'm certainly intending putting in 2 long days at the weekend at some points, possibly take a Friday or Monday off and do 3, but I can't do that every weekend - that would be an occasional event. I'll probably sign up for one or more 300s and at least one 400 audax before then as well.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (25 Jan 2017)

User46386 said:


> I'd ask the organizers of the event for a rough guide regarding how much you need to be doing. Hopefully they will be able to tell you. Its being able to sit on the bike for that long each day that will be hard.Ask on Audax UK on Facebook as well, theres alot on there who do big rides.


Ask on Audax Ecosse Facebook rather than Audax UK


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## mjr (25 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> So how do you train for long-distance endurance cycling, instead of for speed or power?


I'd build up the distances if I were you, but you're going to have to ramp up pretty quick. 178miles/day for 5 days is more than I've ever done (I think I about 50/day for 6 last year) but I'd start riding with groups as much as possible and then add in solo rides once I'd got a bit more experience. Scour any nearby Audaxers and open clubs for some 30s, then some 50s, then some 100ks, then some 100miles, then anything longer, plus add in a load of back-to-back solo long rides. You may end up putting a bike on cars and trains a fair bit to get to some suitable group rides early on. Look at what blogging long-distance cyclists have done, especially if they built up to it quickly. Good luck!


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## jay clock (25 Jan 2017)

This blog is a good read and has sections about his training if you ferret around https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com


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## Pat "5mph" (25 Jan 2017)

Ask @Edwardoka and @Fubar hoe they are doing it.
Actually it would be very interesting if the three of you could start a thread with your training activities/nutrition/bike tweaks leading to the event


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## Nebulous (26 Jan 2017)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Ask @Edwardoka and @Fubar hoe they are doing it.
> Actually it would be very interesting if the three of you could start a thread with your training activities/nutrition/bike tweaks leading to the event



Are they doing it? I didn't know that. @ajaxbay over on the LEL thread in the audax section is also in. 

A training log would be good for me, but I'm not sure that it would be of much interest to others. 

For example:- I normally do 2-3 gym sessions most weeks, with a mix of intervals and longer steady sessions. Since getting in on Friday I've decided to slow them down and lengthen them. So Saturday 1 hour at 180 watts. Sunday 1.5 hours at 180 watts. Monday 1 hour at 180 watts Wed 50 minutes at 180 watts plus 5 sets of 1min 130 watts and 1 min standing 270 watts . 

I've no means of recording my heartrate in the gym. The bike only works with polar straps and I have garmin. The aim however would be to do longer steady sessions, maybe two hours at 180 watts and see a decreasing heart-rate as I get fitter. Maybe I need to take my garmin to the gym. Speaking of which, I'm trying to limit my purchases, but I'm not the best navigator in the world and I have a 5 year old garmin 500. I'm thinking of upgrading to a new 520. Would navigation on the 520 be good enough to find the turns / junctions? I know charging is going to be an issue, so another purchase may be 3 battery packs. One to carry and two to leave at bagdrops on the route. 

Do you think that kind of information is of any interest to anyone other than me?


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## mjr (26 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> Do you think that kind of information is of any interest to anyone other than me?


Yes. There's plenty of people who are interested in this but can't see themselves ever doing it (or ever again). In return you'd probably get some encouragement and conflicting advice... and maybe some heckling but don't listen to it.


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## vickster (26 Jan 2017)

I'd say you simply need to ride your bike a lot... including overnight and while sleep deprived. No amount of gym work will prepare you for an endurance cycle event like this I would say. Also not sure what an HRM will do. Physical and potentially mental exhaustion are the things you'll need to prepare for. Ride rather than gym if you can. Have you got the super long training audaxes in the diary too.

Good luck


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## Dogtrousers (26 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> I've no means of recording my heartrate in the gym. The bike only works with polar straps and I have garmin.



Polar transmitters are relatively cheap. So if having the wrong kind of transmitter is an issue it can be rectified for about £20. You wouldn't need to buy the receiver too. (I'm just making a note about the cost. I'm entirely ignorant of training methods and their efficacy or otherwise).

