5 days 400 km cycle in 10 weeks!! training plan advice....

[Puffin]

Hi all,
i am training for a 400km cycle ride which i am doing for charity in 10 weeks (eek!) and i wanted to ask about training.

So i am moderately fit, I have been doing spin classes 1 or 2 times a week for 6 months or so.
However do to various things outside of my control i am only just starting to knuckle down to the real training on my bike. Its 10 weeks until I go so im starting to get really nervous......

I have a 20 mile round commute to work, and I was hoping to use that as part of my training. I wonder if you guys could let me know how many miles per week you do before you go on a tour to prepare? Is 100 miles a week too much? Im worried about burning out if i attempt to commute in every day!!

Also do you guys take any recovery suppliments? Ive heard good stuff about endurox R4?

Any advice would be greatly received!!!

Cheers

 

[oldfatfool]

Build up and taper off.

first couple of weeks commute every other day and a longer ride on a sunday, build up to commuting every day and to a 100km ride on a Sunday. couple of weeks before drop back to a shorter ride on the Sunday and the week before don't commute the wed/thurs/fri. If the route you aretaking for the 400 is hilly, make sure you include hills on your Sunday Jolly.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I don't know what it is, but there's something that says you're a determined person from the way I read your post.
100 miles a week should see you right for commuting, if you have the chance to extend this then do so maybe a couple of times a week.
Recovery supplements ? Not for me personally. A good stretch, a pint of milk and some decent food sorts me out.
Good luck with your event ! Hope you enjoy it !

 

[jefmcg]

I'd add to that do back-to-back 80km one weekend, and you should be able to approach the ride with confidence.

Edit: don't use special foods (unless you intend to use them on the ride). Good normal diet + cake is all you need.

 

[Ben M]

80km a day for 5 days isn't that challenging for someone who is fit.

The biggest differences between your current riding and what you're going to do is twofold, time in the saddle and lack of recovery.

Get yourself on some longer rides and try and ride on consecutive days. For example 80-100km on Saturday and 80-100km on Sunday.

Try an commute as much as possible. It's only a 10 mile trip...

Train hard, win easy and all that.

 

[srw]

400km over 5 days is only 80km per day. That's only 50 miles - not all that far for someone with good base fitness. You'll be in the pub by lunchtime. I'd say that if you did 3 days a week commuting in weeks 1 and 2 (break yourself in gently), then 5 days in weeks 3 - 9, with a rest in week 10 and a two-day weekend somewhere around weeks 7-8 (find a hotel 50 miles away from home, ride there one day and back the next) you'll walk it.