# Help Me Get to A 300 Mile Day



## Spike Chili

I am 50 years old and have been doing a 24 hour event once a year for the last seven years (the National 24 Hour Challenge in Michigan). I have averaged 223 miles with my best day being 254 miles three years ago. 

Since my second or third year of the event I have thought that I have a 300 mile day in me somewhere so that has been my goal for awhile now. I'm looking for some recommendations on how to bridge the gap this year to get me there. The event is on June 17-18 this year, so its 18 weeks away. I live in southern lower Michigan, so typically I first get on the bike around March 10th or so. Typically, I will try to get about 750 miles of training in before the event. Starting out with two short rides during the work week and a longer ride on the weekends, typically culminating in a century about two weeks before the event.

Part of my problem has been being overweight (I'm 5'10'' and 218 pounds). This year I am planning to get to 200 pounds by event day. I think I will pick up some speed and probably some endurance by dropping 20 pounds.

On my best ride in 2014, I rode 254 miles and was in the saddle for 16 hours and 22 minutes during the 24 hour event.

What recommendations would you have for me as I train for the event this year so I can get to 300 miles?

Thanks!

Spike Chili


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## duriel

Plan on 2018. 
You should have already lost the 20#. You should be on a trainer or spin class 4 days a week. Stop eating junk food. Don't worry about maximum power, work on a steady pace, Z3.


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## velodog

Coach Hughes: Distance Cycling Book: Training, Nutrition, Equipment


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## Spike Chili

Thanks Velodog--I've seen some of Coach Hughes stuff on-line, but you motivated me to order to full book. Looking forward to putting it to good use over the next 18 weeks!


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## duriel

Why didn't u do 300 miles last time? That may hold a secret on what you need to focus on.

The easiest way to make it is just ride another 3 hours. Coffee is your friend.

I guess this is important to you, it would be the last thing I would want to do, can u tell?


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## Spike Chili

duriel said:


> Why didn't u do 300 miles last time? That may hold a secret on what you need to focus on.
> 
> The easiest way to make it is just ride another 3 hours. Coffee is your friend.
> 
> I guess this is important to you, it would be the last thing I would want to do, can u tell?


Last year I finished with 230 miles with about 4 hours left on the clock. The saddle sores got so bad I couldn't go on. That's really the first time in my experience that saddle sores have been a problem though, so I don't focus on it. One of the biggest challenges for me has been the second half of the race. It runs from 8AM Saturday to 8AM Sunday. Beginning at 9PM and on until morning, the participants are on a 7.5 mile loop. It gets pretty monotonous, but my biggest challenge has been the draw of being able to get off my bike and take a break every 7.5 miles. Its a major time waster, but I'm so tired, is hard to avoid. I need to find a way to keep my motivation level high after I've been going for 12-15 hours and I'm tired and sore. Tough to stay motivated when I know my easy chair is available if I want every 30 minutes.


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## duriel

Is the last section on a closed course? I would recommend listening to some upbeat music. If it is on a road, maybe not such a good idea. 
I would probably try and do a century back to back about 4 weeks out or so. I would be worried about training hard close to the event. I am a big believer in 'the taper', but I am quite a bit older than you.
U really need to have your fit dialed in, something very minor ends up being a big deal. But if you have done 230, your fit should be good. 
On long rides I like to change up my position & use aerobars to relieve shoulder/back/hand pain, I would recommend that if it is allowed. I figure it adds about 1-1.5mph depending on your speed. At 16mph it would probably add 2 mph, which over 4 hours would be 8 more miles and no added time.


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## velodog

Spike, maybe contact Welcome to Detroit Randonneurs as you may be able to get some advice from members of the club. You may be familiar with them already, but if not it might be worth your while. They run Brevets up to 600 kilometers and I'm sure that they have members that have a few big rides under their belts.


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## Srode

Doing a 100+ ride every other weekend above your target pace for the 300 will help with the saddle sores probably. Do a 150 mile ride a week or 2 before you peak to build confidence / mental fortitude.

For the power side of the equation - driving your FTP up helps on line rides, because you can pick up your pace and stay aerobic which is an absolute requirement. 2x20 ftp, then VO2 max intervals, then back to 2x20 and then Tempo for sequence of training all plus long rides on the weekend. If you can get your weekly mileage to around 300 before you start your taper that would be great too. 

On your 100+ and the 150 mile ride, test your fueling / hydration plan to make sure it works well for you and adjust as needed. I like to put all my calories in the water bottles, and carry 4 on the bike and don't stop until I have to refill bottles.


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## Spike Chili

duriel said:


> Is the last section on a closed course? I would recommend listening to some upbeat music. If it is on a road, maybe not such a good idea.
> I would probably try and do a century back to back about 4 weeks out or so. I would be worried about training hard close to the event. I am a big believer in 'the taper', but I am quite a bit older than you.
> U really need to have your fit dialed in, something very minor ends up being a big deal. But if you have done 230, your fit should be good.
> On long rides I like to change up my position & use aerobars to relieve shoulder/back/hand pain, I would recommend that if it is allowed. I figure it adds about 1
> 
> 
> Duriel,
> 
> That's good advice. The 7.5 mile night loop is on open road out in the country, but with police on the corners who keep all but people who live on the course off from the course. I might have to give some music a try. We can't wear headphones (nor would I want to, so I would have to rig up some small speakers, but it can be done). I think I might try adding some caffeine too to try to add some pep.