You may already have read it, but there's discussion by some LEL & PBP vets on here, in this thread. (Edit. Of course you've read it. You were part of the discussion. Doh!)


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## Nebulous (26 Jan 2017)

Dogtrousers said:


> Polar transmitters are relatively cheap. So if having the wrong kind of transmitter is an issue it can be rectified for about £20. You wouldn't need to buy the receiver too. (I'm just making a note about the cost. I'm entirely ignorant of training methods and their efficacy or otherwise).
> 
> You may already have read it, but there's discussion by some LEL & PBP vets on here, in this thread.



My Garmin stores the data and gives me graphs and keeps a record on my computer. A polar strap will give me a live reading in the gym, but wont keep any records. It would still be better than nothing though. Worth considering,thanks.


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## mmmmartin (26 Jan 2017)

Disregard all this. If you overtrain you'll be too tired to finish. LEL is several 200k rides between controls, at each control you have masses of free food and somewhere to sleep if you want to. Go to YACF where there is a whole thread on LEL. Don't worry, you have plenty of time to get ready, lots will be in your position. I'd suggest a 200k each week, with a 300k in there occasionally. You can over-worry about heart rate, losing weight, etc. When push comes to shove, you need to do 13kph on average for 1,400k. That'll mean less sleep than you normally get. It'll boil down to guts in the end. Good luck.


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## PMarkey (26 Jan 2017)

I started cycling again in 2012 and did a 100km then a 200km Audax in March-April of that year then didn't get on the bike again but decided in 2013 to do LEL  so started by doing a few rides of 10-20 km and rode an Audax a month until June starting with a couple of 200km rides and then moved up to a 300km in April,. a 400km in May and a 600km in June followed by another 600 in early July which gave me a super randonneur  it also allowed me to get comfortable on the bike and find out what worked and did not work nutrition wise plus what clothing I needed and what things I needed to carry on the bike . I then rode LEL and finished with no problem even though I effectively ended up riding single speed when my right hand shifter packed in 2km into the ride  The main thing I failed to do was work on my speed,long steady distance is great but the faster you go the more sleep you get 

Paul


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## jay clock (26 Jan 2017)

Sod all the gym work and technology. Get out on your bike in dark and unpleasant conditions. Make sure you can cycle a long way whilst navigating. Practise eating what you will be eating. Practise riding tired. Rinse and repeat

All of above said from my guesswork. Never going to be a LEL person! But doing a few Ironmans has taught me that as long as you have done a reasonable amount of physical training then it is the mental bit which is toughest.


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## Pat "5mph" (26 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> Are they doing it? I didn't know that.


Now you know 


Nebulous said:


> Do you think that kind of information is of any interest to anyone other than me?


Not that technical stuff about heart rate kind of info: stuff like how you managed to ride 300km in the dark soaking wet, then your front light failed but the moon guided you so now you decide to carry a spare light instead of waterproofs because they are not use anyway.
Very interesting these sort of things.


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## Nebulous (28 Jan 2017)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Now you know
> 
> Not that technical stuff about heart rate kind of info: stuff like how you managed to ride 300km in the dark soaking wet, then your front light failed but the moon guided you so now you decide to carry a spare light instead of waterproofs because they are not use anyway.
> Very interesting these sort of things.



That's a very Scottish response. "I didnae ken." (I didn't know) With the anwer being "Well, ye ken noo." (Well you know now) 

It was a dark and stormy night, a werewolf looked out of his lair, said "Sod this" and went back to bed. Slowly a lone figure on a bicycle hove into sight. He was at a 45 degree angle in the 70mph sidewind. An occasional gust to 95 would knock him over and he would slowly pick himself up and carry on. Most of the left side of his body was numb, and due to the angle his arm was hanging, he was pretty sure his shoulder was broken. "Never mind" he said "That's 8 kilometres in. Only 1392 to go."

To be continued............. 

Only commuted yesterday. Weather crap so going to the gym today again. Looking at new Garmins as my old 500 is pretty worn and not up to the job. Considering a 1000 bundle with all the sensors. Will need battery packs. Thinking on buying 3, one to carry and two to leave in dropbags.


