[Closed] Training for a 12 hour

My advice for such endurance events is to build up so you do between 2/3rds and 3/4ths of the target 2 or 3 weeks before the event, then taper off and just do enough to keep yourself ticking over.

So before I did Kielder 100 (12 hours) I did 50, 60 and then 75 miles, then 30, interspersed with a few 10 miles rides (extended commutes).

The great thing for me was it go me searching out new routes and doing rides to the Peak from Sheffield.

Chris, I'm hoping to increase the weekend ride length at the weekend but your tapering sounds sensible. If only I didn't have a family and DIY I could concentrate on the important things in life.

I'm entered into the same event for the 12hr.

Did the 6hr Enduro6 with no additional training and my cunning plan is to just ride as much as I can and see how it goes.

I figure it'll hurt no matter how much I train so I'm not stressing about not doing as much as I'd like.

Tapering is quite important. Also make sure you (try to) get lots of sleep and eat well the week before.

Ride bike lots. Eat food. Get used to not stopping over long durations.

The best advice I can give you is - don't stop. When you get to your pit,have someone hand you a bottle as you roll past. If you stop, you'll want to stop.

Highest average speed you can maintain - that's what you're aiming for.

Also, have fun. Training on your own for long rides is good for your head.

Taper...up to you. I did my last "long" 4hr ride on Tuesday (after a combined total of 20hrs between Fri and Tues) before Bristol this weekend. A long taper is realistically not needed for a 12hr race if you've nothing planned in the two weeks after it.

If time is limited with other commitments, I'd suggest doing some late night rides. If you are doing a night time 12 it's worth getting a wee bit of experience of riding "outside normal office hours".

I didn't bother on the 12 hour events, just ride and grim determination and guts will get you through it.

Conflicting advice there. I did a 12 hour a couple of years back on a max of about 8 hours rides which i built up to from about T-8 to T-1 week (last week = gentle rides / tapering), so the 2/3 advice as above.

But what i learned from those longer rides was invaluable.

1/ The saddle that was fine for 4 hours was excruciating for 8. I needed one with a cutout, and haven't looked back. I wouldn't have wanted to find that out 8 hours in.

2/ I worked out my HR zones and stuck to them. Average speed is harder to gauge, dry vs wet, hilly vs flat, etc. But the general advice to find out what you can do for a prolonged period and stick to it is sound, even if it does feel slow to start with (bit like Wiggo speaking about the hour last week - the first 12 min block was 'for free' because it's relatively easy paced compared to what he can do. But by the end, easy is no longer easy)

3/ I had major neck pain on longer rides, just keeping my head lifted so i could see. Solution was to change the spacers on my setup, give me a bit more rise - knowing there were no super steep climbs on the course front wheel weight wasn't an issue. And i also took the peak off my helmet so I could look with my eyes instead of lifting my head.

4/ Get a good refuelling strategy - gels, bars, jelly babies, whatever you need but learn it and stick to it. You don't want to be introducing new foods on the day and getting the shits.

5/ Enjoy it. It's not your job thankfully and it's your choice you're out there.

Oh, one more. Do stop. I planned stops in after 3 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours and 10 hours. To eat something solid and just stretch a bit. It also made it easier to split the ride instead of 'that's it, 12 hours to go'But put it in your schedule and stick to it, don't let unplanned stops creep in.

I've seen several better riders than me 'fail' at 12's and 24's mainly due to lack of planning / inability to follow the plan. Going off too fast and bonking, wrong food, all the stuff above.

I did loads of 12 and 24 hour races between 2007 and 2013, and still do some. I rode regularly, five times a week, with some running (though this was because I was trying to do well- only out of the top 10 once between 2008 and 2012). Intervals are good, brick training if you really want to do well but it's horrid.

My training rides were rarely more than 3 or 4 hours, I just rode a lot and rode fast. About half of my riding was on road or the turbo. If it's a one off event keep doing what you're doing and grit your teeth and you'll do fine. If you want to do well I'm afraid 7 weeks is too short notice.

