March 2 early for mercia sportive?

[alci4]

hey guys been off for a while and not on my bile much after trashing my caad 10

My lovely wife purchased me a new cannondale caad 10 for crimbo and would really like to try and do my century this year(44 and not getting any younger lol) but the last 12 months have not been on my bikes much.

have tried to get a bit of riding in this jan and being off work this week i did 51 miles on monday but i was knackered after (link below)

http://www.strava.com/activities/107738366

is march to early for me to be thinking of doing the wiggle (its 92 miles)

I may have gone further than 50 miles if i had taken food instead of just 2 bottles with high 5 zero but i never know whats best to take to eat

thanks for any advice or info you can all offer and feel free to add me on strava and will do same (could do with all the encouragment i can get hehe

 

[Cyrill666]

I'm not a seasoned rider myself, but I managed a 100 mile ride in September last year a little over a month after doing my first 50 - I Guess if you can get out on a few long training rides over the next few weeks you should be good to go I think the biggest challenge will be to find enough dry day light hours for the longer rides - Good luck though.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I did my first century at 49, I believe, so theres always another year, and if I can do it, you most certainly can. I think that if you can manage 50, you are well on your way. Will you be knackered after? You bet! Never knew a century where I wasn't. Keep hydrating, and eating. I think I read where you may burn upwards of 4000 calories in a century. Sometimes, about mile 50 or 60, I'd feel terrible, and I would stop for a bit and eat, and have my second energy drink. You might try working out on a cycling trainer, those days you cannot get out, as March is a very early event, in my neck of the woods, and I am getting ready with cadence training now for May events.

 

[50000tears]

Yes do take food for those kind of distances. Home made flapjacks and a banana always work for me. Flapjacks have the syrup for that quick energy boost and the oats as a slow release carb. Bananas are the food of the Gods and have so many benefits I cant be bothered to list them!

 

[Gravity Aided]

British Flapjack is an excellent ride food, many other Americans thought I was bringing pancakes to a ride instead, as a flapjack is a thick pancake here. I'll differ with 5000 tears over the bananas, although banana bread works out quite well.