With no race this weekend, I was inspired to get a few miles in, thinking about the upcoming 100 mile time trial.
- Sun – 75 miles including 50 mile race
- mon – rest
- Tues – 80 miles av. 21mph
- Wed – 20 miles av 16mph
- Thurs 70 miles av 20mph
- Fri – rest
- Sat – 25 miles av 17mph
- Sun 105 miles av 20mph
- Tues – 80 miles av 21mph
- Wed – 40 miles av 17mph
Even on rest days I will cycle at least 6 miles, slowly into town on a commuting bike. Ideally, it would be a little further. It helps to loosen the legs after long ride.
It’s quite a big week, I don’t usually cycle this distance. The good weather and lack of races encouraged me to train bigger distances than usual. It’s also got me thinking about entering a 12 hour time trial on August 15th. I never done one before, the furthest I’ve cycle in past 5 years is 100 miles. If I did a 12 hour time trial, I would want to try and cycle between 250-275 miles. It sounds intimidating, but, it would be a good challenge. If training keeps going well, I may enter. I could do with speaking to someone like Oranj (Howard Waller) with experience of long distance time trials and who is preparing for Paris Brest Paris (1200KM) in August. – The kind of ride that makes a 100 mile time trial look like a walk in the park.
Energy Drinks for Long distance Training.
Previously, I used to eat many energy bars on long rides. But, to acclimatise to the 100 mile race, I’ve been using more energy drinks and less energy bars. It is good to get used to energy drinks in training so that when you race, there is less new things to get used to.
With the weather warming up, it is essential to be getting some electrolytes which you are sweating out.
Recovery Drinks
If you look on the back of a recovery drink it is mainly maltodextrin (carbonhydrate) with some protein powder (usually soya) with some whey and perhaps milk powder. It’s not exactly rocket science, but, there is something psychologically beneficial about taking a ‘recovery drink’ I mean what better way to recover from a long ride, than with a ‘recovery drink’ Sometimes I take a ‘recovery drink’ on a ride. There’s no harm taking on some protein in the middle of a ride, it still has carbohydrate and electrolytes. When having an heavy duty training week like this week, it is also good to be eating for next day as well as this one.
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Hi,
I find your info very useful. I’m intrigued by the lack of rest/recovery days you and other cyclists use as it recovery is as important as nutrition.
I used to train 3-4 days a week with 3 days of rest from riding or as you said -very light effort -which can help.
Is it a case that high mileage cyclists have achieved a fitness that they can train to this level?
Your thoughts/experience on cyclists recovery would be interesting.
Keep up the good work.
James :O)
I think you can get used to riding on consecutive days. You just have to think of the Grand tour riders, riding pretty much consecutively for three weeks. There not always racing at their peak, but, there’s no easy day in the Tour. But, certainly not everyone would be able to sustain that kind of intensity in riding.
Apart from energy drinks what else will you be eating? I feel like I need to eat some thing solid over such a long period of time. I’ve tried eating sugary flapjacks on long rides but I’m not sure this is the best approach.
Good luck with this weeks training.