Nice and slowly

[new-fish]

Well, been doing this since feb, and passed the 30 mile mark for first time today, 32 to be precise, my usual spin is anything between 16-24 miles, so i fell into the habit of enjoying those runs that i've been doing. Enjoying being the main thing for me. Chuffed with the 32 mile mark though, who knows, might make 40 by Xmas lol

 

[ianrauk]

good on ya, keep it up and you will soon have reached that magical 100 mile mark.

 

[scots_lass]

Well done and keep enjoying it. That's the main thing.

 

[Randochap]

Congrats! You are doing it right -- slowly but surely. Now you are extending your rides, before long you'll be itching to take on some long-distance pedaling.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Congrats new-fish. If you can pedal 30miles, you can pedal 50, you just need to eat a bit as you go! Once you can pedal 50, 100's not far beyond! Keep it up!

 

[jimboalee]

Question,,,

What requires more energy?

30 km on the flat, or 7.5 km up an 8% and then 7.5 km back down?

Why this question?

As a newbie, you have trained an amount of muscle to ride the bike. Once you have ridden for a while up a 9% and felt the 'burn', those muscles won't perform like they did before the hill.
Each successive hill will lessen the effectivenes of your muscle until they just won't do anything, no matter how much glucose solution you squirt down your throat.

I dare say if you ride a flat road and always ride aerobically, you can ride 60 km instead of 30 km given the time.

 

[blazed]

Well, been doing this since feb, and passed the 30 mile mark for first time today, 32 to be precise, my usual spin is anything between 16-24 miles, so i fell into the habit of enjoying those runs that i've been doing. Enjoying being the main thing for me. Chuffed with the 32 mile mark though, who knows, might make 40 by Xmas lol

I dont know why so many people here are caught up with how far they have gone surely it should be about how fast you can ride. Riding 30 miles, 40 miles or 100 miles what do you hope to gain from that? You are not going to become much better of a rider after completing them. Plenty of fat heffers complete the 100m charity events.

If you start training harder/properly you will notice massive improvements in your riding very quickly, go for a longish ride once a week if you really want but spend the rest of the time as if you are time trial training.

 

[jimboalee]

Blazed is correct.

Training Harder/Properly will force the muscle ( as a whole ) to bring previous unused bundles of fibres into use.

This will ensure after the first hill, there will be fresh bundles to get you up the second, and third, and then fourth.

This is the key to long distance riding.

 

[Banjo]

Congratulations New Fish .Unless you live in a very flat part of the country a 30 mile ride will inevitably involve a certain amount of climbing .I know you need to do shorter faster rides as part of the training but it is satisfying when you achieve a long mileage.

Like New Fish ,for me enjoying the ride is more important than anything else ,different people cycle for different reasons .

 

[jasonmccullum]

i am doing 7 mile rides 4 days a week in 28 mins (around 15 mph) and at the week end building up for longer distances. Currently i am up to 10 miles after 2 weeks. i would like to get to 20-30 by christmas

 

[cheadle hulme]

Question,,,

What requires more energy?

30 km on the flat, or 7.5 km up an 8% and then 7.5 km back down?

Why this question?

What was the answer and is there a formula for working it out? Knowing you Jimbo, I'm guessing there is.

Well done Jason, once you get over certain distances it becomes pretty easy to acheive them again - providing you keep it regular!

 

[jimboalee]

What was the answer and is there a formula for working it out? Knowing you Jimbo, I'm guessing there is.

Well done Jason, once you get over certain distances it becomes pretty easy to acheive them again - providing you keep it regular!

Approximately the same.

The difference is:-

Riding up the hill will cause some muscle discomfort, which 'in the long run' is worth doing for improving muscle strength and endurance; and will prepare for future rides.

Riding on the flat will not necessarily get the legs into 'lactic'. This is the way most newbies like it, but does not prepare for the future.


There are two camps in Audax UK.
The mileaters and the Grimpeurs. On flat rides, the grimpeurs have no problems.

On the TdeF, there are the mountain goats and the other riders. On a flat stage, the mountain goats will be in the peleton. Up the mountains, the sprinters and domestiques will be way behind in the 'Autobus'.

So where should a casual rider train?

 

[Banjo]

I am building up to doing some Audaxes or 100 km sportives next year.

At the moment each week I usually do a couple of 22 mile rides with 1000 ft of climbing (according to bikehike) a couple of 10 milers and 4 three mile each way commutes (335 ft climb on the way home.)

sometimes I give it some stick to get a good sweat on,other rides I take it more easy.
Now and then I do a 40 or 50 mile ride with out too much problem.

Im sure the regular 3 mile climb home from work does me some good as riding with more experienced riders I seem to keep up more easilly on the uphill bits.

Am I doing enough what changes would be good?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I am building up to doing some Audaxes or 100 km sportives next year.

At the moment each week I usually do a couple of 22 mile rides with 1000 ft of climbing (according to bikehike) a couple of 10 milers and 4 three mile each way commutes (335 ft climb on the way home.)

sometimes I give it some stick to get a good sweat on,other rides I take it more easy.
Now and then I do a 40 or 50 mile ride with out too much problem.

Im sure the regular 3 mile climb home from work does me some good as riding with more experienced riders I seem to keep up more easilly on the uphill bits.

Am I doing enough what changes would be good?

Sounds like you're doing good!
The key to going further is fuelling and hydrating yourself and being used to being on a bike in the same positionfor more and more hours. 22 miles flat out is a pretty good training run, our club does this once a week and it's surprising how well it helps prepares you for the longer days out of the summer. Variation is good too. Sometimes we'll just climb the local slopes over and over again in succesion, other times we'll just pootle. A training/riding buddy is also useful as are local club runs, especially in the winter. Resting is also good training, so don't over do the action. If 40 or 50 miles are no problem now, then 100 miles should be no problem come the spring. Just keep-up the miles during the winter.