When Do you kick it up a gear ?

[Stewart69uk]

Been to 4 25km races in the last month and have enjoyed them hugely each time getting a bit faster,

had a great race at the sthil umko classic yeserday coming in at 1h 22 mins for the 25km

When do you think you'll be ready for the bigger races..

Is it a matter of just jumping in and doing it, how much harder do you need to train ?

are you ever ready for the bigger ones ?

[Wyatt Earp]

Don't just jump in to it.

[divernick]

If you can average over 15km/h in a 25km race, you're ready for the 40km. Just take the first one easy so that you can see how your body reacts.

 

You should also aim to do training rides of more or less race distance....

[Red Zone]

Just get stuck in, you probably don't need to train that much harder if you pace yourself, the biggest issue is that you need to start paying attention to nutrition over the longer distances, with 25 km you can just muddle through on a bottle of water.

[HDW]

Just get stuck in, you probably don't need to train that much harder if you pace yourself, the biggest issue is that you need to start paying attention to nutrition over the longer distances, with 25 km you can just muddle through on a bottle of water.

 

Agree . Nutrition is where the difference is at

[Stewart69uk]

Thats what i thought so have booked my self in to do a few 40km+ events

Starting on the 13/10 with Van Reenen "Over the Edge & Back" MTB Challenge

 

When you say nutrition do you mean halfway thru have a power bar or banana something with carbs to keep the energy up

[Mr SingleTrack]

a few years back I did just that, I jumped from the 30km races to a 60km (Vori-berg) race. lol, I think the last 10 km of that race took me more than an hour. Needless to say, even though i physically finished the race, I had a ugly DNQ next to my name on the results sheet

 

 

However, I just stuck to it and nowadays my legs only feel warmed up after 50km

[SwissVan]

Thats what i thought so have booked my self in to do a few 40km+ events

Starting on the 13/10 with Van Reenen "Over the Edge & Back" MTB Challenge

 

When you say nutrition do you mean halfway thru have a power bar or banana something with carbs to keep the energy up

 

Yes carbs, for distances like 40k prefrably stick to liquids energy drinks as they are absorbed quicker than food.

 

Do a few 40 k rides in training with the energy drinks first

Edited September 3, 2012 by SwissVan

[divernick]

For 40km:

 

I eat a decent breakfast before a race, bowl of cereal, some toast with cheese and bacon and a banana or 2.

 

At 15-25km in I eat a couple of jungle oats bars. I have water in the camelback and Energade or Game in a bottle and sip throughout the race.

 

That's what works for me.

[Red Zone]

Thats what i thought so have booked my self in to do a few 40km+ events

Starting on the 13/10 with Van Reenen "Over the Edge & Back" MTB Challenge

 

When you say nutrition do you mean halfway thru have a power bar or banana something with carbs to keep the energy up

I find that I need to start eating at an hour and a half (chomp a whole bar or most of a bar) and then top up regularly from there with a gel. If I dont eat at 1:30 I will start bonking at 2:00. Anything under 50 km I will do with just water longer than than I need to take an energy drink

[Wyatt Earp]

Thats what i thought so have booked my self in to do a few 40km+ events

Starting on the 13/10 with Van Reenen "Over the Edge & Back" MTB Challenge

 

When you say nutrition do you mean halfway thru have a power bar or banana something with carbs to keep the energy up

 

Carbs is a highly overrated nutrient.

You need to eat protein to metabolize the carbs.

A good electrolytic drink so you don't loose too much salt.

[Milkman]

Whatever your next distance is , try and do a few training rides before the time of similar or longer distance .

[Smolly]

Biltong and drywors!

[Smolly]

And plenty liquids!

[divernick]

And plenty liquids!

 

Beer is liquid.....

[rouxtjie]

gooi mielies....just do it