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## vickster (28 Jan 2017)

You might want to get used to riding in less than clement weather conditions as you're bound to encounter some on LEL


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## Nebulous (28 Jan 2017)

vickster said:


> You might want to get used to riding in less than clement weather conditions as you're bound to encounter some on LEL



You're joking? I thought in early August there would be balmy climes all the way! 

I know, I know. I don't like frost though, and I don't have appropriate clothing. Mid-week the temperature is due to rise a bit, so I'll skip work and get out then.


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## jefmcg (28 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> You're joking? I thought in early August there would be balmy climes all the way!


 

Read this then go back and read the whole thread. Or read the book he wrote based on the thread 

2013 wasn't as bad, but there was one night of driving rain where visibility was so poor I had to keep checking the GPS to see which way the road was bending, and I had to walk through standing water a foot deep.


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## Nebulous (28 Jan 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Read this then go back and read the whole thread. Or read the book he wrote based on the thread
> 
> 2013 wasn't as bad, but there was one night of driving rain where visibility was so poor I had to keep checking the GPS to see which way the road was bending, and I had to walk through standing water a foot deep.



That sounds pretty rough! 
It may be difficult to work out when I'm serious and when I'm not. I live 120 miles North of the furthest North point on the route. It has rained all day here and hasn't been above 4 degrees. Although I haven't been out on the bike, I did an hour and a half with dog this morning and will do another 3 miles with him tonight. The main difference as I said is that I don't have the bike clothes I need for this weather but do have a decent pair of walking boots and a decent waterproof jacket for walking in. I'll get the bike clothes pretty soon though.


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## Nebulous (28 Jan 2017)

User46386 said:


> What clothes is it you need exactly? say and hopefully we can recommend some options which will be reasonable and see you though your training and event.



Emphasising the positives! I've plenty short-sleeve jerseys and bibshorts. I've two good pairs of shoes with spd-sls. I've several pairs of fingerless gloves, some compression tops and assorted baselayers. I've a couple of decent windproof long sleeve tops / jackets. I've one well used but effective pair of biblongs. I've got two substantial hi-viz non-breathable jackets for commuting. Get the fairweather emphasis? 

What I don't have is a decent breathable waterproof jacket, decent winter gloves or overshoes. I've got enough to get out if the temperature is above 7 or 8 degrees and isn't too wet. Below that I find fingers and toes lose all circulation. 

I intend buying the LEL jacket and gilet. Suggestions welcome for anything else. I had a pair of Endura overshoes that I used for both commuting and leisure rides and although they were a bit of a faff to get on and off they did the job. They've disintegrated with use though.


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## Pat "5mph" (29 Jan 2017)

@Nebulous I think you basically need to train to be riding weather beaten and sleep deprived


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## classic33 (29 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> That's a very Scottish response. "I didnae ken." (I didn't know) With the anwer being "Well, ye ken noo." (Well you know now)
> *
> It was a dark and stormy night, a werewolf looked out of his lair, said "Sod this" and went back to bed. Slowly a lone figure on a bicycle hove into sight. He was at a 45 degree angle in the 70mph sidewind. An occasional gust to 95 would knock him over and he would slowly pick himself up and carry on. Most of the left side of his body was numb, and due to the angle his arm was hanging, he was pretty sure his shoulder was broken. "Never mind" he said "That's 8 kilometres in. Only 1392 to go."
> 
> ...


And you'd not have got as far as Yorkshire.

What are you expecting to be like when it's time to get back in the saddle again? Werewolves and wind aside. 

What's the longest you've gone on the shortest amount of sleep?


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## Nebulous (29 Jan 2017)

classic33 said:


> What's the longest you've gone on the shortest amount of sleep?



Cycling? The longest I've gone as I said is 300k, which took me 15 hours. Some of that was foodstops. Averaged 24.5 kph moving, with 6000m of climb. 

Otherwise? About 36 hours on around an hour or an hour and a half. I've several times gone to my work on Friday, got home, driven overnight to the South of England, taken the tunnel or a ferry, then driven a substantial distance through France. I once did 1150 miles in 23 hours, counting the tunnel in the time but not the miles, having worked the day before.


