Long Distance Advice Needed
08-04-15, 07:34 AM
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Long Distance Advice Needed
I have an opportunity to be in Wisconsin on August 29 for the inaugural edition of the Ride Across Wisconsin, a one day, 175 mile route from Dubuque to Kenosha. It's advertised as 6500 feet of climbing, give or take. Seeing as how there are no mountains to be had, and the only real uphill is the first one coming up from the river, I'm guessing there will be an endless series of leg sucking rollers. Rest stops are pretty spread out, at with a couple spaced 40 to 50 miles apart.
My longest ride in recent memory was slightly less than 130 miles, supported, on a very hot day last summer. Even with many stops available, I blew the hydration and nutrition, my feet turned into raging infernos, and I suffered mightily with leg cramps at the finish. That was only 6:45 of saddle time. I'm thinking the RAW will be at least 10.
Topping it off, I spent the better part of July on the trainer, nursing some broken ribs and re-inflating a collapsed lung from a crash in late June. Although I'm at 6500 miles for the year, my outside conditioning feels more like April than August.
I know there are forum members that do double centuries and more pretty routinely. I'd love some advice on how to plan for and execute this--training time left, food, drink, feet, butt and so forth.
My longest ride in recent memory was slightly less than 130 miles, supported, on a very hot day last summer. Even with many stops available, I blew the hydration and nutrition, my feet turned into raging infernos, and I suffered mightily with leg cramps at the finish. That was only 6:45 of saddle time. I'm thinking the RAW will be at least 10.
Topping it off, I spent the better part of July on the trainer, nursing some broken ribs and re-inflating a collapsed lung from a crash in late June. Although I'm at 6500 miles for the year, my outside conditioning feels more like April than August.
I know there are forum members that do double centuries and more pretty routinely. I'd love some advice on how to plan for and execute this--training time left, food, drink, feet, butt and so forth.
08-04-15, 07:55 AM
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I did a "Find" on ridewithgps.com: Start within 50 miles of Dubuque IA, Length over 150 miles, keywords "ride across wisconsin" and found the route:
(ridewithgps.com/routes/7792633 Pull down the Map list and checkmark Terrain, then zoom in. )
EDIT--the ride page has the official route: ridewithgps.com/routes/7801222.
If you just look at the red elevation chart, it looks very hilly. But that's 175 miles compressed to a few inches. Drag to select some of the hilly parts, and then click the Metrics tab. You'll see that the hills aren't too tall, and the grades are mostly easy to moderate. ridewithgps is sometimes wrong on short, steep hills, under reporting the grade. But it's usually pretty close, and the elevations are accurate.
7000 feet over 175 miles is 40 feet per mile. That's in the range of "somewhat hilly". 100 feet per mile is "mostly climbing or descending". 20 feet per mile is "very flat with occasional small hills".
~~~~~~
I was going to suggest that you stop at the small town convenience stores in addition to the official rest stops. But browsing the route in Satellite view, from mile 23 to mile 74, it's all very rural, only farms, no towns. After mile 110, it looks like more towns and cities.
It's not the best rest stop locations. They should be in between towns where there's no food or water available. Instead, they are in the only towns along the way.
Rest stops are only open for two hours? That's very strange.
New Diggings (25 miles), basic, staffed 7:30am-9:30am
Monroe (66), full, staffed 10:30am-12:30pm
Beloit (104), full, staffed 11:30am-2:30pm
Bohner Lake (155) basic, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Kenosha Finish (175), full, staffed 3pm-9pm
(ridewithgps.com/routes/7792633 Pull down the Map list and checkmark Terrain, then zoom in. )
EDIT--the ride page has the official route: ridewithgps.com/routes/7801222.
If you just look at the red elevation chart, it looks very hilly. But that's 175 miles compressed to a few inches. Drag to select some of the hilly parts, and then click the Metrics tab. You'll see that the hills aren't too tall, and the grades are mostly easy to moderate. ridewithgps is sometimes wrong on short, steep hills, under reporting the grade. But it's usually pretty close, and the elevations are accurate.
7000 feet over 175 miles is 40 feet per mile. That's in the range of "somewhat hilly". 100 feet per mile is "mostly climbing or descending". 20 feet per mile is "very flat with occasional small hills".
~~~~~~
I was going to suggest that you stop at the small town convenience stores in addition to the official rest stops. But browsing the route in Satellite view, from mile 23 to mile 74, it's all very rural, only farms, no towns. After mile 110, it looks like more towns and cities.
It's not the best rest stop locations. They should be in between towns where there's no food or water available. Instead, they are in the only towns along the way.
Rest stops are only open for two hours? That's very strange.
