WonderMonkey

Friends of mine are entering. My longest this year has been a "killed me" 40 miler though that has been a while back. I've done a few 30 milers and several 20 milers since. Entering this ride will change how I ride. Usually my minimum is 10 miles but now I'm going to have to change that to 20 miles.

chefisaac

You got it bro. A metric century is not too bad. Just make sure to get out a few times for some longer rides pre your metric. Focus on pre, during and post bike nutrition.

10 Wheels

40 miles is where you begin to have problems.

Keep drinking and snacking every 5-10 miles.

Stand up often and give your butt some air and blood flow.

Good luck. Go for one 75 miler before the 100.

Rest Two full days before the 100.

TrojanHorse

100 KM or 100 miles?

Whichever it is, go for a ride that's at least 75% of that distance two weeks before your event to trouble shoot your food, water & fit.

WonderMonkey

100k, not 100 miles. Last night I went for a ride with a friend of mine and we ended up doing 40 miles. Though I completed it I was nowhere near comfortable. Nor did I eat properly for the distance. This coming weekend I am going to eat as if I was going to do the 100k and head out for another 40 miler. I'll eat a little something every xx miles and force myself to hydrate, something I frequently forget to do.

WonderMonkey

Yes, good advice and that's what I'm going to do. I am going to make my minimum rides 20 miles unless I just can't fit in the time then I'll take what I can get. What I also need to do is practice a slower cadence so I can last longer (that's what SHE said!).

WonderMonkey

I think making myself eat on some interval is certainly one of the keys.

WonderMonkey

Agreed. Leading up to it I'm not going to focus on weight loss but rather making sure I finish this race comfortably. I'm sure I'll drop a few pounds along the way.

TrojanHorse

Alright, well, if you already rode 40 miles and your plan is to ride 62, I'll go out on a limb and say you could do it right now. Any prep you do between now and july will make it more enjoyable and comfortable though so keep at it! I don't think you have to worry about eating a ton for a 60 mile ride either - but you will need to eat something.

I don't think riding a slower cadence is going to help you last longer though - ride at the pace you feel comfortable & efficient. For some dudes that's 100 rpm, for others it's 75 rpm but I don't think I'd recommend artificially slowing down below what you normally ride.

iTrek

TH is correct. I was on a ride recently and slowed down due to person I was riding with, I almost didn't finish.

bikemig 

It sounds like you have the fitness level to do the ride. The key is to spend as little energy as possible riding, be efficient, stay hydrated, and eat right. Being efficient on a bike is a big deal; when your legs are turning squares rather than circles is when you start to have problems. But the main thing is to have fun; that way the miles won't seem so long.

IBOHUNT

What's the ride like? Flat? Moundy? Bumpy? Hilly?
If you have ridden 40 you can more than likely make it 62 with no problems as long as you have your nutrition/hydration nailed down. Took me a while to figure it out but it's generally a bottle of water and a Cliff bar/hr.

What makes the distance you did the other night 'uncomfortable'?

vesteroid

Don't measure your eating and drinking per mile, measure it on time.

i assume your a bigger guy and working pretty hard on your rides.

being hydrated in advance is key. Drinking enough during the day and for the hours after your ride is critical. Then while riding, get in about 20 oz or so of water each hour. This is of course assuming your working hard enough to be sweating a bit. Anyway drinking 16 - 28 is the range to shoot for depending on conditions.

there is no benefit to eating every 10 minutes vs once per hour.

if your doing a 3 hour ride, I would not eat at all till one hour had gone by and then eat once per hour after that. I would shoot for 200-300 calories per hour...so a couple of gels, or a honey stinger waffle and a gel etc. you want food that is easy to digest and has carbs in it.

You don't actually "need" this amount of food on a 3 hour ride, but if you want to eliminate diet and hydration as causes of your pain, then doing these amounts will work, then you know it's simply fitness that needs improving.

i started out doing these amounts, but now don't really eat until about 2 hours, then start off with a gel, then actually go into my 300 calorie per hour routine after that. So I am not really eating a lot of food until the third hour of my century rides.

recovery is equally as important to fueling during the ride. Make sure you are replacing any water weight loss from the ride at that same 16 oz an hour until you are rehydrated. Also make sure you eat within 30 minutes of finishing your ride.

WonderMonkey

The 40 was a stretch for me so I don't know about 62. I'm sure I could finish it but not where I would remotely enjoy it.

And I agree on the cadence I think, my legs kind of know what they like to do.

WonderMonkey

I am practicing spinning in circles, good point. I have toe cages and though they may not be a good as clipless I can still use the full stroke.

WonderMonkey

You hit on a key point. My fitness probably won't be ready to do the event comfortably so I'll be pushing it a bit. I'm doing 20 miles tonight and 40-50 this weekend depending on how I feel. Again 40 was a stretch the other night so I'll set my end point at 40 then see if I go past and back to get a few more in. Chances are I'll keep doing 40 until I feel it isn't depleting me.

And I am a bigger guy and I work hard but mostly because I like to push and get the most out of a workout. What I have to do is not consider building to the distance a workout. Sortof. I have my effort timed to where I do 20 and I'm whipped. If I use that same effort on 40, 50, etc. I'll have a tough time.

phread59

Don't overlook taking a short break here and there. Might help if they have regular rest stops. Take a break, eat a snack and drink. You will be surprized at how well you do.

Mark Shuman

WonderMonkey

I know there is a built in area half way through this to get water, etc. I certainly plan on stopping there for sure. I'm going to be practicing pre-eating, forcing hydration, in-ride breaks, food, etc. starting this weekend.

WonderMonkey

The 40 miler almost killed me the other day during the ride. The next day I felt good though so my recovery is good. Tonight or tomorrow morning I am going to start practicing for the 100k by making sure I eat properly before the ride, doing the in-ride things like forcing hydration, regular stops, eating, hanging onto other bikes and letting them full me, etc. Then of course post-ride recovery.

Tonight is 50 miles with proper prep. It will be something to see how I feel between a "properly" prepared 50 miles versus the 40 I did the other night when I went out to do only 20.

WonderMonkey

As I push for longer distances my recovery becomes more important. Here is my review of what I use to help.

https://www.280dude.com/2013/05/31/ni...roduct-review/

WonderMonkey

Did a training ride this morning. Did 50.31 miles. It hurt towards the end.

https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/197921112/1019918

volosong

It almost always hurt. You rode 50.3 miles ... you can ride 62.1 miles!

WonderMonkey

I felt I could have made it the other 12 miles if I had to but I would not have enjoyed it at the end. With the 50 miles though it was painful I was still mentally in the game. For me the physical part can start to go but as long as my mental part is still dedicated I can continue.

tunavic

You will be fine.

The effect of riding in a group will keep you going and going much further than training rides might indicate.

I have first hand experience on this

WonderMonkey

I believe that to be true. I get a bunch out of the small group rides I do now so a larger event should add even more.