Just signed up to this, 65miles (100km), 900m of climbing. I do have a road bike but it was only bought as a means to an end during last winter for turbo use. I am fairly fit, 30-40 mile road rides are fine currently. Ride almost once a week.

a) Am I mad?
b) what sort of level of training would be recommended?

I am looking forward to it. But strangely looking forward to the training more, (and trying to cycle the 20miles to work more). If this goes well, I also intend to step up to 100miler later in the summer next year.

If you ride regularly it should be easy, just hit some miles on the way.

You’ll be fine if you can do a solo 40 mile ride anyway. Various cake stops and only one big climb

It’s not a hard ride really – it’s only got one proper hill, the rest just undulates, allthough it does have some nice descending and is a very friendly event. Did it the last 2 years and a bit miffed I can’t make it next time round.

The only tough bit on it is the climb up from Fort Augustus as you head back north along the eastern shore of the loch. In fact I’d guess that almost all of the 900m is in that one section! The stuff along the loch itself is really nice, quite rolling.

It’s not that far and being on closed roads and in a big group means you just get pulled along.

Everyone at RideLondon is always amazed that they cover the 100 miles so quickly (it can be done in about 4hrs if you’re good but even the plodders who have put down 8hrs usually get round it in 6-7). Closed roads make a huge difference.

a) Am I mad?

Not at all, its mostly flat with 1 not particularly hard climb.

b) what sort of level of training would be recommended?

Depends if you want to get round or fly round.
A couple of midweek interval sessions and a long ride at the weekend will be fine.
The key is regularity, getting out 3-4 times a week, not burying yourself and being forced taking a week off to recover then repeating.

Great reassurance thanks all. on with the training schedule then…

From your current level of riding I’d say just go and ride 100km this weekend, you’ll probably clock up more than 900m ascent unless you live in East Anglia.

Not being glib, it should just put your mind at rest about the event straight away.

I may just do that at somepoint over the next few weeks, at least it would indicate where I am currently. Also give me a kick up the ar$e if my fitness is not there…

Rode the Inverness to Ft Augustus on Saturday – lovely route. Some short steep bits and a long, steady climb before a great descent down to Augustus. I’d focus on hills rather than miles for training – if you can do hills and remember to eat, the mileage will be easy.

I’d focus on hills rather than miles for training

I’ve really never understood that line of thought.
As far as training is concerned the hills are fairly irrelevant.
Sure there’s some slight differences to which muscles are recruited, but basically, pedalling X power is still X power whether its up/flat/down.

Make sure your bike is sorted out.
100km 65 miles is no bother,you will do it at the speed your fitness will allow,but having a mecahnical would be a pain and spoil your day out.

yetidave,

You should be fine, the organizers will send you out training ideas but as above if you can commit to a couple of midweek rides of 30 mins to an hour. I plan on using my commute for this and some evening sessions on the turbo. Then on top a longer ride at the weekend I’m well out of shape so gonna start with a 28 miler on Sunday and build the distance towards the event doing at least 1 ride of 110km a month prior.

Where are you based?

It’s a shockingly easy event, I cruised around and I’d done virtually no riding. There is only one decent hill and then a couple of bumps. For this event though I’d strongly suggest that you don’t do it as a head down blast, instead go and ride at a pace where you can enjoy the scenery and have fun. If you nail it then £65 for only a few hours fun seems expensive, but take 4 hours keep your head up look around and have a chat, then it becomes a fun event in my book.

Shame they ban fixed wheel bikes.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/940860122

My garmin from a couple if years ago. Nice route and as you can see a few challenging climbs..

I was 5th on the Strava leaderboard for that full climb from Fort Augustus at one point (end of 2014). All the Etape Loch Ness events in 2015 and 2016 knocked me down. 🙁

I did do the climb again in September 2015 but there was such a headwind over it that I didn’t even bother trying to set a quick time!

The descent off the summit heading north is SO fast if you have the right conditions as well. 🙂

It’s a nice ride and the only time I’d choose to do the A82. Lovely scenery en route, nice atmosphere. The most dangerous / tricky bit is the turn onto (possibly) wet cobbles off the bridge in Inverness.

The one big hill has a couple of false summits so pace yourself accordingly. If you can’t hear the piper then it’s not the last climb.

I may be at Invermoriston in the tech support area.

Some great helpful advice above, I’d say as suggested above do the 65 miler ASAP, get that one in the legs and mentally your there. You can then concentrate on the little things like when you get hungry, thirsty, speed and pace, ride in a group before if can maybe at local club level.

I did that a few years ago and was hooked immediately, the buzz from riding in a group at pace on closed roads is addictive, what you don’t get sorted out between then and now will be absorbed into the thrill on the day and that’ll see you right. Just enjoy the riding between now and then, keep track of your performance and monitor your times a tad.