beginner enquiry

[wulf...@disinfo.net]

I've been commuting to work and running errands by bicycle for part of
last year and the beginning of this one. I feel I'm in okay shape yet
I only average maybe 10-15 miles per day depending on my schedule. I
wonder openly to this group if it is perhaps laughing stock to
consider trying to attempt to qualify this year for PBP 2011 totally
cold? I have a not entirely uncomfortable early 80's Nishiki Olympic
10-speed that I found in an alley for free last week but lack most
riding clothing or other gear. I do have a bike helmet. Funny yet?

[Tim McNamara]

Not funny at all. Anyone wanting to take on this challenge is to be supported and admired IMHO. But it is very important to be realistic and to find out what you are getting into if you're going to be successful. A trip to PBP will cost probably close to $3000 with air fare, hotels, meals and other expenses.

Everyone is different. Speaking as someone who had a much larger base of cycling than you, and decided to do PBP on pretty short notice in 2003 and ended up not being able to finish because of knee problems (which did not heal for about 6 weeks after PBP), I would advise some caution. I would suggest doing a few brevets and maybe a super randonneur this year or next year (200, 300, 400 and 600 km brevets). This will give you a good idea if this kind of thing is for you. It takes a long time for your body to adapt to the stresses of riding nearly 200 miles a day. It takes a lot of time to train for this sort of thing- you have to not only train endurance but speed and climbing as well (PBP is very hilly). I would recommend- in hindsight- doing a super randonneur series at least two years in a row before trying PBP. I had 10 years of racing under my belt and an average of about 6000 miles a year for at least 15 years prior to PBP 2003.

Getting your bike set up correctly is also critical. When you are doing tends of thousands of pedal revolutions in a day, the risk for repetitive stress injuries is high. My knee problems (iliotibial band tendinitis in both knees) may have been the result of a fairly tiny accidental position change of my saddle being just a few mm too high when I put my bike back together in France. If your bars are too low you increase the risk of Shermer neck (you can google that) and also of compressing the nerves in your wrists and hands. Etc. There is a lot of information out there to guide you on setting up your bike for brevets- and a lot of variation. You will see folks happily doing brevets on full-on race bikes, other folks on custom-built "randonneuses" and everything in between. You have to find what works for you.

If you find that randonneuring is for you, there are a lot of local brevets and permanents. The calendar is chock full. Way more than in 2003 when I tried PBP. There are a lot more opportunities now to develop experience with this. There are also a number of 1200 km brevets in the US now and I would recommend doing one of those before PBP. They are on this continent (therefore much cheaper, you'll speak the language, be familiar with the food and money, etc.). There is a romance and a thrill to PBP that is unique to that event, but that said there is a romance and thrill to the Minnesota brevets. Riding across southern Minnesota at 2:00 AM under a full moon is a delight!

Your fellow randonneurs are a wealth of information. We've got at least one Minnesotan who has done four or maybe five PBPs. It is worth your time to ride with them and learn how they do it.

[Alan Downs]

An another interested attempter,  I have no illusion of PBP this year.  I have spent less time than I had planned prepping for the MN Brevet series this year.  I am committed to proving to myself that I can complete a 200K as the first step.  With that milestone behind me then I will move on to the 300K.  Whether I can get past that bridge is yet to be seen.

But I encourage you to join the beginners like me in some of the Apple Valley brevets.

--
Enoying the Ride,

Alan Downs, LCI #2173

[Steve Redelsperger]

Ok my input.  I raced for 3-4 years USCF and quit in 91.  I road 2 to 3x a week.  Started to gain weight and when I hit my heaviest, Vince conned me into PBP 07.  Every Brevet was my longest ride. I ever did and I kept coming back.  I lost about 20 lbs by PBP.  Finished just in time and plan to do it even better this year.  I say if its in your heart, then just give the brvettes a try with the goal of PBP.
Have fun!

[normanemai...@yahoo.com]

In order to qualify for PBP, you have to do a Super Randonneur series, and be done with it sometimes in June. That should give you an idea whether you really want to / can do PBP. The 300, 400, and 600k rides should tell you whether you have bike fit problems or not. But still expect sore neck and shoulder muscles. I suppose to find out whether it's a medical condition like Tim mentioned or just untrained muscles is a question of how long the pain last. Similarly, how long does it take you to say after the 200k, 300k, 400k "I am waiting to do the next longer brevet". If it's just one or two days, it's a good sign.

I suggest to pre-register once you can, sink 30 Euros in it. In June you'll know whether you're up to the task. I could imagine that increasing the mileage that fast could be a problem if you've never ridden many miles. You should do this weekend's brevet. Find your speed. Try not to go with the fast guys, they'll ride so their legs will hurt after 100 miles (or earlier). You might be fast over your 10-15 mile distance, but your muscles need to build up glycogen depots to store fuel for longer distances. You only get that with your long rides. Eat enough to constantly refill those glycogen depots. If you don't, you'll find out how you can handle a bonk (your glycogen depots are empty - you're burning fat directly). The short rides are fine, but make sure you get your long rides in.
I've found that for the long-distance stuff, you can train less (regularly) than for racing. Once you have the endurance, you don't loose it as fast as the cardio. I can ride only three times a week now, two shorter, but harder rides during the week, and then my long weekend ride. An occasional fourth training day will be a bonus. So I might be testing how little I can train and still do PBP in a decent manner. So no matter what you ride during the week, as long as you get those long rides in, you might be fine.

Norman

---

From: "wulf...@disinfo.net" <wulf...@disinfo.net>
To: MnRando PBP Topics <mnran...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wed, April 20, 2011 5:16:17 PM
Subject: [MnRandoPBP] beginner enquiry

[Jerry HOFMANN]

My bike and I need a ride to Rochester to participate in the Brevet.

(Also, to remind me to pick up my Brevet Card.)

 

Ed and I thank you for your support.

 

 

[kristopherlambert]

I also was wondering if anyone might have extra room for a person and
a bike to and possibly from the forthcoming Rochester Brevet this
coming Saturday, 04 June. I would be able to compensate a share of gas
money. Please consider it. Many thanks.