Training advise for cycle ride

I used to do a lot of comptetive mountain bike racing, so always used to have a good level of fitness. Unfortunately, the trials and tribulations of life have taken their toll on my fitness. I've put on 2 stone since my competition days (still only 12.5 stone so not a complete fat ******).

Anyway, I am doing the London to Brighton bike ride in June (55 miles) and a London bike ride in July (52 miles). I basically have 3 months to train for this, so want to optimise that time as much as possible.

I guess the best training is doing the miles on the bike, but what else? I also want to try and loose a stone in the 3 months preceding the event. Not out of the question. I think the training will probably help with this anyway.

So:

• Training plan
• Weight loss ideas (having a big **** is not what I am looking for here)
• Nutrition ideas during the event. What is good for energy, but low bulk and easy to consume and digest
• Any other information

Cheers all.

Didn't fizz do a sponsored ride last year? he'll be the man too ask.
I only cycle to the pub in the summer, so the only advice i can give is don't have too much cider

I did London Brighton last year. My only 'training' was doing half the Norwich Century ride (ie 50 miles) two weeks before. I did both on a hybrid style bike and didn't have a problem with either (did L->B straight though only stopping at junctions including the bloody hill at the end). So if you're not a complete fat W... as you put it and used to ride and aren't looking to 'compete' as it were I'd have thought anything would be better than nothing.

So the above isn't much help in terms of training but it is supposed to be encouraging and reassuring!

More wibble (seeing some of the bullet points on rereading your post).
Weight loss - Something I have done recently (at an 8 year low for me) my solution was not exactly exciting or radical but eat properly, cut the rubbish out of my diet and do some exercise (gym for me) as often as I can (3 preferably 4 times a week). I now weigh my food out (for things like cerial, rice and pasta etc instead of just chucking a load in the pan. I find DIY vegetable soup is a great for having something extra to eat without too many calories.

Energy on the ride. I had a bottle of water and didn't refill it. I was grateful for some stuff at the end tho' as in the time from eating brekkie to finishing I got pretty hungry. I'd suggest a mixture of cereal and chocolate bars - bananas are also good if awkward to transport. Water is a very good idea, plent of places to get it refilled, or buy posh isotonic blah blahs if that's your thing.

Only have experience of the L to B ride but I found the pace very easy... you can take all day!
I think you'd miss out on a lot of atmosphere etc to go for a quick time.
With no preparation other than oiling the chain and pumping up tyres the biggest problem I got was r's ache from sitting on the bike all day!

RR

I'd like to lose some weight, so that is kind of incidental anyway. I'm not planning on doing any blistering times. I've ridden 65 miles in 3hrs 40 before on my mountain bike with the "knobblies" rather than slicks.....but that was some time ago. I'm just trying to make the experience pleasurable. I don't want to be hanging out of my ?rse (especially in Brighton) after 25 miles. I want to be fit enough to enjoy the day.

I have got another 52 miler lined up in July around the streets of London village, so all you London lot, keep an eye out for me. No pelting me with rotten tomatoes though.

[Viney]

I dont the london to brighton when i was 18! Its fine for most of it, its Detling that WILL hurt. Its the killer. To be honest, id dont think i dont any training. I rode everywhere when i was a kid, so just got on and done it (Although i had been driving for a year, and a year on a 50cc before that)

I would get out and ride as much as you can now as you will build up the musscles that youa re going to use.

Oh and sort your transport home, out before you get there. It took me almost as long getting home, as it did getting there (About 4 hours iirc)

from your post it seems like you know the answer - miles on the bike.

There's sadly no shortcuts to fitness and weight loss.

excercise and cut out the crap.....but you knew that already

Try to do some interval sessions (blast it for a couple of minutes, recover, repeat...) as well as steady rides. It improves aerobic capacity quicker than long rides lone.

or


..... I could sell you some magic beans........

Get some padded shorts - I ride everyday and have a pair of Endura Padded Shorts - with a lycra pant inner that has the biggest padding in you can ever imagine - Really supports your crotch - which you will need unless you want to walk like a frog (insert other sexual jokes here) for the next 2 days.

Try and cycle daily if you can (is it possible to cycle to work while you train?) will save you money and get the muscles toned - plus lose weight -without having to pay for a gym and enjoy everyone elses sweat.

For rehydration - water is the key - especially if it is hot - electrolytes will help even more if you are serious about your time. Take cereal bars with you, and load on pasta the evening before.

Ditchling beacon is a killer, but the speed the other side will make up for it.

If you can get some SPD's - they will improve your efficiency between 10-20% - but practise a lot before the ride, otherwise you will end up in Maderia Drive and fall over still connected to your bike.

do they still do cycling proficiency tests? I think you get a certificate which your mum can put on the fridge.

[mattSV]

Originally Posted by andywilson460

Get some padded shorts - I ride everyday and have a pair of Endura Padded Shorts - with a lycra pant inner that has the biggest padding in you can ever imagine - Really supports your crotch - which you will need unless you want to walk like a frog (insert other sexual jokes here) for the next 2 days.

Try and cycle daily if you can (is it possible to cycle to work while you train?) will save you money and get the muscles toned - plus lose weight -without having to pay for a gym and enjoy everyone elses sweat.

For rehydration - water is the key - especially if it is hot - electrolytes will help even more if you are serious about your time. Take cereal bars with you, and load on pasta the evening before.

Ditchling beacon is a killer, but the speed the other side will make up for it.

If you can get some SPD's - they will improve your efficiency between 10-20% - but practise a lot before the ride, otherwise you will end up in Maderia Drive and fall over still connected to your bike.

Now I would pay good money to see that

Lots of good advice on here:-

www.bikeradar.com

There might be a few names you recognise on there

I am thinking of doing this this year:-

http://www.solentchallenge.org.uk/ 66 miles (some offroad) and six ferries in a day - just trying to decide whether to do it on the XC mountainbike or on the tarty roadbike.

If you can't put the training in on the road then think about getting a turbo-trainer - clickydicky however there is no real substitute for getting the road miles in. You can speed up the weight loss/muscletone significantly if you can afford to put the time in at the gym, and adjust your diet however you will need to putting in at least 4 hours a week at the gym to notice any real benefits in the timescale you have set.

What bike you doing it on - surely not your weird onelegged cannondale?

If you fancy a 'training partner' weekends/evenings just let me know - I could do with a tow up some of the hills