Advice for someone returning to cycling and training for a 200 mile return trip over 2 days

[David Bentley]

I'm new to this list and would appreciate any advice that can be given
to a 45 year old, fairly fit person who returned to cycling a few years
ago but since then has never done more than 30 miles in one go.

At the end of June I'm doing a charity ride (for two of my favourite
charities) and plan to cycle from Leicester to Hull and back over 2
days.

I started training 4 weeks ago and have been doing a20-25 mile ride mid
week, a 25 mile ride Saturday and a 33 mile ride on a Sunday. I've felt
fine after all these rides, with very little if any aching and no sore
bum.

I though I'd try 50 miles this morning doing the first 25 miles of my
proposed route and back which takes me into the Vale of Belvoir. I
ate a good meal last night and took 1.5 litres of Energy drink with me
this morning.

I did the trip averaging 15.2mph, my legs and bum feel fine BUT my
elbows and neck really ache and I feel a bit shitty.

I must admit that after 2hrs of arriving back home my neck feels a bit
better, but I am really concerned about how it's going to hold up for
the ride in 2 months time. I'm riding a Trek 1000 Road bike. I rode
20 miles yesterday, so that makes 70 miles this weekend.

Would there be anything to gain by taking an hour or so rest half way
through me proposed trip in June so that my head can have a chance to be
in a more natural position? Or will this neck and elbow ache be less
likely to develop with further training?

--
David Bentley

 

[Tony Raven]

David Bentley wrote:
> I'm new to this list and would appreciate any advice that can be given
> to a 45 year old, fairly fit person who returned to cycling a few years
> ago but since then has never done more than 30 miles in one go.
>
> At the end of June I'm doing a charity ride (for two of my favourite
> charities) and plan to cycle from Leicester to Hull and back over 2 days.
>
> I started training 4 weeks ago and have been doing a20-25 mile ride mid
> week, a 25 mile ride Saturday and a 33 mile ride on a Sunday. I've felt
> fine after all these rides, with very little if any aching and no sore bum.
>
> I though I'd try 50 miles this morning doing the first 25 miles of my
> proposed route and back which takes me into the Vale of Belvoir. I
> ate a good meal last night and took 1.5 litres of Energy drink with me
> this morning.
>
> I did the trip averaging 15.2mph, my legs and bum feel fine BUT my
> elbows and neck really ache and I feel a bit shitty.
>
> I must admit that after 2hrs of arriving back home my neck feels a bit
> better, but I am really concerned about how it's going to hold up for
> the ride in 2 months time. I'm riding a Trek 1000 Road bike. I rode
> 20 miles yesterday, so that makes 70 miles this weekend.
>
> Would there be anything to gain by taking an hour or so rest half way
> through me proposed trip in June so that my head can have a chance to be
> in a more natural position? Or will this neck and elbow ache be less
> likely to develop with further training?
>

I guess that's about 100 miles each way? Don't expect to feel great at
the end of it - its supposed to challenge you a bit! Eat and drink
frequently as you go rather that just at the beginning because you feel
really dreadful if you run out of fuel. I would check your riding
position for your neck/arms although a road bike does tend to put more
weight on your arms than you may be used to and it may take time to
acclimatise. Also you might pop a regular ibuprofen during the ride to
keep the inflammation at bay. You don't need to do lots of long rides
as long as you get the mileage in and do one or two weekends where you
accumulate 100-120 miles over the weekend (but not the weekend or two
before the ride). You will find on the day that the other people, the
atmosphere and having a target will carry you along but its not a race
so go at a relaxed pace, stop often and feed and water regularly and
you'll be fine

Tony

 

[Jack Ouzzi]

