50 miles

A couple of weeks off training - first week just very busy at work, second week in Portugal!

Anyway, came back with some trepidation to the training schedule and decided to do a 20 miler on Sunday and 50 today. Other than a need to oil my knees every now again (ibuprofen gel thing) I made the 50 miles without too much concern. I have thought started fixating on getting proper cycle shorts. Its getting a tad sore on the saddle.

The odd thing about a new interest is that there is more detail than you want in every subject you enter. So, I want cycling shorts. Google. Look at a couple of stores and my local one. 6 panel versus panel. Bib shorts versus normal looking ones. I just want some shorts that are going to make my backside less sore over the course of 100 miles. I'd rather I didn't look completely odd in them but I'm reconciling myself to needing to look more like a cyclist than I currently do.

If the shorts don't do the trick then a new saddle may be in order. Just looked up those on Google and that looks even more dull a subject.

Right, early to bed - just a little tired.

Brendan

Momentum builds

A couple of weeks on and I'm building some momentum. I have ridden to rides of over 30 miles and have cycled 3-4 times a week for both of the past two weeks.

The most obvious change has been in my leg strength on hills - I am a gear or two up from where I was just a month ago. I can also feel my technique improving and it is noticeable that on the flat I can now cruise at 20mph quite comfortably by sitting in a decent gear and simply turning the pedals around.

So - the downsides. Well, I'm getting saddle sore. Really quite sore after the 30 milers. So sore that something has to change between now and doing 100 miles. My first change has to be a proper pair of padded shorts. Most cyclists I speak to look at me bemused when I say I don't have a pair. Let's hope that does the trick - if not, then I'll be changing from my current saddle that looks something like a knife blade and is slightly less comfortable.

I'm now officially eating like a horse - and my legs are almost consistently slightly heavy. That is oddly pleasing - and the benefits of regular exercise are amazing ... in particular on sleep.

So, currently all is good. I'm on track with my training plan and enjoying the rides. The training plan starts to build up the longer distance rides now. That will be interesting.

Brendan

Off and running

Last Sunday I got 15 miles under the belt. Managed to find a relatively flat route and got an average of 14.9 mph. I'm trying to ride easily at the moment - rather than push for an average speed - so I was pleased with this and it restored some hope that I can build up to the 100 and finish it before darkness.

A tough week at work meant no cycling until a Friday 5 mile trip at lunch time. 12.3 average (it really is hilly!) was better than previous week and again this was not through a concerted effort.

Coming into the weekend I have a couple of 10 mile rides planned.

As I'm currently cycling in baggy tracksuit bottoms and 4 layers of normal clothing on top, I've decided not to wait any longer before getting some proper gear. If only to get padded shorts - the 15 mile trip suggested much further would have become sore!

With 3 months to go, I'm pleased to have got started as planned - got 2 others to join the trip which has made it real and I somehow feel on track even though I've got to get from 15 miles to 100.

It will be interesting to see whether I'm delusional. Time will tell.

Brendan

Getting tired on a hill after 3 miles when planning to ride 100

A little bit of the reason for writing this blog is I'm interested in being able to look back at what I was like when I started compared with the shockingly fit person I am clearly about to become.

So, I hereby record my first ride.

5 miles long, average 11.3 miles per hour (Good job I bought that wireless speedo thing!)

During this ride there are two hills (I hope I later come to think of them as small). Hills around where I live are steep - I know that because there are signs that say so.

It is though a worry that my lungs burst during these two short, sharp hills. A modicum of doubt has settled in my mind. Not helped by having got back from the ride and read some of the forums around the Norwich 100 which refer to it as not being that flat, having a big headwind and there being something called Telegraph Hill.

But, I was cycling at 7:00am this morning and have that wonderful vurtuous feeling of having exercised right at the start of the weekend.

Got a 10 mile ride planned for tomorrow - starting gently!

Brendan

Training plan and bad back

There is hardly anything on the web about training plans for cycling 100 miles.

Want to run a marathon - books, sites, blogs, t.v. programmes have been dedicated to it. Want to ride a long way - nothing.

So, I read some forums(fora). Basically I need to ride alot :-(

So, I built a plan in a spreadsheet. I start cycling 25 miles per week and very gradually build up to a lot more. I am doing one long ride at the weekend with 2-3 shorter ones during the week. With a couple of weeks to go I get to ride a 75-miler.

So, having spent some money and written a plan and, of course, not ridden the bike at all. My back went. Doctors - diazepam (if you ever get prescribed diazepam it is amazing how many people want to be your friend) and paracetemol and a bunch of exercises.

Cycled 5 miles just to have started!

Brendan

After the decision - the need to buy something

If I do DIY then the bit I like is needing to buy the laser guided level. It is a golden rule that no matter what the DIY task, there is always something worth buying. It doesn't have to be expensive but finding a gadget to make the job better is the only fun to be had.

So, having decided to ride the Norwich 100 - I clearly would need a speedo/odo thingy. So I went to Swinnerton's in Fenton near Stoke on Trent. I also needed new cycling shoes (this was really true - my old ones hurt!). So, I bought some new shoes - nothing exciting about cycling shoes.

And then I started looking at the gadgets - in a wonderful twist of fate, since I last bought a speedo/odo thingy there are now wireless versions. Great! I read the function list - the guy at the shop was fantastic (if you ever need anything to do with cycling and live within 80 miles of Stoke - go to Swinnertons ... they are a family steeped in cycling and it is a joy to go there). He dissuaded me from needing to know my cadence (I know, I know) and we alighted on a lovely wireless speedo thing that has exactly the same functions that these things have always had. We picked it because it had a backlight but I'm not entirely sure why I needed it.

With that done, it was time to think about a training plan.

Brendan

The decision

Last year I completed a peaks bike ride run by www.bike-events.com. They carefully mailed me a brochure this year. I hate running so never wanted to do a marathon - but I sort of like cycling and cycling 100 miles before I'm 40 was a minor ambition of mine.

But I live in hilly country - and 30 miles is my current limit.

But, there in the brochure was the Norwich 100. Now, I've been to Norfolk - its flat. Surely, I can ride 100 miles on the flat.

So, I've been telling lots of people I'm going to do it. It has been decided....I'm going to ride the Norwich 100.

Why blog about it? Well, it just feels like a good way of recording how I went about it. Nothing more, nothing less - maybe someone will read it, maybe they won't. But I'll have an honest record of how I did or did not ride the Norwich 100.

Brendan