I may have been talked in to signing up for the 50km course of a ride on the 25th September (there’s a 35km bailout option I’m very comfortable with..). Now I’m in reasonably good shape (for me…) after a decent couple of summer months of some fairly regular riding and yesterday I did a 40k with about 850m vertical climb at somewhere around 11 km/h. Parts of that should have gone faster but quiet a few bits had had forestry work and that meant quiet a bit of carrying at times, some I’m not overly worried that the avg pace is a bit slow. The ride is going to be 50k and probably closer to 1100 vertical.

So, STW, since I’m kinda new to taking this kind of thing anything like seriously, I’d like some advice on anything I can do to improve my chances at getting round this intact, or my performance if I do.

A few groundrules that I’ve fixed (or have been fixed for me by my family, I’ll let you all take a guess at which are which 🙂 ) :

– I’ll probably only be able to ride on weekends between now and then, but may be able to fit in one (but probably not two) cheeky midweeks
– Anything that requires religiously adhering to any dietary constraints (especially if it’s stuff like “Don’t drink any beer until after the ride”) are probably not going to happen. I’ll happily try and pay attention to the kinda foods I eat, but I ain’t going to get involved in anything that involves weighing food or avoiding anything completely (except maybe if it’s salad 😆 )
– This is supposed to be fun, and I’ll happily try anything (kinda…) as long as it remains so

In the past I’ve always just kinda winged it when I ride. At times I feel OK, sometimes I don’t. I have only water in my camelbak, and sometimes I take some cereal bars as food, but I’m not very good at stopping to take on energy foods, and probably do it only when it’s too late if I do. Same kinda applies to drinking, but I do try and make myself drink regularly.

The kind of questions I have are :

– Any specific prep work on the bike other than giving everything the once over and ensuring it’s clean, tight, but not too tight and not worn?
– Any advice on what I should be looking at food wise in the run up
– I’m not good at breakfasts but I’ll have to set off about 6:30 to get there, and it’ll start about 7:30 – what should I eat then – cereals? bananas?
– What should I eat the evening before? Beer? 😆
– What should I try and aim for in terms of drinking and eating as I go round

I realise in the couple of weeks left I’m not going to change anything radically with the above constraints, but I’m genuinely curious for any advice that might help me bridge the gap between the kind of distance/climbs I did yesterday and what I have coming for me.

I’m also perfectly happy to hear that the very fact I need to ask this possibly means I’m a lost cause, as I kind of figured that already 🙂

Steady away, fag break at the top of each climb, sorted.

Steady away, fag break at the top of each climb, sorted.

Gotcha! This is going to be easier than I thought 😆

If you can do 40km you’ll do 50km fine. I always find that if I do any sort out group ride, sportive or race that I tend to go away too fast, so pace yourself. Saying that I find I ride faster when out with other riders.

For breakfast have some porridge or yogurt early and a banana 40 minutes before setting of. Presume you’ll be out for around 5 hours and guess weather will be high teens temperature wise. I’d go for a litre of water, some soren loaf or peanut butter and jam sandwiches and a gel or two for emergency bonk situations.

Mostly though enjoy it.

Just think of it as 30ish miles and it will feel much better

Drink water loaded with electrolytes such as High5 Zero to stop cramps. Try loads of flavours now to check a) you like it and b) it doesn’t upset your stomach. Drink a recovery drink/shake after dedicated training sessions.

These two things massively helped on a 100km+ a day coast to coast earlier this year.

If you can do 40km/850m, you can do 50km/1100. Its too late to make any difference via training, so just enjoy riding your bike.

Day before – plenty of carbs, dont go crazy though.
Breakfast – anything with some slow burning carbs. If you don’t usually do breakfast may just be better with a breakfast bar in the car.
On the way around, 500ml/hr fluid and around 300kcal/hr of carbohydrate. Try not to do anything you haven’t first tried on a practice ride.

