Training for Randonneuring
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Gray
Jul 27, 2009, 3:58:42 PM7/27/09
to randon
Hello, All.
There seem to be some fairly well defined training programs for
Century rides (both online & print), but I haven't come across any
that seem to address our particular needs.
Is it possible to train for a brevet series (and, eventually, a 1200k)
without spending your life on the bike? It must be, but is there an
established plan? Century plans usually involve a mix of long, slow
distance work with strength/interval/lactate work, all designed to
"peak" at event time. How would a year-round, ultra-distance,
periodized schedule work for our needs?
I'm currently doing 200k's, working my way on up, but still want to
see my wife at some point, thus my questions.
(I tried a search the archives, but no luck on this topic. Also, I
found no info at RUSA)
Thanks for your time,
-Gray
There seem to be some fairly well defined training programs for
Century rides (both online & print), but I haven't come across any
that seem to address our particular needs.
Is it possible to train for a brevet series (and, eventually, a 1200k)
without spending your life on the bike? It must be, but is there an
established plan? Century plans usually involve a mix of long, slow
distance work with strength/interval/lactate work, all designed to
"peak" at event time. How would a year-round, ultra-distance,
periodized schedule work for our needs?
I'm currently doing 200k's, working my way on up, but still want to
see my wife at some point, thus my questions.
(I tried a search the archives, but no luck on this topic. Also, I
found no info at RUSA)
Thanks for your time,
-Gray
Message has been deleted
Bill Bryant
Jul 27, 2009, 4:39:43 PM7/27/09
to Gray, randon
Hi Gary--
Your RUSA Handbook has a good article about training for randonneuring while
still keeping something of a normal family/work life. You should also check
the UMCA website; it has a ton of useful articles for the long-distance
cyclist. I also wrote about this topic in the May issue of American
Randonneur.
My two cents' worth: We all come to randonneuring with varying degrees of
athletic talent (i.e., some folks will need to train more than others) and
there is no "one size fits all" approach to training. Also, we all have
different goals for a 1200k-- what is yours? To finish in under 70 hours,
under 80? Under 90? etc?
But basically yes, compared to riding centuries, doing a 1200k requires one
to put in a LOT of hours on the bike, no matter their personal randonneuring
goals. However, with intelligent training methods, this doesn't have to be
something resembling "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Speed
work/intervals/fast club rides, along with a weekly long ride for endurance
will do a lot more, IMHO, than just a steady diet of looooong rides a few
times each week. Don't forget that a good coach can help you maximize your
training time without resorting to excessive mileage each week. Fitting in
some of the training aspects while commuting to and from work by bike can
also leave you more family time too.
First off, you should identify how many hours per week you can devote to
training. Whether you work with a coach or work up a plan yourself, having
some idea of what you can do time-wise will then let you see if you have
enough time to ride long distances successfully. (Some folks find they don't
have enough time and defer their randonneuring until their kids are more
grown, or their jobs less demanding, etc.)
In any case, in the months leading up to your qualifying brevets and then
the 1200k itself, I'd estimate that one would want to ride Tu-Th-Sat-Sun, or
Wed-Sat-Sun, or maybe about 9-10 hours minimum? Yes, there will be some
riders who do quite well on 6-8 hours per week, but I'd offer that they
probably have some innate athletic talent that helps them do well with less.
For Joe/Jane Average I think somewhere around 10 hours of cycling per week
is a good starting point to aim at. Some weeks will have less, but in the
serious ramping-up period before your SR series and then the 1200k, I
suspect you'll see many folks readily riding more than that. It all varies,
and there is no one hard and fast answer.
Also, I wouldn't think about counting miles per week, but hours of exercise
per week. Riders in hilly areas will rack up big hours per week, while their
mileage is on the low side. Conversely, some folks from flat areas do some
impressive weekly mile totals, but in fact, their hours are kinda average.
Or, you might do some cross-training in other sports, a good thing since too
much road cycling can lead to mental burnout or over-use injuries. Try x-c
skiing, mountain biking, strenuous hiking, soccer, basketball, etc. It will
all lead to 1200k success in the long run, but obviously, you'll need to do
more road cycling as your key events draw closer. (BTW, these other sports
can be a good way to do things with family and friends too.)
