80km Cycle with little preparation

SantryRed

Hi all,

I'm currently trying to convince a friend of mine to do the 80km Tour de Picnic next Friday, so that we go to Electric Picnic whilst making money for charity in the process.

He would not be the fittest, bar an hour 5 a-side each week. He took my road bike today to see how a test spin would go to work (which is 20km each way), and he came home absolutely wrecked. Two key points to note though is 1. he didn't know how to go down a gear for the majority of the journey, and ascented around 80-100m in top gear before working it out and was only 2-3km from work at this point and 2. He had not carbed up for the return journey especially.

His main gripes when home where that his legs began to cease up (i'd argue this is due to the high gears in the morning cycle and that he only had a banana for fuel on the way home) and that his arse was killing him (overcome by one more ride I think, he has padded shorts).



I'd do 25-40km spins once or twice a fortnight, so I know I've the fitness for it, but am I kidding myself trying to convince him of it? It's not the toughest route going and there's two stops during it. Route is roughly the below:

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/Tallaght+Stadium,+Whitestown+Way,+Dublin+24/Stradbally,+Co.+Laois/@53.0674464,-6.72216,11z/data=!4m34!4m33!1m25!1m1!1s0x48670b53e833c23d:0x460fe90bfc221fcc!2m2!1d-6.374355!2d53.284036!3m4!1m2!1d-6.6157336!2d53.1331392!3s0x4867839ce6bcb33f:0x8b0b7c2b9d89ca30!3m4!1m2!1d-6.802796!2d53.0554214!3s0x485d7d10a0e97981:0x32105fe6e5f641b7!3m4!1m2!1d-6.8450709!2d52.9985129!3s0x485d63680c8baf13:0x9a4688d3ece362ff!3m4!1m2!1d-6.9810513!2d52.9944424!3s0x485d6ff305f72f93:0x3c4dfb089723e9f5!1m5!1m1!1s0x485d72881b2435cd:0xa00c7a99731d0a0!2m2!1d-7.1494717!2d53.0157983!3e1

Would he be able to do it, if done at a slow pace? I honestly think it's completely doable considering we'd be in a big group and the adrenaline would also be pumping. I know there's a bitch of a climb at the beginning of it, but it's all down hill from there, when you would be getting more tired! Even if it took six hours, you're looking at a pace of 15km/h.

stecleary

He's already done half if it. A few more days of that and he'll be grand

kuro_man

Six hours on a bike with a sore rear is a long time. I still remember what its like and I wouldn't do it. Increases the risk of injury too.

quozl

He won't enjoy electric picnic with a hole in his arse.

Which is a real possibility if he has so little cycling experience and then does 80km.

tommy_tucker

my friend , who wouldn't be that fit, plays a bit of 5 a side, cycled 133km last year on barely any training, i think he did one 20k cycle as training.

jon1981

A couple of things, it was kinda windy the last few days so that wouldn't help. Also did he eat enough food? Doing a 40km round trip to work is a fair effort and you'd want to be eating more than you normally would to ensure you are getting the energy you need. If you have a relatively alright level of fitness 80km should be fine, you'll get through it even if you do have a sore bum after it.

The Noble Nudge

Does he want to cycle it? If the answer is yes 80km sounds far but its not.
My buddy did the Ring of Kerry 170km... 2 spins beforehand one 20km and one 50km all in the two weeks leading up to it, He is a smoker and loved it but he was determined to do it.
Sore hole and didnt do it as quick as the rest of us but he was delighted.
Another lad I know ran a marathon in under 4 hours decided to train 6 weeks beforehand...but he wanted to run it.

SantryRed

The 20km cycle each way that he did yday has scared him off massively, even though he didn't prepare right for it. He was up for it before but not so much now :pac:

jon1981

SantryRed wrote: »

The 20km cycle each way that he did yday has scared him off massively, even though he didn't prepare right for it. He was up for it before but not so much now :pac:

Direct him here for some encouragement ...

