35 miles.....tomorrow...advice please.

[Saluki]

Take your bottles full of fluid, some jelly babies and some money for the cake & cuppa stop. Don't worry about speed or time, just ride and have a good time. Oh, might want to have a sensible breakfast before going

 

[SpokeyDokey]

It is when you have never done it before, and not used to it.

No, it's the same distance or time whether or not you have never done it before or you have done it a thousand times.

Unless your body fat is down in the teens or you haven't had a square meal for days or you have some sort of illness that requires regular intake of some dietary component - all you have to do is eat as you usually do and off you go.

You don't need to carb-load, you don't need to indulge in a cake-fest and you don't need a sack of tooth-rotting JB's.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Not wishing to decry the distance but carb loading the night before, really?? I am a 61 year old fat bloke and went out today and did 30 odd miles at 16mph average after a bowl of porridge and coffee for breakfast and took one bottle of weak lemon squash of which I drank about half.

Mind you it will probably be peeing down tomorrow so if you still go well done

I've raised this sort if thing on another thread and got shot at. But I agree, it's 35 miles in the UK, it's not the gobi desert.
35 miles shouldn't need more than breakfast and one bottle. If desperate we have shops, cafés and service stations...

 

[Big_Dave]

Some people have all the confidence in the world to do things, some of us can do 35 miles with our eyes shut, however some people new to cycling don't have the same amount of confidence and need some encouragement and not the MTFU treatment, If the jelly baby placebo effect helps someone to achieve their goal then who is anyone to argue, They maybe quite unfit in which case 35 miles may feel like they are attempting LeJog in there mind, they just need to gain enough confidence to do it.

 

[Batgirl]

Good luck As a newbie I am in awe of 35 miles and can appreciate the mental game that is played in numbers too.

Hope it goes well for you.

 

[Sharky]

Try not to over think it. You've achieved 2 hour rides already. If you are finishing strongly after the two hour rides, then an extra hour should be no problem.
Good luck, Keith

 

[Big Nick]

You shouldn't need anything to eat during the ride for a 35 miler and I'd get by on one water bottle if its not too warm

 

[slowmotion]

I would have a bigger breakfast than a cereal bar but that is personal preference. I have become a big fan of porridge recently. You can do the distance and there may be places to pick up supplies. Relax. Just turn the pedals. Tell us how it went when you get back.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Some people have all the confidence in the world to do things, some of us can do 35 miles with our eyes shut, however some people new to cycling don't have the same amount of confidence and need some encouragement and not the MTFU treatment, If the jelly baby placebo effect helps someone to achieve their goal then who is anyone to argue, They maybe quite unfit in which case 35 miles may feel like they are attempting LeJog in there mind, they just need to gain enough confidence to do it.

Fair point.

That's not the sentiment in any of the posts as far as I can see. I'd say it's merely pointing out that some perspective is needed re food intake for what is only a few hours exercise. It does't matter whether 35 miles is someone's personal Everest or not - you don't need to go OTT with food intake to achieve it.

 

[Big_Dave]

@SpokeyDokey I do apologise if I interpreted your post incorrectly with the MTFU reply , Totally agree mate, and I do see your point, there is no need for for OTT food intake, These guys are riding in to their own unknown territory distance wise. The scope is so broad on this subject of taking in food/drink en route, What works for one doesn't work for another, all we can do is give our opinions and eventually they will find what works for them, most will need a placebo short term until they find their own way.
I am Diabetic, I have no choice but to take on food en route to maintain blood sugar levels, I have cycled half way across the country in 6 hrs, but I have also collapsed on several occasions from as little as 4 miles in when my blood sugars have plummeted, Yes my case is at the very extreme end of the scale whereas you are probably right over the other end of the scale, and beginners are somewhere in between the two .
(This post is to be read in a nice friendly manor and is not an argument) Time to put this to bed

 

[ColinJ]

@toeknee has probably sailed round by now ...

How did it go? (My bet is 'fine', and you are looking forward to doing your first 50-miler! )

 

[SpokeyDokey]

@SpokeyDokey I do apologise if I interpreted your post incorrectly with the MTFU reply , Totally agree mate, and I do see your point, there is no need for for OTT food intake, These guys are riding in to their own unknown territory distance wise. The scope is so broad on this subject of taking in food/drink en route, What works for one doesn't work for another, all we can do is give our opinions and eventually they will find what works for them, most will need a placebo short term until they find their own way.
I am Diabetic, I have no choice but to take on food en route to maintain blood sugar levels, I have cycled half way across the country in 6 hrs, but I have also collapsed on several occasions from as little as 4 miles in when my blood sugars have plummeted, Yes my case is at the very extreme end of the scale whereas you are probably right over the other end of the scale, and beginners are somewhere in between the two .
(This post is to be read in a nice friendly manor and is not an argument) Time to put this to bed

I didn't read your earlier reply as having any animosity.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Some of you guys!

For those of us who do several thousand miles a year, a 35 miler could probably be ridden without any food or drink whatsoever and this wouldn't present too much of a problem ( especially in these cold wet conditions!). The body adapts and becomes more efficient.

But that's not the point!

This is the Beginners section. The OP has never ridden anywhere near that distance before, and will therefore require lots of good nutrition and hydration.

After about 60 miles of my first century, I scoffed 6 flapjacks one after t'other at one of the feed stations, despite having just had lunch and having eaten several energy bars before that! Wouldn't need to do that now.

By the way, did you manage to get out, or was it too wet?

 

[vickster]

Make sure you stretch properly afterwards or you'll feel like I do after yesterday's 100km ... Ouch

 

[ColinJ]

Some of you guys!

For those of us who do several thousand miles a year, a 35 miler could probably be ridden without any food or drink whatsoever and this wouldn't present too much of a problem ( especially in these cold wet conditions!). The body adapts and becomes more efficient.

But that's not the point!

This is the Beginners section. The OP has never ridden anywhere near that distance before, and will therefore require lots of good nutrition and hydration.

I was thinking about that yesterday. I did an extended version of my old 'Trauma of Trawden' loop (search for writeup elsewhere on forum) which is 33 miles rather than the original 29. I had a nice long cafe stop during the ride and still cruised round in 4 hours, whereas the first time I did the shorter version, it took me over 5 hours and nearly finished me off!

It is easy to forget how hard cycling can be if you overdo it.