bumblebeetuna
Member
Going to set my sights on a long race this season. Any advice other than riding as much as possible?
Training for first 50mi
- Thread starter bumblebeetuna
- Start date
bumblebeetuna
Member
Thanks. Any suggestions on what to eat while riding? I do gel now but I don't usuall ride this long
when i started training for longer rides/races, i mapped out weekly goals(mileage) according to how far out the race was. this gave me an idea, or schedule of where i should be and by when. generally, i would incrementally increase the volume for both the week and my long ride. this made it easier to achieve and gave my body time to adapt to the workload.
as for nutrition, everyone is different. personally i rely on roctane and liquid shots because they are compact, easy to use, and very portable. some prefer chomps, waffels, m&m's. while others prefer whole foods bannanas, potatoes, etc. it boils down to what you like or can handle, and are you willing to carry it.
one important thing to keep in mind, know your route. location of stores, and vending machines(coke) can be critical when you are out far and things turn south. also, make sure that your bike is equipted with tools, tubes, co2, etc.
as for nutrition, everyone is different. personally i rely on roctane and liquid shots because they are compact, easy to use, and very portable. some prefer chomps, waffels, m&m's. while others prefer whole foods bannanas, potatoes, etc. it boils down to what you like or can handle, and are you willing to carry it.
one important thing to keep in mind, know your route. location of stores, and vending machines(coke) can be critical when you are out far and things turn south. also, make sure that your bike is equipted with tools, tubes, co2, etc.
solorider
Active Member
If you aren't committed to a specific race, try a supported ride. Patapsco Epic 50 in Maryland is a great endurance feeler. Well organized, at least 10 aid stations each sponsored by a local shop, 90% singletrack and two shorter mileage options if you have someone else willing to make the trip. 500+ riders. Good scene. No pressure.
thedoner
Member
A very rough outline: A real training plan calls for different workouts each week.
While training for a 50 miler, riding "as much as possible" without structure is a good way to burn yourself out or plateau at a level below where you'll want to be, so don't do that. . Most of the races I do are 50 milers, 4-6 hour races etc.. Depending on the time of year, and how much time I have, a typical training week consists of one, maybe two long rides of 3-5 hours, which should be done at an easy(ish) pace to build endurance, a couple of hard and varied interval sessions (45 - 60 mins) and one medium length (1.5-2 hrs) ride, hard, without structure. You will need these harder efforts because even though the average pace will be lower than an XC race, there will be plenty of times when you'll have to go hard, like on the start and the climbs. The long base building rides are more important in the months leading up to your target race, add the intense stuff as you get closer. Make sure you taper off the week prior to the race; ride to keep your legs loose but don't push it; you want to show up on the start loose, rested and recovered
Training is different for everyone, so YMMV.
The same holds true for nutrition/hydration...you'll need to find out what works best for you. Find something, or a combination of things that won't upset your stomach, because that is a race killer. Personally, I use gels exclusively for races of this length, (about 1 per hour) many other racers I know need more "real" food. For hydration I alternate between water and energy drink. I like Scratch Labs or Powerbar Endurance, unlike some others (Cytomax, Accelerade are too sweet, and Heed tastes like a camel's rectum) are light, not too sugary, and taste good.
Best of luck!
While training for a 50 miler, riding "as much as possible" without structure is a good way to burn yourself out or plateau at a level below where you'll want to be, so don't do that. . Most of the races I do are 50 milers, 4-6 hour races etc.. Depending on the time of year, and how much time I have, a typical training week consists of one, maybe two long rides of 3-5 hours, which should be done at an easy(ish) pace to build endurance, a couple of hard and varied interval sessions (45 - 60 mins) and one medium length (1.5-2 hrs) ride, hard, without structure. You will need these harder efforts because even though the average pace will be lower than an XC race, there will be plenty of times when you'll have to go hard, like on the start and the climbs. The long base building rides are more important in the months leading up to your target race, add the intense stuff as you get closer. Make sure you taper off the week prior to the race; ride to keep your legs loose but don't push it; you want to show up on the start loose, rested and recovered
Training is different for everyone, so YMMV.
The same holds true for nutrition/hydration...you'll need to find out what works best for you. Find something, or a combination of things that won't upset your stomach, because that is a race killer. Personally, I use gels exclusively for races of this length, (about 1 per hour) many other racers I know need more "real" food. For hydration I alternate between water and energy drink. I like Scratch Labs or Powerbar Endurance, unlike some others (Cytomax, Accelerade are too sweet, and Heed tastes like a camel's rectum) are light, not too sugary, and taste good.
Best of luck!
Last edited:
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
I went through this the last few years - i.e., more seriously training for endurance races.
each of the comments above are spot on and great advice.
I'll just piggy back on the quoted comment above....
IMHO, "training your nutrition/ hydration" is equally as important as the "physical training" (miles, etc.). when I went out on longer training rides I experimented with different food, gels, electrolyte drinks, etc. to see to find out worked for me until I got it relatively dialed in.
bumblebeetuna
Member
Thanks everyone. I don't put much planning into my training now but I've only starting racing two seasons ago. Not the fastest but I really enjoy it. When I train now I basically just ride "mock races" against my watch of a similar distance of the race. I definitely couldn't keep that pace for more hours. So I guess I gotta slow down and ride longer on some trips. I haven't tried many supplements but I know gels make my stomach turn and I do well with cliff blocks. They keep me from cramping but I do feel like I'm running out of gas by the end of a ride. I'm going to make a point to experiment.
a.s.
Mr. Chainring
I'm in the same boat. Started my training for the Bearscat 50 about four weeks ago. The weather is keeping me from doing any long rides but I have been logging in my weekly miles on the indoor trainer and with some Spin classes. There really is no way around it though - you have to log in 3-5 hour rides inorder to dial in your nutrition and endurance. Hopefully the arctic weather will ease up soon.
Good luck.
Good luck.
jnos
Well-Known Member
Finding food that works for you is the second most important thing behind actually riding your bike. After some trial and error, I arrived at Gatorade (not at full strength) and Lara Bars for anything over 2.5 hours. Anything less and I don't bother eating while riding and usually do one bottle of water and one bottle of diluted Gatorade. I'm sure there are better approaches out there, but I stopped trying to find them once my stomach was happy.
That method served me well when my teammate crashed out of 12 O'Muchy on the first lap and my duo race turned into a 12 hour solo with no support.
Bonus nutrition: Pop Tarts are the best bang for your buck when you need to eat at a convenience store.
That method served me well when my teammate crashed out of 12 O'Muchy on the first lap and my duo race turned into a 12 hour solo with no support.
Bonus nutrition: Pop Tarts are the best bang for your buck when you need to eat at a convenience store.