# long ride without training - bad idea?



## unsunken (Aug 6, 2012)

My friend keeps trying to rope me into doing RSVP, which is a 200 mile, 2 day bike ride. I've only ridden my bike twice this year (25 miles each time, at a leisurely pace so as not to be tired from it) and don't have time to train. The longest I've ever ridden before was a 45 mile ride on a mountain bike. For this, I plan to be on a steel hybrid with platform pedals. Legs and lungs are in good shape from large quantities of steep hiking. That should carry over to cycling, right? Friend doesn't care about speed, so getting there is the only goal.

Is this a terrible idea? I'm most concerned about being too sore to sit on the saddle for day 2. I figure I can get bike shorts to remedy this. Anything else I should be thinking about?


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## Lanna (May 27, 2012)

unsunken said:


> Is this a terrible idea? I'm most concerned about being too sore to sit on the saddle for day 2. I figure I can get bike shorts to remedy this. Anything else I should be thinking about?


Maybe an exit strategy?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Crappy idea. It's going to suck.

Your lungs may be fine, but cycling and hiking are different activities. You'd probably get in cycling shape faster than someone who hadn't been hiking, but not in eleven days. The 106 mile day is going to be a long time to spend in the saddle, and having a bike that fits, and that you're accustomed to, is really important for this being actually fun. On the second day, you'll already be sore from the first day. The cycling shorts really aren't going to save you. The chamois is there to prevent chafing, not to make your butt magically toughen up.

There's also the logistical issues - where to stay in Bellingham, how to get back from Vancouver.

It's not like you need a big, overlong, event with a bunch of Cascade members around to ride your bike. Start with stuff like Kenmore and back, Marymoor and back, the Lake Washington loop, the May Valley loop, the Mercer Island loop, rides in the Snoqualmie Valley - we're right on top of a lot of really great riding, that you can go and do tomorrow after work. Let this be the day that you start doing more with it. Or tomorrow, since it's already a little late. Maybe let this be the day you haul your hybrid out and make sure everything's working.


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## unsunken (Aug 6, 2012)

So do you think the main problem is getting comfy on the bike? How many miles would I need to put in to figure out if my current setup works? I'm thinking of testing it out and just signing up if it's not too bad. I figure if I have a friend who can take his mountain bike from nyc to montreal in a week after never riding more than 20 miles, this might be manageable.
I'm asking about this RSVP because my friend wants a riding buddy for it. Logistics are already figured out. But I'll definitely take a look into your suggested rides when I have the time to go on longer rides.


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## carbon-goods (Aug 7, 2012)

unsunken said:


> My friend keeps trying to rope me into doing RSVP, which is a 200 mile, 2 day bike ride. I've only ridden my bike twice this year (25 miles each time, at a leisurely pace so as not to be tired from it) and don't have time to train. The longest I've ever ridden before was a 45 mile ride on a mountain bike. For this, I plan to be on a steel hybrid with platform pedals. Legs and lungs are in good shape from large quantities of steep hiking. That should carry over to cycling, right? Friend doesn't care about speed, so getting there is the only goal.
> 
> Is this a terrible idea? I'm most concerned about being too sore to sit on the saddle for day 2. I figure I can get bike shorts to remedy this. Anything else I should be thinking about?


I am a new rider, so we should spent some times for training...maybe you need to train first, then consider to have a 2 days bike ride


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## aureliajulia (May 25, 2009)

Bad idea. 

Also, how well does your bike even fit? Most hybrids haven't exactly gone through a Retul (or similar). 

Bad, bad idea.


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## rijndael (Jun 8, 2011)

This sounds like a recipe for an injury.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

*Bad idea!*



unsunken said:


> Legs and lungs are in good shape from large quantities of steep hiking. That should carry over to cycling, right?


Nope not likely to carry over. Heck MTB riding doesn't necessarily carry over to road cycling, and vice versa. 


> Friend doesn't care about speed, so getting there is the only goal.


I'm sure you're in physical shape to complete 200mi... at the right pace. Heck my granny could do it... at the right pace. Does your friend "really" not care about the speed? Even if you complete it at 10mph average (10hr ride)? 


> Is this a terrible idea? I'm most concerned about being too sore to sit on the saddle for day 2.


Saddle sores are likely your biggest problem. As well as sore back, neck, and arms. There's a 99% chance the bike isn't going to be set up right for you and cause all these problems.

