# PULSE RATE!



## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

Ok im 15.. I have a road bike and also a stationary bike it rates my pulse.. 

My normal pulse is 69-74 when just sitting there waiting for it.

Is this good?

What should my pulse actually be?

Is there a certain pulse to be 100% fit?


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## yello (15 Apr 2009)

Welcome to the forum CyclingSam.

Your pulse sounds fine to me, but I'm no doctor. 

There isn't really a single pulse rate that defines fitness, there are too many individual factors that come into the equation, but I guess there's an age related broad spectrum that suggests good physical condition. I'd say you're comfortably in that range for your age.

Is there a reason you ask? Anything else giving you cause for concern?


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## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

Just wanted to see if i was fit i want to be 100% fit, my dream is to get on the tour de france.

Hopefully go for it at 25 years old.


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## montage (15 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Just wanted to see if i was fit i want to be 100% fit, my dream is to get on the tour de france.
> 
> Hopefully go for it at 25 years old.



I imagine TdF riders have a pulse rate of around 45/50 (if not lower) while resting. 69-74 is "average/healthy" I believe. No reason why you can't get fitter, being 15 is just about young enough to aim for a career like this. How much do you train? Are you going to college? (Going to college after GCSE's and pursuing a sport such as cycling isn't easy if you wish to excell in both). The competition will be tough, so if you aren't training enough, start now!


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## Young Un (15 Apr 2009)

Yeah, good luck in your TdF pursuit.

What kind of training are you doing currently?
Have you done any races yet?
Have you been scouted yet?
Your never too young to get sponsership and start working your way up!


Steve (14 year old)


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## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

Im trying to get in a cycling club at the moment, its hard to find stuff like this around here in the southeast of england.

I have an exercise bike on that usually every other day for an hour, doing interval training that i found on the internet.

And yes right after school ill be doing full time cycling hopefully! parents think i need a job first to get the money to buy the equipment/bikes/etc.

I do 20 miles a week.. doesn't seem enough but then i go straight on to my exercise bike and do about 12 miles on that everyday.

Sometimes i even go for a 32 mile cycle at the weekend if a friend wants to go but not usually.


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## Young Un (15 Apr 2009)

You need to get racing now!

INterval training is really good! Your 15 right? so you would be in the youth a cat for which races range from 30mins to 60 mins. You need to have the 'on' time equate to the time that you will be racing, so for example in preperation for a 30min race i will do a turbo session that is

10min warm up / 10 min on / 5 min off / 10 min on / 5 min off / 10 min on / 10 min warm down.

Steve


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## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

http://www.freeweightlossexerciseprograms.net/exercise-bike-workout.html

I use this.

Why races anyway..? Races with a club or just common races agaisnt family members?


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## montage (15 Apr 2009)

Wise words from young un  Sam where in SE england are you? You would most likely benefit from more cycling outdoors on your actual bike and I guess you want to be doing around 150miles a week at this take if you are serious about making it pro? I'm no expert, but the more you cycle, the better you will get


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## Young Un (15 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> http://www.freeweightlossexerciseprograms.net/exercise-bike-workout.html
> 
> I use this.
> 
> Why races anyway..? Races with a club or just common races agaisnt family members?



races as in properly organised events. Why? because you need to get used to riding tactically and having people knock against your bars etc, also your aren't going to get scouted unless you go to races.


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## montage (15 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> http://www.freeweightlossexerciseprograms.net/exercise-bike-workout.html
> 
> I use this.
> 
> Why races anyway..? Races with a club or just common races agaisnt family members?



with a club


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## Young Un (15 Apr 2009)

also if you want to be competitive you need to scrap that interval session that you are using and use something like the one I posted earlier - you need endurance for racing and the TdF, whereas if you keep doing that one you will only build a good sprint.

and to give you an idea - I do about 110 miles a week, and I am still fast enough to be anywhere near the main bunch in a race.


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## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

Ok.. thanks all the bike clubs around here are just like.. meet up and go for cycle somewhere..

