Back to back 80 mile rides (160 miles in 2 days) How should I be training now?

[cucamelsmd15]

Ok, heres my background. Ive signed up to ride Tour de Cure, which is a ride to benefit the American Diabetes Association. Now, I was riding regularly to train for about a month in December. The ride is now 24 days away, and I have just now gotten back to training due to illness and a shoulder injury. What should I be doing to improve my current condition so that I can do the 80 mile ride? My distance now is about 20, but after that, I have no endurance left. Please make recommendations. Im about 5'10" and weigh about 185 lbs (I should weigh about 155, but due to a knee injury, the medication I was on caused me to gain almost 70 pounds). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dhk]

Ok, heres my background. Ive signed up to ride Tour de Cure, which is a ride to benefit the American Diabetes Association. Now, I was riding regularly to train for about a month in December. The ride is now 24 days away, and I have just now gotten back to training due to illness and a shoulder injury. What should I be doing to improve my current condition so that I can do the 80 mile ride? My distance now is about 20, but after that, I have no endurance left. Please make recommendations. Im about 5'10" and weigh about 185 lbs (I should weigh about 155, but due to a knee injury, the medication I was on caused me to gain almost 70 pounds). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You can't do a lot in the last 24 days to improve endurance. The worst thing to do is to overtrain in the last couple of weeks before the event.

I'd suggest riding two days in a row once a week now, plus a couple of other short rides during the week. Start with 20 miles, then 25, then 30 on the last weekend.

At the event, make sure you get plenty of carbs and hydration while you ride, and go slow enough so you're staying in the aerobic zone at all times. You may need the SAG wagon early on day 2, but so will a lot of others. Relax, have fun, and use plenty of chamois lube...it's the Tour de Cure, not the TdF. It's a great cause.

 

[cucamelsmd15]

You can't do a lot in the last 24 days to improve endurance. The worst thing to do is to overtrain in the last couple of weeks before the event.

I'd suggest riding two days in a row once a week now, plus a couple of other short rides during the week. Start with 20 miles, then 25, then 30 on the last weekend.

At the event, make sure you get plenty of carbs and hydration while you ride, and go slow enough so you're staying in the aerobic zone at all times. You may need the SAG wagon early on day 2, but so will a lot of others. Relax, have fun, and use plenty of chamois lube...it's the Tour de Cure, not the TdF. It's a great cause.

Thanks man! I plan on loading lots of carbs about 3-4 days before the race, but Im going to try to get in at least one 50-60 with the group before the race. I figure if I can handle that, then Im good to go. We have rest stops about every 12-15 miles too, so that will be a good chance to rehydrate, and reload on food if need be.