I'd strongly suggest trying back to back 40mi rides before you attempt this. See how you do with that. It'll probably give you an eye opener to some things.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

unsunken said:


> So do you think the main problem is getting comfy on the bike? How many miles would I need to put in to figure out if my current setup works? I'm thinking of testing it out and just signing up if it's not too bad. I figure if I have a friend who can take his mountain bike from nyc to montreal in a week after never riding more than 20 miles, this might be manageable.
> I'm asking about this RSVP because my friend wants a riding buddy for it. Logistics are already figured out. But I'll definitely take a look into your suggested rides when I have the time to go on longer rides.


See if you can get through 75.

The bar is a bit lower for being able to finish a Century. But a lot of people can barely get out of bed the day after doing a Century without a lot of preparation. You need to be able to get out of bed and then ride another 80 miles.

I can get a Century done in just under six hours and I've done a couple of the NW Epic Series MTB races - 30 and 50 miles. But if I ride the road on a flat handlebar bike for a half hour, my shoulder hurts. I've been smart enough not to continue to inflict that on myself, but the first time I rolled over 100, my shoulder started to hurt around mile 70 or 75, and my entire back and neck were stiff by the time I finished. I'm in a little better shape and have handlebars I like better now, so my recent Century was a lot more fun. Fit is really important!

There are a few things going on here. Like I said earlier, the way your legs work is a little different riding a bike and hiking. You need to figure out how to keep enough calories coming in. If the bike isn't a really good fit, you're basically guaranteed to find the trouble spot(s) shortly after you go over your usual distance, if you don't already know them and have just been ignoring the warning. At that point, you'll have 70 miles to go from mild discomfort to some real pain. And your leg muscles may quit having much pop shockingly quickly - one of the adaptations that cyclists' bodies make is better vascularization and better development of slow-twitch muscle fiber in the particular muscles that do the work. Even if you're strong, if you can't keep clearing waste and sending energy to the muscles doing the work, your legs are going to feel pretty leaden.

People get away with all sorts of things. On the other hand, sometimes people do something like this and never ride their bikes again. Do a couple of normal-length rides with what's left of this week, do a 75 this weekend, and if you still think this is a good idea, have at it.

If you won't make time or you can't complete a couple 25s this week and a 75 this weekend, what makes you think you can do 200?


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Crappy idea. It's going to suck.
> 
> .


It's going to especially suck on day 2. I think someone in reasonable shape can tough out 100 miles. When I was in my mid-20s, and not really riding seriously, I took a day trip to Martha's Vineyard (an island 5 miles off Cape Cod for those unaware) and put in about 65 miles on my Motobecane tourer. I doubt I could have ridden it around the block the following day. :lol:

What happens on day 2 when you get to ride the last 30 miles into a brisk headwind?


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Although the industry makes it seem like they are meant to pad, bike shorts (more specifically their chamois) are not meant for that, they are meant to wick away sweat. 

Regarding the ride, if I tried to do a ride like that when I first started riding…well, it wouldn’t be good. Not for me, not for the people around me, not for anyone or anything. I wasn’t in terrible shape when I picked up the sport but even if you are in much better shape than I was I highly doubt that this will be fun for you. 

But that’s just my guess and opinion. People are different and I could be very wrong.

Good luck with whatever you decide.


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## unsunken (Aug 6, 2012)

AndrwSwitch said:


> See if you can get through 75.
> 
> The bar is a bit lower for being able to finish a Century. But a lot of people can barely get out of bed the day after doing a Century without a lot of preparation. You need to be able to get out of bed and then ride another 80 miles.
> 
> ...


Thanks. Timing has been a big issue, which is why I haven't been able to ride more. I guess I could put in my miles after 10pm, but I generally prefer to avoid that. If my climbing partner is willing to hike mt baker in one day instead of two, that will leave me with a whole day for riding, where I could try the 75 miles. I'm guessing I should probably get bike shorts for that since my short shorts cause noticeable chaffing after 20 miles. Any other pieces of gear I should pick up beforehand?

The first time my friend asked me to go with her, I thought she was crazy. I posted this after giving the idea a chance. She really does want me to go and is okay with taking extra time to get there so long as she doesn't have to go it alone. If the 75mi ride doesn't turn out so well, at least I'll know that I have legitimate reason to not go.


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## Angel Cove (Aug 7, 2012)

I'd pass on that idea. Especially if you have only riden twice this summer.


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## Teo (Aug 10, 2004)

I for one wish you the best of luck. Motivation can get you anywhere. As mentioned above just keep a slow steady pace. 