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#5

monkeyslayer

tell him to suck it up and just do it, nothing 'a few' drinks wont sort out after

petethedrummer

Don't bother trying to convince him. Have a laugh with the people you meet on the trip.

You go yourself: 100% chance of enjoyment.
You drag him along: 50% chance of trip being ruined by moany git.

jon1981

Do convince him, he will feel great after doing it. It's a nice personal achievement . You should get out with him and coach him into it. Also mentally break the cycle down for him in to say 4 20km routes, a coffee break after 40km ( you mentioned there are planned breaks so add more if you think it will help him). Also the buzz of the group will carry him through as it will take his mind off the distance.

The route doesn't look that hilly which is good thing to remind him. The only kicker is the wind, I think we are normally prone to South Westerlies? So you might (certainly) be cycling into wind for a good portion of it if you're unlucky enough for them to be strong.

Alanstrainor

It's also worth noting the significant advantage to travelling in a group. Sit in behind the stronger in the group and he'll be coasting the whole way there.

Bloggsie

get him a pair of padded shorts & some energy gels.

OleRodrigo

Just tell him to get on with it. 80km with no hills shouldnt be hard for anyone, if going slow. He'll have the weekend to recover.

OldBean

If he doesn't want to do it, save the ride for yourself. He'll complain on the way, at the festival, and on the way back if it's not his bag. And it will be all your fault. If I were in your shoes, I'd not bring it up again unless he does, in which case, game on.

Bigus

Just tell him it's only 49 miles

SantryRed

Thanks everyone for the help. Fortunately, I've managed to find a ticket for him to take so that he can meet me down there via bus :pac:

I'll be doing the 80km cycle alone now! Will stock up on the gels for myself but I'm reasonably confident I should be ok. Should be a bit of fun too!

mahoganygas

I seen a lad in the campsite on the Saturday after doing the cycle the day before.

He was in an absolute heap and couldn't stand straight without his legs shaking.
When he arrived on Friday he went straight on the sauce. No food. Dancing till 4am then slept outside his tent.

He had to spend most of Saturday lying in his tent and completely regretted the cycle. He felt pressured into it because all his mates were cyclists.

PaulieC

mahoganygas wrote: »

I seen a lad in the campsite on the Saturday after doing the cycle the day before.

He was in an absolute heap and couldn't stand straight without his legs shaking.
When he arrived on Friday he went straight on the sauce. No food. Dancing till 4am then slept outside his tent.

He had to spend most of Saturday lying in his tent and completely regretted the cycle. He felt pressured into it because all his mates were cyclists.

And all he regretted was the cycle ?

petethedrummer

SantryRed wrote: »

Will stock up on the gels for myself

You don't need gels and if they don't agree with your stomach you may have a trouser accident. Bring a can of coke or some jelly sweets for emergency.

ford2600

PaulieC wrote: »

And all he regretted was the cycle ?

The cycle and a dodgy burger on way back to tent forecourt, nothing to do with the 16 cans of heineken, 500ml vodka with red bull and the line or three of coke or the strees/effort involved in the unsuccessful attempts to find a soul mate

petethedrummer

You wanna take your dancing pills BEFORE the cycle. You'll be down in no time.

The Noble Nudge

All the picnickers just passed me there....
(I was walking I might add)

Best of luck to you all and safe passage.

The Noble Nudge

Man down on the Tallaght border 😄😄

Bloggsie

mahoganygas wrote: »

I seen a lad in the campsite on the Saturday after doing the cycle the day before.

He was in an absolute heap and couldn't stand straight without his legs shaking.
When he arrived on Friday he went straight on the sauce. No food. Dancing till 4am then slept outside his tent.

He had to spend most of Saturday lying in his tent and completely regretted the cycle. He felt pressured into it because all his mates were cyclists.

" a big boy made me do it"