Finally done 100!
Discussion
I wouldn't worry too much about the "nutrition". Eat what you need to keep you going and try to stick to "healthy" food and not munching as much when you don't ride. I use electrolyte drinks in my bike bottle, albeit in lower concentrations than recommended, to keep me from cramping/flagging.
A serious cyclist probably weighs all of his food and regards any body weight at all as the enemy, especially in the upper body.
A serious cyclist probably weighs all of his food and regards any body weight at all as the enemy, especially in the upper body.
Played OP. Great hitting milestones - 100 miles is impressive to everyone. 200k is next 
Also, never worry about the food thing. Whatever works for you! On the internet, 10% of cyclists seem to want to do a 4 hour ride with a 500ml bottle and no brekkie. They're probably built different tho.
My best ride (sadly near 2 years ago now) was 150 miles into the welsh hils and back for the tour of britain. 2 full english breakfasts (one large), a large cup of coffee, and 8 breakfast bars that was (along with god only knows how much water). Still rank it as the best day off work i've ever had, whether i lost weight or not.
For those struggling to hit their next milestone - i worked out a dead easy way to do it. Ride to a set destination - one which is exactly the right distance away so the shortest route home gets you over the goal. This is the only way i got round my first 200k!
Also, never worry about the food thing. Whatever works for you! On the internet, 10% of cyclists seem to want to do a 4 hour ride with a 500ml bottle and no brekkie. They're probably built different tho.
My best ride (sadly near 2 years ago now) was 150 miles into the welsh hils and back for the tour of britain. 2 full english breakfasts (one large), a large cup of coffee, and 8 breakfast bars that was (along with god only knows how much water). Still rank it as the best day off work i've ever had, whether i lost weight or not.
For those struggling to hit their next milestone - i worked out a dead easy way to do it. Ride to a set destination - one which is exactly the right distance away so the shortest route home gets you over the goal. This is the only way i got round my first 200k!
If you can do 65 miles you can do 100, especially if it is not massively hilly and you are not flogging yourself to do it as fast as possible. Keep your fuel levels up.
I did 100k mountain bike marathons before I did a 100 mile road ride. They were more demanding.
I did 100k mountain bike marathons before I did a 100 mile road ride. They were more demanding.
Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 25th April 13:07
daddy cool said:
Nice one. Ive done a few ~65mile rides so far, but want to do a 100 this summer. 50% increase is quite offputting!
Think I need to plan for a proper lunch somewhere like you did, rather than just bring snacks with me.
I used to do regular 20 to 25 mile evening rides, with the odd longer (45 mile-ish) rides when I got an early finish or a Wednesday 'sports afternoon' when I was living and working near Saffron Walden, Essex. I'd average roughly 85 to 120 miles per week. Think I need to plan for a proper lunch somewhere like you did, rather than just bring snacks with me.
A couple of times I did daft stuff, mostly involving riding long distances with little or no thought about preparation. Twice I rode out to Ely, and back, via Cambridge and Newmarket, simply "because I've never been to Ely before". Those rides turned out to be 90-something and 103 miles, and I simply stopped at chip shops, village shops, or garages to eat properly, during a break from riding. I don't do so well trying to eat on the move, and stopping to re-fill water bottles whenever you have the chance is vital. Those big rides were also the only cycling experiences I've had where I've got near the dreaded "bonk", so the only thing I'd do differently would be to ensure I carried a slack handful of cereal bars, and to route the final run-in near a shop I was confident would be open to make sure I had plenty of fluids for the last leg of the trip (easier said than done in rural Suffolk). But yes, I'd say that if you can knock out a 65 miler, then, provided you pace yourself, 100 miles shouldn't present you with so much of a physical challenge, but it is a bit of a head-game because everything beyond the 65th mile is uncharted territory.
Well done. My first 100 miler was the Fred Whitton - a baptism of fire. I'd recommend applying for entry next year - it's a great event, and I'm taking part for the fourth year running in a fortnight. Hoping to do it in under 7 hours, but that's only realistic if we get good weather.
nammynake said:
Well done. My first 100 miler was the Fred Whitton - a baptism of fire. I'd recommend applying for entry next year - it's a great event, and I'm taking part for the fourth year running in a fortnight. Hoping to do it in under 7 hours, but that's only realistic if we get good weather.
Doin't'Fred at over 14mph average! 
I'm lucky to make that sort of pace over a "slightly lumpy" 30 miler darn sarf, FFS! I'm getting faster, slowly, but I couldn't see myself getting round the Fred Whitton in much less than 8.5 hours on a very good day. I could easily see me taking 10 hours in anything less than perfect conditions.
yellowjack said:
Doin't'Fred at over 14mph average!
I'm lucky to make that sort of pace over a "slightly lumpy" 30 miler darn sarf, FFS! I'm getting faster, slowly, but I couldn't see myself getting round the Fred Whitton in much less than 8.5 hours on a very good day. I could easily see me taking 10 hours in anything less than perfect conditions.
I wish your maths were correct, but it's actually 16mph to cover the 112 miles in 7 hours. Assuming 30 minutes for stops + junctions etc, means I'll be aiming for 17mph average to get under 7 hours. My previous best is 7h40m, so I'm probably a tad ambitious, but I've had a solid winter of training. Did my last long ride yesterday (127 miles at 18.5 mph, but quite flat and in a group of 3), now going to taper over the next 2 weeks, probably just a few chain gangs and hope the form comes on the day (and that the weather is kind of course!).I'm lucky to make that sort of pace over a "slightly lumpy" 30 miler darn sarf, FFS! I'm getting faster, slowly, but I couldn't see myself getting round the Fred Whitton in much less than 8.5 hours on a very good day. I could easily see me taking 10 hours in anything less than perfect conditions.
Edited by nammynake on Sunday 26th April 19:29
Ahh! I forgot the Fred was 112, maths was based on a straight 100 miles, hence the estimates. I knew there was a reason I've never entered the event. I think I could do the distance, and even the elevation, but to do both, and at any sort of pace that would beat the broom, I'm not so sure. Good luck with your training, the event, and the conditions for it on the day... 
Gran Fondo Conwy completed, I managed last place!
Absolutely brutal ride, 9500 ft of climbing with an absolute beast of a climb at 85 miles. Final time 11hrs 33 mins
I had to seriously dig deep and my riding buddy gave plenty of encouragement to see me over the line.
Bear in mind this ride represents 10% of my total mileage since last September....
Absolutely brutal ride, 9500 ft of climbing with an absolute beast of a climb at 85 miles. Final time 11hrs 33 mins
I had to seriously dig deep and my riding buddy gave plenty of encouragement to see me over the line.
Bear in mind this ride represents 10% of my total mileage since last September....
Edited by wobert on Sunday 26th April 21:10
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff