How Many KM's Should I Bike Before the Event?

Training On Too Few Calories

You may be training your muscles to do what you want them to do (riding 100 miles for example) but are you also training your stomach? If you want to be able to comfortably ingest X calories per hour during a 5-6 hour (or longer) event, you need to be practicing that in training. Exercising at a maximum intensity level and assimilating a lot of calories hour after hour are not things that the body would normally prefer to do simultaneously. Just like running or cycling far and fast, eating is a learned skill that requires the same amount of practice and attention to detail. If you plan on consuming 200 calories an hour (for example) during BFBC you need to practice consuming 200 calories an hour in your training. Don't skimp on calories during training!

All it takes is getting dropped by someone on a hill climb during training and it's easy to start thinking that "maybe if I just lost a couple of pounds!". The problem with trying to diet while training is that the lack of calories and the accompanying nutrients wreaks havoc on your muscles and immune system. For example, a 165-pound athlete in training requires in the neighborhood of 500 calories from protein alone. The same athlete may need 2,000-2,200 calories from carbohydrates if training an average of two hours a day. Consuming far fewer calories than what the body requires may result in the body cannibalizing it's own tissues, resulting in a a weakened muscular and immune system. Training, building muscle and following a sound diet are the best way to lose weight because it comes off slowly. The endurance athlete's diet should contain 12-20% of total calories from protein, 50-60% from carbohydrates, and 20% from fat.

This information is taken from Steve Born. Mr. Born is a technical advisor for E-CAPS with over a decade of involvement in the health food industry. He is a three-time RAAM finisher, the 1994 Furnace Creek 508 Champion and 1999 runner-up, and is the holder of two UMCA records. E-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit http://www.hammergel.com

12 Week (3 Month) Training Schedule (General)

This General Training Schedule will get you to the event in the shape you need to complete the full 278 km event. Using this training schedule, when you finish the 278 km, you should feel like you accomplished something grand. Which, you have, of course.

 

Weeks Before the Event	Longest Ride	Total Km
12 Weeks Before	Easy Riding, longest ride 20 km	50
11 Weeks Before	Easy Riding, longest ride 30 km	75
10 Weeks Before	One 40 km (easy goes it)	100
9 Weeks Before	One 50 km ride -- flat course	125
8 Weeks Before	One 60 km	150
7 Weeks Before	Two 60 km rides back to back days	175
6 Weeks Before	One 90 km ride -- flat course	200
5 Weeks Before	Two 75 km rides back to back days (one on flat course and other on hilly course)	225
4 Weeks Before	One 100 km ride and 50 km ride back to back days	250
3 Weeks Before	One 140 km ride	275
2 Weeks Before	One 150 km and then 100km back to back days	300
1 Week Before	Hard 100 km and two light rides	200
Week of Event	Light km's, hard 30 min of riding on Wed

 

12 Week (3 Month) Training Schedule (Advanced)

This is a hope for everyone who registers for the full tip-to-tip: to finish and actually have some energy left over to lift the fork of spaghetti to your mouth. Seriously though, please be mindful that you should not make this 278 km the be all and end all of your riding. You need to train for this event. If you follow this riding schedule and eat properly, you will be ready for a strong 278 km ride across the Island.

 

Weeks Before the Event	Longest Ride	Total Km
12 Weeks Before	Easy Riding, longest ride 30 km	50
11 Weeks Before	Easy Riding, longest ride 60 km	100
10 Weeks Before	One Century ride (easy goes it)	150
9 Weeks Before	One 170 km ride -- flat course	250
8 Weeks Before	One 100 km	300
7 Weeks Before	50/60 km rides	200
6 Weeks Before	One 170 km ride -- flat course	375
5 Weeks Before	Two 100 km rides back to back	400
4 Weeks Before	One 200 km ride	450
3 Weeks Before	Shorter distances per ride but high tempo riding	250
2 Weeks Before	Two 200 km rides on back to back days	500
1 Week Before	Hard 100 km and two light rides	200
Week of Event	Light km's, hard 30 min of riding on Wed

What Are Techniques for Riding into a Headwind?

