100 miles in 5 hours challenge

[mattobrien]

Not sure if it is progress really or not, last week I did a 60 miler at 20.5 and to be honest couldn't really be too bothered with my riding much this week, possibly I was a little tired.

Popped out this evening and clocked 21.6 mph over 34 miles. Admittedly it is a shorter distance (not really the scope for hours and hours on the bike tonight), but it equals my ave. speed PB and adds another 10 miles to the distance achieved at that speed. http://www.strava.com/activities/151127991/segments/3476476001

It will be a week or two before I manage any more decent rides as I am off to Le Mans on Thursday and no room in the car for a bike to do laps of the circuit. One year maybe

 

[NorvernRob]

Not a chance of doing this anytime soon! Did a 103 mile sportive with 3,500ft of elevation in 6.27 overall, moving time 5.58. Not bad considering I've only been riding since January but nowhere near 5hrs.

On a flat course I think I could do 18mph average, but not 20. And around here there's absolutely zero chance because there aren't any flat routes or anything even close to flat.

 

[Rob3rt]

I've put my money where my mouth is and entered a 100 mile TT (that is an actual time trial, not a sportive) on the last Sunday of the month. I am aiming to beat 4 hours, although I readily accept that as someone who is not a long haul trucker, that is an ambitious target on the course I have entered. I would be happy to hit somewhere around 4 hours 10 mins (~24 mph). I anticipate several challenges, not least that all of my training has been for 10 and 25 mile time trials so I am best suited to those durations performance wise, I also imagine holding an aero position for ~4 hours is going to be pretty damn uncomfortable, then there is hydration and nutrition, which is not the same as when riding a sportive or Sunday club run, will probably need to rope a club mate in to hand up bottles every hour or so.

It is not at all unlikely I will DNF (did not finish) because I am not a moron and if I am struggling and the time looks shoot, or I have any "difficulties" (mechanical or physical) I will abandon on the basis that it would not be worth the punishment and the subsequent recovery (racing 100 miles is a lot more punishing than riding 100 miles) and implications for my main targets this season (National 10 mile TT, National 25 mile TT and National Hill Climb) if the result if going to be crap.

 

[mattobrien]

I've put my money where my mouth is and entered a 100 mile TT (that is an actual time trial, not a sportive) on the last Sunday of the month. I am aiming to beat 4 hours, although I readily accept that as someone who is not a long haul trucker, that is an ambitious target on the course I have entered. I would be happy to hit somewhere around 4 hours 10 mins (~24 mph). I anticipate several challenges, not least that all of my training has been for 10 and 25 mile time trials so I am best suited to those durations performance wise, I also imagine holding an aero position for ~4 hours is going to be pretty damn uncomfortable, then there is hydration and nutrition, which is not the same as when riding a sportive or Sunday club run, will probably need to rope a club mate in to hand up bottles every hour or so.

It is not at all unlikely I will DNF (did not finish) because I am not a moron and if I am struggling and the time looks ****, or I have any "difficulties" (mechanical or physical) I will abandon on the basis that it would not be worth the punishment and the subsequent recovery and implications for my main targets this season (National 10 mile TT, National 25 mile TT and National Hill Climb) if the result if going to be crap.

Well done for entering, I look forward to hearing how you get on. Good luck!

What speed are you averaging over a 25TT and how much do you think you will need to drop your pace to extend out the distance?

 

[Rob3rt]

For a 25TT I average around 27mph on a Cheshire course (course PB on J2/9 is 55:15, 27.1 mph), around 29 mph on a fast course (PB is 51:58, 28.9 mph). I am racing on J2/9 on Saturday, so will get a bit of an update on that, not done it for a month or so and I THINK this will be my 1st ride on the course since changing my position a little and buying the Bell Javelin helmet to replace my Giro Selector which wouldn't stay in place properly.

The 100TT is on a Cheshire course, I know all the roads, they make up 2 different 25 mile TT courses and a 10 course, all joined together and with several laps of some sections.

The organiser, who I chat to occasionally at races sent me an email about my entry with some advice, he said I should be able to ride at just under the hour pace for the 1st 75 miles then pick it up at the end. In theory, this sounds good but I don't ride my bike for long distances, so there may be other things that come into play that mean I simply can't do that.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Awesome challenge.

In our local NNW 100 TT recently only two competitors dipped under the 4 hour mark (3.52 and 3.53 I think) and our 10 mile and 25 mile record holder DNF for the same kind of reasons you've mentioned.

Good luck.

 

[vorsprung]

This has been one of my (solo) targets from when I started riding seriously four years ago (and the other side of 50), but unless I take drugs, get younger, or move somewhere flatter than Devon, I think I'll have to concede. Though I've done the 97-mile Force Century Cycle Challenge [sic] twice at non-stop 20.3mph and 20.0mph as part of small groups, and a couple of solo non-stop 75-milers at 19.3mph, that extra bit of sustained power to crack the solo 100 is just beyond me. Pah. It's a tough nut, especially when there are hills involved.

