One Week before the double ...

[spingineer]

I'm planning on doing Solvang Double, and it will be my first double of the year, and first since 1999. I'm a little freaked out by this. Over the past several weeks, I've done 101, 100, 60, and 80 milers, but haven't done much close to 200. For the last weekend before the ride, should I reel back the mileage, or try to get in another 100+ miles?

Oh, I should mention, last weekend, the 101 miler was 7700 feet climbing.

[Machka]

I wouldn't do a 100 miler the weekend before you do a double. You already know you can do a century ... you've done several recently ... another one isn't going to make any difference, if anything it might tire you out just enough to make the double a slog. If I were you, I'd take it a little bit easier. Do a metric century or a 75 miler instead. And my suggestion would be to keep it pretty relaxed ... pick a scenic route, maybe plan to meet family or friends partway along for a picnic, or something like that. Make it fun. :)

When I did my first double, the longest distance I had ridden before it was 125 miles (a 200K brevet) which I rode two weeks before my double. During the weekend in between the 200K and my double, I did a 75 mile ride. Then, the next weekend, I had a great time on my double!! In fact ... I was completely hooked on long distance riding after that. :)

All the best!

[DanteB]

I always dial it back the weekend before a double. This weekend I'm doing a 2 1/2 hr. ride Saturday, a 1 1/2 hr. ride Sunday. Next week looks like this, Mon. off, Tues. 1 hr. ride, Wed. 1 hr. recovery ride, Thurs. off, Friday 1 hr. recovery with 4 10-12 second sprints. See you at Solvang, good luck!

[K&M]

The Solvang Double is a great ride. Lots of people do it with less preparation than you. Don't stress over it. Just relax and you're sure to have a great time.

Hopefully you'll get better weather than we did last year!

[TomM]

Does the ride have a time limit?

[Extort]

time limit is like 18 or 19 hours, so it should not be a problem for everyone to finish.
Follow Machka's advice on rides this weekend, but I would personally skip out on the Friday night ride that DanteB is planning because I stop riding on the Wednesday before a double.

K&M - the double last year was a bit wet! did you slog through it or take a taxi home?

[DanteB]

time limit is like 18 or 19 hours, so it should not be a problem for everyone to finish.
Follow Machka's advice on rides this weekend, but I would personally skip out on the Friday night ride that DanteB is planning because I stop riding on the Wednesday before a double.

K&M - the double last year was a bit wet! did you slog through it or take a taxi home?

Friday's ride is a very easy ride, I never take the HR over 100. The sprints are short, not at full effort and hardly effect HR. The idea of the ride is to open the legs up, get blood to flow through them, clean out anything that has built up in them without building anything else up.

[spingineer]

Thanks for all the great tips. I guess I'll go part way with the usual chronies, and head back home earlier, and just enjoy it. I just wish I felt fresher after the 100, but I guess that'll come in time.

I think the best advise anyone has given me is just enjoy the ride. I'll definitely do that!

[Richard Cranium]

and it will be my first double of the year, and first since 1999. I'm a little freaked out by this. They say the "2nd hundred is always the easiest."Most experienced cyclists say "doubles are easier than single centurys."

I heard the best way to ride a double is to go "all out" at the start, then eat a big-lunch at the 50 mile mark, then cruise in the rest of the way, no sweat.

[K&M]

We slogged through it. At one point it was raining so hard that it was hard to see where we were going. We ended up riding the first 100 miles without stopping since we were afraid we'd die of hypothermia if we stopped pedaling. A good adventure.

[Brandy]

I'll be at Solvang as well and I'm testing out the no tapering theory, so we'll see how I feel! I'm riding a preview of the Breathless Agony course (114 miles 12,000+ ft of climbing) on Sunday and keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be recovered by Saturday! :eek:

[Pumpkincycle]

Have fun in Solvang. I was on a (great) brevet last weekend that had much more support than the Solvang Double (good luck eating a BIG LUNCH, though your really don't want to--save your appetite for dinner, oh that's right, there isn't any.)

Doing 100+ miles the weekend before a double shouldn't hurt--actually it helps maintain the endurance you've been building. But after the weekend taper during the week. Short rides with not much hammering. I stay off the bike 2 days before an event and easy spinning the day before, and make sure your carbs diet picks up the day before.