Training & Nutrition - little time, zero to full stamina ?

Hi there !

i need help here.

i am not much of a cyclist, have only toured once.
but i love cycling, whenever i get the chance.

now i was in a medical condition that prohibited excercising or even exerting myself. as a result of that and my sedentry work, and a big appetite, i've rendered myself fat, out of shape and with zero stamina.
i could run about 10 k before i fell sick last september.

now, as a challange, i've signed myself up on a cycling trip into the indian himalayas, only 35 days from today. the trip requires max fitness --- strenght + stamina.

i am not setting myself any unrealistic targets, but going to give it my best shot. ....

the thing is i dunno howto ? i like to think ishud just run and swim as much as i can everyday, and cycle every other day. may bejoin the neighbourhood gym.

but really i dunno what is the right thing to do in this situation .... any recommendations on what to do, how to do it and what to eat etc... ? workout routines, diets .... supplements (?)

thanx a lot for your help !

Geeten

Good luck.

Let us know how you are after the Himalayas, and if you survive!

IMHO, you are asking more of your body than I know my body could do. But, then I am a bit older, I would guess.

I haven't a clue as to what to tell you to get ready in 35 days - from "zero" to fit!

Good luck, also!

where are you physically right now? if you're currently still in that sedentary life-style. a tour through the Himalayas might be a bit of a stretch if you just have 35 days. of course if youre in semi-decent shape, i'd say the altitude would be your biggest obstacle. i used to run around 40-50 miles a day for the past 5 years... and when i went on vacation to colorado, i had a heck of a time adjusting to the altitude change. i was huffing and puffing just walking and if i remember correctly, the himalayas are a lot higher above sea level than colorado. 35 days is no wear near enough time to get up to tip top shape if youre out of shape (or even if you are in decent shape). i dont mean to burst your bubble but thats the truth. this sounds like a great vacation, however, and its just my opinion. climbing mount everest is on my list of things to do, and i've set aside about 4 or 5 years to train (and save up money too). what ever you choose to do, good luck. and have fun :)

i used to run around 40-50 miles a day for the past 5 years... and when i went on vacation to colorado, i had a heck of a time adjusting to the altitude change. I'm tempted to call B.S. Did you really RUN 40-50 MILES per day? That's an ultra marathon a day for 5 years!!

sorry, not per day... i meant to say per week. that was just a typo ;)

Whew!! I gotcha ya. That makes much more sense.

Hi,
if you are serious, you need a training camp. You can't do this by yourself. It will cost, and it will hurt. A lot. That will take you at most halfway. If your base conditioning isn't real good, you are toast.
By that I mean if you do not have done anything like this in the last couple years; you are buying expensive plane tickets for nothing.

I'd tend to agree to be on the safe side. Seriously train and a lot longer than 35 days. And the most important thing is work on your cardio system, you will need to accilimate to altitude or you will get edema. Even if you're at the average elevation, the altitude will kill you if you're not in shape. You get something like 50% less pressure in your lungs at 10000ft and I believe those areas go to like 16000 ft before you reach the mountains.
Hell at 16000 ft, if I'm acclimated, I can beat lance armstrong on a bike. I mean, imagine your maximum potential at sea level, take it to 16000 ft and divide it by 5. Now take a sedetary person with no base mileage... I hope to god you have a good insurance policy and I mean this in the best way I can.

alright ! enough encouragement here !! you see i like challanges.

a few things ....

one. i live in india.

two, i've been to that altitude (and on that route) several times (not cycling though ...), and am familiar with the challange i am facing.

three, i don't think i am really wondering anymore if i can do it, or should.

what i wanted to ask was that since i am doing it, and i have a challange in front of me, do you guys with the experience you all have, have any advice as to HOW i can do it. i work and cannot afford going off to a camp (which would admittedly be the best).

i am looking at specific dietary suggestion, especially "to or not to" on supplements.
also if any of you can suggest a tight routine that i can commit myself to.

cheers !
and yeah, good luck to me :)

Honestly, I just don't see how it's possible. I mean, you WILL be able to do it. Your performance however, is a different story. I mean if you want to perform well against people who have properly trained years and years for it, it's next to impossible given your situation and time frame.

Then again, people high on meth and cocaine are capable of beyond extraordinory effort. I saw this guy high on meth get shot 7 times and he kept going at the cops, it took like 10 of them to pin him down to the ground. :)

I have no cycling training expertise, but I trained 15-20hrs a week for my 11 years of a career. I'd go four days on about 3 hours each to start, take a day off, then start to go 3 hours one day, 2x2hr the next day, and alternate, take a day every 4 or so to go only 1 or 2 hours, work your way up within two weeks to go double rides and long rides after each day. You really don't have time to test your endurance, so keep away from those rides of high milage just to see if you can do it (it's like digging up the potatos to see how the crop is doing). Within the last week, try to work your muscle exertion down while maintaining your endurance. It's tough, but volume should drop linearly to about half of your peak training, intensity should be short but sweet and powerful, and sleep should be plentiful.

Do a lot of work then rest for a week before you go, by rest I meen one short to very short high intensity workout a day. See a doctor, that specializes in sports or wilderness or pilots, about some altitude sickness advice/medication even trained climbers can get it and depending on what type it can ruin your trip.
Here, this is from the university of washington this particular series is great and this episode is right up your ally.
High Altitude Medicine: An Alpinist’s Survival Guide
http://www.uwtv.org/programs/displayevent.asp?rid=583