[Archived] Cycle training

[david_daft]

Am looking for a decent training programme to do a 100 mile ride over hilly terrain in the summer.

I did Land's end to Jog a coupla years ago, averaging 80 miles a day, so have done quite a bit, but never been a really keen cyclist.

I'm 51 soon,so bear that in mind when recommending a plan.

Am looking for something to keep me motivated but not kill me,

any help welcome

[JC4LAB]

There are a few cyclists on this forum..For someone getting into it cycling I recommend the Skyride events programme when it starts up proper in about April.Its for all levels but not much on now. If you want forums then Cyclechat and Bike Radar are good bike forums. If looking for a club most Local clubs do not to have any easy rides for beginners.The only one locally I found with easy runs is Garstang cycling club.which has a Grade C run(30miles) and the usual A runs of (80-100miles) avery week which most clubs do.If you are charity minded then there are lots of charity mass rides 30 to 100 miles done by "Bike events" of Bath and the British Heart Foundation.All these have websites.but theres too many links here to insert...The Velodrome at Manchester is also open to public use..They give you an induction first..

[only2garners]

If you have done LEJOG I would not say that you're that much of a beginner!

Given you're also in Penwortham you might be interested in the ride I try to do once a week to keep my eye in. It's only 15 miles so can be done even by me in under 90 minutes and I'm generally a 10mph man (and aged 59). I go up through Lostock Hall, Bamber Bridge, up Brindle Road to go up Gregson Lane and Windmill Lane to close to Brindle and then left back past Hoghton Tower, through Higher Walton to Walton-le-Dale and then back along the north bank of the river and through Avenham Park. There's a climb of about 170m so it's a decent work out.

[Paul]

If you want forums then Cyclechat and Bike Radar are good bike forums. If looking for a club most Local clubs do not to have any easy rides for beginners.

There is another choice.

My club Ribble Valley Cycling and Racing Club run three groups - The A group which will knock out an average of 18 mph on an 80 mile run with one cafe stop. The B group will average 14-15 over same distance with 2-3 cafe stops and the third group, known as The Steadies, will be around 40-50 miles at a lower pace.

Rides get increasingly hilly as the season progresses. Meet at Preston College 9.00am every Sunday. Best to ring the secretary and say your coming first. They're a good bunch.

Depending on the ride you are planning I'd suggest the following. You said hilly terrain but that could just be rolling hills. Is it by chance the Pendle Pedal also called the Beast of Bowlsnd? If so you really MUST be prepared as this is a illegitimate of a ride with something like 12000 feet of climbing. The only way to train for hills is to ride up hills. If you can do 80 miles a day already then the distance is not an issue, 80 or 100 there isn't much difference.

The nearest decent hill to you is Winter Hill near Chorley. Ride it from the Belmont side initially, then the Chorley side and then try the White Coppice side. Once you can get up the WC side you can climb. Also get out to the Ribble Valley and go up and down Waddington Fell - laughs - this will help get you used to long hard climbs.

I do a training ride over Winter Hill which is about 22 miles and takes about 80 minutes. From Chorley head out to Rivington, over Wintter Hill to Belmont, left in Belmont towards Abbey Village, through Abbey to motorway at Hoghton, left towards Wheelton and then back to Chorley.

You can extend this by turning right in Belmont and then first left and eventually get back to Tockholes to rejoin the Belmont Road.

Another would be Chorley to Horwich, straight through Horwich, up hill (ha!) left at top, back to Belmont, left over Winter Hill and return to Chorley.

Plenty of long hilly routes in the Ribble Valley it's just a question of riding over them or navigating round. I know mt preferred option!!

There is only one way to do this - ride hills while including them in long rides. Anyone can hill climb, doing it mile after mile is another matter.

[JC4LAB]

I like to use the bike on holiday abroad.Most places you can hire one for a day or you can do a full cycling hodiday either guided in group or or Self guided with your luggage transported for you to your next hotel..,, or just do everything DIY , taking e your bike on the plane

[only2garners]

If you're thinking of getting some cycling in abroad then Mallorca is the place unless you don't want to be with a lot of other cyclists. Throughout the Spring and Autumn the island is full of cyclists. Mallorca is good because it's cheap to get to, there is accommodation at all levels and there is a big infrastructure for cyclists on the island. There is also a wide variety of terrain from a large flatish plain to some serious mountains. It's where most of the professional teams go for early season training. The one slight drawback is that the roads tend to take the continental approach to getting up mountains with relatively shallow gradients and lots of hairpins. Great for incompetents like me but you would come back in danger of believing you can get up the hills here, where the roads tend to go straight up.

[Flopsy]

http://m.cyclestreets.net/ I've found this website quite useful for planning rides. Also has an iPhone app

[pg]

Anyone here on Strava?

[Roaming Rover]

Paul, I'm not sure the Pendle Predator is not this year. I planned to do it as part of a charity event and dropped them an email to ask when registration would open and was told it possibly would not be run. Still planning to do the ride in August though if anyone wants to join in.! Got the Fred Whitton on the 5th May, a week before the official ride and absolutely petrified!!!

Been hitting Pendle, Kemple end and up to the dales to do Bowland Knott and back up Whalley Nab. 75 miles with 5,500 ft climbing! The Fred is 112 Miles with 13,000 ft of climbing.

The good thing about the Ribble Valley and Trough is you can keep the ride steady or hit big hills if you feel fit enough.