Beginner doing a 300km race - tips needed!!

[cjwynne]

Hi guys




I was pretty much a beginner 3 months back when I bought my first road bike - a Specialized Allez. The reason for this was that I am taking part in an event to raise money for a charity that treated my friend before he died of cancer a little over a year back.





The event I am soon to be taking part in is VatternRundan in Sweden. 300 kms around a lake in Sweden. This is in one month (End of June)


I have probably cycled around 250 miles so far and am feeling a lot fitter (I have also been training for a half marathon so my cardiovascular is of a decent standard). The questions I have though, are based around what is it I need to do between now and then. I need tips and quick because I am cycling on average 3 times a week (varying it between shorter hilly courses and flatter long ones) and I am not sure if what I am doing is correct.




I am not going for a great time around the lake - I just want to COMPLETE IT, but due to my competitive nature I do want to finish strong and so I know these next 4 weeks are going to be very important.




I eat well, and have done strength training on the legs and core since december so the power is there. I guess the only thing Im hoping doesn't give up on me is my ass!! Im pretty happy with my saddle and my ride, its just I havent done anything anywhere near 300kms yet. I was thinking of doing a 150km ride at one stage beforehand - i take it this is a good idea?




So if anyone has any tips i.e. what food to eat before, during etc, fluids, training tips, ANYTHING - then that would be great.




Cheers




Christian, North Wales, UK




​

 

[Banjo]

Hi there. Welcome to the forum. The furthest I have ridden is 200 km. My only strategy was eat and drink plenty and dont set off too fast.

I think you should do a 150 or 200 km before the event to make sure you are comfortable on the bike.Sudo Cream or similar can prevent chaffing between the legs on a long ride.

PS put a similar post in the Sportive Rides and Audax sub forum on this site. Some very experienced long distance riders can be found in there.

 

[Paulus]

Welcome to the forum. One of the secrets is to eat before you are hungry, and drink before you are thirsty. Carbs are the answer, cereal bars, flapjacks, bananas, maybe some carb drinks to put in your water bottles, available from bike shops, and have a few energy gel sachets in your pocket for when you start to run low. 300k is a really long ride so +1 to the sudocreme around the tender areas. You mention a training ride of 150k, yes indeed to see how you get on. This will give you a pointer to your fitness. Don't start off like Lance Armstrong, you will end up like Stretch Armstrong. It is not how you start, but how you finish that counts.

 

[cadseen]

I assume you are just planning to finish the event and not achieve any specific time target.
Just keep what your doing, its to close now to make much diferrence.
You dont need to ride/train over the full distance to be able to complete it.

You should hopefully know your body and how you react better than anyone else.
Drink planty and keep food going in regularly, also whats easy to eat other times may not be easy to eat in the event.
i.e. take plenty of gels and easy to digest food.




I only train around 4hrs about 70-80 miles. But quite happy to race hard all the way on a 200k sportif. And even completed 420k in a 12 hour time trial.

 

[PpPete]

Just spend as much time on the bike as you can between now and the event - except the last few days.

 

[nickds]

We did the Vätternrundan a few years ago.

First of all it is NOT a race, its a fun-ride. Been going 35-odd years, about 15,000 riders do it. Its not very hard, just long - a friend came with us who was 65 (but swims several miles a week) and he did it on a completely knackered old bit of junk.

There is a training schedule on the web site - look under "Preparation". We did the 1000km of training in the Kent Weald, so did a lot of hills as some of our Swedish friends said the course was hilly. Not so - its pretty well damn near flat, so we had no problems whatsoever. You will burn about 9,000 calories (depending on weather), so carbo-loading is most certainly recommended.

Started out doing a couple of 30-milers in the evenings mid week, plus a 50 or 70 miler each weekend, finally doing some 100-milers at the w/e by the end of May. Didn't do anything over about 110 miles before the big day. Do make sure you are well greased/friction free as by the end of 200 miles you will regret it if you aren't! Also bike fit becomes a bit more important - at the end of 200 miles, if your saddle/handle bars etc. are not adjusted right, your back/neck/etc. will hurt... They used to say you should have another 100Km in your legs at the end if you've trained properly...

No need to take much with you - the feed stations were perfectly good and had honey drinks (pretty disgusting ISTR) etc.

I did it on my trusty 30 y/o Claude Butler with no probs - we took an overnight DFDS ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg, then drove through Denmark & Sweden up to Motala and stayed in a rented flat there, getting up for an 02:30 start (it was very cold - we were the only people without leggings on - idiot Brits). Finished in respectable time (can't remember what), then had a kip, drove back down and got the overnight ferry back. Taking the ferry is a really really nice way to relax after a long ride - the smörgåsbord was excellent...

About 1500 dropped out round the course due to back/knee/whatever problems. Fantastically well organised (as only the Swedes can do) - try out the free massages from the Swedish Army at the rest stops (every 30km) if they are still doing them. Best massage of my life!
Had about 90 miles of head-wind on the Western side of the lake which was a bit annoying...

Did it for the local Hospice - raised nearly GBP 10K - DFDS gave us free passage for the car & bikes when we explained what we were up to.

HTH

Nick

 

[Rearmech]

I did the event in 2009. The longest I had ridden before I started training for it was about 100k. I just gradually upped my distance on my weekend ride culminating with a 170k solo ride about 2 weeks before. During the week I would go out a few evenings and do a very fast 30k (as I'd heard that shorter/faster riding can also help with endurance events).

The ride itself is pretty flat although towards the end even the smallest lump felt like an alp as my knees were extremely spongy and my neck was aching like crazy from being in the same poistion for many hours. But this all might have been because the Trek I bought wasn't the best fit for me. The weather was terrible back in 2009. The worst in the rides history apparently. We set off in conditions I wouldn't even consider leaving the house in. Even so the atmosphere was fantastic and there were huge crowds in the town of Granna as we rode through the cobbled High Street. All in all a great experience.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast before you go. I ended up taking pretty much all my cycling clothing and glad I did. Apart from the rain it was bl**dy cold in the middle of the night riding through the forest roads. The year before they were riding it in summer gear.

 

[Tynan]

ride and do some long rides, you find out a lot about your bike fit on a long ride, small problems with bike setup can give you shocking arms/necks/legs (my first Dunwich Dynamo)

and you learn a lot about how to prepare and ride longer distances, I suspect that never stops