Basically, your heart/muscles register minutes/hours of exercise per week
and little else, so don't get hung up on acquiring miles/kilometers-- but
all that said, the ACP has intoned that cycling about 10,000 kms of
preparation (starting January 1st) before PBP is a good minimum figure and I
think that is a reasonably reliable (if rough) guide to shoot for. There are
definitely riders who have done well with less than that amount, while
others have had a rough time at PBP and other 1200k events with quite a lot
more-- once again demonstrating that there is no one perfect recipe for
success.
Of course, YMMV; this is just one guy's opinion (based on two successful PBP
rides and numerous other brevets.)
Good luck on your brevets,
Bill Bryant
Santa Cruz Randonneurs
Your RUSA Handbook has a good article about training for randonneuring while
still keeping something of a normal family/work life. You should also check
the UMCA website; it has a ton of useful articles for the long-distance
cyclist. I also wrote about this topic in the May issue of American
Randonneur.
My two cents' worth: We all come to randonneuring with varying degrees of
athletic talent (i.e., some folks will need to train more than others) and
there is no "one size fits all" approach to training. Also, we all have
different goals for a 1200k-- what is yours? To finish in under 70 hours,
under 80? Under 90? etc?
But basically yes, compared to riding centuries, doing a 1200k requires one
to put in a LOT of hours on the bike, no matter their personal randonneuring
goals. However, with intelligent training methods, this doesn't have to be
something resembling "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Speed
work/intervals/fast club rides, along with a weekly long ride for endurance
will do a lot more, IMHO, than just a steady diet of looooong rides a few
times each week. Don't forget that a good coach can help you maximize your
training time without resorting to excessive mileage each week. Fitting in
some of the training aspects while commuting to and from work by bike can
also leave you more family time too.
First off, you should identify how many hours per week you can devote to
training. Whether you work with a coach or work up a plan yourself, having
some idea of what you can do time-wise will then let you see if you have
enough time to ride long distances successfully. (Some folks find they don't
have enough time and defer their randonneuring until their kids are more
grown, or their jobs less demanding, etc.)
In any case, in the months leading up to your qualifying brevets and then
the 1200k itself, I'd estimate that one would want to ride Tu-Th-Sat-Sun, or
Wed-Sat-Sun, or maybe about 9-10 hours minimum? Yes, there will be some
riders who do quite well on 6-8 hours per week, but I'd offer that they
probably have some innate athletic talent that helps them do well with less.
For Joe/Jane Average I think somewhere around 10 hours of cycling per week
is a good starting point to aim at. Some weeks will have less, but in the
serious ramping-up period before your SR series and then the 1200k, I
suspect you'll see many folks readily riding more than that. It all varies,
and there is no one hard and fast answer.
Also, I wouldn't think about counting miles per week, but hours of exercise
per week. Riders in hilly areas will rack up big hours per week, while their
mileage is on the low side. Conversely, some folks from flat areas do some
impressive weekly mile totals, but in fact, their hours are kinda average.
Or, you might do some cross-training in other sports, a good thing since too
much road cycling can lead to mental burnout or over-use injuries. Try x-c
skiing, mountain biking, strenuous hiking, soccer, basketball, etc. It will
all lead to 1200k success in the long run, but obviously, you'll need to do
more road cycling as your key events draw closer. (BTW, these other sports
can be a good way to do things with family and friends too.)
Basically, your heart/muscles register minutes/hours of exercise per week
and little else, so don't get hung up on acquiring miles/kilometers-- but
all that said, the ACP has intoned that cycling about 10,000 kms of
preparation (starting January 1st) before PBP is a good minimum figure and I
think that is a reasonably reliable (if rough) guide to shoot for. There are
definitely riders who have done well with less than that amount, while
others have had a rough time at PBP and other 1200k events with quite a lot
more-- once again demonstrating that there is no one perfect recipe for
success.
Of course, YMMV; this is just one guy's opinion (based on two successful PBP
rides and numerous other brevets.)