Have a couple of big poos before you leave
A hearty breakfast
Drink plenty before riding too
Stick some hydration tabs in your bladder for the ride, do you a world of good some energy gels handy if you feel you are flagging, few cereal bars

50k is hard but not that tough

I’m a podgy bloke old giffer these days and I can just about handle it

kimbers – Member
Have a couple of big poos before you leave

I could never eat a whole one 🙂

Just think of it as 30ish miles and it will feel much better

Sound advice, and that’s how I get wife acceptance when I order stuff from the UK 🙂

As above if you’re riding 40 / 850 then with a bit of adrenaline 50 / 1100 should be no problem, just ride the first half at least a bit more steadily. Too late to do much training, maybe try and do (say) a 60k ride with less climbing or an 1100m climbing ride in less distance ? As you say just check the bike over, spare tubes, tyres a little firmer than a normal ride perhaps.

Is the event near Paris ? Event site or a GPX ?

BTW thanks for Montmorency tip, been over there a bit as its 30 mins without traffic. Not ridden that much as it was so hot for a good few weeks. Tried to find a bit around Deauville but ended up mostly dragging myself around the roads

It’s the Gamelle Trophy @ Sillé le Guillaume – not too far away from where my mum is. No GPX for the course yet – but will get you one when (if?) I finish 🙂

For Montmo’ – if you’re on Strava, check my run on the 3rd Sept – that’s a good route for a trip round there – there’s loads of variations on that route, but i’s a good starting point.

Is there a time limit? 50Km with a 4hr limit is a different proposition from a 6hr limit. Generally go at a pace where you can converse in short sentences, there will obviously be short sections where you can’t do this but it’s a good starting point as it’s indicative of the pace you can sustain for a long period of time.

As fifeandy says, drink and eat at regular intervals, if there are feed/watering stations then know at what distance they are and aim to finish your water before you get to them. Break the ride down in to parts, then you just concentrate on that part. Odd/prime numbers are better as you don’t get those “half-full/half-empty” type thoughts. Five or seven are good numbers to try.

Good luck.

@orangecan I be cheeky and ask you to downloand/email me the strava gpx. I don’t have a premium subscription so can view only. Can’t find an orangespyderman user either

The event location forest is 2.5hrs from Levallois so not really ride-able for me sadly 🙁 event looks cool. Have half an eye on the April Jean Racine event in Chevreuse. I’m no whippet and need a goal to aim for.

Good luck and I hope you have plenty of lycra and clown wheels 😉

If you’d had more time I would suggest some yoga / pilates type training to improve your strength.

As said earlier if you can do 40k, you can do 50k.

Although some might disagree that there is reliable scientific evidence I’d recommend stretching a lot before and after – especially lower back and shoulders.

Smash back some ibuprofen before and during the ride to minimise inflammation, drink a pint of milk immediately afterwards for recovery and intake protein in 20 gram units every few hours after that.

Alex

try to get out twice a week between now and then.

Thanks all – some good stuff to think about. I’ll certainly try and be a little more rigorous about ensuring I hydrate properly and the food advice before / during is useful.

I like the odd/prime number kms sections to try and avoid the “not even half way there yet” 🙁 moment. Not sure about time limit – am trying to find that out.

@Jambalaya – a couple of guys I ride with are probably doing the Jean Racine next year, and a few other such events, so I’ll probably at least consider it. Will probably do la Frepillonaise in November too (25 or 40k) – that’ll be in and around Montmorency so a bit more my home turf. My mum has a house about 20 mins from Sillé le Guillaume, so that’s my cunning plan for the Gamelle Trophy – there’s some nice riding and some genuinely impressive trails near St Leonard des Bois if you go that way. Genuinely impressive with mentally technical descents and big climbs. Have sent you the GPX from last Saturday.

Thanks, all received and noted. Best of luck

I know you’re all keen to find out how this is going so. I’ve made a conscious effort about drinking properly (not that kind of drinking…). Electrolyte tabs in bottles and some use of gels on practice rides have reassured me, and they seem to help me manage my effort. Electrolyte tabs seem, in particular, much better than just drinking water (gauged on the lack of gasping thirst when I get back home) – though that may also be me just paying attention to how much/how often I drink (which is not a bad thing either 🙂 )

This weekend I did a 50k/950m in 3h55 ride time (4h10 overall – Not bad for a fat knacker 🙂 ) and didn’t die, so if the conditions are reasonable, I think I’m up for it 🙂

Thanks again to you all.