shyonelung

I'm doing a 50-mile ride this Sunday. My friends and I planned it for my 50th birthday (which is Monday). I used to ride a bit when I was in my 20s but stopped for many years after I got Cancer and lost a lung (yeah, at 26). I gained weight, spent years out of shape thinking I was limited by my condition. But two years ago, I dieted, lost a ton of weight and got back on the bike (first my old MTB ride and then a new Ridley road bike). I ride between two and four times a week, do plenty of good climbs and average about 25-30 miles a ride. And while I often feel I have something left after those rides, I've yet to do more than 40 since I starting cycling seriously again last year. I workout several times a week and feel pretty confident that I'll make it through this ride, especially as it's mostly rollers and only about 2000-feet of climbing total, hills I've done before. So I feel I've done the work to get there. I'm assuming 50 isn't that much different than doing 30-35. Is that true? Should I do anything different on the ride to preserve my energy or anything? Eat differently before the ride or the night before the ride? I'm sure I'm overthinking this. Still, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

And if anyone is in my neck of the woods on Sunday (Sonoma County wine country in NorCal), you're welcome to join us.

hoiten22

I would kinda like to know about this too. I am looking to make the jump from 20-30 mile rides to 50+ miles. Longest I have ever done is 38 but I really want to do a ride later this summer that is 73 miles with about 6000' of climbing. So I really cant wait to step up my training so I can accomplish that ride. I've been wondering some of the same questions!!

TrojanHorse

If you can do 35 you can do 50, it's just another hour in the saddle. For me, 30 miles is where I need to start thinking about nutrition so I'll snack on a clif bar half way through a 50 mile ride. Stay hydrated and have a great ride!

Team Sarcasm

Make sure to not eat/drink to much at once toward the end. For me, 35 miles is not enough to truly feel what blood shunting is. 50 miles is where I start to feel the burn from drinking to much water.

dralways

Riding with one lung?? Freakin insane. Anyway just have a decent, bigger than normal breakfast and drink enough water. If you can ride for a couple hours with only one lung 50 miles shouldn't be a problem.

Ill definitely think twice the next time I start to break on those longer rides.

jwalther

I could have written your post myself a few months ago (well except for the one lung part-congrats on overcoming that obstacle), started riding at 50 after a long layoff. Check my post history for an account. My only advice is to stop half way for a bite, and get off the bike for a few minutes to walk around. Good luck!

WHOOOSSHHH...

Good for you...

Dudelsack 

wut

HOWSER

Good luck and enjoy your ride. Glad to hear your back in the saddle again!

dave1442397

If you can do 35, you can do 50. If you think it might be a problem, back off your usual pace ever so slightly and conserve energy.

Team Sarcasm

You should have used this \/



But blood shunting causes the pump you feel in your legs because you body redirects blood from your gut to the active muscles....drink too much water (eat something large) your body will take some (or I should say a larger than normal portion) of the blood that was once for use in your legs and give it to your digestion system to start breaking down or absorbing what ever you ate/drank.

This is a problem because since less blood is in your legs while doing the same amount of work lactic acid will build up very quickly.

Dudelsack 

No. The gut doen't shunt blood from the muscles. It's the other way around. You need fluids and you need calories. They just need to be easier to digest than steak and potatoes.

And don't argue with me

kv501

First, happy birthday.

Second, I had a blood clot in my right lung last year and was in the hospital for a week and a half. I couldn't even think about riding a bike. You have a lifetime badass card.

jefft72

My thought is that you should have no problem with it given your regular cycling routine. I have only been riding regularly for a few months on a MTB. I will do 10 mile loops on my lunch break a couple of times a week and had gone on 2 20 mile runs before taking my longest trip. There was a charity ride near me and I signed up for the 48 mile route. This was my first charity ride and my longest ride.

No problems for me. There were well planned rest stops about every 15 miles I believe that were stocked with goodies. I felt great for most of the ride, but the last 5 miles sucked due to a combination of fatigue and riding directly into the wind.

On a related side note while I was preparing that morning in the parking lot I was chatting with an older gentleman. He asked if I was planning on doing the MS150 and I replied that it is on my list for next year. He stated that he had done it for the past 20 years and also shared what he called an inside joke. It was that if you can ride 20 miles then you can do the MS150.

Good luck and congrats on getting back on the bike and doing good for yourself.

Yankeetowner

First of all, congratulations! My only thought is that you should just have fun and enjoy riding through one of the most beautiful areas in the world. You've conquered the hard part, now just enjoy. Ride safely.

kreeess

Congrats on getting back on the saddle, I myself recently started riding again and also what time and where are you guys riding? Im doing a 40mile-ish ride on Saturday, but I might be interested in your ride also on Sunday.

TexMac

Happy Birthday and good job on taking this challenge.
I think the rule is eat every hour. I like to carry bananas and eat one per hour plus drink water/gatorade every 30 minutes.
Last year i did 65 miles on a calf muscle pull leg and what really helped was High cadence.

Team Sarcasm

It goes both ways...

start working out: blood in digestive system goes to the active muscles

Eat while working out: blood in active muscles goes to your digestive system

Yes you're suppose to eat easily digested food. If you eat too much of an easily digested food at one time it will result in the same.

So as I said, don't eat too much at one time

Team Sarcasm

But anyways, have fun on your ride OP. Glad you not falling back on excuses

Long Tom

I'm 48 years old... I don't need to eat during a 50, but everyone is different. You might do diluted juice in one bottle.... start out well hydrated and stop to pee around the 20 mile mark. I predict you'll feel it in your contact points way more than leg fatigue (or any fatigue). Get up out the saddle often and early. Move your hands around on the bars BEFORE they develop issues.

Have fun!

gamby

I generally need to eat every 20 miles or so. On the MS150, it's every 15 and I'm cool with that, too.

If you can do 35 comfortably, 50 will go by in a snap. For me, things don't start getting unpleasant until 65-70, depending on how hot out it is.

Good luck and congrats on overcoming.

Winnershcyclist

I too went from doing 35 than 50 then 100 my advice is eat and drink plus pace yourself

thunderworks

Lots of good advice already. I'll add that for me on longer than normal rides (for me that's anything over 50), then getting off the bike and walking around a little and stretching helps a lot. For the OP, IMO the jump from your normal distance to 50 miles won't be at all difficult.

Bob Dopolina 

I turn 50 the day after you. I hope we both survive!

Pace, as other have mentioned, is key. I'm willing to bet you are good to go.

Enjoy, you olde farte.

shyonelung

Haha! The human body is an amazing thing. The lung that's left expands to take up the capacity of the one that's gone. The weirdest part is that my heart got pushed to the right side of my chest (the right lung was the one removed) and so it's now on the opposite side where it's supposed to be.