Tony Raven wrote:
> David Bentley wrote:
> > I'm new to this list and would appreciate any advice that can be
given
> > to a 45 year old, fairly fit person who returned to cycling a few
years
> > ago but since then has never done more than 30 miles in one go.
> >
> > I must admit that after 2hrs of arriving back home my neck feels a
bit
> > better, but I am really concerned about how it's going to hold up
for
> > the ride in 2 months time. I'm riding a Trek 1000 Road bike. I
rode
> > 20 miles yesterday, so that makes 70 miles this weekend.
> >
> > Would there be anything to gain by taking an hour or so rest half
way
> > through me proposed trip in June so that my head can have a chance
to be
> > in a more natural position? Or will this neck and elbow ache be
less
> > likely to develop with further training?
> >
>
> I guess that's about 100 miles each way? Don't expect to feel great
at
> the end of it - its supposed to challenge you a bit! Eat and drink
> frequently as you go rather that just at the beginning because you
feel
> really dreadful if you run out of fuel. I would check your riding
> position for your neck/arms although a road bike does tend to put
more
> weight on your arms than you may be used to and it may take time to
> acclimatise. Also you might pop a regular ibuprofen during the ride
to
> keep the inflammation at bay. You don't need to do lots of long
rides
> as long as you get the mileage in and do one or two weekends where
you
> accumulate 100-120 miles over the weekend (but not the weekend or two

> before the ride). You will find on the day that the other people,
the
> atmosphere and having a target will carry you along but its not a
race
> so go at a relaxed pace, stop often and feed and water regularly and
> you'll be fine
>

Yep I reckon Tony is about right, although (and this is personal)I
would forget the Ibruprofen.

I ride the same bike, and also (but not always) get the neck - shoulder
ache. It's a matter of position really, and of course your own body
shape/length. I am a bit lanky with a long ish neck, and 54 so a bit
older and creakier, so every 20 miles or so I will sit up and shake my
arms, and do a few neck twists and rotations (be careful with the
balance though, that pothole or drain cover is always there when I do
this. Progress as you are and enjoy it on the day .... and book some
sunny mild windless weather for the day.

You will be fine I'm sure. Good luck !

 

[Tony Raven]

Jack Ouzzi wrote:
>
> Yep I reckon Tony is about right, although (and this is personal)I
> would forget the Ibruprofen.
>

It does ease the muscle ache and stiffness at the end which is caused by
inflammation in the muscles, Ibuprofen being an anti-inflammatory. If
you are doing a really long ride or doing a second day, it can work
wonders but works best by controlling inflammation from the beginning
rather than mitigating the inflammation after it has happened.

Tony

 

[Jack Ouzzi]

>Tony Raven wrote:
> Jack Ouzzi wrote:
> >
> > Yep I reckon Tony is about right, although (and this is personal)I
> > would forget the Ibruprofen.
> >
>
> It does ease the muscle ache and stiffness at the end which is caused
by
> inflammation in the muscles, Ibuprofen being an anti-inflammatory.
If
> you are doing a really long ride or doing a second day, it can work
> wonders but works best by controlling inflammation from the beginning

> rather than mitigating the inflammation after it has happened.
>

Oh I am sure you are right, it's just a personal thing, I don't take
drug remedies for anything preferring to suffer. However I might have
an odd whisky or two in the evening which is probably 100 times more
damaging than Ibro ...... but I'm just a silly human being.

Funnily enough, this 'whisky' treatment (a nip however) was
recommended to me by a very famous time triallist friend of the 80's
(he still races very quickly today, I don't race full stop) for the
50. I could NEVER EVER get my 50 mile times right - brilliant at 47
miles, but there are not many 47 mile TT's about. It would all fall
apart in the closing miles, hence the suggested 'nip' at about 30
miles. Didn't improve my 50 times, but it was rather nice ;-) All in
the mind I'm sure !!

 

[davek]

David Bentley wrote:
> I started training 4 weeks ago and have been doing a20-25 mile ride
mid
> week, a 25 mile ride Saturday and a 33 mile ride on a Sunday. I've
felt
> fine after all these rides, with very little if any aching and no
sore
> bum.

That sounds like a good training regime. Gradually upping the distances
on your Sunday ride is also a good idea

> I though I'd try 50 miles this morning doing the first 25 miles of my

> proposed route and back which takes me into the Vale of Belvoir.
I
> ate a good meal last night and took 1.5 litres of Energy drink with
me
> this morning.
>
> I did the trip averaging 15.2mph, my legs and bum feel fine BUT my
> elbows and neck really ache and I feel a bit shitty.

