is this a completely stoopid idea?
 

Since the Bike Events brochure came in the post, I've been thinking
about doing the Manchester 100 ride in September.

I'm a very overweight 30-something who mainly uses her bike for
pootling to the shops and such. The furthest I usually ride is about
5 miles. Oh and my bike is crap (tho there is a possibility I might
be getting a shiny new one in July).

How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
by September? Obviously I'd need to train/practice, can any suggest
how much and how often?

ta

Audrey

audrey writes:

Since the Bike Events brochure came in the post, I've been thinking
about doing the Manchester 100 ride in September.

I'm a very overweight 30-something who mainly uses her bike for
pootling to the shops and such. The furthest I usually ride is about
5 miles. Oh and my bike is crap (tho there is a possibility I might
be getting a shiny new one in July).

How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
by September?

In February last year, I was a very overweight 30-something who
struggled to do five miles on his first trip on a bike in years. In
June, I did 52 miles. If I'd gone out a little more often, I think I
could have done a metric century last year.

So. Eminently realistic, I reckon.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
But on the other side, It didn't say nothing.
That side was made for you and me.

audrey wrote:
Since the Bike Events brochure came in the post, I've been thinking
about doing the Manchester 100 ride in September.

I'm a very overweight 30-something who mainly uses her bike for
pootling to the shops and such. The furthest I usually ride is about
5 miles. Oh and my bike is crap (tho there is a possibility I might
be getting a shiny new one in July).

How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
by September? Obviously I'd need to train/practice, can any suggest
how much and how often?

ta

Audrey

Make sure the Manc 100 is 100km, not 100 miles. I have not seen the
brochure this year, are they running two events ?

If you don't set yourself a target you WILL NOT achieve it. I think its
realistic, there are books on long distance cycling that tell you how
to train for such things. Basically increase you mileage by 10% per
week with some easier weeks. You need some commitment and you need to
organise your life so you can have say Saturday or Sunday for cycling.
It is very easy to find excuses though. 100km is not such an enormous
feat to be impossible and its challenging enough to be worthwhile. GO
FOR IT, you'll feel good as you get fitter and motivation will come
easily, cycling is addictive.

audrey wrote:

: How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
: by September? Obviously I'd need to train/practice, can any suggest
: how much and how often?

Feasible to do 100k if you start now, and commit time to it. You'll
need to build up to doing one (or better two) rides during the week
(say an hour, hour and a half each) + two rides at the weekend including
one longer one.

Obviously that starts to be a time commitement, but if you can give
the time I don't see why you can't work up to it.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

audrey wrote:
Since the Bike Events brochure came in the post, I've been thinking
about doing the Manchester 100 ride in September.

I'm a very overweight 30-something who mainly uses her bike for
pootling to the shops and such. The furthest I usually ride is about
5 miles. Oh and my bike is crap (tho there is a possibility I might
be getting a shiny new one in July).

How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
by September?

Highly realistic, almost 100% chance of success.

I've known people who haven't cycled at all for years who went on to
complete charity rides of similar distances after just a couple of months
of "training", on cheap mountain bikes. The training just consisted of 1
to 3 ten mile rides a week, then a 30ish mile ride nearer the event.

Obviously I'd need to train/practice, can any suggest
how much and how often?

See MSeries's advice.

~PB

audrey wrote:
Since the Bike Events brochure came in the post, I've been thinking
about doing the Manchester 100 ride in September.

I'm a very overweight 30-something who mainly uses her bike for
pootling to the shops and such. The furthest I usually ride is about
5 miles. Oh and my bike is crap (tho there is a possibility I might
be getting a shiny new one in July).

How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
by September? Obviously I'd need to train/practice, can any suggest
how much and how often?

It's a very good idea, not stoopid at all. Build up your mileage
gradually and it is perfectly feasible. If you can get to the point
where you can do a 40 mile ride without feeling exhausted you'll find
an organised event of 60-and-a-bit miles is well within your compass.

Lots of good advice already in this thread. Go for it!

--
Dave...

On 2 Mar 2005 02:25:14 -0800, "MSeries"
wrote:


Make sure the Manc 100 is 100km, not 100 miles. I have not seen the
brochure this year, are they running two events ?

Definitely a 100 mile and a 100k on the same day (100 km-ers take a
short cut at Northwich).

thanks to everyone for the advice, I think you talked me into it.

Like MSeries said, if I don't make a committment I won't do it. But
once I've paid my entrance fee and started getting people to sponsor
me then I have to do it. So, I'm going to go for it.

First stop LBS for cycle computer to find out how far I'm going. Then
I'll start with one 1-1.5 hour ride in the week, same (building up to
longer) at weekend. My family will be getting fit, too, as I expect
some rides will be done en familie. I 'spect I'll be back before long
for advice on comfy saddles for me and for my son's trailer bike!


thanks

audrey wrote:
thanks to everyone for the advice, I think you talked me into it.

Yay!

Like MSeries said, if I don't make a committment I won't do it. But
once I've paid my entrance fee and started getting people to sponsor
me then I have to do it. So, I'm going to go for it.

Tell everyone you know that you're doing it. Pressure, pressure,
pressure. :-)

First stop LBS for cycle computer to find out how far I'm going.

Great, but remember to look ahead too. It's quite easy to get absorbed
by that display and the tweaky buttons.

Good luck!

--
Dave...

Since the Bike Events brochure came in the post, I've been thinking
about doing the Manchester 100 ride in September.

Fantastic. Is it this one? URL:http://www.bike-events.com/m100.htm
Might even see you there.

I'm a very overweight 30-something who mainly uses her bike for
pootling to the shops and such. The furthest I usually ride is about
5 miles.

Looking good...

Oh and my bike is crap (tho there is a possibility I might
be getting a shiny new one in July).

Yay!

How realistic is it that I could be able to cycle 62 miles in one day
by September? Obviously I'd need to train/practice, can any suggest
how much and how often?

Easy job. You already seem to be riding a fair bit - carry on doing that
but up the pace a bit. Maybe ride to places instead of driving or
walking there. You're a lot fitter than you think, and upping the pace
will give you more of a workout, better lungs and really nice legs.

Longer rides would be an idea too. If you've got some countryside near
you then just whizz off round them. If you're local to Manchester,
URL:http://www.bicycledoctor.co.uk/gr_intro.html have a "dawdling" bike
ride that might suit - rides of between 30-50 miles with plenty of cafe
stops. Takes all day so little chance of them going to fast.

Between you and me I suspect you could just hop on the bike and do it
straight off, but it might not be such an enjoyable experience :-)