So, we’re off to a damp hut/shed/cabin in that welsh Wales at the weekend with the vague intention of doing a bit of riding.

So, I need handy hints and tips on how to survive a couple of day’s riding (and most likely heavy drinking, poor diet etc) and having no stamina.

I have some “sort of” fitness in that I’ve been running once or twice a month and play five a side f00tb@ll on a Tuesday lunchtime.

I last ran 4.5 miles on Friday which wasn’t too bad but yet I minced a mere 10 miles around Sherwood on Sunday (first ride in a month) and it were ‘orrible. It seems I can’t do anything for longer than an hour :-/

What super duper stamina tonic can the STW massive recommend?

thanks and hugs

Soreen.

Werthers & Nurofen.

I played 5-a-side once and despite being ‘bikefit’ it nearly killed me. You’ll be OK.

Don’t push hard on the climbs, just spin and rest as required
Carbs, frequently
Stretches and cool shower on the legs
Ibuprofen

Smile. Have fun!

1) Healthy diet for the weekend. Plenty of protein, veg etc for meal times, take fruit on the rides. Avoid simple carbs as you’ll just crash harder. Don’t drink excessively. With any luck this will ballance out your fitter mates heavy drinking and crap food.

2) Take it easy on the rides, flog yourself on the first climb and you’ll suffer from it all day. Just sit on the guy at the back’s wheel so you can’t be accused of holding the group up anymore than he/she is. If you’ve got energy left at the end then try harder on the climbs then.

Basicly don’t be the least fit, drink the most then try and prove otherwise on the first climb of the day.

Gets some pasta loading done now. I seem to recall that it takes a few days to get the benefit so that may help for the weekend. You could go at the front and set the pace of your choice. Next time get some riding in in the build up to going away and you will probably have more fun/less pain.

Just go and enjoy yourself.

Just have a laugh.
This weekend im dragging round a group as their guide and I’ve not been off road in 12 months and got ridden a bike in at least 5 months.

What the worst that can happen?

Back in 2004 I got on a bike after a 5 year spell on not riding, straight into a wet steep dark DH run. That started an 7 year obsession..

Can’t wait for that passion to return, even if it means coughing up blood, dead legs and pounding heart…

Enjoy Wales..

hmm… It’s quite interesting the difference between being bikefit and other types of fit.

On my previous ride (about a month ago) I felt absolutely ****ed towards the end of the ride yet when I got my second pinch flat of the day, instead of faffing about trying to patch the tube I gave my bike to my mate to push whilst riding and then ran the last mile or so back to the car , with no probs…

I do think however, that 2/3 days riding combined with 2/3 days alcohol (not strictly necessary) and 2/3 days of take-away (not strictly necessary) will prove a challenge :-/

(oh and luckily I won’t be the unfittest-est of our group)

The real challenge could well be self preservation to cope on Monday.

Pace yourself in all aspects and just go with it.
walking up hill us just as fast as trying to spin your legs off, there’s no shame in walking to save your energies to enjoy the other bits..

That’s my plan, I’m even thinking about borrowing a 29er to aid me in my excuses.

Zero Extreme Caffine tablets in your Bladder.

Regardless of fitness will make you fly 😈

drink through it.

and be faster on all the downs.

rehydrate well after the night before.

Just go and enjoy yourself.

Exactly. Otherwise riding is absolutely no fun. you’ll survive. Relax and enjoy.

Tell your mates you’ve done nowt for months and that they need to take it easy on you. IME this will have two outcomes:

1) They take it easy on you and don’t moan too much if they have to wait around at the tops for a while. They might even slow down and ride the climbs with you so they can have a natter and observe your pain.

2) They take the p!ss at every given opportunity and moan every time they have to wait for you at the top, but wait they will.

My money is on 2. The rest is noise.

and moan every time they have to wait for you at the top, but wait they will.

If its ribbin thats fine. If its winging they aint mates.

2) They take the p!ss at every given opportunity and moan every time they have to wait for you at the top, but wait they will.

My money is on 2. The rest is noise.

*nods*

Camelbak full of Vodka & Red Bull, Hip flak full of Absinthe and a shedload of nosebag

East lots of fuel on the ride, carbs and energy gels that type of stuff. Drink plenty too, don’t get cold, enjoy it.

It;s only 3 months, you’ll be fine!

When I say I’ve ridden 3 times in 3 months that’s my recent average. I’ve not ridden regularly for erm.. years :-S

So, if you had to eat take-away over the weekend wot’s bestest for the right sort of whatever it is you need to ride?

I’m assuming noodles better than a massive pizza, for example?

Also, same question as above but for drinks!

Diet coke & Vodka.
Chinese Noodle thing

I’m assuming noodles better than a massive pizza, for example?

Noodles good, rice mediochre, pizza very bad.

