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Hi,
I have been off my bike for close on 12 months and have become a real 18 stone couch potato.
In a fit of idiocy, I have agreed to partake in a ride-to-work challenge during June - problem is, it is approx 120 mile round trip. The idea is to cycle to work, do a days work and then cycle home.
So what chance do I have of getting fit enough to undertake this challenge? Starting to worry .........
Cheers,
Long time to go till June, get training for a bit, you'll do it easy.
We did something similar here at work last year.
Two here in the office did the group ride, 110 mile loop with no previous cycling experience & with only two months of intensive training!
Both were in their 40's and one was not far off your weight I would say Plant.
It was me that suffered, on the back end of a cold 😉
Piss easy.
Mind you I couldn't do it just offering armchair optimism.
OK - wait for the sun and get training.
<tribe called quest mode>Yes You Can!</tribe called quest mode>
yup, but you'll be wanting a road bike! start training on similar terrain (i.e hilly if your route includes hills). As the date gets nearer, drive to work one day (maybe friday) and ride home, saturday morning ride back and pick up your car, this will get you into practice for having little rest! Riding to a set place is mentally easier (IME) as you know how far you have to go and knowing the route will help too!
good luck
I did a 100mile sportive 4 months after a knee op after not riding for nearly 2 years, you'll be fine!
Start easy an build up, buy a HRM and stay in zone 2, this will feel painfully slow, but its where you want to be.
Week 1 10 miles every other day
Week 2 10 miles 2 out of 3 days
week 3 15 miles 2/3 days
week 4 rest, 5 miles every other day, slow pace.
week 5 15 miles every other day
week 6 15miles 2/3 days
week 7 15miles 2/3 days
week 8, rest 10 miles every other day, very slow.
by june you'll be doing 35miles every other day which is plenty
add in some longer rides (2 to 3 times your daily ride duration) after the first 2 months, so in june you'll do at least one Saturday ride of arround 100miles
wot thisisnotaspoon sed.
Easy, just get riding.
plant - Member
OK - wait for the sun and get training.
You wont get fit doing that!!!
Get out on your bike, just start by doing something even if it a ride to the shop to get a paper. Start little and often
And start NOW 🙂
Thanks for the advice and support - much appreciated and does make it seem a little easier.
I think I will put road tyres on my mountain bike first as I'm not even sure if I can comfortably get into the drops on the cross bike (which I will be using for the challenge).
10 miles every other day 😯 and that is just to start? 😕
The route will be Tunbridge Wells to Guildford so will involve the North Downs, so hills will feature (they are Southern hills, granted!). I think the route will be extended slightly to avoid some particularly nasty stretches of road - guess I'll have to get the map out an look as I normally use the M25 (car). Does seem a shame I can't use the M25 on the bike - it does have a nice cycle lane......
Thanks everyone.
10 miles every other day will be an excellent start even if its in 2 x 5 mile stints. Quite quickly plan one slightly longer ride a week at the weekend, 20 slow miles for instance.
Look for places to go to and or a variety of laps to do. Use your bike to get to places you need to go to, as a means of transport. This is much easier to do psycologically and feels a lot less like training ime
Have fun doing it, dont let it be a chore
Agreed - take camera gear (all weight adds to the training) and get out to take all those pics I want to take.