One thing to note is the boredom of solo riding- it is boring going round the same course after about 4 hours, so mentally prepare yourself for that. Eat regularly in small amounts, have some rests and see how you fare.

My training for the 12 hour solo at bontrager will involve sitting around drinking vast quantities of cider 😆

Then I am expecting to come last 😳

A true gentleman always comes last.

theotherjonv - Member
Average speed is harder to gauge

What I was aluding to, badly, was not that you race by average speed - but that you aim to maintain the highest average speed you can. So, going out hard, blowing up and having a rest and going again- can be much slower than going out moderate, then holding that for the race.

Not stopping helps this quite a bit, less faff time. Eat on the bike.

At the same time - if you just want to get round. Easy, ride bike, have fun, pull skids, heckle the fast girls and guys after you let them past.

I'd definitely taper, its purpose is to make you fresh for the race, what you have planned afterwards is irrelevant

All depends on aspirations. You're dead right, at the sharp end even short stops kill you; for the gorrick I did the quick soloists do 40-45 min laps. If you lose say 5 mins on a stop, that's 2 hard laps to make up that time on your rivals which will kill you later.

Tapering is a waste of time - do a hard session of intervals the day before. See you on the start line 😉

Ride in the confidence that you only have 12 to do and not 24, failing that shout a greeting as you come past 🙂

Just got back from some hill intervals and feeling much encouraged by the replies. Thanks and hope to see some of you on the way round.

It is really, really boring. Be prepared for that.

I always try to ride the hills in the same gear each lap from the start at a pace above a bimble but below an XC race.

Eat. I usually go for a gel or a bar alternating each lap. Rice pudding is amazing. As is coffee.

As much as you can, don't stop. It quickly adds up.

Do some core exercises now - there is time to make considerable gains, especially if you don't do anything now. This will help alleviate back and neck pain due to poor bike posture as you get tired.

I find I can usually ride quickly for about 6-8hrs then slow down. This will happen; just expect it and don't give up.

GB

Silly question I know! I am doing the 6hr solo. Is it better to go full Lycra, bib shorts etc, or go with my normal mtb gear of shorts etc?

If I was doing a road ride of 6hrs I would be in full roadie Lycra, just not sure if it is as practical and comfortable on the mtb?

phil40 - Member
Silly question I know! I am doing the 6hr solo. Is it better to go full Lycra, bib shorts etc, or go with my normal mtb gear of shorts etc?

Whatever you feel more comfortable in. Honestly, the last thing you want is to not be comfortable.

Just be comfortable, because you shouldn't be aware of what you are wearing no matter what the distance. On the subject of clothing a few choices is useful, and arm/leg warmers are great really help when it's changeable conditions.

This started as a short post and got longer 🙄

Did my first solo 12 at Bikefest last weekend, despite lack of preparation I managed to survive the full duration. I only managed 2hrs a week in April as I was ill, then straight up to 15hrs (playing catch up) for a week and naffed my knee, then 6-10hrs a week in May-June, only steady rides to look after my knee. So it sounds like you should be fine if you pick a pace you can handle on longer rides.

I started off at good pace overtaking as much as I could then slowed to a heartrate that was comfortable on normal long rides.

Drank whenever I could, swapped between water and energy. Had a gel\bar when I wasn't having energy drink and stopped for real food when I felt the need.

I tried to make my laps more efficient, no point pedalling hard to a corner to brake then accelerate, stop pedalling at the right point and go through the corner without using the brakes. Freewheel and pump when you wont gain by pedalling sections. Just try and improve your lines and flow on each lap, it will save energy and keeps things interesting too.

In the end my legs were fine, the thing that massively held me back was my core strength. My back was aching a lot after 3hrs then my arms and hands followed, it made me stop more than I needed to and longer stops made the pain more obvious when I got back on the bike.

[u]What I learned... [/u]
Core strength is very important
keep fuelling all the time
Short stops
Start quick then slow to a steady pace
Keep it smooth and find your flow
Wear whatever is comfortable and use plenty of chamois cream
Don't give up, "it's only X hours on a bike" as Steve Abraham would say