Distance: To ride or not to ride?

[Rick Sanchez]

Hi Guys

 

I'm quite new to cycling, having only been riding for a year. I'm quite a strong rider, doing a lot of club rides and riding with riding buddies who are a lot stronger than I am, I don't really struggle to keep up. But, because I'm still new to cycling, I am struggling with longer distance rides. No matter what I do in terms of nutrition and supplements, I start cramping near the end of longer rides and races. I rode the Emperors Palace Classic yesterday (my first road race and third race ever) and started cramping badly at about 85km,had to nurse myself to the finish, but still managed 3:00. 

 

So my question, should I stick to the longer distance races and push through the bonking and cramps until I start improving, or should I do the shorter routes until I get stronger and build more endurance over time and then start competing in the longer races?

 

Any advice and/or tips please?

[Sniffie]

I would still do the longer rides, but at a slightly reduced effort in the first hour or two. Much nicer to finish strong.

[rudi-h]

Keep at it. We tend to train shorter distances than we race, and on race day we also push harder... I used to cramp religiously after 2. 5hrs in races until I started doing a few 4 hr training rides. These days I need to remind myself what a cramp feels like. If you train for a 3hr race, do some 3.5+ hour rides and you'll be fine. And with my flame suit on, game and bananas dude, game and bananas.

[Ham]

Go long. It gets better.

[DJpak]

If u do 130km one or twice, u will feel 100km is not that long anymore

 

Do some long rides so thay ur body can remember it

[Eddy Gordo]

yeah longer rides will definitely do. Also try some rennies when you cramp up

[velomonatiCT]

train the distances you plan on racing (you can intersperse it with short high intensity sessions)

run thru your nutrition and hydration as you would on a race day

adapt and try new combinations of nutrition hydration and equipment (and setup)before you are actually racing

find what works for you before you race the distance

get some advice from a coach if you are serious or just read a coaching manual to get advice on nutrition and hydration regimes don't just buy a bunch of sugary junk and randomly consume it (not implying you are stupid but lots of this 'sport' stuff is just junk)

 

pay attention to how you eat and hydrate before you ride

 

train more

ride further

as you get harder all the little problems disappear ..

[TALUS]

Keep at it. Learning how to pace yourself only come with experience.

[GoLefty!!]

you either need to train at a higher intensity in the week or you need to pace yourself better in the long rides.

Either way there is no substitute for long slow steady distance

[Rick Sanchez]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Will definitely keep at it and start racing more and train for longer distances.  Really want to start getting into racing 

[Squier]

IMHO you're struggling because you don't have a proper base. You're strong enough to keep up but you are not fit enough to sustain your effort. Go and read up about aerobic versus anaerobic training. You need to have a proper aerobic base before you will be able to sustain prolonged anaerobic efforts. 

 

Most structured training plans start with a base phase, where the focus is on long slow distance. You are essentially conditioning your body to be able to be fit enough to do 100km (or more) rides, even if it is at a low intensity. Later in the plan you will start to build in some more intensity where the focus will be on making you stronger and faster.

 

Doing shorter distances now will make you faster over short distances. From your post I'm assuming that this is not what you want.

[Rick Sanchez]

IMHO you're struggling because you don't have a proper base. You're strong enough to keep up but you are not fit enough to sustain your effort. Go and read up about aerobic versus anaerobic training. You need to have a proper aerobic base before you will be able to sustain prolonged anaerobic efforts. 

 

Most structured training plans start with a base phase, where the focus is on long slow distance. You are essentially conditioning your body to be able to be fit enough to do 100km (or more) rides, even if it is at a low intensity. Later in the plan you will start to build in some more intensity where the focus will be on making you stronger and faster.

 

Doing shorter distances now will make you faster over short distances. From your post I'm assuming that this is not what you want.

This answers my question perfectly, thank you. I guess the main issue is that I am not sure as to how I should be training. I'm struggling to find a training plan at the moment, any help in this regard?

[MaxUmis]

This answers my question perfectly, thank you. I guess the main issue is that I am not sure as to how I should be training. I'm struggling to find a training plan at the moment, any help in this regard?

Most training plans will roughly end up as follows:

Tuesdays: 50 - 60 minute intense. (most likely 3 minute intervals with 2 minutes rests)

Thursdays: 60 - 80 minute strength. (most likely hill reps)

Saturdays: 4 - 5 hour EASY rides (if you have a heart rate monitor you'll want to aim for an average heart rate in the deep zone 2)

Sundays: 2 - 3 hour EASY ride.

 

Also typically you'd want to work in an "easy/rest" week after every 2 or 3 week cycle.

[Squier]

This answers my question perfectly, thank you. I guess the main issue is that I am not sure as to how I should be training. I'm struggling to find a training plan at the moment, any help in this regard?

 

A structured training plan will guide you through different mesocycles where each cycle will focus on building your fitness in a different way.

 

Have a look at www.fittrack.co.za . I believe they have some free plans available.

 

Even if you don't want to follow a structured plan, in order to do longer rides you need to train for longer rides.

[Rick Sanchez]

Most training plans will roughly end up as follows:

Tuesdays: 50 - 60 minute intense. (most likely 3 minute intervals with 2 minutes rests)

Thursdays: 60 - 80 minute strength. (most likely hill reps)

Saturdays: 4 - 5 hour EASY rides (if you have a heart rate monitor you'll want to aim for an average heart rate in the deep zone 2)

Sundays: 2 - 3 hour EASY ride.

 

Also typically you'd want to work in an "easy/rest" week after every 2 or 3 week cycle.

Would this then suffice as base training?

[MaxUmis]

Would this then suffice as base training?

I wouldn't call it base training, but I will say that if you stick to the above for 7 weeks (3 weeks on, 1 week easy, 3 weeks on) that you could then say that you have a solid base. I'd also risk saying that if you then manage your effort in a sub 3 hour race cramping shouldn't be a problem for you any more.