Good luck on your brevets,
Bill Bryant
Santa Cruz Randonneurs
Greg
Jul 27, 2009, 5:31:08 PM7/27/09
to randon
Gray,
It's true that you don't have to live on your bike. But you do have to
put in long miles if only to figure out what works and what doesn't.
It may be true that riding 20 miles takes twice as long, and may take
twice the effort of riding 10 miles. But it isn't true that riding
400km is equivalent to riding a 200km ride twice. I've found that my
mental state changes, I need different equipment, different fueling
rates, different food cravings, etc. in the second half of a 400 as I
do in the first half of a 400, or even in a 200. So, it may seem a bit
tedious to do a 600K when it's easier to schedule and complete several
100km rides, but there is no substitute for the kind of experience
that comes with seeing a long ride through to its completion. After
you settle on things like gearing, lights, luggage, clothing, etc.
it's possible to ease up on the long rides as a form of training.
You might want to email Jan about buying back issues of his magazines
that contain the articles tiled Randonneuring Basics. I found them to
be very helpful. I was doing 200K rides every other weekend to train
for 300K rides and found it really unnecessary. If you can focus on
hill repeats and speed intervals, be efficient in your use of time
while at the controls, and use one brevet as a training ride for the
next and longer brevet, you should be ok.
Greg
It's true that you don't have to live on your bike. But you do have to
put in long miles if only to figure out what works and what doesn't.
It may be true that riding 20 miles takes twice as long, and may take
twice the effort of riding 10 miles. But it isn't true that riding
400km is equivalent to riding a 200km ride twice. I've found that my
mental state changes, I need different equipment, different fueling
rates, different food cravings, etc. in the second half of a 400 as I
do in the first half of a 400, or even in a 200. So, it may seem a bit
tedious to do a 600K when it's easier to schedule and complete several
100km rides, but there is no substitute for the kind of experience
that comes with seeing a long ride through to its completion. After
you settle on things like gearing, lights, luggage, clothing, etc.
it's possible to ease up on the long rides as a form of training.
You might want to email Jan about buying back issues of his magazines
that contain the articles tiled Randonneuring Basics. I found them to
be very helpful. I was doing 200K rides every other weekend to train
for 300K rides and found it really unnecessary. If you can focus on
hill repeats and speed intervals, be efficient in your use of time
while at the controls, and use one brevet as a training ride for the
next and longer brevet, you should be ok.
Greg
Randon Nerd
Jul 27, 2009, 9:29:44 PM7/27/09
to Gray, randon
On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 3:58 PM, Gray<gr...@gmfx.com> wrote:
>
> There seem to be some fairly well defined training programs for
> Century rides (both online & print), but I haven't come across any
> that seem to address our particular needs.
>
> Is it possible to train for a brevet series (and, eventually, a 1200k)
> without spending your life on the bike? It must be, but is there an
> established plan? Century plans usually involve a mix of long, slow
> distance work with strength/interval/lactate work, all designed to
> "peak" at event time. How would a year-round, ultra-distance,
> periodized schedule work for our needs?
>
> I'm currently doing 200k's, working my way on up, but still want to
> see my wife at some point, thus my questions
>
> There seem to be some fairly well defined training programs for
> Century rides (both online & print), but I haven't come across any
> that seem to address our particular needs.
>
> Is it possible to train for a brevet series (and, eventually, a 1200k)
> without spending your life on the bike? It must be, but is there an
> established plan? Century plans usually involve a mix of long, slow
> distance work with strength/interval/lactate work, all designed to
> "peak" at event time. How would a year-round, ultra-distance,
> periodized schedule work for our needs?
>
> I'm currently doing 200k's, working my way on up, but still want to
> see my wife at some point, thus my questions
Gray -
While the others have given some excellent advice, in general, if you
complete a full brevet series you "should" be able to successfully
complete a 1200K, although a mistake that many make - especially the
last time PBP was held, is that they completed their SR series in late
May or early June and kicked back and didn't do any additional brevets
until Paris in mid-August. Once I completed my SR in May, I made sure
to complete a 200K each subsequent month (to also continue to work on
my R-12 award) and also an additional 600K in mid-July.
Now that I have more experience riding randonnees and have several
600K and 1000K's under my belt, my training is a little more cavalier.