But I can guarantee with absolute certainty that your butt will be sore, your legs will burn, and if your bike is not setup properly your back, feet and even your hands will hurt by the end. 

If you decided to do it please let us know how it went. I think we would all be curious of the outcome.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

unsunken said:


> If my climbing partner is willing to hike mt baker in one day instead of two, that will leave me with a whole day for riding, where I could try the 75 miles.


If you're really serious about doing the ride, I'd skip the 2 days of hiking and do 2 days of cycling.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

unsunken said:


> Thanks. Timing has been a big issue, which is why I haven't been able to ride more. I guess I could put in my miles after 10pm, but I generally prefer to avoid that. If my climbing partner is willing to hike mt baker in one day instead of two, that will leave me with a whole day for riding, where I could try the 75 miles. I'm guessing I should probably get bike shorts for that since my short shorts cause noticeable chaffing after 20 miles. Any other pieces of gear I should pick up beforehand?


I'm an adult too. I have a full-time job and a fiancee in Bellingham. That's torpedoed most of my weekend as a training opportunity and displaced a lot of other stuff. I still found a way to fit in six and a half hours in the saddle last week.

It's okay if cycling isn't a priority for you. We all make our choices. I would probably not be a safe climbing partner doing anything remotely technical; I don't belong on the glaciers on Rainier.

Just own whatever your choice is.

As far as gear - at this point, I've pretty much gone with the herd. I like my bib shorts. I like my jersey. I have fancy socks. I have silly shoes and matching pedals. I'm up to a couple of road bikes, for different kinds of riding. This stuff is varying degrees of negotiable. For me, the shorts are a must for longer than the ride between Greenlake and UW. The jersey doesn't waterlog or flap like a T-shirt, and it gives me back the pockets I lost switching back to cycling shorts and eschewing having a rack or an oversized seat wedge.

A helmet, of course. I like my gloves. They aren't a cure for sore hands any more than shorts are a cure for not having toughened up one's butt over the sit bones. But I think I'm a little more comfortable, and if I'm sweating heavily, my hands aren't sliding all over the bars.

You need to be able to fix a flat tire or a minor mechanical problem. There are people on Cascade's rides who are there to help out with that kind of thing, but they're often quite busy.

Stiff cycling shoes are good for longer rides. Sort of like moving from a light hiker to a trekking boot.

At this point, you're not going to get a ton of training response from a few rides. Some, and every bit helps, but it's partly a self-test. So again - if you can't fit a long ride into your schedule this week or this weekend, maybe you'd be better just owning your choices.


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## Newnan3 (Jul 8, 2011)

Do it....It'll be a story you can brag about when you're old one day.


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## mikejd (Jul 18, 2012)

I'd do it next year if you're interested, but not this year. Here's a true story form not long ago. Friend of mine has a bike but rarely rides. He is in good condition, regularly goes to the gym, and runs. Recently completed one of those "Spartan Race" obstacle course things and finished in the top 75% for what that's worth. The week after he did that, he asked me to ride with him for the first time this year. No problem, anything to get someone on a bike, I'm down with. Although I put in 40-some miles earlier in the day by myself, by the time our ride came around he couldn't keep up and was dying after 15 miles. I wasn't even trying to drop him but it was just happening. I can only plod along at 12mph for so long. So i'd wait for him when I got too far ahead and at the top of every hill. He hasn't asked me to ride since. 

Point of the story is that this was so small compared to what you may undertake and didn't turn out too well. It sounds like a cool event, so prepare and ride it next year.


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## ruby1 (Aug 5, 2012)

I reckon sitting on your bike that second day will be agony without conditioning your sit bones (ischial tuberosities)

Edit: I should mention that I am a beginner... so what do I know?


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## TallCoolOne (Jan 18, 2010)

How about riding 10 miles with her, take 5 miles off in a support vehicle, do the next 10 with her, 5 miles off, etc.? 

I think if you try to do all 200 miles, I think you are going to be in for a world of hurt and misery.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

Worst case scenario you'll lose a lot of strength in your pinky and/or ring finger, to the point they might as well be amputated. Not to mention you could seriously damage your soft tissue down there.

The problem is most new riders' legs and back tire out quickly and they end up putting most of their weight on their hands and bottom. If you've ever seen a rider with locked elbows bobbing from side to side, this is what it looks like basically. Oddly enough though, your legs will still have enough strength to spin the pedals. You need to strengthen your legs and your back to take pressure off your hands and bottom, so that you can ride for a long time. I can guarantee you after 50 miles your legs will be dangling nearly lifeless with just enough strength to spin the pedals. Don't do this ride.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

unsunken said:


> *
> 
> long ride without training - bad idea?*


You answered your own question right in the subject line of this thread.