It sounds like it could just be a problem with not being used to being
in that posture for an extended period. If so, you'll get used to it -
and you'll learn techniques for relieving the discomfort.

Some folks round here will tell you that the only way to solve
discomfort on a bike is to get a recumbent, but I rode 300km yesterday
on a good old-fashioned upright bike and the only bits that ache today
are my knees.

> I must admit that after 2hrs of arriving back home my neck feels a
bit
> better, but I am really concerned about how it's going to hold up for

> the ride in 2 months time. I'm riding a Trek 1000 Road bike. I
rode
> 20 miles yesterday, so that makes 70 miles this weekend.
>
> Would there be anything to gain by taking an hour or so rest half
way
> through me proposed trip in June so that my head can have a chance to
be
> in a more natural position? Or will this neck and elbow ache be less

> likely to develop with further training?
>
> --
> David Bentley

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, David Bentley
('[email protected]') wrote:

> I'm new to this list and would appreciate any advice that can be given
> to a 45 year old, fairly fit person who returned to cycling a few
> years
> ago but since then has never done more than 30 miles in one go.
>
> At the end of June I'm doing a charity ride (for two of my favourite
> charities) and plan to cycle from Leicester to Hull and back over 2
> days.

If you go here
<URL:http://www.stewartry-wheelers.org/wheelers/story/article_26.html>
you'll find the story of a 75 mile charity ride we did on a particularly
brutal day this winter, on which one of the participants had never in
his life before ridden more than 25 miles in a day. He completed the
course, enjoyed it, and has gone on to do a couple of audaxes since.

So what you're planning isn't at all impossible. Try to do a good ride
each weekend from now on, at least thirty miles (I see you're doing
this). Try to do one or two sixty or seventy mile rides. Critically,
sort out any comfort problems with your bike - especially in the saddle
area - before your 200 mile weekend.

> I started training 4 weeks ago and have been doing a20-25 mile ride
> mid
> week, a 25 mile ride Saturday and a 33 mile ride on a Sunday. I've
> felt fine after all these rides, with very little if any aching and no
> sore bum.
>
> I though I'd try 50 miles this morning doing the first 25 miles of my
> proposed route and back which takes me into the Vale of Belvoir. I
> ate a good meal last night and took 1.5 litres of Energy drink with me
> this morning.
>
> I did the trip averaging 15.2mph, my legs and bum feel fine BUT my
> elbows and neck really ache and I feel a bit shitty.

Is your bike a bit too long for you, in which case would you benefit
from a shorter stem? Are your handlebars a bit too low? Get someone
experienced to look carefully at your position on the bike, and
experiment with adjustments.

> Would there be anything to gain by taking an hour or so rest half way
> through me proposed trip in June so that my head can have a chance to
> be
> in a more natural position? Or will this neck and elbow ache be less
> likely to develop with further training?

I would try to sort the problem out before you go, if I were you.
Generally I'm not in favour of resting in the middle of a long ride -
your muscles cool down and you just have to warm them up again -
although this is less of a problem in the summer.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

 

[Dave Kahn]

davek wrote:
> David Bentley wrote:

>>I did the trip averaging 15.2mph, my legs and bum feel fine BUT my
>>elbows and neck really ache and I feel a bit shitty.

I think you'll find this is partly a question of getting used to the
distance and partly learning to relax a bit more. Try to keep aware of
any tension in your arms and neck and make a conscious effort to relax
them and/or change your position if you feel it tightening up. Once you
have actual pain it's probably too late to do much about it. Also try
not crane your head up too far. Without compromising your safety
(obviously) see if you can manage with a slightly lowered head and gaze.

> Some folks round here will tell you that the only way to solve
> discomfort on a bike is to get a recumbent, but I rode 300km yesterday
> on a good old-fashioned upright bike and the only bits that ache today
> are my knees.

Well done! How was the Invicta?

--
Dave...