I need a coach club really.


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## montage (15 Apr 2009)

so where abouts in the SE are you from?..


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## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

Kent, Thanet. The roads arn't even that good/smooth here i wish nice smooth tracks around here. Theirs some hills ive basicly done them all lol, going up hills sitting down is a good idea? I do it all the time. Never failed on any hill never will lol.


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## arallsopp (15 Apr 2009)

Welcome, by the way 

Now get off the computer and head out

Its sunny out there and the easter hols won't last forever.


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## CyclingSAM (15 Apr 2009)

I will do tommorrow want to find out my questions for today and get the problem fixed with my bike.

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=673907#post673907


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## montage (15 Apr 2009)

How you doing with times i.e. how long it take you to do 10 miles?
What are you average speeds like, and speeds up hills?


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

Exercise bike on gear 6. 12 miles for 5 miles. 

Any good?

On road bike going up hills i do them no problem good speed. 

I went up a hill yesterday, car was going about 30 mph, i was right behind it, must of been going about 25mph up there. But after that i pushed my self to hard and i was Sick, goodjob i was near home at the time. I was sick. Had 5 mins off and went cycling again.


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## punkypossum (16 Apr 2009)

You are unlikely to ride the tour de france on your own and on an exercise bike, so joining a club and getting racing like others suggested might be a good idea!!!


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

I will be joinin a club, its just hard looking for one lol.


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## Young Un (16 Apr 2009)

Make sure that you get one that has some old members (they are great for advise and freebies) but also make sure that there are some people your own age (so you can have a chat) but also make sure that there are some people who race (so can tell you about race technique, when the races are etc etc.)


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## Joe24 (16 Apr 2009)

Welcome,
Get out on your bike more! I built my fitness up fast last year just by riding on the road. You can be good on an excersice bike and a turbo, but when you get on the road you just wont be as fast.
Join a club. This is what i did. You will end up doing more miles, which will get you fitter.
I dont bother with riding on a turbo or excersice bike, i just go out, even if it rains. It will just make me harder.
Also, you say you went up a hill that fast, what are you classing as a hill?
Whats your times to do 10miles, 20miles, what do you normally do in an hour.
As for resting heart rate, mine is normally around the mid 50bpm. Its been down lower before when ive been really relaxed.
Get talking to older members in your club. Someone i know helped me get better at riding. He used to race, and be pretty good at it. Well be riding along and he will be moving in on me, touching shoulders and sometimes even making his front wheel touch my backwheel. Its to get me used to stuff for racing, and its a good laugh


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## Dan B (16 Apr 2009)

FWIW, resting heart rate is usually measured just after waking, while still in bed and lying down. Even standing or sitting up is enough to knock it up a few bpm


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

26 miles in about 75 mins.

Is that good at my age?

Ive did a 26 mile cycle in 2 hours on a moutain bike. But that was with a friend that was quiet slow, so had to stay with him.

If i was on my own id do it in about 75 mins.


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## TVC (16 Apr 2009)

If you're serious about it then here is your local club:

http://www.thanetrc.org.uk/

Like starting anything new - ears open, mouth shut and work hard. If you've got the talent these people will put you on the first step to a potential pro career, and if you don't get the breaks then you're going to make some good mates and be proper fit into the bargain - Good luck!


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

*Time Trials*

Club time trials - These are the main stay of the club over the summer, and take place every Wednesday night, starting at Fowlmead Country Park

Omg! Ive been there 2 weeks ago, but only once!


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## TVC (16 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> *Time Trials*
> 
> Club time trials - These are the main stay of the club over the summer, and take place every Wednesday night, starting at Fowlmead Country Park
> 
> Omg! Ive been there 2 weeks ago, but only once!



You're only competing against yourself and remember

1. The club will be glad you're there. 
2. You will be doing something that many on this forum (including myself) have never attempted. 
3. Serious bragging rights when you get back to school. 
4. All pro cyclists have to ride time trials - especially in TdF.