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## Spike Chili

Thanks 'Dog. Will give them a try. :thumbsup:





velodog said:


> Spike, maybe contact Welcome to Detroit Randonneurs as you may be able to get some advice from members of the club. You may be familiar with them already, but if not it might be worth your while. They run Brevets up to 600 kilometers and I'm sure that they have members that have a few big rides under their belts.


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## duriel

Spike Chili said:


> I might have to give some music a try.


Get a recording of Deep Purple - MachineHead.... but don't use it till you think u are done. Cause when you are finished with that one, you are ready to crash and burn!


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## blackfrancois

link assist.


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## kiwisimon

Another thing to do is try and find someone who has done the 300 miler previously and use them to pace you. even if they stop when you don't want to or you stop when they don't you'll be able to pick up another person going at the same pace. Stopping after every lap is a mental thing, again, pace yourself with someone that isn't stopping. How much time are you spending off the bike over the 24hrs?


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## velodog

Stop every 4th lap not every lap. Four laps being 30 miles, no matter how bad you feel you'll only have 30 miles or less to ride and you can get off the bike.

Maybe if you need a break before the 30 miles, stop on the road and not by your "easy chair". If you don't get too comfortable and your ride home isn't there it may be easier to motivate yourself back on the bike.


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## Spike Chili

kiwisimon said:


> Another thing to do is try and find someone who has done the 300 miler previously and use them to pace you. even if they stop when you don't want to or you stop when they don't you'll be able to pick up another person going at the same pace. Stopping after every lap is a mental thing, again, pace yourself with someone that isn't stopping. How much time are you spending off the bike over the 24hrs?


I think on my best day, I was probably off the bike a little less than 7 hours in the 24. Probably about 4 hours of that 7 is from midnight to 8 AM.


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## Spike Chili

velodog said:


> Stop every 4th lap not every lap. Four laps being 30 miles, no matter how bad you feel you'll only have 30 miles or less to ride and you can get off the bike.
> 
> Maybe if you need a break before the 30 miles, stop on the road and not by your "easy chair". If you don't get too comfortable and your ride home isn't there it may be easier to motivate yourself back on the bike.


That would be good for me to build into my ride plan and "get my mind right" about it before the event!


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## crit_boy

You could do TOSRV. It is 105 miles on Saturday (columbus, oh, to portsmouth) and 105 back on sunday. It is the weekend after mother's day. 

I am planning on riding it for back to back centuries b/f a 200 mile race.


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## kiwisimon

that (6 hours +-) 25% of the day, is that because you are uncomfortable on the bike or you take an inordinate time to load and unload nutrition? Seems like that is 90% of your trouble there. If it's due to discomfort maybe get your positioning sorted by someone that knows what they are doing and take longer training rides. If it's the latter, eat more cheese and less kiwifruit. Lots of good advice in this thread.


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## Zurichman

Ok so I have done 301 miles on the bike in a 24 hr. period. I know this is hard to believe but I did it on a 2.1 mile closed loop course on a ride called 24 hrs. of Booty. in Columbia Md. The ride is no politically correct called 24 Foundation and is at Baltimore Charlotte and Indy. Something must have happened that you got saddle sores the last time. You getting off the bike every lap is in the wrong direction. I went into my ride knowing I wanted to do the 300 miles rode the last lap backwards because I made up my mind that I wasn't doing another loop. I also quit with 2 hrs. to go as I meet my goal and wanted something to be able to shoot for if I decided to do it again. I was on the bike 20 hrs. 25 minutes of the 22 hrs. I only stopped every 50 miles for food and drinks. Get a bento box from a tri online shop and carry food on your top tube to eat. You have to find out what works for you as what works for me won't or might not work for you. here are protein drinks out there that helps stop cramping. You should be drinking this to help stop the cramping in rides over 100+ miles. I like Accelerade but Hammer and a few others make this. Experiment on some training rides on what is going to work for you if your stomach goes South. Mine is ice tea. The recommendation of joining some rando rides is spot on. Most do the 200k and 300k as fast as they can and then the 400k and 600k as slow as they can to get some saddle time on the bike. You should be doing about 3/4's of the distance you want to ride either 2 - 3 weeks before the ride. 100 mile rides back to back on weekends will get your legs use to some stress.

BTW If you haven't lost the 20 lbs. lose it as that will help. I was 185 lbs about when I did mine and was I guess 63 at the time.


Good luck in 2018
Zman


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## Jwiffle

Did you make it the 300 miles?


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## Damitletsride!

Just don't stop as much - or for as long,
As soon as you stop, your average speed drops down, even if its for more than a few minutes.
If you're stopping for hours at a time, how will you ever rack up a big distance? I'd say your best bet is to stay on the bike for the whole thing, and have one or two small breaks if you really really need to, 20 or 30 minutes maximum. That's how we do it in 24 hour mountain bike racing, but on a good day if the weather is good, you shouldn't really need to stop for a break at all. It's probably better to find a pace that you can stick at, so maybe dial it down a notch and keep riding through the night.


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