Let's be honest: As a small Island, PEI is extremely windy. So, you really need to devote a portion of your training to riding in a headwind. Sorry.

Are there any secrets to dealing with a headwind? A good attitude is probably the best. You can't do anything about it till the road turns, so welcome the wind as an aid to becoming a better rider. Think of it as a form of hill climbing (at slower speeds, each 5 mph of wind speed equals ~1% of grade i.e. a 20-mph headwind would equal a 4% hill). Then it becomes a challenge rather than something to hate for part of your ride. Here are several other ideas:

• Get down. Get aero and hone your riding position. When riding into a headwind, watch your computer and notice how small postural changes affect your speed. Get low with your back almost horizontal. Try aligning your head and back, but without keeping your head so low that your back is hunched. In fact, if you try to keep your chin on the stem, it actually increases the turbulence and wind resistance as the air travels over your back. Keep your elbows in to minimize your frontal area instead of splayed outward. Then bend them a little more to see what happens. Hold them in line with your body . A second tip is to eliminate the side to side motion of your head. So keep that head still and your chin 4 to 6 inches above the stem.When you find your most efficient position, it'll give you greater speed with less effort in calm air, too.
• Gear down. Pushing your normal gear into a wind is hard on your knees (and your motivation). Just as with a hill, drop down a gear or two to allow you to maintain your normal cadence.
• Don't fight to keep a set speed. Remember, to maintain 18 mph into a 10-mph headwind you need about twice the effort as when riding 18 on a calm day. Gear down and work on a fluid spin. If you are riding in a paceline, rotate more often and in slower motion.
• Don't wear a loose fitting jacket. A baggy jacket can act like a drogue chute, flapping loudly and slowing you down. An alternative might be a jersey with a wind stopper under it - a piece of wind proof material or even a plastic bag will keep the cold air off your chest.
• If possible, start rides into the wind. Do battle while you're fresh, then let the gale blow you home.
• Time your ride. Wind is usually lighter in the early morning or in the evening. If you start your ride a little earlier, the headwind could be relatively tame before you're treated to a roaring tailwind on the return trip.
• Watch for cross winds., especially on roads with truck traffic. When you're leaning left to maintain a straight line and a passing vehicle momentarily blocks the wind, you might veer into the lane. Fight the tendency by keeping your elbows loose and upper body relaxed.
• Pedal downhill. Your bike will be more stable on descents if you're applying even a little power to the rear wheel. But especially on a windy day when you're being buffeted on descents, shifting to a high gear and pedaling will give you a noticeable edge in stability. Coasting lets the wind push you farther off your line.
• Get shelter. Pick a route with trees, buildings, stone walls or other wind blockers.
• Keep a good mental attitude. Stay positive. Wind, day after day, can beat you down mentally. But head winds actually help improve fitness.

 

Are There Any Drills to Improve Your Riding in Windy Conditions?

If you have hills, doing hill work comes the closest. As an alternative, you can find a gear that lets you pedal easily at 80 to 100 rpm, and then shift 2 to 3 cogs harder for 15 to 20 minutes - a simulated hill interval. Then recover for 10 minutes and do it again. And, of course, focus on keeping your head still, which is a challenge as you slow the rpms and start to use your body to compensate.

Why does my back hurt?

Lower-back pain is related to core strength, or lack thereof. "In a leg press at the gym, you can press into the back pad to stabilize yourself," says Andy Pruitt, Ed.D., director of Colorado's Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, "but when you push on the pedal, there's nothing to stabilize you except your core." If it's weak, your back fatigues quickly. The pain could also stem from other sources, Pruitt notes, from your cycling shoes to bike fit. A good rule of thumb: Your handlebar shouldn't be more than one fist-width lower than your saddle, says Pruitt, who suggests a bike fitting for those with chronic back pain. "If a fitter can't solve your problem in two tries, see a doctor or physical therapist," he says.