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## oldfatfool (29 Jan 2017)

Don't overdo it. I was signed up 4 years ago and made the jump from regular 100/200k rides to 300 and 400 over the space of 3 weekends and shagged my knee. Ended up volunteering.


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## PMarkey (29 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> Cycling? The longest I've gone as I said is 300k, which took me 15 hours. Some of that was foodstops. Averaged 24.5 kph moving, with 6000m of climb.



Keep that level of fitness up and you will have no problems , their is just the question of doing that for four days straight leaving the final 200km to be done in twenty hours 


Paul


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## Edwardoka (29 Jan 2017)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Now you know
> 
> Not that technical stuff about heart rate kind of info: stuff like how you managed to ride 300km in the dark soaking wet, then your front light failed but the moon guided you so now you decide to carry a spare light instead of waterproofs because they are not use anyway.
> Very interesting these sort of things.


That sounds exactly like the kind of thing I'd be posting at 4am from a ditch 


Nebulous said:


> Cycling? The longest I've gone as I said is 300k, which took me 15 hours. Some of that was foodstops. Averaged 24.5 kph moving, with 6000m of climb.



6000m? What route/event was that?? 

(Oh man, I am so far behind on my training it's not even remotely funny.)


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## jefmcg (29 Jan 2017)

Edwardoka said:


> 6000m? What route/event was that??





Nebulous said:


> The most I have ever done was a 300k audax, the snow roads which I completed in about 15 hours.



http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-68/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01161dw


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## Edwardoka (29 Jan 2017)

jefmcg said:


> http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-68/
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01161dw


Ah, that one. Chapeau! That's an absolute brute.
Have done enough of the route (Three Pistes sportive) to add it to the bucket list. Along with "getting up the Lecht without getting off and pushing"...

But yeah, I'd echo everyone else's sentiments; it's about endurance, longevity and staying mentally toughness when you're lost and it's chucking it down in the middle of nowhere in the dark and you're being chased by dogs, rather than about pure physical fitness. So I'm doubly screwed


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## jefmcg (29 Jan 2017)

I have definitely got no advice for someone who can do Snow Roads in 15 hours.


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## Nebulous (29 Jan 2017)

Edwardoka said:


> Ah, that one. Chapeau! That's an absolute brute.
> Have done enough of the route (Three Pistes sportive) to add it to the bucket list. Along with "getting up the Lecht without getting off and pushing"...
> 
> But yeah, I'd echo everyone else's sentiments; it's about endurance, longevity and staying mentally toughness when you're lost and it's chucking it down in the middle of nowhere in the dark and you're being chased by dogs, rather than about pure physical fitness. So I'm doubly screwed



It appears I exaggerated it a bit. Unfortunately I'm not at the same level of fitness now as I was then. I've done the Lecht climb three times from the Tomintoul side, never from the other side, which I think might be harder. I find the Cairn O' Mount harder than the Lecht. I had an epic fail before I really started cycling going up the Cairn O' Mount on a charity fund-raising ride and I've never got over it.


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## Nebulous (29 Jan 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I have definitely got no advice for someone who can do Snow Roads in 15 hours.



I'm not that fit at the moment though. I've also got no idea what it would be like to get up and repeat it the next day. My recollection is that I was a bit stiff but basically fine. My family reckon I couldn't move for several days. My memory totally blocked out the drive home. I should probably have taken a nap before getting in the car.


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## Edwardoka (29 Jan 2017)

Nebulous said:


> I'm not that fit at the moment though. I've also got no idea what it would be like to get up and repeat it the next day. My recollection is that I was a bit stiff but basically fine. My family reckon I couldn't move for several days. My memory totally blocked out the drive home. I should probably have taken a nap before getting in the car.


My experience of doing a multi-day punisher of a route - the Raid Pyrenean in 2015 - is that you think "I cannot see how I will be able to ride at all tomorrow", on waking "I cannot possibly face the bike today", hurting all over. Then after breakfast and stretching you tentatively have no option but to get on the bike, struggle a bit until you start to loosen and warm up and 10 minutes later you're back into it.

