Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - 140 miles

I am riding 140 miles this weekend with no training and on a whim. Is this a good idea? Help would be nice.

No training at all? As in you have not even ridden a few miles on a regular basis or what? If that is really the case let me be the first to say you'll never make it unless its all downhill.

Well, are you in shape from anything else? How old? What's the furthest out incase you need to come back?

One way to find out.

If you do something stupid, please learn from it.

Ummmm, I hope there is something worth the ride at the end. You know, something that will motivate you to finish the distance. Your choice as to what you would be willing to ride 140 miles for. :D

Good luck. Drink plenty of fluids and nosh on something every once and a while. Don't forget your tools and tubes.

No. I think you will find it a pain in the @$$. Without training I would estimate you might be able to average 10 mph. That is a long day, and parts of your body not used to repetitive motions will not be happy with you.

You might hate biking after this weekend if you haven't had any training

I am really active and I ride bike occasionally, but the distance is pretty far fetched for me, but a friend and I are hoping to make it to St. Louis in time to see the fireworks over the Mississippi. What is a good time for this distance?

if that's in 3 days, it might not be so bad. One day of 140 might not be realistic.

Do it in 2 days and it won't be as bad - 70 miles each day is doable.

If you decide to do it in one day, start before sunrise and you might make it.

Eat & drink alot. Make sure you're comfortable on your bike.

Good luck, sounds like an adventure in the making.

I am riding 140 miles this weekend with no training and on a whim. Is this a good idea?

Is this a trick question?

:trainwreck:


Help would be nice.

Spend a little time browsing this forum and you'll find a wealth of information.

I did and had fun doing it. The longest ride before that was probably 20-30 miles straight. I went on a group ride with some people in Japan. I did not speak japanese and they did not speak english. No food, little water, bought lunch on the way. Either way it was the most enjoyable ride I ever had. Made friends that are still friends today. Both of us remember the ride to this day.
I was 16 at the time. Now I am almost 50 and I am going to ride the STP in one day with my son on a tandem. Hope that it goes OK. I have trained this time since I am no longer 16.

this is dumb. i think i might have ruined this year's cycling season with injury because i got a bit excited and didn't build up the distance after the inactive winter. i didn't even do anything mega and not a distance i hadn't done numerous times before.

How does the bike fit? Are you sore anywhere after a ride?

I find any soreness related to bad fit or poor posterior/saddle interaction shows up around mile 50. If you've ridden that far in reasonable comfort on the bike you plan to use, you should be able to do the 140.

Is it a good idea? No.
Can you do it? A fair chance. My experience is that you'll just get slower and slower as you go, but eventually, you should get there.
Can you enjoy it? That's the really big item.

A couple of suggestions. Consider what your "Plan B" is if you get 40 miles out and change your mind. Also keep in mind that some bike issues, like saddle discomfort, are not related to your fitness necessarily.

Watch the heat, make provision for lots of liquid in one way or another.