Not sure if it’s just me and I’m intoelerant to wheet or something, but carb loading just doesnt seem to work. I’m slower after pizza the night before, and mediochre after most other carbs. If anything I’m best after something relatively carb free like a big bowl of chilli.

Basically, you’re doomed.

I don’t think there’s owt you can do TBH, just enjoy it. Take it upon yourself to be the butt of the weekends jokes and have a laugh 🙂

Caffeine gels/drinks might give you a temporary boost, but you’re going to have to pay it back at some point 😉

Ibrupofen gel for sore legs might help, don’t know if you can apply it to your gooch though!

You need an excuse, break something. Just enough to mean you can’t ride but still go?

Or you could do like a mate of mine did, spoil it for everyone else… 🙄

Ride all the climbs a gear or two lower than feels right and start carb loading now.

Buy a car your bike doesn’t fit in. Perfect excuse to cancel and sit on the sofa at home drinking beer.

Or, just mtfu and enjoy yourself, there arnt any big hills on Wales (honest).

there arnt any big hills on Wales

Nope, just mountains 😛

Or you could do like a mate of mine did, spoil it for everyone else…

TBH if anyone considdered a weekend spent with me as ‘spoilt’ I’d be offended that they considdered me a ‘mate’.

Kryton, I have nearly just done that! 🙂

If your pizza-loving friend is going, you won’t be at the back 😉

Sounds like a reasonable level of fitness, just start easy, play the long game.
Last time I was in a cabin in Coed y Brenin, after the beer had run out my mates switched me to whisky. The thing is they only switched me to whisky – they were drinking apple juice. Similar colour but very different alcohol content! An interesting days biking was had the next day.

Sounds like a reasonable level of fitness, just start easy, play the long game.

😯

I’ve been in this position several times as my riding’s a bit sporadic with work and family commitments. Be prepared to ride on your own on the way up and do your best not to fall back on the downs. Save most of the chat for the pub.

As for diet/drink…

I lay off the fry ups – indigestible and a puke inducer
Eat a mix of formulated sports stuff and real food (pasty / sarnie) in the day with plenty of water
Stay away from the hotter / creamier curries and don’t massively overeat.
I stick to 1 or 2 ciders (it agrees with my head more than beer) then OJ and lemonade or similar.

If I do all that I usually only take an extra 5 minutes or so over an hours’ climb and I’m as quick on the downs as my skills and confidence allow.

“Damp hut/shed/cabin” sounds enticing. I have stayed at one place that fits that description not far from Afan, the cramp from the cold was far worse than any hangover!

If the OP is off to the forthcoming Real Ale Wobble in Llanwrtyd Wells- don’t worry at all about what your mates are saying about you. It can be proper carnage out there. Just sit back, spin gently up the hills (as advised above) etc and enjoy everyone else’s suffering 8-D

So… Did you die?

After a few years of half decent bike-fitness, I find myself in the same position after a year in a new and demanding job.

For me, the key is three things:

1. Eat decent nutritional meals ( not just calories!) the day before.
2. Don’t burn your energies pointlessly uphill – twiddle and accept that whatever you do you’re likely to be at the back.
3. Eat regularly during the day – This is by far the biggest factor for me – I feed every 45 minutes when I’m out for a big day. It really extends my stamina for the 2nd half.

So.. I’m back from very damp Welsh Wales and I seemed to have coped reasonably well!

For the nutritionally astute as it were my diet over the weekend consisted off;

Friday lunchtime – 5*sausages that were in the fridge and “needed using”

Friday afternoon – obligatory Mc D’s stop on the way there

Friday evening – 12″ pepperoni special from anonymous takeaway in LLanwrst
4* Tetleys generic “Bitter”
Nearly 1/2 bottle of Co-op London Gin + tonic (slimline, need to make an effort)

Saturday morning – bacon sarnie, 3 * satsumas (effort again)
Saturday during ride – various energy bar things from CYB bike shop
Saturday afternoon – post ride welsh rarebit
Saturday evening – pasta thing from The Royal oak in Betwys Coed
– 8 bottles of San Miguel and 3 cans of generic bitter

Sunday morning – bacon sarnie
– 2* Weetabix
– 2* Satsuma

Sunday daytime – more energy bar things, chocolate eclair sweets and jelly tots
Sunday afternoon – post ride er bacon sarnie

So , despite this I managed to get around CYB red and LLangdegla without getting off and pushing (an achievement for me) and also managed to rediscover both the fun in biking and my downhill MoJo- ensuring I was at least down the hill first given the chance.

All in all a great weekend and I can highly recommend Caban Betws to stay in (a small but comfortable cabin outside betwsy coed) .

I like biking I do 😀

Christ I’d need my stomach pumped after that amount of booze!

To be fair there was a lot of food to soak it up and I’m also quite a erm “robust” gentleman :-S