It's more of a mental hurdle to get back on the bike rather than a physical inability to continue - so long as you're gentle during the warming up phase. And I say that as a guy who has been procrastinating about getting a ride in today for nearly 2 hours


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## TheAdventureCapitalist (29 Jan 2017)

jay clock said:


> This blog is a good read and has sections about his training if you ferret around https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com


Thanks for the comments 

Nebulous, I'd echo what others have already said. 90% of multi-day ultra-distance is in the head. I'd say you've already demonstrated with past achievements that you're capable enough there. Most of us are able to rise to the occasion and surprise ourselves with what's possible. 

Conditioning is critical, which means gradually (and that part is important!) building up your weekly time on the bike, carefully listening to your body's feedback in order to make any fit adjustments necessary to be comfortable for the duration. Core strength is invaluable here (and a great thing for general wellbeing anyway). 

The bit you may not have come across yet is the need to properly focus on recovery if you plan to ride consecutive big days. Eat and drink continuously, right to the end of your ride and beyond. Stretch, eat a variety of foods if you can, take extra care of yourself during the rides (layer up and down when necessary - don't delay).

If riders are conditioned (on a well-fitting bike) and can keep the fuel going in then I don't see any distance as being impossible. The variable then becomes speed, which is where your fitness comes into play.


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## Pat "5mph" (29 Jan 2017)

@Edwardoka don't read @TheAdventureCapitalist's blog before LEL or you'll be like "woe me, woe me "
Read it after, it's a really good read, I canm't wait for the next installment.


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## jay clock (29 Jan 2017)

Yes, @TheAdventureCapitalist owes us the last instalment or two....


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## TheAdventureCapitalist (29 Jan 2017)

My NY resolution to publish at least one entry per week is going well, huh? Day 9 - The Unrideable Day - is half-written and I'll endeavour to get that live this week. It's nice to know folk are looking forward to them. If only family, work and training would stop getting in the way!


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## jay clock (29 Jan 2017)

TheAdventureCapitalist said:


> My NY resolution to publish at least one entry per week is going well, huh? Day 9 - The Unrideable Day - is half-written and I'll endeavour to get that live this week. It's nice to know folk are looking forward to them. If only family, work and training would stop getting in the way!


i am straight in as soon as the email comes


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## Pat "5mph" (29 Jan 2017)

jay clock said:


> i am straight in as soon as the email comes


Me too!


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## Edwardoka (30 Jan 2017)

TheAdventureCapitalist said:


> My NY resolution to publish at least one entry per week is going well, huh? Day 9 - The Unrideable Day - is half-written and I'll endeavour to get that live this week. It's nice to know folk are looking forward to them. If only family, work and training would stop getting in the way!


Consider me subscribed. I'll need to read your Tinerfeño exploits soon!

Teide from sea level was on my bucket list for the longest time and I was so glad to get it done. Although I still haven't done it from Las Americas (aka the Proper Way)


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## jay clock (9 Feb 2017)

@TheAdventureCapitalist has update his TCR blog.... https://theadventurecapitalist.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/tcr-day-9-the-unrideable-day/ 

The unrideable day he only managed 183km


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## Nebulous (26 Feb 2017)

This is becoming more complicated than I expected / wanted it to. That's life though. Most of my dilemmas are nothing about training. I have two bikes, an Edinburgh Bike cyclocross and a tarmac. I've been toying with the idea of buying a spa steel audax bike with handbuilt wheels and dynamo built in. Apart from paying for it, getting to Harrogate to try it and again to collect it, I have a problem with storage. Cross bike lives in the shed. Tarmac lives in the house, under sufferance. I wouldn't want to keep a new bike in the shed and I wouldn't get to keep it in the house. I had kind of settled on using the Tarmac and making it work, with battery lights. 

I went out yesterday with the intent to do a relaxed 80k. The cyclepath alongside a busy dual carriageway was mucky and I not only punctured my tube but got a hole in my tyre. I changed the tube in cold rainy conditions intending to carry on, but saw the tube was poking through the sidewall. I went home and changed the tyres for grand prix 4000s at 25 millimetres instead of 23s. I've reduced the pressure from 120 back and 110 front to 100 / 90. I also fitted raceblades. Ready to give that setup a try at the clubrun today. 