You could do what I did when I was training for PBP in 2011, work out a loop on the Somerset levels that is pretty much zero ascent

 

[Rob3rt]

I did a 1 hour effort on Sunday at a power that I anticipate I can ride at for 100 miles if I were to race tomorrow (not literally, but without any sort of taper or freshening up etc, i.e. if I were to race when trained heavily) and averaged 23.3 mph, that is on my TT bike, but with normal wheels, standard clothing (with full pockets) and a road helmet. Disc + Trispoke, speedsuit and aero helmet should return enough to get me to 24 mph on a similar power I think. If I freshen up a bit beforehand I should be able to eek out a bit more as this week was a fairly big week and I am running my highest chronic training load to date atm.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I did a 1 hour effort on Sunday at a power that I anticipate I can ride at for 100 miles if I were to race tomorrow (not literally, but without any sort of taper or freshening up etc, i.e. if I were to race when trained heavily) and averaged 23.3 mph, that is on my TT bike, but with normal wheels, standard clothing (with full pockets) and a road helmet. Disc + Trispoke, speedsuit and aero helmet should return enough to get me to 24 mph on a similar power I think. If I freshen up a bit beforehand I should be able to eek out a bit more as this week was a fairly big week and I am running my highest chronic training load to date atm.

Good luck dude. Worst part will undoubtedly be being in an aerodynamic position for 4 hours. The thought makes me shudder!!
Only way you will find out how your body reacts to the distance, nutrition wise, will be to ride it i suppose. I don't think it's a disaster if you don't finish your first attempt.

Fingers crossed the stars align, the weather is fine and you're on a good one.

 

[briantrumpet]

You could do what I did when I was training for PBP in 2011, work out a loop on the Somerset levels that is pretty much zero ascent

Ah, now you've given me an idea ... not quite the Somerset levels, but close at hand for house No.2, either http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4989680
or http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4989667 (there and back). The latter flatter, but requiring a train journey to get to the start. Both would be better with the highest point in the middle. But both would have the advantage of silky smooth French roads for the entire length of the ride. Not that I'm casting aspersions on the quality of the roads across the Somerset Levels, you understand, or the standard of the driving... The downside would be temperatures in the mid-30s in August...

 

[Jon George]

I've put my money where my mouth is and entered a 100 mile TT.

Damn impressed, sir! Good luck - 2 hrs on my clip-on aero bars to get a 20mph average was bad enough, but four at a far greater speed? You have my admiration just for contemplating it.

 

[Rob3rt]

Good luck dude. Worst part will undoubtedly be being in an aerodynamic position for 4 hours. The thought makes me shudder!!
Only way you will find out how your body reacts to the distance, nutrition wise, will be to ride it i suppose. I don't think it's a disaster if you don't finish your first attempt.

Fingers crossed the stars align, the weather is fine and you're on a good one.

Agree, I have been getting some chaffing issues lately that I have never had before, not sure if it is a case of my Adamo saddle having expired. Going to try a test saddle out from a mates bike shop in the coming weeks and will probably get my cleat position looked at as I changed to some S-Works shoes a few month ago and am still struggling to get my cleat position quite right esp my right foot! (was fine swapping cleat on the same shoe as I just marked the shoe, but swapping to new shoes was less easy new shoes also have a lower stack too so I had to take my saddle down a TINY bit). Not causing any problems over the distances I currently ride, but well, less chance of doing any damage the better I say.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Agree, I have been getting some chaffing issues lately that I have never had before, not sure if it is a case of my Adamo saddle having expired. Going to try a test saddle out from a mates bike shop in the coming weeks and will probably get my cleat position looked at as I changed to some S-Works shoes a few month ago and am still struggling to get my cleat position quite right esp my right foot! (was fine swapping cleat on the same shoe as I just marked the shoe, but swapping to new shoes was less easy new shoes also have a lower stack too so I had to take my saddle down a TINY bit). Not causing any problems over the distances I currently ride, but well, less chance of doing any damage the better I say.

I had some cleat issues too due to new shoes. It really is bloody hard to get the same set up. Easy with same shoes or replacement cleats but new shoes is real trial and error. I got some knee niggles and turned out the base of the shoe was about 5mm thicker, meaning saddle height needed upped 5mm. In the end i have decided to use as my TT shoes which is a different saddle and post anyway on the Stealth. Some tape on the posts and it's a pretty quick changeover. I have the Pro logo Naga TT saddle and it is pretty comfy so far. Night and day from TT'ing with a road saddle, that is just painful!

 

[Rob3rt]

Well 1:54:23 (26.2 mph) for a 50TT on Saturday, with considerable saddle discomfort, hoping the latter can be solved by Sunday, if so, I might just sneak round the 100 under 4 hours. Feeling fairly confident (however, not without some nervousness) and also excited about the ride.

 

[ColinJ]

Well 1:54:23 (26.2 mph) for a 50TT on Saturday, with considerable saddle discomfort, hoping the latter can be solved by Sunday, if so, I might just sneak round the 100 under 4 hours. Feeling fairly confident (however, not without some nervousness) and also excited about the ride.

Good luck Rob. I certainly wouldn't fancy a double dose of "considerable saddle discomfort" so I hope you manage to come up with an answer to that particular problem!