All you bikers...Which race or tour are you participating in this year?

[bigrash]

Looks like I'm not doing the 5 boro this year. But I might do a 100miles ride later this year.

Which one are you participating in?

 

[Reggae4k]

i will also be doing the NY 5 Boro, and the MS Bike Tour (60 mile) later this year

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'm planning on doing my first Century in September. I don't race though and it will be a tough ride for me I'm sure, just need to bring plenty to eat and keep hydrated.

 

[xospec1alk]

Im doing the Five Boro this year...any tips on preparing? i don't think i've ever done 42 miles before....

 

[Reggae4k]

tips: train NOW! increase mileage on training but dont do more than 30 miles. taper off and and stop all training 2-3 days prior to race and eat lots of complex carbs for those three days. your body needs to load up on carbs. also do not eat veggies the night before, it might be too much bulk for your digestive system.

use use slicks, tune/lube your bike well, set proper PSI on tires, and bring emergency repair kits. NY roads are littered with debris and you might get a puncture. also bring lots of fluids.

42 miles isnt too tough. i did the ms tour 60 mile on a mountain bike and knobbies. that was tough! in the last 10 miles all i could think about was getting on a bus or train to the finish. but i managed to finish because i overcame the mental barrier.

 

[xospec1alk]

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
tips: train NOW! increase mileage on training but dont do more than 30 miles. taper off and and stop all training 2-3 days prior to race and eat lots of complex carbs for those three days. your body needs to load up on carbs. also do not eat veggies the night before, it might be too much bulk for your digestive system.

use use slicks, tune/lube your bike well, set proper PSI on tires, and bring emergency repair kits. NY roads are littered with debris and you might get a puncture. also bring lots of fluids.

42 miles isnt too tough. i did the ms tour 60 mile on a mountain bike and knobbies. that was tough! in the last 10 miles all i could think about was getting on a bus or train to the finish. but i managed to finish because i overcame the mental barrier.

I did 3 laps around central park and my legs were burning...that was about 21 miles, but the hills...oh lord...the hills are killer...good tips though! thanks!

 

[bigrash]

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
tips: train NOW! increase mileage on training but dont do more than 30 miles. taper off and and stop all training 2-3 days prior to race and eat lots of complex carbs for those three days. your body needs to load up on carbs. also do not eat veggies the night before, it might be too much bulk for your digestive system.

use use slicks, tune/lube your bike well, set proper PSI on tires, and bring emergency repair kits. NY roads are littered with debris and you might get a puncture. also bring lots of fluids.

42 miles isnt too tough. i did the ms tour 60 mile on a mountain bike and knobbies. that was tough! in the last 10 miles all i could think about was getting on a bus or train to the finish. but i managed to finish because i overcame the mental barrier.

good advice. that's exactly what I was going to post

 

[Kanalua]

None.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
tips: train NOW! increase mileage on training but dont do more than 30 miles. taper off and and stop all training 2-3 days prior to race and eat lots of complex carbs for those three days. your body needs to load up on carbs. also do not eat veggies the night before, it might be too much bulk for your digestive system.

use use slicks, tune/lube your bike well, set proper PSI on tires, and bring emergency repair kits. NY roads are littered with debris and you might get a puncture. also bring lots of fluids.

42 miles isnt too tough. i did the ms tour 60 mile on a mountain bike and knobbies. that was tough! in the last 10 miles all i could think about was getting on a bus or train to the finish. but i managed to finish because i overcame the mental barrier.

I do a 40 mile ride at least once a week. Sometimes 50 miles. For the 40 mile rides I usually bring 2 gel shots, a bottle of water and a bottle of Cytomax. Maybe a Cliff bar. I don't change the way I eat prior and I usually ride 20-30 miles the day prior or the day after.

 

[FrustratedUser]

I'm starting off easy this year with Tour de France.

 

[Safeway]

PALM -- Pedal Across Lower Michigan, Hotter Than Hell 100, ...

I just did the Houston to Austin, TX ride.

I try to train 40 to 60 miles at a time, 2 or 3 times a week, and 100 miles every other week.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
tips: train NOW! increase mileage on training but dont do more than 30 miles. taper off and and stop all training 2-3 days prior to race and eat lots of complex carbs for those three days. your body needs to load up on carbs. also do not eat veggies the night before, it might be too much bulk for your digestive system.

use use slicks, tune/lube your bike well, set proper PSI on tires, and bring emergency repair kits. NY roads are littered with debris and you might get a puncture. also bring lots of fluids.

42 miles isnt too tough. i did the ms tour 60 mile on a mountain bike and knobbies. that was tough! in the last 10 miles all i could think about was getting on a bus or train to the finish. but i managed to finish because i overcame the mental barrier.

I do a 40 mile ride at least once a week. Sometimes 50 miles. For the 40 mile rides I usually bring 2 gel shots, a bottle of water and a bottle of Cytomax. Maybe a Cliff bar. I don't change the way I eat prior and I usually ride 20-30 miles the day prior or the day after.

All that for a 40 mile ride? In Michigan, I just took a Camel of water, and a bottle of Gatorade. And those were rides are 70 - 80 miles a day for a week (a curvy path from one side of Michigan to the other, camping at night). I've done that ride 3 times now, this summer will be my 4th.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Safeway

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
tips: train NOW! increase mileage on training but dont do more than 30 miles. taper off and and stop all training 2-3 days prior to race and eat lots of complex carbs for those three days. your body needs to load up on carbs. also do not eat veggies the night before, it might be too much bulk for your digestive system.

use use slicks, tune/lube your bike well, set proper PSI on tires, and bring emergency repair kits. NY roads are littered with debris and you might get a puncture. also bring lots of fluids.

