Is 50 miles a day gonna be too tough?

RG5speed

So I was doing well getting in shape for my first mini-tour. Started riding a few weeks ago - 20 miles every other day and did a couple of 40 mile rides. All going well. Then I think I over-did it on a ride when I went too fast. Had a few days when I couldn't ride at all - thighs in agony. That was ten days ago and now I feel OK BUT my plan was to ride my tour in about a week's time. No big deal, just 50 miles a day for about five days on fairly flat roads. This will be my only vacation this year so I need to be able to enjoy it.

Given my disrupted training do you think I'll be OK if I train gently for the next week and then take it easy on the trip itself, ie give myself plenty of time and take it steady (rather than sprint everywhere which is what I usually do like an idiot). 50 miles isn't very far when you have all day, is it?

Any reassurance or good advice needed. At 35 this will be my first tour (of hopefully many as I have the cycling bug again) and I don't want to start and then have to quit on day two!

keydates

It shouldn't be too hard. Just remember to take your time, drink often, etc. etc. It isn't a race. Breaks shouldn't be longer than 10 minutes (especially if you're working hard) unless you are moving around while doing so (you'll tighten up, and you'll probably feel worse when you get on your bike again).

jhuskey

A piece of cake. I am an old fart by standards and 50 miles on flats, no problem. As long as you are not in searing heat and don't try to set a new speed record you will do great. Take a cameras and get photos fort posterity.

__________________
Sobriety is over rated!

Norsman

Fifty miles a day is almost the perfect distance for someone who hasn't done much for a while. I'm fifty-four and overweight and found that distance just about perfect when I cycled this summer. I did a few 60+mile days and they hurt a little but on those days I was still going strong at 50 miles. What I found worked well was to use my cycle computer to properly pace myself, never too fast never too slow. I also did not take any long breaks. Short breaks with plenty of water and energy bars worked very well.

Rob Rushworth

Morning
Dont worry about 50 miles a day, as you say you have all day to do it. Are you camping, or hotel?
I currently do between 40 and 85 miles a day, i'm 37 and on my first bike tour. I left england at the start of June and have covered 3,800 miles in 4 months on a varied route,I had 5 weeks off in Perpignan working, and i'm writing this from Olhao just outside Faro in Portugal.
You will have days when your legs hurt for no reason at all,
you will have days when no matter how hard you try you just cant seem to get anywhere,
You will also have days when you get up at 9 and cover 60 miles for 1 in the afternoon and feel brilliant.
it all balances out.
pay attention to diet, eat well, lots of everything, dont take any notice of the latest "power bar" or "nutritional supplement", just EAT!!
sleep is my biggest problem, i'm camping and am a light sleeper, lack of sleep will seriously damage your ability to cycle, buy some earplugs.

if you like take a look at www.hittheroadat.blogspot.com a lot of it is rambling, written at the end of the day when im sometimes the worst for wear ! theres a shoutbox on there, let me know if its any use to you.

relax
dont worry about target distances or preconcieved objectives
enjoy

cheers and all the best for your trip
Rob

Meek One

Good luck. I, too, am 35 and have been bitten by the bug and am contemplating my first ever tour.

RG5speed

Thanks everyone for the advice and inspiration.

I ended up doing five days of between 40 and 70 miles per day, with a few hills along the way. (I live in the Fens, which is an area flatter than Holland!) Overall I had a great time, staying with friends or in bed and breakfast so I always had a hot bath and a warm, soft bed.

I have the bug now and can't wait until next summer when I can do a longer tour. In the meantime, my newly-muscled legs are making my daily rides a lot more fun.

To Rob in Portugal: well done on your great trip. And you're right about 'some days easy, some days hard'.

trujillomig

undefined50 miles a day is not very much for a well shape ciclist but hill will make a diference. I tour this last summer in NW Arkansas in The Ozarks and was a mountain Nacional Forest ride al the way. Find myself pushing my rigg more than ones, my load was heavy to. Im a good escalador when my bike is empty but with full load was very dificult. Is funny how some people never talk about this like they can climb a wall when loaded.