New Diggings (25 miles), basic, staffed 7:30am-9:30am
Monroe (66), full, staffed 10:30am-12:30pm
Beloit (104), full, staffed 11:30am-2:30pm
Bohner Lake (155) basic, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Kenosha Finish (175), full, staffed 3pm-9pm
Last edited by rm -rf; 08-04-15 at 08:22 AM.
08-04-15, 09:44 AM
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That quote made my morning.
Others might want to chime in here too, but here are my thoughts.
1. Riding 200 miles is NOT like riding one century, then turning around and riding another one. From the get-go, you're mentally prepared to go further, and that makes a huge difference. Interestingly, a lot of DC riders feel worst at about 130 miles (your last long ride) before they get a second wind).
2. Start as early as possible to give yourself as much time as possible to finish. It also helps to get through some of the miles before the heat and wind start up.
3. If it's hot, you should take take Endurolytes (or something like them) ... especially if you have cramping problems. Tums (calcium) also helps a lot with cramping. The organizers should have both at the rest stops.
4. Eat early and often ... especially if it is hot. Your body can process about 300 calories an hour and you'll be burning closer to 500-700 calories. So beginning as soon as possible, EAT. Build up those glycogen stores before you lose your appetite (likely if it's hot).
5. Take your time. 175 miles in 10 hours of saddle time is a pretty damn good pace, unless you plan to paceline the whole thing.
6. Enjoy yourself! Don't hook on to a group that is pushing the pace faster than you're comfortable with.
7. I dunno if you use chamois butter, but if you do, try DZ Nutz ... really good stuff and worth the $.
Others might want to chime in here too, but here are my thoughts.
1. Riding 200 miles is NOT like riding one century, then turning around and riding another one. From the get-go, you're mentally prepared to go further, and that makes a huge difference. Interestingly, a lot of DC riders feel worst at about 130 miles (your last long ride) before they get a second wind).
2. Start as early as possible to give yourself as much time as possible to finish. It also helps to get through some of the miles before the heat and wind start up.
3. If it's hot, you should take take Endurolytes (or something like them) ... especially if you have cramping problems. Tums (calcium) also helps a lot with cramping. The organizers should have both at the rest stops.
4. Eat early and often ... especially if it is hot. Your body can process about 300 calories an hour and you'll be burning closer to 500-700 calories. So beginning as soon as possible, EAT. Build up those glycogen stores before you lose your appetite (likely if it's hot).
5. Take your time. 175 miles in 10 hours of saddle time is a pretty damn good pace, unless you plan to paceline the whole thing.
6. Enjoy yourself! Don't hook on to a group that is pushing the pace faster than you're comfortable with.
7. I dunno if you use chamois butter, but if you do, try DZ Nutz ... really good stuff and worth the $.
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08-04-15, 10:30 AM
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Look in the long distance/randonneuring forum. There's lots of stuff in there about riding big distances.
As far as training time is concerned, with less than four weeks left all I can suggest is the obvious. Try to get in as many miles as possible until the final week, then back off the miles but retain the intensity until one or two days beforehand. I'd have a couple of days off, or preferably going for gentle spins, before the ride.
Being properly nourished and hydrated at the start is obviously important. On the ride, start eating about one hour in and keep nibbling your way through about 250kcal per hour thereafter. You can't absorb carbs much faster than that, riding at a steady pace most of your fuel will come from fat stores, so there's little point in eating more. Drink, obviously. For a ride of that length it would be wise to include some salts -endurolytes or whatever, as suggested by Biker395.
I'd also echo his advice to start early. This is a long ride, if you do it in 10 hours you're doing very well. Getting a lot of miles under your belt before it gets really hot is a good plan, and having covered more than half the distance before lunchtime is hugely good for the morale. However strong you are, you'll go through some flat patches during which you'll feel bad, doubt your ability to finish, start thinking about how far you have to go. Be prepared for that and remember that you just have to keep turning the pedals until you feel better. You will feel better.
As far as training time is concerned, with less than four weeks left all I can suggest is the obvious. Try to get in as many miles as possible until the final week, then back off the miles but retain the intensity until one or two days beforehand. I'd have a couple of days off, or preferably going for gentle spins, before the ride.
Being properly nourished and hydrated at the start is obviously important. On the ride, start eating about one hour in and keep nibbling your way through about 250kcal per hour thereafter. You can't absorb carbs much faster than that, riding at a steady pace most of your fuel will come from fat stores, so there's little point in eating more. Drink, obviously. For a ride of that length it would be wise to include some salts -endurolytes or whatever, as suggested by Biker395.
I'd also echo his advice to start early. This is a long ride, if you do it in 10 hours you're doing very well. Getting a lot of miles under your belt before it gets really hot is a good plan, and having covered more than half the distance before lunchtime is hugely good for the morale. However strong you are, you'll go through some flat patches during which you'll feel bad, doubt your ability to finish, start thinking about how far you have to go. Be prepared for that and remember that you just have to keep turning the pedals until you feel better. You will feel better.
