Touring - Short (5 minutes or so) rest periods during training anyone?

I have begun training for my 8-10 day tour in September now that it is just 3 months away. In the past because of work and other commitments, I've never really been able to train, and in fact it is still difficult. What would typically happen is that I would get to ride one day and go for a 40-50 mile ride, and then not be able to get back on the bike for meaningful miles for over a week, perhaps two. The problem with that as we all know is that your bum never gets toughened up. (I have no real issues with my cardio or leg strength, I am able to stay in good shape in other ways). After 40-50 miles, I'm in pretty severe pain in the nether regions. Projecting that forward, I don't want to face that for 8-10 days of a tour compounded.

What I decided to try today was to take a short,5 minute break every 30 minutes of riding time. I forced myself to do this (even though my inner drive wants me to keep going...). Today, I got in a semi-loaded training/tour ride of 43 miles using this tactic and I have to say that I think it helped immensely. Two weeks ago I went on a ride of about the same distance and I was hurting when I was done...heck I was hurting after about 25 miles! Today was a different story. I really never felt anything other than nuisance irritation. Nothing like the pain of two weeks ago and other longer rides.

My question is this: Does anybody else do anything like this? Is it something that I should continue to do even when I am on tour?

Let me know what you think.

Thanks.

I have a shoulder issue that bothers me after about 1 hour - up to an hour, no problem, after that, it starts to cramp. Fine, I take a break once an hour. (Dislocated shoulder years ago)

I have a shoulder issue that bothers me after about 1 hour - up to an hour, no problem, after that, it starts to cramp. Fine, I take a break once an hour. (Dislocated shoulder years ago)
Similar issues with a damaged rotator cuff, I take that hrly break!

runners do it all the time they call them walk breaks so there shouldn't be a problem you might also want to try to adapt a training schedule like they do for runners... i was training for a marathon when i blew a hamstring and what i did was run 3 days a week and do something else like resistence training 3 days a week... my bike training schedule is similar as i ride about 4 days a week with two short days and two long rides a week... and i don't ride the day before or the day after my long rides but i will do something like yoga or resistance training...

I don't have any pain issues but I've found if I don't take regular breaks, I end up bonking by the middle or end of the day. Do whatever works for you. It's a tour...leave the 'de France' at home:D

Yes, it you are just trying for 45 miles per day there is no reason not to take breaks and smell the asphalt.

Yes, it you are just trying for 45 miles per day there is no reason not to take breaks and smell the asphalt.

My tour can be done with about 50 miles a day, but I would like to be in shape for say 70 miles/day. I want to aim high. But yes, I want to smell the roses as well. Its supposed to be fun right?

Like the above poster says: its a tour right? leave the de France at home:)

Yep, it's the journey and not the speed to destination!

During my Lake Erie tour I still didn't have my bike dialed in perfectly so I would often have to do some stretching exercises every 15 km after the 70 km point. Between some changes to the bike and some improvements to my flexibility I don't need to do this quite so regularily now but I still do it from time to time.

I also stop to take pictures of things that catch my eye or take a snack/meal/water break.

Out of curiosity have you tried making any changes to the bike or your clothing to see if that will also offset the issues for you?

Perhaps a different wider saddle, a thicker/different chamois or even the use of something like Bag Balm during the first few days of a tour might make a huge difference?

~Jamie N

On my tours I take breaks whenever I see something I want to photograph ... could be every 2 minutes, could be every 2 hours, or anywhere in between.

On my randonnees, I'm really working hard to stay in the saddle for as long a period of time as possible. I had gotten into a bit of a habit of stopping to fuss with something about every half hour, and a ride really starts to drag on when you do that.

So if you feel the need for speed (like to get to the next city to catch your flight connection), stay in the saddle and ride through the pain. If you have all the time in the world, stop whenever you feel like it. :)


BTW - I'll just add my name to the shoulder injury list. I'm currently recovering from a Grade II shoulder separation incurred during a crash on a ride at the beginning of April. It's annoying.