ROK Training advice

slow pedelar

Hi all,
I recently signed up to do the ROK and am receiving alot of conflicting training advice. Currently on a 30k spin I average 28km/hr and on an 80k I average 25ish. Some people are telling me 100k is enough to have done before the event but I would have thought you would need to be used to longer days in the saddle than 100k.

Other people are telling me work up to having 150k done a few weeks beforehand and taper down. It will be my first event longer than 100k and just want to make sure I'm prepared.
Thanks

timmy_mallet

Suppose it depends on what you want to achieve on the day. If it's just to make it around, then work up to about about 80% effort for 85-100km 2 weeks before the event (that means you should be struggling at times, breathing hard, feeling tired (not exhausted) after), and on the day, don't bust yer gut, and you'll be absolutely fine. Keep yerself hydrated and fed on the way around. 
Don't think you'd need to do more than that in the saddle, you'll be surprised how fresh you'll feel if you're nutrition is fine and you haven't exerted yourself too much

lukegjpotter

The benefit of completing a 150km spin is to get your body used to holding the position for that amount of time.

Will your hands get numb, neck get unbearably sore?
Will your hamstrings stop dissipating lactic acid after 120km?
Building up your crotch's resistance to going numb is a good idea to prevent Saddle Sores.

Nothing really beats Time in the Saddle.

07Lapierre

lukegjpotter wrote: »

The benefit of completing a 150km spin is to get your body used to holding the position for that amount of time.

Will your hands get numb, neck get unbearably sore?
Will your hamstrings stop dissipating lactic acid after 120km?
Building up your crotch's resistance to going numb is a good idea to prevent Saddle Sores.

Nothing really beats Time in the Saddle.

+1 OP, sounds like your fitness is fine...just concentrate on endurance.The ROK is 8 hours in the saddle. You need to get your body used to that.

py

By the looks of the route profile, the climbs come later in the cycle so try and mimic that in your training. There's no point in climbing when fresh in training but doing so fatigued in the actual event. Do 50-75Km in training and then hit the climbs.

mh_cork

If you are comfortable doing 80k in March, you're doing fine!

As one of the other posters said, it depends on what you want to get out of the day. If you just want to get round, then if you can manage to get up to 100-120k a few weeks before, then you will get by on the day. You dont need to "get your body used to it", its a single day and the excitement of the day will get you through.

Get out and train regularly. Its better to do three 50k spins in a week than only go out once and do 150k and feel shattered.

jon1981

Practice queuing to improve your patience ... you'll be doing alot of it

on_the_nickel

lukegjpotter wrote: »

The benefit of completing a 150km spin is to get your body used to holding the position for that amount of time.

Will your hands get numb, neck get unbearably sore?
Will your hamstrings stop dissipating lactic acid after 120km?
Building up your crotch's resistance to going numb is a good idea to prevent Saddle Sores.

Nothing really beats Time in the Saddle.

Golden rule: TITS, TITS and more TITS.

Spudgun

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Golden rule: TITS, TITS and more TITS.

:D:D
I did it for the first time last year and I'd only ever done 100k once and I only struggled at Molls Gap. Its not like its 175k in one go take lots of brakes if you need them. Enjoy the scenery and enjoy yourself you will be fine

nialljf

Some good advice here: http://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/coaching-prepare-perform-target-sportive/