:thumbsup:


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

Thats a brutal ride even for people who ride daily.


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## Manh3 (Aug 7, 2012)

I'm new to riding myself but not to sports. As an endurance sport I don't think riding ranks that high in difficulty but you have to be able to endure the pain and have the mental strength to push on. After 2 weeks of riding I just completed my first century ride in less than 7 hours and I did this by myself with a camel pack on my shoulders. After finishing the century I wasn't really tired just didn't know where to go anymore after I got back from my ride. I think you could handle this event, its mind over matter, there is no need to finish first this event just focus on finishing the event and not giving up on yourself.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

BostonG said:


> Although the industry makes it seem like they are meant to pad, bike shorts (more specifically their chamois) are not meant for that, they are meant to wick away sweat.
> 
> .


um, no. A chamois is most certainly in shorts first and formost as a pad.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

do it.

what could possibly go wrong...?


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## Manning (Jul 8, 2010)

Ha........I'd guess that if you do this ride, you'll never want to get on a bike ever again.


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## donow (May 5, 2012)

*reality*

I seriously doubt that anyone that has properly prepared for a 200 mi. ride would suggest a 'friend' do it with only 2 weeks prep. Your friend either has no idea what they are getting into or is trying to see you hurt yourself.

Why not ask your friend if they would like to hike 100 miles with you over two days (and only give them 2 weeks to prepare)?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

OP - How'd your weekend go? Did you get a long ride in?


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## ruby1 (Aug 5, 2012)

You might find this link interesting 
Training for Cycle Sportives | Cycling UK


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## donow (May 5, 2012)

Manh3 said:


> I'm new to riding myself but not to sports. As an endurance sport I don't think riding ranks that high in difficulty but you have to be able to endure the pain and have the mental strength to push on. After 2 weeks of riding I just completed my first century ride in less than 7 hours and I did this by myself with a camel pack on my shoulders. After finishing the century I wasn't really tired just didn't know where to go anymore after I got back from my ride. I think you could handle this event, its mind over matter, there is no need to finish first this event just focus on finishing the event and not giving up on yourself.


"camel pack" lol.

A century for an untrained rider, 15 mph avg. With 3 five min rests, no drafting, and the drag of a Camekback is certainly possible (though not probable) on a flat course.

The idea you could do it 2 days in a row - not so much...


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## Manh3 (Aug 7, 2012)

Camekback "lol"

I meant CamelBak, sorry bad habit of calling it a pack due years in the military, everything is a pack. Hope the ride went well and if you didn't go on the ride just keep training and you'll be able to travel 200 miles in no time. I did learn one thing, buy and use some of the chamois butter for yourself.


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## Roarau (Jul 3, 2012)

I can't say I'd recommend to anyone back to back 100mi rides without some training.

Even if it is flat and you are in good general shape (not bike shape), it won't be fun.


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## ecub (Sep 2, 2011)

unsunken said:


> My friend keeps trying to rope me into doing RSVP, which is a 200 mile, 2 day bike ride. I've only ridden my bike twice this year (25 miles each time, at a leisurely pace so as not to be tired from it) and don't have time to train. The longest I've ever ridden before was a 45 mile ride on a mountain bike. For this, I plan to be on a steel hybrid with platform pedals. Legs and lungs are in good shape from large quantities of steep hiking. That should carry over to cycling, right? Friend doesn't care about speed, so getting there is the only goal.
> 
> Is this a terrible idea? I'm most concerned about being too sore to sit on the saddle for day 2. I figure I can get bike shorts to remedy this. Anything else I should be thinking about?


The only things I would consider is the group of riders that will be doing this ride and would you expect to stay with the group throughout the ride? The reason I ask this is, you may not be able to keep up with the group. Would you be ok with that? They maybe the type of group that expect to finish 100 miles within a certain number of hours. With you being a casual rider, you may not be able to keep up and therefore may get dropped. I'm speaking from experience, sort of. I completed my 1st century ride last year, but it took me about 12 hours. Of course, I did stop at times for a a dinner break, snack breaks and to enjoy the view, but I doubt I could have completed it in 11 or even 10 hours. A group of tri athletes always ask me to join them on either 50 or 100 mile rides, which they complete in far less time, which I know I could ever do.


