Is a maximum of 100miles enough to do 150mile event?

FLETCHER

I am training for the etape - which is in two weeks - The maximum distance I have done is 100miles. The etape is 150. I am now winding down. I have been doing about 120miles a week for the last 3 months - averaging around 15-16mph. Have I still got a chance at completing the etape. What sort of distances do people do leading up to a long endurance event?

Postie

Questions:

Did you do 100 miles in one ride recently?
Is the terrain of this ride similar to what you've been training on?

For long endurance events, a goal of 75 - 80 % of total distance three weeks prior to race day is common (that is assuming this ride is a race).

As a general rule of thumb (rules of thumb are not to be an exact science), a person can often do 50% further then their extended training ride. However, this again is based on the long ride being three weeks prior to the event.

You may fit into the 50% rule if you did the 100 miles recently. However, if you're long rides are 65 miles, you may have used your 50% rule just to make it to the 100-mile point.

150 miles is a long ride. No matter when you've achieved 100 miles, if you're training at 120 miles a week, you'll suffer like a dog to hit 150 in one ride.

I hope that helps.

steve007

I guess it depends how long you have been training for it, but i would have recommended at least 2 150 mile rides.

With it being so close to the event I would suggest doing a couple of 100 mile rides at slightly higher cadence pedaling and of course careful attention to diet.

Closer to the event I would suggest some easy 60 mile rides, again at high cadence.

One thing i am puzzled by is when you say 120 miles a week, is this spread out throught the week or in one day?

armchair_spacem

A couple of trainers/coaches helping me get to an october 210k event advise working up to a single ride of about 75-80% of your event distance 3-4 weeks before your event, eg if you can handle a 150-160k training ride on your own, a 200k event should be do-able with a bunch.

armchair_spacem

AND they advise no more than a 10% weekly increment for your long ride.

limerickman

I am doing the Etape too.
120 miles per week for 12 weeks – gives you 1400 odd miles, right ?
I hope it’s enough for you.
Being blunt, there is no point in trying to pile in miles at this point because
you’ll only tire yourself out and with it being so close to the Etape, this would not be advisable.

The Etape this year is very tough.
Have you seen the profile of it ?
The climbs are very tough and I think there are 11 in all.
The temperature in Limoges-St.Flour can hit mid 30’s quite easily – so all in all it
could be a very tough day.

For this years Etape – I was aiming to have 4000 miles in from between 17th March to 9th July.
I will hit 3000 miles by the end of next week (just can’t get the time to cycle 4000 miles).
(I will have done 200 hours cycling at an average 16mph = 3,200 miles).

This is my first Etape and I want to make sure that I can do it.
(Like you, I hit between 15-18mph average speed).
I used to compete years ago but now I am an alsoran.

Covering 150 miles for your first time out will be difficult as you have never hit this distance before.
What I would strongly suggest that you do is to pace yourself from the start of theEtape.

There are 7000 people doing the Etape this year, of varying levels of fitness.
Naturally at the start line, the adrenalin will be flowing and people will be very excitable.
Some people will get carried away and blow up because they will let this whole event get to them and they will start off too quickly.
You have simply got to ignore everyone around you for the first two hours and just ride at your own pace.
Their tempo is not your tempo.
You need to select your speed and cycle at your own rate.
You need to realise that you will need as much energy as possible toward the end of this event – rather than at the beginning of the Etape.

The course is tougher from 130km to 230kms : and the fact that you will have 130kms in your legs by the time you reach that marker will make the second part of the Etape course, tougher.

You must also eat at every feed station – even if you’re not hungry, you need fuel to cover 150 miles, so eating is crucial.
Don’t eat before a climb – you don’t want your body diverting blood to aid digestion while climbing and drink plenty of liquid before and during the Etape.

Postie

10% per week is considered the rate in which most people can handle increased training effort without as much risk of injury. In this case, it's more about surviving (including hopefully without injury) the episode.