42 miles isnt too tough. i did the ms tour 60 mile on a mountain bike and knobbies. that was tough! in the last 10 miles all i could think about was getting on a bus or train to the finish. but i managed to finish because i overcame the mental barrier.

I do a 40 mile ride at least once a week. Sometimes 50 miles. For the 40 mile rides I usually bring 2 gel shots, a bottle of water and a bottle of Cytomax. Maybe a Cliff bar. I don't change the way I eat prior and I usually ride 20-30 miles the day prior or the day after.

All that for a 40 mile ride? In Michigan, I just took a Camel of water, and a bottle of Gatorade. And those were 70 - 80 miles a day for a week.

2 gel shots and 2 bottles? That's not much IMO. I usually don't drink all the liquids but most of it. I'd rather have too much than too little. On my 45-50 mile rides I will definitely drink 2 bottles plus a gel shot and maybe half a Cliff bar.

 

[conehead433]

Do a cross country. You'll be a pretty good cyclist by the time you finish.

 

[Dessert Tears]

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
I did 3 laps around central park and my legs were burning...that was about 21 miles, but the hills...oh lord...the hills are killer...good tips though! thanks!

Did you try to push yourself on the hills, do you not like hills in general, or is your bike not geared low enough? If you answered #2 or #3, you may have problems on the BQE or the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which are both conveniently placed near the end of the tour. Those hurt me last year, but I only did a little preparation.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: Flatscan

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
I did 3 laps around central park and my legs were burning...that was about 21 miles, but the hills...oh lord...the hills are killer...good tips though! thanks!

Did you try to push yourself on the hills, do you not like hills in general, or is your bike not geared low enough? If you answered #2 or #3, you may have problems on the BQE or the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which are both conveniently placed near the end of the tour. Those hurt me last year, but I only did a little preparation.

I know what you mean -- the hills in Michigan got alot of the riders off their bikes. Thankfully, the pth I trained on weekly had a section of continuous medium grade for 1/4 mile. That definately got my legs each time I went around.

Anyone familiar with White Rock Lake in Dallas? That's where I trained.

 

[xospec1alk]

Originally posted by: Flatscan

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
I did 3 laps around central park and my legs were burning...that was about 21 miles, but the hills...oh lord...the hills are killer...good tips though! thanks!

Did you try to push yourself on the hills, do you not like hills in general, or is your bike not geared low enough? If you answered #2 or #3, you may have problems on the BQE or the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which are both conveniently placed near the end of the tour. Those hurt me last year, but I only did a little preparation.

heh i'm not such a big fan of hills, but i was pushing mself pretty hard up the hills, i think i got my heart rate up to 200bpm on them hills....it was the one at the tip of central park in harlem...holy cow.

 

[bigrash]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Do a cross country. You'll be a pretty good cyclist by the time you finish.

I would love doing that but unfortunately i can't take the time off from work for something like that

 

[Dessert Tears]

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
heh i'm not such a big fan of hills, but i was pushing mself pretty hard up the hills, i think i got my heart rate up to 200bpm on them hills....it was the one at the tip of central park in harlem...holy cow.

Nice ... I used to max out on that hill, but I've been trying to pace it better and finish strong. My friend topped out at 212 (!) bpm - he claims he's a climber because he's light.

I think you should try to pace it, at least while preparing for the 5Boro. It will help you get in a longer ride for better endurance preparation, plus it may help keep you from sprinting over the first hill or bridge you come to during the actual ride. The temptation is pretty strong, especially after walking your bike for 10-20 blocks (up to 57th on 6th Ave) in a crowd of cyclists.

 

[xospec1alk]

Originally posted by: Flatscan

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
heh i'm not such a big fan of hills, but i was pushing mself pretty hard up the hills, i think i got my heart rate up to 200bpm on them hills....it was the one at the tip of central park in harlem...holy cow.

Nice ... I used to max out on that hill, but I've been trying to pace it better and finish strong. My friend topped out at 212 (!) bpm - he claims he's a climber because he's light.

I think you should try to pace it, at least while preparing for the 5Boro. It will help you get in a longer ride for better endurance preparation, plus it may help keep you from sprinting over the first hill or bridge you come to during the actual ride. The temptation is pretty strong, especially after walking your bike for 10-20 blocks (up to 57th on 6th Ave) in a crowd of cyclists.

Yeh i still need to learn how to pace myself, when i did the MS bike tour last year, i sprinted over each hill...which in retrospect i think tired me out towards the end of the ride...and i only did the 30 mile portion..so i was pretty down on myself after that.

 

[Reggae4k]

the first 30 miles of the MS Tour was relatively easy, even though i was using a mountain bike and knobbies. the second portion was killer! Palisades has many hills and prick drivers who couldnt obey traffic laws that cyclists have the right of way as well. There were some sections were even the strongest cyclists were walking.

 

[xospec1alk]

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
the first 30 miles of the MS Tour was relatively easy, even though i was using a mountain bike and knobbies. the second portion was killer! Palisades has many hills and prick drivers who couldnt obey traffic laws that cyclists have the right of way as well. There were some sections were even the strongest cyclists were walking.

remind me not to do more than 30 this year on the MS tour then =)

 

[Reggae4k]

dont psych yourself out already. if you use slicks you should be ok for the whole 60 miles!

 

[Fausto]

I don't do a lot of tour/century stuff, but I'll probably do 30-40 USCF races this year.

 

[bigrash]

Originally posted by: Fausto
I don't do a lot of tour/century stuff, but I'll probably do 30-40 USCF races this year.

are you doing them wearing just your thong?