I commute to work every day (all year 'round - after riding several
hours in winter thunderstorms - rain at 29 deg. F!!!, a little August
rain in France was nothing) and try to get in one 200K a month, with
perhaps two brevets per month in the April/May period as I complete
the required SR and as long as I'm happy completing the rides in 80 to
90 hours this is enough training, but yet allows me to see my wife and
teenage daughters enough that they are HAPPY to see me go out for my
once per month bike rides.
When I began randonneuring four years ago I set my goal to ride LEL
and I followed the advice offered on their website (even skipping one
of the 600K's) and found I was well prepared. Surprisingly, since
there are no requirements to complete a SR, I found some who "prided
themselves" in doing the ride with under 100miles (total) mileage that
season. They finished, but I'm sure that they wished that they had
logged a couple more miles to have avoided contact point "issues."
I've attached the relevant section from the LEL FAQ below - gosh I
with I were there riding LEL right now!
Willie
-----------------
What do I need to do to qualify for LEL?
There are no rules on qualifying rides for LEL. However, 1400k is a
long way and all entrants are advised to prepare themselves for the
event by riding a number of randonnées beforehand. Here is a suggested
‘training pattern’:
January: 2x 100km events
February: 1x 100km & 1x 200km
March: 2x 200km
April: 1x 300km, 1x 400km
May: 1x200km 1x 600km
June: 2x 200km, 1x600km
July: 1x 200km + LEL 1400km
It is not necessary to ride very long distances every weekend. It is
wise to have an easier weekend from time to time, especially in the
two weeks before LEL itself. If you follow a plan roughly like this
outline, you should manage LEL without any problems.
pamela blalock
Jul 27, 2009, 11:18:09 PM7/27/09
to Gray, randon
Gray, If you want to see your wife, the best way is to get her to ride too!
Really!
pamela blalock pgb at blayleys.com
care-free in watertown, ma http://www.blayleys.com
Bill Bryant
Jul 28, 2009, 9:44:17 AM7/28/09
to el...@blayleys.com, Gray, randon
+1
Bill Bryant
Bill Bryant
Greg Merritt
Jul 28, 2009, 6:51:23 PM7/28/09
to randon
Gray, thanks for starting this thread. The responses have been very
interesting.
interesting.
I've chatted up some of the very experienced randonneurs in my local
club about their training programs, but there do seem to be a lot of
different approaches and many subtleties to each person's program.
If any of you other high-milers have thoughts on this topic and are
lurking, please do chime in with your strategies. I'd love to read
more!
-Greg
Don Bennett
Jul 28, 2009, 7:27:38 PM7/28/09
to Randon List
A note about your first 1200k: any minor ergonomic issues on a 600k can
be a major problem on a 1200k.
Prior to PBP in 2003, I had some issues with hotfoot that would crop up
after the first 80 miles of a ride. After a 600k, I might have a bit of
numbness in my foot for a day or so. After PBP 2003, I lost the feeling
in the big toe of my right foot and it took about 3 months before all
the feeling came back.
Saddle comfort issues only came up after 800k, Shermer's neck was an
issue after 1000km: know the work-around.
Don
joekr...@comcast.net
Jul 28, 2009, 7:54:04 PM7/28/09
to Greg Merritt, randon
Okay. I'll chime in. I don't follow a specific regimen. I find that to be too much of a chore to do workouts that are very specific. Mostly, I want to enjoy my time on the bike. I enjoy the challenge of hills, so, that is where I push myself, because it's fun for me. During the season I mostly log between 200-300 miles per week. About half of which comes from commuting to work 3 times weekly (23 miles each way). I generally ride medium to long rides on the two days I have off (Thurs, Sun). I am one of the unfortunate who work on Saturdays. But, I do take vacation days to do Saturday brevets. If I ride a long brevet I may take an extra day or even two days off the bike that week to recover. Occasionaly, I find myself on the brink of overtraining in which case I give myself a day off, or skip the hilly rides for a day or two.
Hope this helps.
Joe Kratovil
TrufflesEater
Jul 29, 2009, 2:47:44 AM7/29/09
to randon
This list of symptoms gets my attention.
