Three weeks. 3,000kms.

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 12:35pm #1

The past nine months has seen very little cycling for me. We had a baby and I've started a new business. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had probably cycled my bike four times since the baby was born at the end of August. Anyway, the wife and son have headed off to Poland for three weeks so I've set myself the above target.

Yesterday was the first day.

Morning ride: 31.1kms. Average speed 25.3kms/per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/130138395

Evening ride: 73.6kms. Average speed 25.2kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/130300397

Daily total: 104.7kms.
Remaining to target: 2895.3kms.

It hurts.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 15-04-2014 12:44pm

You have to average over 150km every day to reach your target.

Taking an average conservative speed of 25kmph you'll be spending approximately 6 hours every day in the saddle and allowing for getting ready, stopping for a bite to eat and changing/showering afterwards you'll be dedicating 7-8hrs a day to the task. Are you training for something or why such a high target?

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 1:39pm

CJC999 wrote: »

You have to average over 150km every day to reach your target.

Taking an average conservative speed of 25kmph you'll be spending approximately 6 hours every day in the saddle and allowing for getting ready, stopping for a bite to eat and changing/showering afterwards you'll be dedicating 7-8hrs a day to the task. Are you training for something or why such a high target?

Your maths is slightly off there. 3,000kms in three weeks is 143kms per day average. Not over 150kms!

Getting ready takes 5 minutes each time. I don't stop to eat when I am on the bike unless I am doing a long cycle (greater than four hours). Even then, it would only be a short stop for a quick refuel (I did the Milan San Remo route last year in 9 hrs 4 mins with 15 mins on top of that for food/drink stops). I can go a long while on the bike without the need to refuel.

25kms is probably a bit low for the total average speed for me also. At my "peak" I would be close to 30kms average and hope to get close to that soon enough. Yesterday, I averaged 25.3 for the morning ride and 25.2 for the evening ride. This morning's was 27.3.

Some days will be longer in the saddle, for instance, this Friday will be in and around 200kms which balances out the daily averages required.

I have too much lost conditioning and wan't to get it back asap. Orwell Randonee in May, trip to the Dolomites in July (4,190m of climbing in one day) and I want to do some open races this year also as I have missed too many already to date.

ford2600 · 15-04-2014 1:43pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

The past nine months has seen very little cycling for me. We had a baby and I've started a new business. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had probably cycled my bike four times since the baby was born at the end of August. Anyway, the wife and son have headed off to Poland for three weeks so I've set myself the above target.

Yesterday was the first day.

Morning ride: 31.1kms. Average speed 25.3kms/per hour.
Evening ride: 73.6kms. Average speed 25.2kms per hour.
Daily total: 104.7kms.
Remaining to target: 2895.3kms.

It hurts.

Good stuff. Best of luck with it.

Carlingford Audax on within 3 week period and Mayo Quite man also

Inquitus · 15-04-2014 2:27pm

I am heading over to Howth to do some hill repeats with Paul Price tonight if you are interested, leaving Swords @ 6.20pm and good for about 70-80km (you get a bonus 10-15km on top)

Oh and best of luck you mad bastard

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 5:17pm

Inquitus wrote: »

I am heading over to Howth to do some hill repeats with Paul Price tonight if you are interested, leaving Swords @ 6.20pm and good for about 70-80km (you get a bonus 10-15km on top)

Oh and best of luck you mad bastard

I'm going to stay NCD / Meath this evening. Thanks for the offer.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 15-04-2014 5:28pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Your maths is slightly off there. 3,000kms in three weeks is 143kms per day average. Not over 150kms!

Sorry I was just rounding up slightly because your not going to stop at 143km each day and will probably go over the target distance to achieve your goal and some.

thebouldwhacker · 15-04-2014 8:57pm

I'm interested in your reports to hear how your body ( and bike) respond to this. Great timing with the weather, stay away from the hill repeats! Good luck!

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 9:03pm

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

I'm interested in your reports to hear how your body ( and bike) respond to this. Great timing with the weather, stay away from the hill repeats! Good luck!

I'll post the Strava links so there is complete transparency!

thebouldwhacker · 15-04-2014 9:13pm

Like Kelly said, that doesn't measure suffering, saddle sores and creaky bearings is what I want to know about!!

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 9:22pm

Day two:

Morning ride: 29.7kms. Average speed 27.3kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/130454802

Evening ride: 74.2kms. Average speed 25.2kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/130632774

Daily total: 103.9kms.

Remaining to target: 2,791.4kms.

I had a good first hour on the evening ride where my average was up around 28kms/hour but suffered from not having any dinner before hand from km 40 - km 50 which brought the average right down and I was just spinning slowly in the small ring. I got it back up somewhat after a refuel in Santry for the rest of the journey home.

I'm not bothered with the average speed yet as this will come back with the kms.

Thebouldwhacker will be pleased to know the I'm fairly certain the BB on my training bike is fast approaching retirement.

detones · 15-04-2014 11:15pm

Best of luck with this LD. It's a very ambitious target for 3weeks. Nearly Akin to completing a grand tour!! I think I've done a fair bit this year and have only done around 2300k. There are lads I follow on Strava racing and competing well who have done less than 3000k this year too. I'm no expert by any means but would a bit of structured training not be more beneficial and enjoyable than killing yourself trying to achieve such a high mileage target.

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 11:35pm

detones wrote: »

Best of luck with this LD. It's a very ambitious target for 3weeks. Nearly Akin to completing a grand tour!! I think I've done a fair bit this year and have only done around 2300k. There are lads I follow on Strava racing and competing well who have done less than 3000k this year too. I'm no expert by any means but would a bit of structured training not be more beneficial and enjoyable than killing yourself trying to achieve such a high mileage target.