I'm going to Gran Canaria for two weeks in mid- March. I booked it before I got a place in LEL so made no provision for a bike. I thought I was too late for adding one and intended hiring a bike there. Roughly 25 euros a day. Checking online I discovered I can add a bike for £25 each way. Great I can take my own bike - but I'll need a box. Which one? Look at the price- wouldn't I be better with a new bike? Then I'd still be 250 euros to hire a bike on holiday.

So questions: - 

Tarmac or buy audax bike? 
Equipment on bike - at least one tyre in addition to tubes. 
What bags / luggage carrier do I need on bike? 
Tyres for LEL? 25s are biggest I can fit on Tarmac, go for a harder casing, not race tyres? 

Gran Canaria hire or add to baggage? 
If I add a bike which box to buy? 
Do I need separate bike insurance? 

For training I'm doing a 200 next week. The Forth and Tay. That will help me on my journey regarding equipment and bikes. It will also give me an idea of my fitness / physical preparedness level. 

LEL is turning into a whole series of compromises, each with knock-on effects for further choices. That's possibly what a big challenge is about!


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## mjr (26 Feb 2017)

A folding tyre may be worthwhile but also consider carrying a tyre boot to temporarily fix a hole until your next planned stop.

I understand you can take bikes in bike bags on most flights but I never have. Boxes are good but not essential.

I'd hire for part of the week. It's a way to try a different bike and it is probably good to have some rest on holiday too. Beware travel insurance that lumps ordinary cycling in with stuff like paragliding or has equipment restrictions or has altitude limits but I'd make sure I was covered.

Good luck with the 200.


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## Pat "5mph" (26 Feb 2017)

Hi @Nebulous!
I have never done an Audax, but have toured Scotland on very rough roads.
I would use the cyclocross, get the thinnest Marathon Original Greenguard you can fit.
Reason for the bike: if my £300 Evans special took me to the Lakes and back from Glasgow, surely your much lighter, with better specs, cross can do LEL.
Get some decent battery lights, carry 2 sets of spares, the rest can be bought on route, surely you're not gonna ride the whole route in total darkness, in July.
Fit a light rack and a top bag, only carry 2 spare cycling shorts, one spare jersey, arm warmers, leg warmers, rain jacket, some food, your tools and tubes.
Reason for choice of tyres: I never got a puncture on them cycling route 7 from Callander to Glasgow, quite a bit of it is a MB track.
On holiday, just rent a bike for 3/4 days, relax for the remaining.
You can do it!


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## Nebulous (26 Feb 2017)

Hi @Pat "5mph" To be honest I've never liked the cross bike. I had an Edinburgh Bike tourer, which I did like, and it was written off when I was hit by a car. I've always regretted not replacing it with another touring bike. I run it with marathons, not pluses and flat pedals. I can jolly it along and get a fast 30 miles or so out of it, but I never feel enthusiastic about it. I really don't see it as suitable for LEL. 

Now - given I've said that, maybe I should just sell it and buy a steel bike which will do for LEL and work use.


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## Pat "5mph" (26 Feb 2017)

Well @Nebulous you never said you did not like your cross.
In that case, N+1!
But will you have time to be at one with N+1 (lol) in time for LEL?


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## zigzag (1 Mar 2017)

i think you are already fit to do the distance (my longest ride before lel was 200k that i've done twice), i would recommend to set your bike up for comfort, so you do not get saddle issues and numb fingers. it's a mental challenge more than a physical one, keep riding 100-200k rides always push harder going up the hills - it's a better technique to cover the distance in shorter amount of time and makes you fitter. stop doing longer rides in july and do the 50-80km at high intensity instead, two-three times a week. you'll be good to go and enjoy the event!


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## jefmcg (1 Mar 2017)

zigzag said:


> numb fingers


Numb fingers is almost guaranteed by day four, along with fluid retention. Over on YACF and surgeon had to take time off work afterwards, until she had proper feeling in her hands. It took me weeks before my feet stopped feeling weird

Just saying. The advice above is solid.