On Jul 29, 8:27 am, Don Bennett <d...@donbennett.org> wrote:
> A note about your first 1200k: any minor ergonomic issues on a 600k can
> be a major problem on a 1200k.
>
> Prior to PBP in 2003, I had some issues with hotfoot that would crop up
> after the first 80 miles of a ride.
I know this one. The pain in the ball of my left foot (the bad one,
dislocated many years ago)
can become excruciating. I suspect better fitting shoes for my very
wide feet might help.
My current countermeasure is preemptive aspirin at about 275k
and wan smile (as in grin and bear it). The pain does seems to subside
eventually.
>After a 600k, I might have a bit of
> numbness in my foot for a day or so.
Know this one too. Especially numbness in the big toes of each foot.
>After PBP 2003, I lost the feeling
> in the big toe of my right foot and it took about 3 months before all
> the feeling came back.
Any idea what caused this, besides "overuse"?
>
> Saddle comfort issues only came up after 800k,
For me it is about 300k, mostly blistering. On my last breevt, a
600k,
I only lost a little skin (forgot the chamois cream, which I had
just started using).
>Shermer's neck was an
> issue after 1000km: know the work-around.
>
> Don
>
Duly noted. Thanks for the warning.
David in Tokyo
On Jul 29, 8:27 am, Don Bennett <d...@donbennett.org> wrote:
> A note about your first 1200k: any minor ergonomic issues on a 600k can
> be a major problem on a 1200k.
>
> Prior to PBP in 2003, I had some issues with hotfoot that would crop up
> after the first 80 miles of a ride.
dislocated many years ago)
can become excruciating. I suspect better fitting shoes for my very
wide feet might help.
My current countermeasure is preemptive aspirin at about 275k
and wan smile (as in grin and bear it). The pain does seems to subside
eventually.
>After a 600k, I might have a bit of
> numbness in my foot for a day or so.
>After PBP 2003, I lost the feeling
> in the big toe of my right foot and it took about 3 months before all
> the feeling came back.
>
> Saddle comfort issues only came up after 800k,
600k,
I only lost a little skin (forgot the chamois cream, which I had
just started using).
>Shermer's neck was an
> issue after 1000km: know the work-around.
>
> Don
>
David in Tokyo
TrufflesEater
Jul 29, 2009, 3:45:12 AM7/29/09
to randon
I'll offer an approach that will likely draw boos and hisses.
Preparing for the SR progression of 200/300/400/600k from the first of
January till the middle of April
(missed the March 200k entry because of a technological glitch), I did
all training indoors on a trainer. The only outdoor
riding was a 3 day pre-ride/credit-card tour of the the 300k route
with my wife, over a long holiday weekend. In the month
before the mid April 300k brevet, I was alternating, on weekdays, a
hard day of 3 hours/100 virtual km with an easy day of
no more than half that. I'd take Saturday off to spend the whole day
with my wife, and on Sunday do very hard intervals
(3 hours of steady state work near aerobic threshold or double AM/PM
90-minute sessions of simulated hill climbing). I also
did one 6-hour century on the trainer a couple of weeks before the
brevet.
Since I work at home, I suppose this could be construed as commuting.
But the real reason I adopted this method is that
I live smack in the center of Tokyo, and it's a 60k ride through
congested traffic and dozens upon dozens of stoplights
(or dangerous multiuse "cycling paths") getting to lightly traveled
roads and the prime training ground of foothills
and mountains.
Now that the hot, humid summer is here, I'm doing 90% of my riding
outside. I don't like running the air-conditioner all the time,
and mid-day is most comfortable sweating on a saddle amid evergreens
rather than on a chair amid computer screens. Also,
the best way to beat the heat is to become acclimated to it.
David in Tokyo
Preparing for the SR progression of 200/300/400/600k from the first of
January till the middle of April
(missed the March 200k entry because of a technological glitch), I did
all training indoors on a trainer. The only outdoor
riding was a 3 day pre-ride/credit-card tour of the the 300k route
with my wife, over a long holiday weekend. In the month
before the mid April 300k brevet, I was alternating, on weekdays, a
hard day of 3 hours/100 virtual km with an easy day of
no more than half that. I'd take Saturday off to spend the whole day
with my wife, and on Sunday do very hard intervals
(3 hours of steady state work near aerobic threshold or double AM/PM
90-minute sessions of simulated hill climbing). I also
did one 6-hour century on the trainer a couple of weeks before the
brevet.