Get down to the club and give it a go - you have nothing to lose


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

Im hopefully going this saturday with a friend, were be just going around the track. Witch is 2 miles along who knows could get a stopwatch and get someone to time me round, take a rest and see if i can get a faster time. That seems ok for now? Still got training? I guess there will be other cyclists going round and round so maybe i can just try keep up with them and see how i do.


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## Joe24 (16 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Im hopefully going this saturday with a friend, were be just going around the track. Witch is 2 miles along who knows could get a stopwatch and get someone to time me round, take a rest and see if i can get a faster time. That seems ok for now? Still got training? I guess there will be other cyclists going round and round so maybe i can just try keep up with them and see how i do.



2miles? Is that it?! Cant you do some longer rides? Just going round and around a 2 mile track is boring.


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

No im saying the track is 2 miles long lol, ill be going round it loads...


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## montage (16 Apr 2009)

Tracks don't have hills....TdF has _hills_. Get out on rides at least 50 miles long and put in as many hills as possible.


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## Joe24 (16 Apr 2009)

montage said:


> Tracks don't have hills....TdF has _hills_. Get out on rides at least 50 miles long and put in as many hills as possible.



Exactly. 
When i was 15, i was still doing hills, and going out every night after school. Id do about 10-15miles on my folder.
Id do 15miles a night when i got my Giant, then i upped that to 30miles a day with 2 club rides when i was off, and when i was at school 30miles a night after school with one long club ride.
When the evening TTs started, id be doing a 10mile TT one night a week aswell. I was 16/17 then though. But if i had started to ride more properly when i was your age, i would be much better now. But i didnt so im not. But im not slow, i enjoy riding and i do local TTs.
Get out in some hills. Get out riding more miles out on the road. The excersice bike wont be doing you as good as riding on the road.


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

The track is only for me to sprint on. I do, do hills quite alot, doing 30 miles around my area is hard. Theirs no where to go in the southeast in the UK.
Apart from going around the same places.

The roads arn't overall that good aswell.


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## iLB (16 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> The track is only for me to sprint on. I do, do hills quite alot, doing 30 miles around my area is hard. Theirs no where to go in the southeast in the UK.
> Apart from going around the same places.
> 
> The roads arn't overall that good aswell.



there's plenty of cycling in Kent sam.
and you really can't be put off by the quality of the road surfaces, check out what they deal with in the Paris-Roubaix, all those cobbles etc...


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## Joe24 (16 Apr 2009)

Exactly, road surfaces are road surfaces.
Ive done abit of cycling in Kent. It wasnt too bad. Depends what you class as bad road surfaces. Ive been down hills in Derbyshire, where its a single track road, grass in the middle of the road, horse crap and pot holes when you are riding, and you go down them doing mid/high 30mph.
I also went up a long hill in Derbyshire that had alot of that road chipping stuff on it. It was pretty deep in some places, and we went up it. It was fine until the tipper trucks and the road sweepers went down it, flicking up stones all over.
Dont worry about the quality of the roads. As long as they are tarmac then ride them.


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## iLB (16 Apr 2009)

and it means you just improve your bike handling skill/ability , i haven't raced yet but i've spoken about 'bump' practice with a guy at my club where they deliberately hit each others rear wheel to simulate close racing situations - so the road surface is the least of your worries


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## Joe24 (16 Apr 2009)

ilovebikes said:


> and it means you just improve your bike handling skill/ability , i haven't raced yet but i've spoken about 'bump' practice with a guy at my club where they deliberately hit each others rear wheel to simulate close racing situations - so the road surface is the least of your worries



Its good that is. I had someone keep on doing it behind me. I did know them, and i just sat there laughing at them. I then started to slowly pick the speed up and he soon moved back I was helping him get home aswell!!
I had calld him a few names though as a joke


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

Ramsgate,Margare,Broadstairs.. Ever been to any of them? 

Going along on the sea front is good.


