I am currently living in Sweden and have started to get more and more into mountain biking. I originally go into it in the UK but have just started doing more whilst living here. I am now looking at doing some “racing” in the Swedish marathon cup. Do not get me wrong I will certainly not be winning these events just want to give it a go for fun. I have never covered these distances (80 – 110km) on a bike without an engine and know that I should start some training soon (first in series May 24th) but thought I would ask on here to get some tips on a programme to get me fit and give me the stamina to survive the events.
I think I have reasonable fitness and can cover up to 50km but not much more right now.
Any tips and help would be great!
Dan
make sure you can cover that distance build up to it gradually, each week do at least one 'long' ride start with a 50k and then 60,70 and so on until you can do 100.
sort out fuelling; find an energy drink/bars/normal food that you can eat and keeps you going. my personal choice is energy drink in bottles, water in camelbak, mix of supermarket cereal bars, sis bars as a quick boost and gels in reserve just in case i bonk.
try to ride more, time on the bike is important. 5x1hr rides or 1x5hr rides are (for this purpose) as good as each other. try commuting/ turbo trainer/ exercise bike/ spinning.
most importantly enjoy it. oh and don't train too hard from now until may, have an easy week every 4weeks or so and taper your training the last week.
HTH
Buy a book. The one by Joe Friel is good. Far too much to explain here 🙂 The book tells you how your body works and how to train to make it work better in the right ways.