Since I work at home, I suppose this could be construed as commuting.
But the real reason I adopted this method is that
I live smack in the center of Tokyo, and it's a 60k ride through
congested traffic and dozens upon dozens of stoplights
(or dangerous multiuse "cycling paths") getting to lightly traveled
roads and the prime training ground of foothills
and mountains.
Now that the hot, humid summer is here, I'm doing 90% of my riding
outside. I don't like running the air-conditioner all the time,
and mid-day is most comfortable sweating on a saddle amid evergreens
rather than on a chair amid computer screens. Also,
the best way to beat the heat is to become acclimated to it.
David in Tokyo
Larry Parker
Jul 29, 2009, 10:56:32 AM7/29/09
to randon, d...@donbennett.org
showing my ignorance, naivete, rookieness:
What is the work-around for Schermer's Neck?
I have seen the "apparati" eg. Alan Larsen's solution in his RAAM win. Are
there better alternatives?
Larry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Bennett" <d...@donbennett.org>
To: "Randon List" <ran...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 7:27 PM
Subject: [Randon] Re: Training for Randonneuring
>
>
What is the work-around for Schermer's Neck?
I have seen the "apparati" eg. Alan Larsen's solution in his RAAM win. Are
there better alternatives?
Larry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Bennett" <d...@donbennett.org>
To: "Randon List" <ran...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 7:27 PM
Subject: [Randon] Re: Training for Randonneuring
>
>
Christine & Larry Graham
Jul 29, 2009, 11:31:37 AM7/29/09
to Larry Parker, randon, d...@donbennett.org
I've found that a recumbent is the best cure for "Schermer's neck"
Larry Graham
Team Bacchetta
From: Larry Parker <lpar...@zoomtown.com>
To: randon <ran...@googlegroups.com>; d...@donbennett.org
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 10:56:32 AM
Bill Bryant
Jul 29, 2009, 11:47:51 AM7/29/09
to Larry Parker, randon
With the caveat of "Kids, don't try this at home", here are some
observations from 5 trips to PBP, both as a rider and spectator. These are
~not~ recommendations, but only a report I what I've seen. Shermer Neck can
make cycling unsafe, so beware.
Some folks have used thick cervical collars (bought along the route at a
pharmacy). Two of them, one atop the other, can hold one's head up pretty
well in the cycling position. (I think one collar is fine for standing
upright, but cyclists have to crank their head upwards a bit while bent over
the handlebars, and two seems to achieve this position better than one.)
Others rigged up something less formal, such as poking a little hole in the
bottom of a water bottle and then running cord/slender rope around the neck
to position the bottle under the chin. This works sorta okay, but probably
only as a stopgap to reach the pharmacy to get the "horse collars". Try to
pad the string/rope so that it doesn't dig into the back of your neck/upper
shoulders.
I've seen a similar approach with a rolled-up bath towel under the chin,
then attached with a slender rope around the neck, as like the water bottle
method. This seems more cushioned to me. The towel was held in its
cylindrical shape with adhesive tape. (I suppose in the rain, it would get
heavy and soggy, so perhaps in wet weather the water bottle would work
better? Dunno...)
Or, others have used various rigs that attached their helmet to their
Camelbak to pull the head upwards/backwards. This seemed to not allow
turning the head to look sideways as much as the previous two methods, but
I've seen riders reach the finish line in this fashion.
Bill Bryant
observations from 5 trips to PBP, both as a rider and spectator. These are
~not~ recommendations, but only a report I what I've seen. Shermer Neck can
make cycling unsafe, so beware.
Some folks have used thick cervical collars (bought along the route at a
pharmacy). Two of them, one atop the other, can hold one's head up pretty
well in the cycling position. (I think one collar is fine for standing
upright, but cyclists have to crank their head upwards a bit while bent over
the handlebars, and two seems to achieve this position better than one.)
