Just signed up for the Wiggle Flat Out In The Fens.....

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.....and I'm already crapping it! As I wish to make it a sponsored event I've plumped for the 154-mile route so I'll need to start getting some miles in my legs pretty smartish. I'll start with swapping back to the 11.5-mile-each-way commute route and up this to the 13.5 as the weather warms a bit, with the 18.5 when I'm feeling fitter. I'll also have to get to Terry Wright Cycles in Deeping for a saddle fitting as I am never that comfortable on the Selle Italia the Tif came with. Finally, I'll have to plan some long training rides to get me used to pacing myself and the slog of that sort of distance, as the furthest I've been in a day before now was a 100-mile 'fun ride' last year.
I'm used to the terrain as the route passes around where I live, so long-straight, cross-wind-afflicted fen roads are no stranger to me.
Anyone have any tips or advice, apart from 'drop out'?

 

[jdtate101]

Also doing the 154 mile route. The course is pan flat, but that has both good and bad sides:

The Good - NO HILLS.

The Bad - No Freewheeling at all, it's on power all the time, but you can spin along at 20-25mph if your able, which should cut the time down a lot. Another downside is the area (being so flat) can be difficult to ride if it's windy as there is no shelter. Get some practice in a chain gang if possible so you know what to do, as there will be no time on the road to discuss this amongst the adhoc groups that will form up.

 

[jowwy]

I was thinking of signing up for this ride too - but four weeks before i'm doing the beach to beach for Asthma UK, so not sure if i would have fully recovered in time!

 

[mattobrien]

I am planning to do this event. To date the furthest I have covered is a measly 34 miles, so a little training is required...

First sportive planned for May, so that will be good practice for the big one.

Now I just need it to get a little lighter in the mornings and evenings so I have got some time to train...

Also need to find an equally mad friend to do it with me for company, as I really don't fancy spending and entire day on the bike doing my best impression of billy no mates.

Matt

 

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Getting close now, starting to increase average weekly mileages and push harder when commuting i.e. hit the drops if wind resistance increases instead of changing down a gear etc. Still trying to get a proper list of all of the bolts on the bike as I want to swap them for ali (where safe/sensible) or titanium. Three reasons (a) w**k factor (yes, I am an exotic materials tart I admit it!), (b) lighter than the standard steel ones ,though as my mate Pete acidly pointed out, in his finest Handsworth English "you'd be better off having a curry and a good dump the night before, you'd lose more weight doing that" and (c) the standard ones are all plated steel and look scruffy, appearances are all-important at these affairs .