How fit for a 125mile ride?

[sarahale]

All my longer rides I have found to be more a test of comfort than of stamina. Can you cope with sitting in the same position for 7 or 8 hours? How's your bum? What about your back and neck, shoulders, wrists and so on? In view of this I'd get off your mountain bike immediately and get some serious hours on a road bike before the event. I have no doubt your legs will manage to turn the pedals often enough to do the mileage, but I hope your comfort levels allow you to find out for yourself.

It's a comfy road bike as fits me well but I think you have a very good point here, thanks!

 

[Cuchilo]

It's a comfy road bike as fits me well but I think you have a very good point here, thanks!

I know my road bike fits me well and not been on it since before Christmas i think . Ive also not done a ride bigger than 30 miles for quite a while .
Rest is my friend not training and it sounds like you already have the training .Be well rested and you will smash it .
My road bike is like an old friend .

 

[gbb]

One thing I used to do on longer rides OVER 50 miles (80 miles was the most) was think of your normal average speed....and knock a mile or two off it. You'll find yourself so much fresher.

 

[MikeG]

One thing I used to do on longer rides OVER 50 miles (80 miles was the most) was think of your normal average speed....and knock a mile or two off it. You'll find yourself so much fresher.

Sod that. Two blokes on a bike and it's a race........

Just kidding. This is useful advice (which I've never found it possible to follow).

 

[steveindenmark]

This is not a big deal. Just take your time and do not treat it as a race.

 

[david k]

I know a bloke in his 50's who did 6 20 mile rides then one day decided to ride to the cost and back. If he bonked he planned to phone the wife for a pick up. He didn't need to, made it 170 miles. I know because I went with him.

Thats nothing, I went to the coast and back in just a few hours on my bike so I'm fitter than you

The coast is less than 20 miles away but that's not important

 

[CXRAndy]

You'll do fine' just remember be comfortable on the bike, eat and drink regularly steady pace. I did a 122 very hilly welsh ride last month, took 9+hours of riding and I have never done anything like it before.

 

[Lee_M]

I did a 125 mile a couple of weeks ago. The main issue was boredom. Doing it on your own really makes it a long day!

 

[LiamW]

Yep. The boredom will get you before anything else. Eat and drink a little on a regular basis and you'll be grand.

 

[LiamW]

Boredom is something I can say I've never suffered from on long rides.

Neck pain, arse pain, fizzy hands, empty legs, hot feet, cold feet, misery, despair ... yes. Boredom, no.

I'll take boredom over all those

 

[jay clock]

Get out on the bike you are going to use
Try and do a 50/75/100 miler if poss
Steady pace
Eat and drink plenty
ENJOY

 

[sarahale]

Really appreciate you all taking the time to reply!

Back to it tomorrow with a 30+miles after work on the road bike.

I need to finish this ride as a personal win so will give training my all for the next few weeks and then just try and enjoy the day.

I haven't yet got bored but this may be the one as I've just lost my love of road riding somewhere. Or this might be the ride that reignites it with any luck!

 

[sarahale]

36 miles yesterday after work on the road bike. Got easier the more I pedalled and would of been better had I not skipped lunch!

Aiming for around 60 tomorrow

 

[ManiaMuse]

If you can ride 60 miles then you can ride 125 miles as long as you are prepared.

Make sure to:
- Get some miles riding the bike you are going to ride on roads. You're not going to gain confidence riding on roads if you just avoid them and best to find out that your bike fit needs a bit of tweaking now rather than halfway through a long ride.
- Give yourself enough time to do it at a leisurely pace.
- Bring enough food and water with you or plan to make a stop or two along the way.
- Plot the route and find out how hilly it is. Especially useful to know if there is a nasty hill near the end of your ride

 

[Fab Foodie]

Just go out and do it, if you fail it's not the end of world and you can always try again.

Other advice would be pace yourself, if you think about quitting have 10 minutes of the bike having a quick rest and something to eat and drink - it's amazing what this can do. Enjoy yourself, don't think of the ride as a 125 mile slog, break the ride down into chunks.

This really. ^^^^
I think you are more than fit enough. But you need to spend time now on your road bike to pepare your body for comfortable hours in the saddle and that position. Also IME all bikes Work your muscles in slightly different ways and thus it's good to have that preparation as well.
Enjoy!