Others rigged up something less formal, such as poking a little hole in the
bottom of a water bottle and then running cord/slender rope around the neck
to position the bottle under the chin. This works sorta okay, but probably
only as a stopgap to reach the pharmacy to get the "horse collars". Try to
pad the string/rope so that it doesn't dig into the back of your neck/upper
shoulders.
I've seen a similar approach with a rolled-up bath towel under the chin,
then attached with a slender rope around the neck, as like the water bottle
method. This seems more cushioned to me. The towel was held in its
cylindrical shape with adhesive tape. (I suppose in the rain, it would get
heavy and soggy, so perhaps in wet weather the water bottle would work
better? Dunno...)
Or, others have used various rigs that attached their helmet to their
Camelbak to pull the head upwards/backwards. This seemed to not allow
turning the head to look sideways as much as the previous two methods, but
I've seen riders reach the finish line in this fashion.
Bill Bryant
Message has been deleted
Don Bennett
Jul 29, 2009, 12:34:09 PM7/29/09
to TrufflesEater, randon
Foot Issues: After trying a number things - custom shoes, mountain
bike shoes - a friend pointed me to some pads you can glue onto the
insole of the shoe, which miraculously enough completely solved my
foot problems (hapad.com). Now when I get hotfoot, it's usually
because I'm wearing wool socks when the temperature is in the 90's.
Saddle Issues: In addition to switching to a Brooks saddle, I apply chamois cream and/or lantiseptic at the earliest sign of discomfort.
Shermer's neck: I had no problems at PBP 2007 due to a bike that lets me sit nearly upright if I wish. At PBP 2003, in the hotel before the ride, I ran into Craig Wilson, who had Shermer's at the Gold Rush Randonnee 2001. He told me that the only thing that was effective and let him finish that ride was to rotate the handlebars back far enough so that he could sit more upright.
Don
Saddle Issues: In addition to switching to a Brooks saddle, I apply chamois cream and/or lantiseptic at the earliest sign of discomfort.
Shermer's neck: I had no problems at PBP 2007 due to a bike that lets me sit nearly upright if I wish. At PBP 2003, in the hotel before the ride, I ran into Craig Wilson, who had Shermer's at the Gold Rush Randonnee 2001. He told me that the only thing that was effective and let him finish that ride was to rotate the handlebars back far enough so that he could sit more upright.
Don
Eric Peterson
Jul 29, 2009, 11:28:16 PM7/29/09
to randon
Someone mentioned UMCA, thought I'd mention their book that I have
found helpful. It's called "Preparing for Long Rides" and there is a
specific section titled "Training for Long Rides" that outlines a plan
which follows the stages of Preparation, Base, Intensity, Peaking, and
Taper prior to a specific event (such as a 1000K or 1200K). I started
following the plan this year to prepare for a 1000K but my plans
changed so I fell off the plan. What I liked about this plan was that
the weekly hours were manageable (around 20 or less) and there was a
good mix of different types of workout levels. It did call for 11-12
hour rides once a week which would have been a stretch, I typically
tried to cover this time in two days rather than one.
The other good advice was to use shorter brevets as training devices
for longer ones. Of course they could help with the 11-12 hour ride
requirements as well.
Eric Peterson
found helpful. It's called "Preparing for Long Rides" and there is a
specific section titled "Training for Long Rides" that outlines a plan
which follows the stages of Preparation, Base, Intensity, Peaking, and
Taper prior to a specific event (such as a 1000K or 1200K). I started
following the plan this year to prepare for a 1000K but my plans
changed so I fell off the plan. What I liked about this plan was that
the weekly hours were manageable (around 20 or less) and there was a
good mix of different types of workout levels. It did call for 11-12
hour rides once a week which would have been a stretch, I typically
tried to cover this time in two days rather than one.
The other good advice was to use shorter brevets as training devices
for longer ones. Of course they could help with the 11-12 hour ride
requirements as well.
Eric Peterson
Message has been deleted
Steve Park
Jul 30, 2009, 11:02:19 AM7/30/09
to randon
+1 for cross training.
