Land End to John O Groats First tour

[onelonerider]

I am planning on doing a solo Lands End to John O'Groats in april 08 and am a little bit worried that I will not be able to complete this, it would be nice to complete it in 16 days and that is my aim, essentially it is my aim to complete it in 16 days, I have the route planned out and by my calculations on a big day I will need to do 90 miles and on my shortest 42 miles. My training currently is none existent and I am generally fit, my longest ride previously has been only 100KM and my biggest week has been 370KM's- if I compare this to the event it seems as though 1600KM's in two weeks is out of reach. I have never really tried or attempted to do more than 4 hours on the bike just because of advice not to increase mileage by more than 10% each week.

I have been out of the saddle seriously now for around two months and plan to get back on in new year which gives me 4 months preperation, I know I can get my cycling legs back within a couple of weeks and start seriously training after that.

Any advice would be appreciated on training and nutrition (I guess I should eat more than a horse) what to eat in preperation and while I am in the saddle.

If this tour is succesful it is my intention to tour Oz next winter 08-09 but this is a long way off yet

 

[xilios]

It seems to be more of a race than a tour. 1600kms in 16 days = 100kms per day. That looks to be a tight schedual.
You need to consider the hills, and the time of year, April will be cold and wet. On top of this you don't seem to have any rest days planed. Good luck.
You might try and ask these folks here or here a few of these guys have done this ride before.
cheers

 

[onelonerider]

Thanks for your reply, rest days always knacker me out and my legs start to seize up if I do that- thats why I have choose not to do them, if it gets too tough then I may reduce a couple of legs and split them into shorter days but I am pretty sure my stupidity and touring naivety will get me through.

Maybe I will come to my sense's and try to just experience my first tour rather than get it over with and risk hating it

Cheers

 

[Barn]

Thanks for your reply, rest days always knacker me out and my legs start to seize up if I do that- thats why I have choose not to do them, if it gets too tough then I may reduce a couple of legs and split them into shorter days but I am pretty sure my stupidity and touring naivety will get me through.

Maybe I will come to my sense's and try to just experience my first tour rather than get it over with and risk hating it


Really think you need rest days,you will end up hating it and will get dissapointed if you put that sort of pressure on you.Before i went on my 1st tour i think i done to much planning/worrying.As long as you have a good map and a plan and trained before you do it, enjoy it because its addictive.

 

[vinyl_theif]

Hi. If it's your first tour you'll be surprised how the miles clock up! On my first tour to Barcelona in 2006 I had planned 70 miles a day, but soon found I was averaging 85-90 per day, it’s like your almost 'pushed' forward all the time by the uncertainty of what lays ahead, what new town's you'll see & the scenery etc, maybe it was different as I was in France / Spain, but go for it, having the mind & will power to do something for the first time is half the battle. Never doubt your ability.



I ride 7-8 hours, at aprox 14 mph. Just eat well, fruit (bananas for me!) & drink well, plan your route well enough to avoid having to stop all the time or your average speed drops down & then there’s less time at the end of the day.



Hills? What goes up comes down! Maybe you’ll be half the speed going up, but you’ll be twice the speed coming down…hills are there to just test your ability as a cyclist, see them as a challenge, not a an obstacle!

Mark. MK

 

[onelonerider]

Thanks alot for this advice, I am doing the tour in two weeks time and I have booked my train ticket back from John O groats already- this may be the most stupid thing I could do because it allows me only 12 days to do 950 miles. This I know is going to be the most physically arduous thing I have ever had to do but I look forward to seeing Britain from bottom to top.

I have planned as much as I could have planned and just intend on riding, riding riding, not going overly fast but eating alot and just stopping at my targets each day.

Its going to be painful