I'd normally be hitting 5k per year myself including racing. I don't like structured training. It's not very French!

Lusk_Doyle · 15-04-2014 11:39pm

CJC999 wrote: »

Sorry I was just rounding up slightly because your not going to stop at 143km each day and will probably go over the target distance to achieve your goal and some.

3,000 is more than enough to be aiming for!

pprendeville · 16-04-2014 7:21am

Good luck with this Lusk. I think you're well able for the mileage but be careful going around corners.

Lusk_Doyle · 16-04-2014 9:19pm

Day three:

Morning ride: 36.1kms. Average speed 25.3kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/130755897

Evening ride: 64.4kms. Average speed 25.5kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/130960096

Daily total: 100.5kms.

Remaining to target: 2,690.9kms.

The evening spin included joining the introduction spin for new McNally Swords CC members and included a little bit of standing around and talking which meant that I didn't get to do as much distance as I had intended.

Feeling good but finding that I run out of steam on the uphills easily enough.

Tomorrow is another day!

G rock · 17-04-2014 9:34pm

Similar position myself, first kid last september, been on bike less than ten times since.

by the middle of march last year I had over 3k done, I'd say I'd be doing well to get that done in total this year, so your thread is fairly inspiring!

Will be following with interest!

Lusk_Doyle · 17-04-2014 9:39pm

Day Four:

Morning ride: 31.5kms. Average speed 26.1kms.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/131091177

Evening ride: 66.7kms. Average speed 27.8kms.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/131268064

Daily total: 98.2kms.

Remaining to target: 2,592.7kms.

I was under time pressure on the evening ride as I had to get out to see a client at 8:30 so 66.7kms was the most I could squeeze in before I had to get back and get ready.

Bottom bracket replaced in training bike. Discovered a strange, intermittent knocking soiound on the race bike which I now have to go and investigate and slap a 27 on for tomorrow.

Wicklow beckons...

killalanerr · 18-04-2014 12:09pm

best off luck whit this Ya mad yoke. Ill be i touch about keeping you company for a few km next week. You can help me with my rehab

Lusk_Doyle · 18-04-2014 6:05pm

killalanerr wrote: »

best off luck whit this Ya mad yoke. Ill be i touch about keeping you company for a few km next week. You can help me with my rehab

Cool. Will do!

Lusk_Doyle · 18-04-2014 6:06pm

Day five.

Day long ride: 220.6kms. Average speed 25.2kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/131560557

Remaining to target: 2,372.1kms.

Bed time.

Oh, and top 8 on one of the Wicklow climbs! How, I have no idea other than it must not get climbed often!

wirelessdude01 · 21-04-2014 7:36pm

Did this attempt die a death?

Lusk_Doyle · 21-04-2014 11:03pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Did this attempt die a death?

Nope. Laptop battery did though so no uploads to Strava! I'll update tomorrow if I can get out of the bed. 140kms in Wicklow this afternoon!

Lusk_Doyle · 22-04-2014 8:31am

Days six and seven were more of less rest days after the exertions of day five's epic adventure.

Day six: 54.7kms. Average speed 25.6kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/131814273

Day seven: 21.4kms. Average speed 24.7kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/132895083

Weekly total: 704kms.

Remaining to target: 2,296kms.

I was a little disappointed in that I had hoped to get to at least 800kms for the first week. This was offset by getting the 220kms spin completed and not being totally destroyed by it. I genuinely didn't think that I was at that level yet.

Lusk_Doyle · 22-04-2014 8:34am

Day eight was another trip to Wicklow with my brother. We drove to South Dublin and spent the next 6 hours winding our way around Wicklow in glorious weather and on extremely quite roads.

Day eight: 138.8kms. Average speed: 23.1kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/132895129

Saw a few other boardsies on my way also.

I did suffer on this a bit as he is a good bit faster than me currently. I dug deep and got through it though.

Remaining to target: 2,157.2kms.

smacl · 22-04-2014 8:47am

Fair play. Not quite the course I'd be choosing if I was targeting maximum distance though, you'd probably get a flat 200k in for way less effort!

Lusk_Doyle · 22-04-2014 8:51am

smacl wrote: »

Fair play. Not quite the course I'd be choosing if I was targeting maximum distance though, you'd probably get a flat 200k in for way less effort!

Sure that would be too easy!

Lusk_Doyle · 22-04-2014 8:18pm

Day nine.

I took a rest this morning to give the body a little additional time to recover after the last trip to Wicklow the previous day.

Evening spin: 59.8kms. Average speed 29kms per hour.

Data: http://www.strava.com/activities/133062237

Remaining to target: 2,097.4kms.

Tomorrow should see this dip a good bit below 2,000kms. The past few spins have been very enjoyable in comparison to the first few which were hard. My legs are really improving quickly as is my power to keep efforts going. Today, I averaged 30kph for the first hour and 10 mins which was nice and I wasn't in the red at any stage.

I'm realising that this task that I have set myself is more about the fun of the actual challenge rather than the stated end goal. I still want to achieve the goal but it's not the be all and end all of it.

Raam · 22-04-2014 8:40pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

I'm realising that this task that I have set myself is more about the fun of the actual challenge rather than the stated end goal. I still want to achieve the goal but it's not the be all and end all of it.

No welching on us, you poofter.

Lusk_Doyle · 22-04-2014 8:53pm

Raam wrote: »

No welching on us, you poofter.

No intention to.

wirelessdude01 · 22-04-2014 8:57pm

Raam wrote: »

No welching on us, you poofter.

:eek:

Three weeks. 3,000kms.

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