Unusually hideous winter whether kept my riding to a minimum earlier
this year, so instead I started going to a circuit training class at a
local gym. I did a ton of XC skiing and some yoga too. All the
little core muscles got a workout that a million bike miles can't
deliver. Having a strong core really helps when the rides get
longer. It definitely turned me on to the idea that a training
regimen of overall fitness is as important as spending time in the
saddle. The change of pace is mentally refreshing too.
Remember to stretch!
Unusually hideous winter whether kept my riding to a minimum earlier
this year, so instead I started going to a circuit training class at a
local gym. I did a ton of XC skiing and some yoga too. All the
little core muscles got a workout that a million bike miles can't
deliver. Having a strong core really helps when the rides get
longer. It definitely turned me on to the idea that a training
regimen of overall fitness is as important as spending time in the
saddle. The change of pace is mentally refreshing too.
Remember to stretch!
Bill Bryant
Jul 30, 2009, 12:12:35 PM7/30/09
to Steve Park, randon
Post of the week, IMHO.
Randonneuring will wear out all your muscles, not just your legs.
Core-strengthening and stretching should be part of the 1200k rider's
regime.
Bill Bryant
Santa Cruz Randonneurs
Randonneuring will wear out all your muscles, not just your legs.
Core-strengthening and stretching should be part of the 1200k rider's
regime.
Bill Bryant
Santa Cruz Randonneurs
Dan Blumenfeld
Jul 30, 2009, 12:35:48 PM7/30/09
to Bill Bryant, Steve Park, randon
Also bear in mind that cross training can mean other forms of cycling as well. I ride recumbent on brevets, but have switched to an upright bike for my daily commute in recent months, and am finding that my climbing strength on the 'bent has improved perceptibly. (Not to mention my appreciation for said 'bent...)
Best,
--Dan Blumenfeld
--Pittsburgh, PA
Best,
--Dan Blumenfeld
--Pittsburgh, PA
RUSA2691
Jul 30, 2009, 2:20:24 PM7/30/09
to randon
I have very, very little time to train and hardly ever have a block of
time to do a long ride.
If you're at all like me (and to everyone, I suppose), the four things
I would recommend, in addition to all the good advice already given:
1. Have someone help you develop as even a pedal stroke as possible.
2. Get comfortable riding in the drops for long stretches at a time on
flats.
--Efficiency and aerodynamics are things you can improve without hours
and hours on the bike; I'm guessing that by doing so you can probably
up your average speed 15% and shave around 2 hrs on a 200K. (perhaps
others can improve on these estimates)
3. Get good advice (paid, if you have to) on fit. A very long ride
will show you where you're not dialed in, but it doesn't hurt to try
to get it right in the first place.
4. Figure out what saddle works. If it isn't comfortable after 50
miles, forget it; invest in something else. The best setup won't save
your butt if your seat doesn't suit you.
time to do a long ride.
If you're at all like me (and to everyone, I suppose), the four things
I would recommend, in addition to all the good advice already given:
1. Have someone help you develop as even a pedal stroke as possible.
2. Get comfortable riding in the drops for long stretches at a time on
flats.
--Efficiency and aerodynamics are things you can improve without hours
and hours on the bike; I'm guessing that by doing so you can probably
up your average speed 15% and shave around 2 hrs on a 200K. (perhaps
others can improve on these estimates)
3. Get good advice (paid, if you have to) on fit. A very long ride
will show you where you're not dialed in, but it doesn't hurt to try
to get it right in the first place.
4. Figure out what saddle works. If it isn't comfortable after 50
miles, forget it; invest in something else. The best setup won't save
your butt if your seat doesn't suit you.
commut...@gmail.com
Jul 31, 2009, 11:39:00 PM7/31/09
to randon group, randon digest subscribers
Lots of commutes, at varying intensities. Its only 25 miles per day, but it does the trick, seemingly. Tossing in permanents here and there helps a lot, too.
Keith W Gates (kG)
www.commuterdude.com
RUSA #1445
bullcitybiker
Aug 3, 2009, 12:09:39 PM8/3/09
to randon
+1 on commuting as training. I only have a 15 mile round trip commute
but I hit it pretty hard, and it's worked well for me.
Branson
but I hit it pretty hard, and it's worked well for me.
Branson
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