However one-time pushes, as Fletcher is considering, greatly increases the chances of some type of injury. But people do it all the time. I guess that's just part of the dice he'd have to role.

Postie

Hey Limerickman!

What you're describing is a serious race. Do you mind me asking how long you expect this will take you?

Do you still enter these things trying to be competitive?

Doctor Morbius

I've found that 10% a week is too much too soon for me. If I increased my long day by 10% a week I'd be up to 5 hours for my long ride by this weekend. As it stands, I've just completed a 4 hour ride last week and feel as though that took too much out of me to be able to do it consistently. This could be age related though. I'm 44 and don't recover as quickly now.

I'm going back to 3 1/2 hours for another week or two before any more increases.


Fletcher & Limerickman - best of luck to both of you. Let us know how you do.

Brunswick_kate

Excellent point you've made...that everone needs to take the "rules of thumb" and tailor them to suit their circumstances. My goals are about cumulative distances per week/per month. I only upgrade them once a month and then usually by more than 10% but it's about having a month to get to the next goal post as well.

Obviously training goals need to match our overall objectives. Mine are touring and eventually randonneuring (yes, spelling is suspect and is it a verb?) Speed is not an issue for me. I don't care how fast I get there as long as I can go forever.

I think Dr Morbius makes an excellent point in that we all really need to **listen** to our bodies. If we're feeling strong and meeting our previous goals without difficulity, be all means raise the bar. If metting the goal is about struggle and pain beyond what's reasonable, then there's nothing wrong with sitting at the goal and working at that place until it becomes easy.

__________________
Insanity has its price -- Please have exact change.

limerickman

This event is very tough for reasons that I outlined above.
7000 people are doing it.
I'm not treating this as a race - I'm too old and I competed years ago but those days are far behind me.
So I don't enter this type of event to be competitive - I am being competitive with myself to see if my body will do what I want it to do.
That's about it.

The reason why I put so much effort in is because given the heat,
the gradient - I need this level of milage in training to (hopefully)
complete it.
We don't have climbs this high or long here in Ireland - so i need to ensure that my fitness level is sufficiently high enough so that when I am on unfamiliar roads that I will be 100% switched on
and not feeling exhausted.
Last year at the Etape, an Irish man crashed and he, sadly, ended
up being paralysed : so it's crucial that I have enough fitness
in the tank.

limerickman

Doc,

Merci for your encouragement – it is appreciated.

Yes, I will be glad to share the day with you (and anyone else) who wants to know about it.

To be perfectly honest, I have done some long range cycling events similar to the Etape here in Ireland (Wicklow 200km event on 13th June 2004 for example where 1250 cyclists took part).
This event is 125 miles and I would normally finish it in 8-9 hours cycling time.
I have done this event for the past few years.

But we simply do not have climbs which are as long and as steep as the ones which we will face in the Etape.
So that’s why I got as much training as possible in because I have never participated in an event such as the Etape.
(You guys in the States probably have plenty of climbs that would equate with the Etape).

I averaged between 150-180 miles per week to hit 3000 miles from March to July.
If the weather was bad – I use the rollers, otherwise I would cycle outdoor.
It was a pain in the neck at times – and at times I was very tired and disinterested.
As you state, it is important to listen to ones own body and to take account of what your body is telling you.
The thought of how difficult the Etape is – probably helped me when my will was weakening.
I do have to add, that this training is what I consider that I need to do the Etape – but I stress everyone is different and this training regime may not be suitable for others.

I intend to take detailed records of how I feel at given points throughout the event – so that I will have something to refer to and I will post same for those who are interested in reading about it.when I get back.

Gonzo Bob

Last year I rode a brevet series that increased the distance by 33-50% every two weeks (200km, 300km, 400km, 600km). I handled that with no problems. My longest ride before riding the series was bout 150km.

I think 100 miles should be enough for you to finish 150.

limerickman

Just got a communication form someone living in the Limoges
region - todays temperature was 35 Celsius.

Also Miguel Indurain : 5 time TDF winner FAILED to finish the
Etape in 2003.