Velothon 2016...HELP!!

[jamescodriver]

My sister-in-law has entered me in the Velothon, ive not ridden my bike for a year, had plannned to start riding at least 6 weeks ago but illness put paid to that!

So...

whats the best / quickest most effective training i should do?

Hills or long rides? I can manage at least one long ride a week possibly more in the next few weeks..

as an aside, i have done the Dragon Ride before but that was a while ago, but i got round

[SixPotBelly]

I'm no expert but I would try and ride three times a week. A hilly ride, a fast ride and a long ride.

If you're working typical hours, the hilly rides and the fast rides could each be 60-90 minutes on midweek evenings after work, and the long ride at weekends. One that long ride don't get hung up on the distance but try to ride for as many hours as you think it'll take you to get round Velothon. The distance will come as you get fitter.

[S10GTA]

Velothon thats in 19 days?

I wish you luck..

[SixPotBelly]

19 days, oh sh.., so it is. I'd not read the OP properly and been thrown by the six weeks comment.

And I'm riding it too, you'd think I'd have realised it's coming up later this month!

[anonymous-user]

You'll be fine, I honestly wouldnt bother getting in a flap about it and its too late to make any training plans. the best you can do is just make sure your bike is in perfect working order, you have good clothing and a few bananas with you for the start.

The first 60 kms is pretty much flat. You will be in a big bunch as the route is mostly single carriageway so just ride close to peoples wheels and stay out of the wind. You will quite easily be doing 30-35kmh and still able to talk to the people next to you.

It gets a bit bumpy through Caerleon and there are speed bumps so take care, I saw one rider have a huge accident there as he came round a corner and hit one off centre.

The first big climb is the Tumble out of Abergavenny but there is a feed stop about 5 kms before it. Its long and hurts but take it really slow and steady and you should make the summit without pushing. The view is nice if nothing else. Its about 10kms of fast descent/flat after that so enjoy the road to Pontypool, it really is all downhill so you can use it to recover.

The second big climb is Caerphilly Mountain with about 10kms to go, thats shorter and steeper and more hurty. Once at the summit its all downhill to the finish, really, honestly, absolutely all downhill...

[jamescodriver]

Thanks all!

Will try and get out as much as possible, may have a chance to ride up Tumble before the event as well..

now looking at changing my bike as i ride a specialized Sirrus Hybrid thing

[covmutley]

That is good for me to hear too. I started training in late Feb but was ill with a flu type bug over Easter. It completely knocked me out and I was off the bike for nearly 3 weeks.

I have been doing a short ride and at least one longer ride a week. I am now to the point of my longest ride being 40 miles, completed in about 2hr 40m.

I have 4 days off work to do longer rides before the 22nd, and will add in some faster rides (circa 12 miles) as well in evenings/weekends.

I feel way off the ride distance required and have been thinking about pulling out, but maybe I should stick with it?

Edited by covmutley on Tuesday 3rd May 12:35

[jamescodriver]

^^ Thats sounds identical to me!

I did think about not doing it but what the hell!, got a long ride planned for either tomorow or Thursday, going to do a loop to take in the Bwlch and the Rhigos...