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## iLB (16 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Ramsgate,Margare,Broadstairs.. Ever been to any of them?
> 
> Going along on the sea front is good.



but those place are within like 3 miles of each other, try cycling to somewhere like canterbury and back, you'll find it easier than you think m8


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## montage (16 Apr 2009)

ilovebikes said:


> but those place are within like 3 miles of each other, try cycling to somewhere like canterbury and back, you'll find it easier than you think m8




You just need to want it enough


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## CyclingSAM (16 Apr 2009)

Dont know my way :|


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## iLB (17 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Dont know my way :|



now read what montage said


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## youngoldbloke (17 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Dont know my way :|



MAPS. Paper ones . Library. Learn to read them, understand them. Online ones - Googlemap, Bikehike, Streetmap etc etc etc etc ........ It has never been easie_r_. Print them out - get out on the bike. Explore and get fit.


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## jay clock (17 Apr 2009)

I am glad to hear you want to make it big, but I will be controversial: I do not think you will.

The number one thing most top achievers have in getting to their goals is the mental part. ALL I have read is "it's hard to find a cycle club in the SE of England" and laughably that it is hard to find somewhere to ride 30 miles in Kent/SE of England. "Oh, and the road surface is a bit bad. Oh and I cannot navigate" If you cannot overcome these you will not be the next Lance.

I have a 12 yr old nephew who plays for the Academy team of one of the UK's top football teams. He trains 2 hours a day and in spite of being smaller and perhaps not quite as good as some of the other boys his mental attitude means he has been kept on when others have been dropped.

Stop finding reasons for why you will fail and find reasons for why you will succeed. And keep us posted


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## TVC (17 Apr 2009)

Everything thay jay clock said!

I found you a suitable club yesterday, all you need is the confidence to go along, they really will be pleased to see you. It might seem offputting to see very fit guys on expensive machines knocking off 10 mile time trials in under 25 minutes, but they all started from the same place as you with their first road bike, and it wont be that many years before you're the bloke with tree trunks for legs bowling along at 30mph.

Confidence and drive is all you need, and once you're in the club you'll wonder what you were scared about.

Do it!


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## Joe24 (17 Apr 2009)

jay clock said:


> I am glad to hear you want to make it big, but I will be controversial: I do not think you will.
> 
> The number one thing most top achievers have in getting to their goals is the mental part. ALL I have read is "it's hard to find a cycle club in the SE of England" and laughably that it is hard to find somewhere to ride 30 miles in Kent/SE of England. "Oh, and the road surface is a bit bad. Oh and I cannot navigate" If you cannot overcome these you will not be the next Lance.
> 
> ...



Damn right. I did actually want to say something like that and be abit realistic, but i wouldnt of been able to put it right without making the person feel crap.
A bike shop can tell you what the local clubs are.
Go exploring on your bike, find new places to go, have a loop, tne have loops that go off this loop, then loops that go off that loop..........
You will then have a great mind of roads, where to go, different ways around things and a good knowledge of the local area.
When i went out to a new place, i would go on the internet, find the road i knew, and find a route out and back. Id write it down just incase i forgot, but i didnt really need it. Always had fun, and you do get a good feeling when you have done it.


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## CyclingSAM (18 Apr 2009)

Went to fowlmead cycling park today, did 22 miles around it. 

Was pretty good.


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## jay clock (18 Apr 2009)

well done. if you can do 22 miles you will cope with a club. Call Thanet RC and give it a go


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## montage (18 Apr 2009)

Also enter ALL time trials you can make, get yourself a racing lisence and begin racing! (i still need one of these but at £70 they aren't cheap!).

Need to get a decent race/TT calander for hampshire aswell lol


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## CyclingSAM (18 Apr 2009)

Ive done 44 miles with no food/drink/stop before 

Was a charity cycle in the southeast, the main race was 32 miles, but i cycled there, witch is 2 miles so 34 miles, when it finished i cycled to my nans, witch is another 2 miles, 36, cycled back to mine from my nans witch is 4 miles, so 40 miles, cycled to a friends house another 2 miles, later on, asked him if he wanted to go out for a cycle again he said no, so i cycled home again witch is 2 miles, thats 44.