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## jefmcg (1 Mar 2017)

Nebulous said:


> but I'll need a box. Which one?


http://www.bikeboxhireaberdeen.co.uk/index.html ?


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## Nebulous (2 Mar 2017)

jefmcg said:


> http://www.bikeboxhireaberdeen.co.uk/index.html ?



That's a good find. Prices I saw were more than that. 

I've already bought this though. Just waiting for it to be delivered. 

I do get numb fingers with long rides on the bike. I broke my left arm as a teenager and it is always that hand which gets numb. One thing which helps is moving around. I'm a natural fidget, so I tend to roam from the tops to the hoods to the drops anyway. Numbness appears to happen when I 'forget' to move, which I assume will be more likely on a ride of this length. Once it sets in it doesn't lift until I get off the bike. Sometimes it doesn't shift until I have a shower.


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## Nebulous (2 Mar 2017)

zigzag said:


> i think you are already fit to do the distance (my longest ride before lel was 200k that i've done twice), i would recommend to set your bike up for comfort, so you do not get saddle issues and numb fingers. it's a mental challenge more than a physical one, keep riding 100-200k rides always push harder going up the hills - it's a better technique to cover the distance in shorter amount of time and makes you fitter. stop doing longer rides in july and do the 50-80km at high intensity instead, two-three times a week. you'll be good to go and enjoy the event!



50-80k at high intensity is what I am used to. I have a lot of hills and do tend to push on up them. Club run on Sunday was 85k with 1000m of climb. 

Are back to back rides important? I'm thinking I need to be doing 120k+ on both Saturday and Sunday regularly.


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## martint235 (2 Mar 2017)

Don't overcomplicate it. HRMs etc aren't really necessary for LEL. So here's my view on what you need to achieve between now and then:

If you can cycle 50 miles, you can cycle 100 miles. Find foods that you like to eat, are readily available and don't upset your stomach (I'm fine with most things but work well with full english and/or fish and chips)
When you've done a 100, have a good look at your bike and what you can make more comfortable. Doesn't need a commercial bike fit. I set my LEL bike up by feel.
Once you've ridden a 100 miler you can ride a 200 miler. Just requires more food and at the right times so I'd decide before hand when you are going to eat (for me it's now every 50 miles) and eat then regardless of whether or not you're hungry. *Key point: *I find the jump from 100 to 200 is where the mental aspect really kicks in, you're now going to be on your bike for over 12 hours. Find out what works for you, mine is treating it as 4 50 milers (fits in with eating)
Now you've done a 200 miler, try doing two 100 milers on consecutive days. This brings in another of the mental aspects, getting back on your bike when you are already tired.
At this point I think you're good to go. In 2012, I was as fit as ..... and fully ready for LEL then in 2013 I found that my previous eating plan (every 100 miles-ish) was no longer working for me. A good friend set up a couple of training rides to try out a new eating regime (50 miles) in March. In April, my mum passed away so I hardly rode a bike between then and LEL so I didn't really have much more than core fitness to go on. And stubbornness.

I'd say LEL is 80% mental, 19% eating and sleeping and 1% whether or not you've had a training plan. It's worth having a rough plan for the ride but I binned mine on the first day as I only got to Pocklington rather than Brampton. Lack of sleep saw me in a really bad way by the time I got to Barnard Castle southbound but 6 hours sleep sorted that out.

Good luck!!


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## zigzag (2 Mar 2017)

Nebulous said:


> 50-80k at high intensity is what I am used to. I have a lot of hills and do tend to push on up them. Club run on Sunday was 85k with 1000m of climb.
> 
> Are back to back rides important? I'm thinking I need to be doing 120k+ on both Saturday and Sunday regularly.



if you can make time for them - yes, they would definitely help. not so much for fitness, but to observe what works and what could be improved with regards to nutrition, hydration, sustainable pace, posture on a bike etc.


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## Nebulous (5 Mar 2017)

Well that's my frst 200 done. A long hard day. Now all I need is to do 7 of these back to back. A local bike shop in Auchterarder offers free coffee to cyclists on the first Sunday of every month. I'm not sure they appreciated there was an audax passing through!


