50 miles - 22nd June - help

[IanG1]

I was in the very same position last year, my build up to the event was hampered by time and other commitments so the majority of my preparation were regular 1hr/16 mile circuits as and when I could but around three times a week. The longest ride I managed before was 27 miles.
The Nottingham Cycle 50 is pretty flat with most of the lumps coming early on, hope the weather is better this year, last years was wet and windy with a westerly wind sock into your face for the last 10 miles which I didn't enjoy.
I am going to do it again this year with the aim of finishing in under 3 hours which will be 40 minutes quicker than last time.
Good luck
Ian

 

[SquareDaff]

I did the Nottingham 100 last year, which is the 50 route with an "extension". It's mostly gently undulating with a few sharp, but very short (2-400 m long) climbs. It is quite exposed to the elements once you get out of the city though. As IanG1 has said it was wet and windy last year and the cross winds were quite tiring.

I believe they've changed the end of the course this year to prevent people having to ride over the pothole strewn chaos that was supposed to be the quiet entry back into Nottingham. This wasn't helped by the fact that they staggered all the races so that everyone finished around the same time. I can understand this from a logistics point of view but from a practical POV it meant that the amount of cycling traffic increased drastically in the last 10 miles just when fatigue and hence awareness were fading. It also didn't make us (the cyclists) very popular with motorists!!

As for training - I always train up to 2/3 the distance I'm aiming for at least once a week (and usually twice) with some shorter runs (maybe 1/3 distance) in between. And don't just get fixated on distance. Use some training runs to improve things like climbing, pedalling technique (i.e. high cadence work), breaking in new kit etc.... Start to taper down your training a couple of weeks before the event. You won't lose your fitness in that amount of time - but you will allow your body to recover from any little niggles you might have sustained during your training.

Always make sure you've used to kit you're going to use on the day several times before the event. Don't use anything "new" on the day unless you really have to.

And finally, good luck and enjoy it. Let us know what happens.

 

[young Ed]

not an essential question but it is for me with my greasy hands!
but what bike you using? i mean 50 miles could be done on a recumbent, a brompton, a single speed, a unicycle, a tandem, a mountain bike, a top end carbon fibre racing track bike, a hybrid or any other bike under the sun!
Cheers Ed

 

[Eagone]

Thanks all

Ed - Its the bike in my profile pick a hybrid Specialized Sirrus Comp disc, bought it with the companies C2W scheme.

 

[icky]

Don't waste your time building up to it. If you can ride 20 now you can ride 50 now. Maybe not at the same pace. Plan a circular route which never puts you too far from home, ride at around 10/15% less effort than you do on your 20 milers and just do it.

agreed building up slowly is ok but sometimes you try to do to much to quickly and then end up with burnout just before your big ride don't worry about trying to make the milage just aim for regular riding time spent in the saddle is invaluable.

 

[Doyleyburger]

I found that food is so important on a 50 miler. When I done my first I started to fade at about 40 miles and knew that I needed to fuel myself and didn't bring enough with me (just one banana in fact). Dusty is bang on ! If you can do 20 miles now I'm sure if you go at the right pace, you can do the 50

 

[MarkF]

I started (early forties) and was out of puff within 2 miles, utterly stranded! Within 3 months I was cycling 50 mile round trips to Skipton for fun. I agree with Dusty Bin, I cycled to Skipton (25miles) and thought I needed to catch the train back, of course, I didn't need to.