Build up to 62 mile round trip commute

bent4life

I know that a lot of you have sizeable commutes, and I was wondering what you did to work yourself up to them? I have only recently ventured back into cycling after 10 years off and would like to be commuting once or twice per week before the Summer is over.

The ride is 31 miles each way with the first 10 miles down the San Gabriel Riverbed and then 20 miles down Pacific Coast Highway ending up in Newport Beach. (The last mile has a few rather unpleasant hills to contend with as well)

It's primarily downhill going in and my thought was after I've put in a few 20+ mile rides without keeling over dead, to plan on riding in, and then catching a ride home. Once I've been able to do that a few times, then riding home as far as I can and then catch a ride for the part I can't do until I am able to make the full thing..

Does this sound like a reasonable plan, or is there more I should do to get myself in shape for the ride first?

A quick background, I'm 36, 6'2", 267 lbs (down from 280 two weeks ago before I started riding again and dropped processed sugar from my diet) and the bike is a SWB recumbent. I'm a desk jockey by day but try to be as active as I can be.

-mike

madmike

very ambitious and I wish you the best. I have a 16 mile each way commute from south orange county to Newport beach. My experience is that it's alot harder riding to work, working and then riding home than a 32 mile ride would be. Actually I was more tired after commuting than probably a 50 mile morning ride with the same terrain. Since I ride alot on the weekends I currently only ride in on Tuesdays and Thurdsays leaving MWF for recovery.

My suggestion would be to get to the point where a 25-30 mile weekend ride with a rolling terrain feels good before riding in.

have fun and good luck

__________________
tailwinds....

Michael

wilmar13

I just posted this for another user, but it sounds even more ideal for you since you would have an easier ride on the second day...

You could also start doing it one way to see how it goes. I commute 45 miles (one way) twice per week, but on two different days. I will drive to work with my clothes and food for the next day (as well as my bike ) in the car, then ride home, get up and ride back in the morning, and load my bike into my car and get my stuff. This way I don't have to carry anything with me, I have a place to store my bike, and I am only riding once per day. It works pretty well, as long as you can get to sleep earlier than normal to get up much earlier.