StewartR
Active Member
- Location
- Basingstoke, Hants.
Just got back from my first 50 miler. I tried the route on Sunday but went off way to fast, burned out and limped home after 40 miles.
After that I hit the forum because the way my energy fell off it just had to be a technique/fuel thing - I read through a lot of different threads and realised I ought to be focussing on the distance, not the pace.
This morning, all brekkied up, I sorted myself out some bananas and a couple of rolls, a bottle of weak squash (seems to be the norm and who am I to question these things) and filled my camelbak-a-like with fresh, cold Adams Ale. My cycle computer is normally set to scroll through avg, max etc so I stuck it on distance and just headed off AT A SENSIBLE PACE.
I got out of town and decided to start hydrating. It was then that I found out that the tube on my hydration pack was WAY too short. There was no chance it was going to reach my mouth from the dining room table...D'oh!
Anyway, I nursed the 3/4 litre bottle and kept the pace easy, focussing on cadence and not speed. Stopped a couple of times for some sight seeing and nibbles and just kept at it. Didn't worry about dropping onto the middle chain ring, didn't worry about passing or being passed by other cyclists, just kept going. The last 15 included a couple of dragging climbs but I think that taking those in just added to the achievement. It was tempting to extend the route by a mile or so to skip them but I'm glad I didn't.
Average speed was 12.5mph. My bikes's a hardtail MTB with Schwalbe City Jets, 100kg of 6' 2" rider with an air brake/bar bag on the front. While not expecting a place in the 2012 velodrome, I was quite pleased.
The aim now is to build on this foundation over the winter and then start sniffing around a Sportive bike for the spring.
After that I hit the forum because the way my energy fell off it just had to be a technique/fuel thing - I read through a lot of different threads and realised I ought to be focussing on the distance, not the pace.
This morning, all brekkied up, I sorted myself out some bananas and a couple of rolls, a bottle of weak squash (seems to be the norm and who am I to question these things) and filled my camelbak-a-like with fresh, cold Adams Ale. My cycle computer is normally set to scroll through avg, max etc so I stuck it on distance and just headed off AT A SENSIBLE PACE.
I got out of town and decided to start hydrating. It was then that I found out that the tube on my hydration pack was WAY too short. There was no chance it was going to reach my mouth from the dining room table...D'oh!
Anyway, I nursed the 3/4 litre bottle and kept the pace easy, focussing on cadence and not speed. Stopped a couple of times for some sight seeing and nibbles and just kept at it. Didn't worry about dropping onto the middle chain ring, didn't worry about passing or being passed by other cyclists, just kept going. The last 15 included a couple of dragging climbs but I think that taking those in just added to the achievement. It was tempting to extend the route by a mile or so to skip them but I'm glad I didn't.
Average speed was 12.5mph. My bikes's a hardtail MTB with Schwalbe City Jets, 100kg of 6' 2" rider with an air brake/bar bag on the front. While not expecting a place in the 2012 velodrome, I was quite pleased.
The aim now is to build on this foundation over the winter and then start sniffing around a Sportive bike for the spring.
