no email and no letter for me

Letter has arrived…………

Mine too.
Wahoo!
It’s on.

how is training going?
I joined a road club and have been going out with them a couple of times a week. I even got a new bike!
been trying to get some hill reps in too but not enough I don’t think.
I plan on getting one ride in close to 100 miles before now and then – only a month to go!
any ideas what the weather will be like?

Don’t think you should be doing hill reps, just go out and get used to riding for 6/7/8 hours in the hills instead of practising sprinting up them.

I don’t have slots of 6-8 hours to go riding…
I’m not doing hill intervals, just repetitions: up hill > down hill > up hill > down hill, etc.

I’m not doing hill intervals, just repetitions: up hill > down hill > up hill > down hill, etc.

Sounds a good idea, no easy way of getting used to the amount of climbing involved if you don’t live somewhere as hilly.

Ye fair enough, 8 hours of riding is a lot to fit in a schedule so you’re doing right trying to fit as much climbing as you can in.

For me the trainings going really well, averaging 200miles a week for the past 2 months. All different sorts of rides, hill intervals, 2hr balls out rides in the Trough of Bowland during the week then at weekends a long mtb ride or a 100mile + road ride. Managed to get up to the lakes for a recce of the route last Sunday and my nephew and I basically did the Fred minus Kirkstone pass. Wasn’t to bad tbh although we had a tailwind over Hardknott and Wrynose which no doubt helped us. Really looking forward to it now 😀

Last year I went in a bit ignorant to what to expect although got round and up every single hill (with the help of a mountain bike cassette). This year I know what to expect!…and am still not disciplined enough to train. I do plan on a couple of big rides over the next weekend or two though, should really.

I’d be doing some of your hill climbing in preparation with a limited gear range – on the Fred you will run out of comfortable gears so I think it’s important to practise riding at a lower cadence with more torque for a protracted period of time to get used to the feeling.

I’ve been trying to get 25km commute in, but its a bit of a hassle as I need the car during the day at work (so end up having to leave it at work overnight which always makes me a bit nervous).

Done a couple of 100k rides and one was N Yorks Moors including Carlton Bank- how does that compare to the Lakeland passes?

I’m starting to get the fear- the guy I’m (supposed to be) riding it with has done twice the mileage, I’ve done and already ridden all the passes this year 🙁

And the minidoubleus have given me their viral lurgy.

I’m not doing it, but I have got some long rides coming up. This thread has got me looking at extending the commute, something I’ve been meaning to do for ages, but put off because I didn’t like the options I’d thought of.

I’ve just found a relatively pleasant, hilly loop to tack on the beginning and end. 6 miles in and the same back just became 10.5 in and 10.5 (or 13.3) back. The decision point for doing the loop is a little way from my house, so it’s going to be easier than riding past the door and carrying on.

Cheers all, good luck with the training and “enjoy” the Whitton! 😀