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells

 

[Dave Kahn]

I wrote:

> Well done! How was the Invicta?

Oops, sorry! I see you've answered that in another thread.

--
Dave...

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells

 

[David Bentley]

Thanks for the encouragement. Well, 8 hrs later and my neck and
elbows now feel fine. I did actually take 2 Nurofen 15 minutes
before my ride and again 4 hours later, so they may have helped. I'm
all for doing this if its going to help. As for seat/bars position,
they are correct I feel. As I said, a 33 mile ride caused no
discomfort, so may be I should have just tried 40 today and waited a bit
longer for a 50.

One thing I noticed was that my average speed outbound was 16.2 mph and
on return was 14.2 and I think the hills were just as bad both ways, so
I was obviously beginning to flag after 1.5 hrs. I fact there was one
hill in Old Dalby that I would have normally gotten up easily and I had
to get off and walk! I suppose further training will improve my staying
power.

I've recently bought Simon Doughty's Long Distance Cyclists Handbook,
which looks like offering a lot of very good tips.
--
David Bentley

 

[JohnB]

Tony Raven wrote:
>
> Jack Ouzzi wrote:
> >
> > Yep I reckon Tony is about right, although (and this is personal)I
> > would forget the Ibruprofen.
> >
>
> It does ease the muscle ache and stiffness at the end which is caused by
> inflammation in the muscles, Ibuprofen being an anti-inflammatory. If
> you are doing a really long ride or doing a second day, it can work
> wonders but works best by controlling inflammation from the beginning
> rather than mitigating the inflammation after it has happened.

I've always been worried about this.
If you damage a muscle or something, and are taking a pain-killer in
advance, might it not hide the symptoms and thus allow you to do even
more damage?

Isn't pain a natural sign ato tell you something is wrong?
Yet this practice masks that.

John B

 

[Tony Raven]

JohnB wrote:
>
> I've always been worried about this.
> If you damage a muscle or something, and are taking a pain-killer in
> advance, might it not hide the symptoms and thus allow you to do even
> more damage?
>
> Isn't pain a natural sign ato tell you something is wrong?
> Yet this practice masks that.
>

If you take too much yes but it only takes a low level - one tablet at
the beginning and top up every six hours to do the job. Any real pain
will show through that but it will keep the muscle swelling down. After
all the stiffness and soreness in nothing other than the bodies reaction
to the damage done to the muscles and if you didn't want to do the
damage you wouldn't cycle those distances in the first place ;-)

The main thing to watch is salt loss from sweating in long or endurance
events as ibuprofen can increase salt loss and exacerbate hyponatremia.

Tony

 

[wafflycat]

"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> It does ease the muscle ache and stiffness at the end which is caused by
> inflammation in the muscles, Ibuprofen being an anti-inflammatory. If you
> are doing a really long ride or doing a second day, it can work wonders
> but works best by controlling inflammation from the beginning rather than
> mitigating the inflammation after it has happened.
>
> Tony

The other week I banged my knee on the corner of a brick wall. Owwiee! On
the bike it was paining me. Rubbing a bit of either ibuprofen OR diclofenac
gel into the knee before I do a longer ride works wonders. The diclofenac
worked better than the ibuprofen for me.

Cheers, helen s

 

[davek]

David Bentley wrote:
> As I said, a 33 mile ride caused no
> discomfort, so may be I should have just tried 40 today and waited a bit
> longer for a 50.

Maybe - but it doesn't hurt to push yourself a little (though it might
feel like it hurts at the time...)

> One thing I noticed was that my average speed outbound was 16.2 mph and
> on return was 14.2 and I think the hills were just as bad both ways, so
> I was obviously beginning to flag after 1.5 hrs.

That's quite a fast pace for someone not used to the distance, so I
wouldn't be surprised if you were beginning to flag. As you step up the
distances you might want to ease the pace a little - only a little - and
you'll find you can go a lot further before you start to flag.

> I've recently bought Simon Doughty's Long Distance Cyclists Handbook,
> which looks like offering a lot of very good tips.

It's an excellent book, very highly recommended.

d.