Just that after, i felt tired! This was in november ive gotton alot more fitter then.

This was on a mountain bike then.

I would like to test my speed first so i must get a bike computer and test my max speed and see if i can keep on beating it.


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## CyclingSAM (20 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Ive done 44 miles with no food/drink/stop before
> 
> Was a charity cycle in the southeast, the main race was 32 miles, but i cycled there, witch is 2 miles so 34 miles, when it finished i cycled to my nans, witch is another 2 miles, 36, cycled back to mine from my nans witch is 4 miles, so 40 miles, cycled to a friends house another 2 miles, later on, asked him if he wanted to go out for a cycle again he said no, so i cycled home again witch is 2 miles, thats 44.
> 
> ...



Bump - Is this good?


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## gavintc (20 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Bump - Is this good?




No, this is good


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz8QAUwQd3Y


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## walker (21 Apr 2009)

Going back to the original question. Your heart rate is ok, but it could/should be better to be fitter. the lower the heart rate the less your heart has to work to pump blood around the body. You need to work on your cardio a bit more (get out and ride more) to get it down. Lance Armstrong is noted as bing the fittest man in hte world for having a resting heart rate of around 28BPM. Once you get in more training you should be aiming for a RHR Of around 45BPM. 

As for getting in the TdF. your best aim is to get training and racing now, although your probably not going to get in the British Academy, I would just work on race wins. 

As far as I remember there are clubs around Thanet, maybe more towards Gravesend that are quite good. Just get out and ride with any club will give you experience of riding in a pack, without that racing is going to be a long way off.


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## garrilla (21 Apr 2009)

Sam,

I'm 43 and bit overweight and drank about 1.25l of coffee today. I'm sat at my office desk, I put my heart rate monitor on to give you an idea. It's avg about 70. Last time I checked my total rest heart rate - just after waking and before any activity or the first cup of caffine- it was about 50. I drink one cup of coffee it raises 10!

20 miles a week is not much, you should target that at least a day with something longer at the weekend. As everybody here has said join a club for the fun of it, to find knowledgable people - eh you might even learn how to index your gears! You will need to find a buddy that wants to go far and get there fast - a club is probably the best place to start.

I have 3 big pieces of advice for you:

1) listen to you're parents, they're right - if you're not going to college then get a job, your bike from Halford's is a long way off what you need for decent AMATEUR racing which you will need to do first to win things in order to get scooted by a race team.

2) go to the library and find books - books on the tour (see what it entails - distances, times, climbs, etc), autobiographies of racers (feel the pain, admire the will), learning cyclecraft (road use, mechanical and so on) and anything else you can find. This will either inspire you or put you off.

3) Follow your dream, but know and accept that you must work 100s of times harder than you have envisaged so far. As was said in earlier posts, saying "I can't" won't get you anywhere. Your new catchphrase should be "I Did"

Please let us know when you win your first junior race.


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## monnet (22 Apr 2009)

No drink
No women
Bed by 9pm
Sleep with your legs raised
Don't stand when you can sit, don't sit when you can lie
Train twice on Xmas day and New Year's day because your rivals will only train once
Sacrifice everything for cycling

Well it worked for Sean Kelly - I don't think he worried too much about his heart rate either. 

Like everyone else has said ride lots, all weathers and get used to suffering - really suffering. Bonking 40 miles from home on a cold, wet November morning on the winter training ride is usually when you realise whether you've got the required grit to make it.


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## CyclingSAM (22 Apr 2009)

Sleep with legs raised? How can i do that!? I wont notice it if im sleeping.

And probaly move around.


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## iLB (22 Apr 2009)

CyclingSAM said:


> Sleep with legs raised? How can i do that!? I wont notice it if im sleeping.
> 
> And probaly move around.



extra pillows...


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## Joe24 (22 Apr 2009)

I thought you died if you slept with your legs raised or is it just a myth?


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