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Old 09-19-12, 05:40 AM
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skiffrun
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If you are racing HARD, you may find combining that with doing one rando 200k a month, a bit fatiguing.

My friend, JohnA, was doing triathlons pretty hard, training for and doing rides such as the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, doing one rando 200k a month, training rides and runs for the triathlons, mountain training excursions, and some camaraderie club and / or rando 100k rides to be able to do the triathlons and "big rides".

He thought his R-11 ride, which was only a few weeks after AoMM, was a ride through purgatory, and almost into hell. Only event he seriously considered DNF'ing. He commented, "next year, White Lake Half or AoMM, but not both." He/we got through the ride; then he did his R-12 with a midnight start to avoid the heat.

John had decided somewhere around R-9/10 that he would hang up his rando shoes for a few years -- not because he couldn't learn to handle the multiple disciplines -- which he never got used to -- but because with a 6-year-old son, he decided he needed to spend more time "at home" on the weekends.


I have not done, nor attempted, anything longer than 600k, but in late 2010 and last year I did back-to-back 200's on several occasions (and a triple-double on one). In October-2010, I did back-to-backs twice; in July-2011, I did the triple-double and a double-double (i.e., back-to-back). I am not fast -- I definitely understand the comment by one MikeD regarding 200's: "it's not the distance; it's the time". My speed on-the-bike does slow slightly the second and/or third days, but my time at controls usually gets shorter when the speed decreases. I often do three or four 200's a month, with maybe one other ride each weekend. I seldom get three rides a week. Unless I have a "lucky day" (i.e., "unlucky day"), I feel no effect from the previous week's 200.

In 2010 & 2011, the Raleigh brevet series was every-other-week. I liked that. I did non-trivial rides on the "off weeks" (e.g., 100-milers, mountain rides). Not a problem with fitness or energy or mental aspects (in 2010, I had a problem with shorts-interface on the 600).

This year, the series was every-third-week, thus allowing the RBA some weekends off during the series, and also the series was carefully scheduled from Mar-31 through Jun-02.

I don't ride as heavy a rando schedule as StephenH, and I'm likely slower, but I think and believe that if one "trains up to it", riding multiple 200's a month is not a problem physically or mentally. Doing that might be a problem for your significant-other or for your children or for other life-commitments.

BTW, in my book, "training up to it" does not mean doing intervals and speed-work and all that razzmatazz, it means getting on the bike and riding. Increasing the distances and possibly frequency. Riding LONGER.


AND ... have FUN ... ALL the time ... except possibly on "lucky days".

Last edited by skiffrun; 09-19-12 at 05:56 AM.
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