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## Nebulous (20 Mar 2017)

I'm currently in Gran Canaria. As usual a lack of research / planning has conspired to make this more complicated than it should be. We booked it before LEL was in sight and went for the old town of Las Palmas, rather than the touristy bits in the South. The organised bike tours go from the South and it is very difficult to get out of Las Palmas by bike. All the routes seem to require about 500 metres of climb in the first 10 kilometres or so. 

I had imagined doing 80k most days in 3 hours. Nice hot weather, steady pace 27kph - what more could you ask for? 

Instead I find myself puffing and wheezing uphill struggling to do 40k in two hours. 

Today I did my longest ride of the holiday. 78k to the top of the volcanic mountain pico de las nieves. It wasn't fast and it wasn't pretty, but I got there with 2000 metres of climbing. At 85 kilos I will never be a mountain goat. I love going downhill, but it wasn't as good as I expected. Very sharp corners, narrow roads and plenty cars meant a lot of care was needed. My wrists were sore with braking by the time I got back to our flat. 

I'm proud of the achievement today - lots of cyclists at the top - but will it bring anything to LEL? Time will tell. 

So far in March 544km and 8189m of climb.


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## Jerry Atrik (20 Mar 2017)

I climbed Nieves last year , possibly one of the best climbs I've ever done . It certainly won't have done you any harm . Photo from the top with El Teide in the back ground .


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## Nebulous (21 Mar 2017)

Jerry Atrik said:


> View attachment 343400
> I climbed Nieves last year , possibly one of the best climbs I've ever done . It certainly won't have done you any harm . Photo from the top with El Teide in the back ground .



Oh I'm sure it will have helped, but my expectation before I came here was to get more mileage in. I'm reluctant to play up my chances for LEL in case I don't make it! 

I'm not a climber, the biggest climb I had ever done before was the bealach na ba, which was only 630 metres. Yesterday smashed that. Here's my photo from pretty much the same spot as yours if the link works. I 'swapped' photos with a German guy with me in my club kit, but stupidly I didn't check it. I don't think he was able to work the camera on my phone and the photo wasn't there after I got back.


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## Nebulous (8 Apr 2017)

Well that's another 200k in and a degree of learning. I didn't eat soon enough and went too fast in the early stages, meaning a difficult middle section. 

1 hour 15 minutes faster than the last one. Roughly half gained on the bike and half gained by having less and shorter stops. I have to be pleased with that.


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## Nebulous (30 Apr 2017)

I completed a 300 yesterday, with 4200 metres of climb and it was tough. I had the beginnings of a cough overnight, then around 20 kilometres in on a steep descent we had quite a lot of rain and the temperature dropped to 1 degree. We reached Innerleithen, which is also on the LEL route and a group of bedraggled audaxers were crowded in the local co-op eating their food and trying to get some warmth. The next stage was about 90 kilometres into a stiff wind. I rode most of it on my own and developed a sore knee. I spent much of that stage trying to think of an excuse to bail out. I didn't just need an excuse to tell others, I needed one to convince myself. Soaking wet, coughing and my sore knee might have worked if I could have rolled them all up together, but somehow individually they didn't do enough

We reached Elsdon and some encouraging words from others, hot tea and a fried egg sandwich saw me determined to carry on. It got better from there, despite my stomach being reluctant to accept any foodstuff in Alnwick. 

Duns was the nextr control, followed by the biggest climb of the day over the Redrigg. I stopped to help another rider with a mechanical and by this time we were descending in the dark on a steep twisty descent neither of us had ever done before. That was one of the highs of the day. I made the finish and a bonus was that with the short trip to and from the campsite and some detours I ended up with over 330 kilometres, which took me over the 200 mile mark for the first time.

I hadn't really appreciated what 4200 metres of climbing actually meant. They certainly make you work for those AAA points, don't they? 

So a tough day, with a lot of learning and I'm beginning to understand what my equipment can and can't do. The stitching on the pad of my biblongs was quite annoying, with a degree of chafing, so I need to find some better ones. In contrast my light was amazing, very long-lasting with a better beam than others I saw. Yesterday has certainly lessened my worries about night time riding.


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