kreepyzeke

Hi all-

Long story short, my wife (who rides annually in the PMC 1 day 75 mile charity ride) talked me into riding with her in the 2 day Cape Cod Getaway ride for MS after losing my uncle this past winder to this terrible disease.

For those not familiar, The MS Cape ride is basically a 150 mile ride split over 2 days. I have bought a road bike, helmet, cleats/pedals, shoes, socks, gloves, padded shorts, jersey, bike bottles/cages, and probably a few other little things I'm forgetting.

The minor issue is I am a 31 year old overweight (weigh 210, should weigh 175), out of shape, former smoker (2 years removed) who hasn't ridden a bike in 15 years.

The MAJOR issue is, I have a little more than a month to prepare for this thing, and have come to recognize the fact that this probably isn't enough time and thus am probably going to be relegated to being carried home on a stretcher.

The other major obstacle I am running into now is the fact that I am really not able to ride out doors due to horrific seasonal allergies, and the fact I live in the city and am not comfortable riding in traffic stop light to stop light. Instead, I got an indoor trainer, a really cheap unit, but it was the best I could afford. I try to ride for 20 minutes each morning before work, and then twice a week (usually saturday morning and wed night) i pedal for an hour and a half. I really don't think this is going to cut it to adequately tame some of hte hills on the route or build the stamina to plow through both days. For reference, The longest ride I was able to take was a 22 mile grade level ride a week or 2 ago. I could have continued distance wise physically, but my eyes had pretty much swollen shut from the pollen and I was having trouble with all the fun mucous blocking up my sinuses so I called it quits...

Anyway, I know nothing about this cycling stuff much less "exercise" so I am in full out panic mode. Concerning the allergies, I take zyrtec, which works great when i stay indoors and keep the outdoors time to a minimum while avoiding vegitation, etc. When I know I'm going to be out side ahead of time, i also take a claritin the night before and then take a zyrtec in teh morning. This is my plan for the ride as I'm hoping this will keep my symptoms in check. Usually by the end of june the pollen has died down as well, so i am hoping I'll be OK.

So that was a long post... sorry about that.

Bottom line, If anybody is willing to offer advice on training alternatives, essential equipment I wouldn't know about, or step in as a body double to take over at mile 5, I'd appreciate it.

Baftap

Ummm, get out and ride? Really no substitue - your wife has probably already told you this.

I know the weather has been awful, but today's not bad (I assume you're someplace in Eastern Mass) and the weekend looks to be better. Start at 10 or 15 miles a day and build up to a 60 a couple of days before the vent.

Day-1 won't be a problem, but yeah, you'll be sore Day-2. Good luck.

merlinextraligh

You've done a 22 mile ride. This weekend push it to 30 miles. Next weekend get a 40 mile ride, and the weekend after that 50 miles, if you can. And ride back to back on the weekends, so you're used to getting on the bike on successive days.

And add 15 minutes to those trainer rides each week.

Last week before the event, taper off a bit, and then pace yourself during the event, making sure to eat and drink as you ride.

kreepyzeke

I live and work in Boston, yes. I work 8:30a-7p m-f, so weektime daylight rides are pretty much out of the question, regardless of this craptastic weather.

RUOkie

get outside at 6:30 and ride for an hr.

aprevo15

just take it easy at first and gradually push yourself. i started riding 3 weeks ago and i'm doing 60 mile rides on sundays without a problem and i am pack a day smoker. congrats on quitting that nasty habit btw. i just can't seem to quit.

btw i'm commuting 30 miles a day mon - fri on my hybrid so that helps.

Rocket-Sauce 

^^This

I am not sure where in Boston you live, but there are some nice bike paths in the area that have no cars to worry about. If you really don't want to go outside, or if your allergies don't allow it, then get up at 6:00am and ride for an hour in front of the TV. It is hard at first, but you get used to it -and feel great on the days you get up and ride.

KevinF

First, I have ridden the Great Mass Getaway four or five times. If you put a month of training into this, you'll be in better shape than a good percentage of the riders out there. The support for the ride is by far and away the best of any ride I've done (and I've done a lot); i.e., they have rest-stops every seven, eight miles both days, and there's really no great benefit to getting to Bourne (or P-town) early. Don't think you need to ride at anything approaching a "fast" pace.

As for the terrain. The route is not dead flat, although it isn't crazy hilly either. There are a couple good rollers at the end of day 2 though. I found the biggest issue is that the wind will be blasting as you approach Bourne and P-town. It usually seems to be calm here in Massachusetts in the mornings and gets windier in the evenings (at least that's how my commute is). If possible, alter your schedule so that you can ride in the later afternoon so that you can get used to the wind. (I am one of those lucky people who is not in the least bit allergic to pollen, so I have no idea when it's "bad").

Day 2 starts off at around oh-dark-four-hundred (aka, 4AM). They will get you up by playing the cheesy inspirational music, turning on the floodlights, etc. Eat breakfast, pack your stuff, grab your bike and go. They shut the Bourne bridge to bikes at 7:00 or so (it's only a few miles away from where you're staying), but that's the reason for the ungodly early start. If you somehow don't make it across the bridge -- well, you get a free bus ride to P-town.