08-04-15, 10:56 AM
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The terribly hilly part is at the begining (SW Wisconsin) --and it might be plenty of leg sucking rollers. We've done WI roads for 25 years and our classification tends to be: Single letter county roads (County C..) have gentler hills. Double letter county roads can be much hillier (County PF..). and purely named roads (Cleveland Road, Ski Hill Road, etc) can be very steep. It gets a bit easier and more populous as you go east. Hopefully you'll have tail winds on that day. Wind conditions make a huge difference.
Last edited by dbg; 08-04-15 at 11:03 AM.
08-04-15, 11:15 AM
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I have an opportunity to be in Wisconsin on August 29 for the inaugural edition of the Ride Across Wisconsin, a one day, 175 mile route from Dubuque to Kenosha. It's advertised as 6500 feet of climbing, give or take. Seeing as how there are no mountains to be had, and the only real uphill is the first one coming up from the river, I'm guessing there will be an endless series of leg sucking rollers. Rest stops are pretty spread out, at with a couple spaced 40 to 50 miles apart.
My longest ride in recent memory was slightly less than 130 miles, supported, on a very hot day last summer. Even with many stops available, I blew the hydration and nutrition, my feet turned into raging infernos, and I suffered mightily with leg cramps at the finish. That was only 6:45 of saddle time. I'm thinking the RAW will be at least 10.
Topping it off, I spent the better part of July on the trainer, nursing some broken ribs and re-inflating a collapsed lung from a crash in late June. Although I'm at 6500 miles for the year, my outside conditioning feels more like April than August.
I know there are forum members that do double centuries and more pretty routinely. I'd love some advice on how to plan for and execute this--training time left, food, drink, feet, butt and so forth.
My longest ride in recent memory was slightly less than 130 miles, supported, on a very hot day last summer. Even with many stops available, I blew the hydration and nutrition, my feet turned into raging infernos, and I suffered mightily with leg cramps at the finish. That was only 6:45 of saddle time. I'm thinking the RAW will be at least 10.
Topping it off, I spent the better part of July on the trainer, nursing some broken ribs and re-inflating a collapsed lung from a crash in late June. Although I'm at 6500 miles for the year, my outside conditioning feels more like April than August.
I know there are forum members that do double centuries and more pretty routinely. I'd love some advice on how to plan for and execute this--training time left, food, drink, feet, butt and so forth.
If you are on Facebook, the RAW Facebook page has some good info and comments... if you look at the "Posts to page" section. Someone did point out that the rest stops might be a bit to far apart for two water bottles on a warm day, so there was talk about having simple, supplemental stops for fluids... also there should be some stores along the way...
I just returned to riding last Fall after a long long absence... just did my first century in a very long time just over a week ago... Felt pretty good... did it 85% solo... I know 175 is going to be very tough for me, but I think if I pick the right pace and get in a good group, I'll be able to manage... Also, having done 10 hours straight on a spin bike in July for my KoS, has toughened me up mentally!
Before the century ride though, I did pick up some Chamois B'tter (spelling?). In all my years I never used anything... when I mentioned that this time around I was having some issues with my shorts the shop suggested trying the Chamois B'tter. Wow! Worked great! Even after 100 miles!
I'm excited for this ride... also, I'm intimidated as well...
08-04-15, 03:45 PM
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Being properly nourished and hydrated at the start is obviously important. On the ride, start eating about one hour in and keep nibbling your way through about 250kcal per hour thereafter. You can't absorb carbs much faster than that, riding at a steady pace most of your fuel will come from fat stores, so there's little point in eating more. Drink, obviously. For a ride of that length it would be wise to include some salts -endurolytes or whatever, as suggested by Biker395.
The idea is to hydrate with your fluids (and make sure that you get your electrolytes with the fluids). And to get your nutrition from eating. The fluids help to replenish your plasma. If it's hot, you'll be sweating a lot of fluids and electrolytes, and those have to be replaced or your plasma volume goes down. Also, when it is hot, the body will automatically move some of your plasma from your muscles to your heat removal systems (like your skin). That is why you need to be pre-hydrated.
Hydration in late summer is likely to be your biggest issue. Nutrition will likely be the 2nd biggest issue. Take care of those (and practice them in the 3 weeks that you have).
GH
08-05-15, 10:17 AM
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Here are some wind charts for a few places in Wisconsin - more south westerly winds in the western part of the state, more nearly southerly to the east
August prevailing winds in Eau Claire and Madison:
ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/downloads/climate/windrose/wisconsin/eau_claire/eau_claire_aug.gif
ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/download...adison_aug.gif
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