Originally Posted by
Pulse_
Is it a rule to ride as much as possible before an event? Or should I focus my preparation on my general physical condition? I hesitate between focusing 100% on cycling for the 5 next weeks (the event takes place 26/09) and mixing things up with swimming and bodybuilding.
I have powerful lights already
. I use them in the daylight also. My cycling clothes are very bright (neon orange and white) so it should help for the safety in the dark.
Rhetorical question in an attempt for you to see the idea we are conveying to you: Would you ever prepare for a new bodybuilding personal best or something like the 1000 pound club by instead going out and riding a bicycle?
Of course not. So we can't apply the same logic to preparing to ride a bike 200km.
1. Research if the work event has other options than 200km. Usually they have a short, middle, and long distance for such things. Choose the short or the middle. You simply do not have the time to prepare for the 200km and also expect to enjoy doing so. Enjoyment on this venture should factor into the decision making also.
2. Even if trying to throw riding volume at the problem, you have to ramp your increase in volume. Or your body will not be capable of recovering, your progress will stall and possibly revert. By ramp, I mean something like try to ride a total of 6 hours the first week, then 8 the next, then 10 the next, then 12 the next. In the same thought process, taper the time duration per ride. Maybe do two a day earlier instead of all at once. Either way, that's a gross oversimplification of the concept of ramping training stress.
3. Eat at will while you do this. Your body will be fighting to recover adequately if you ignore the advice of maybe backing off of the 200km for a shorter part of the event. So it will need the nutrition.
4. The last person I know of that thought cross training more than riding the bike (or in general doing sport specific work) was that lady who thought she'd do all those Ironmans on her own back to back. She thought she was a crossfit champion who was awesome. She basically forced herself to continue with the triathlon challenge, then got rhabdo and seriously ill. The body rejected the stress.
Good luck.