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## ippy (Aug 17, 2012)

I would say its sorta kinda doable, but id add an extra day in there if you can. Or even better, throw in a bit of a big cycle a couple of days beforehand to give you a flavor of what you might be facing. 

Now im a noob to this game, but i did something pretty similar so let me give you my direct big events on it. 

*Previous road cycling experience:* A 40km round trip on a flat road at night. 10kms or so every few days at the gym, but pretty much nothing.

Had some pre advice that seems sound: eat before youre hungry, drink before youre thirsty, and stick with water - avoid sports drinks. Kinda stuck with it. 

Stage 1: Konosu to Hamamatsu (about 350km over 4 days mainly flat and through towns). 

*Day 1: Konosu to Shinjuku (Tokyo) - about 55km *

Mainly flats, mainly nice populated environs. You couldnt really ask for a better start. Had no cycle gear, just me, my bike and a packpack with about 10kg of stuff in it. 

Took plenty of stops early on just to stretch the old bum and legs, but around 20km started to feel a bit fatigued. Pushed on for another 15km but the pace was definitely slowing down (plus the temps were way past the 30s). Eventually succumbed and bought my first piece of cycling gear - a hat - out of sheer necessity. Stopped at a cafe and had a nice lunch. Felt revitalized and easily cruised into tokyo. 

Overall fairly easy intro ride and definitely gave me a few pointers. Decided i had to buy a pair of cycle pants though since my ass felt a bit boney at the end of it. 

Day 2: Rested... sort of... spent the day wandering around tokyo looking for a bigger rucksack, a tent and a sleeping bag for the next phase. Exhausted, but i think it was a definite wise choice to just gently coax your legs into it.

Day 3: Shinjuku to Hiratsuka (aprox 80km): 

Took the horrific road from tokyo down to hiratsuka. Made plenty of mistakes to be honest and had such a route one mentality that any experienced cyclist was probably looking on in horror wondering when i was going to be crushed. Still, i survived, and learned eventually to get off the roads when it looked like the verge was going to disappear... sorry cyclists  (Learned that road cycling can on occasion be rather terrifying when trucks whiz past you with about a foot or two of clearance). 
In terms of terrain and distance it was a bit further, a little less interesting, and a bit more rolling than day 1. However, easily pulled out 60km before i started feeling fatigued, but those last 20kms werent too bad. Got to the beach, put up my tent and attempted to sleep in a sweat box by the hella noisy crashing sea. 
Got about 3 hours broken sleep.

Day 4: Hiratsuka to Numazu (55km). 

Followed route 1 and was thoroughly enjoying myself when it happened. I had my first real hill climb. This i was not in any way (physically or mentally) prepared for. 15km uphill for 1000m. No pitch was ever ridiculous if i remember right, but it was relentless. Every corner gave you yet another uphill and yet more trees piled onto an endless skyline. And then the heavens truly opened. It was kinda funny to be honest. Obviously i tried riding it, but i didnt know how long it was going for (i hadnt really *planned* my ride other than on google maps, i didnt realise at this point there were actual sites that told you all this info), so about 5km into it i was done. Completely done. I looked at the bus stops and was staggered to find i was barely 1/3rd of the way through. By the time i hit 10km on it i asked a motorbike dude how far up it was still and was dismayed to hear "about another 5km".

Still, i got up it by walking when it was steep and cycling where i could and sorta enjoyed the downhill (it was peeing it down). Got to the lake, had a look, and took off what with being sick of the place by then. Brutal is the only word i could really express it. Maybe not for someone with more experience, but to me that was my waterloo.  

The bomb down to numazu was a breeze though. About 15km of doing nothing but having my hands squeeze the brakes. Alas, the sheer pleasure of the downhill and the rest i got from it encouraged me to push on. So i did. First the plan was to hit Fuji city, and i did, and i couldnt figure a damn thing out there, so decided that since shizuoka was now a mere 30km away, and it was still daylight, i'd push on. 

Arrived at shizuoka utterly exhausted. This ended up being my first 100km+ day. It was also the cause of my first real cycling injury  I stll have it and anticipate ill have it for a few weeks yet: The gammy knee. Crashed at a net cafe and figured id maybe have to give up a day sitting around.

Day 5: Shizuoka to Hamamatsu (80km). 

My original plan was to ride down the coast to hamamatsu over 2 days, but i figured since the knee was done for, id push straight to hama, skip the scenic route, and rest up at my mates house. 

The knee hurt almost immediately and never really shut up for the whole journey. Still, i took it softly, stayed in high gears, stuck with high rotations, and a nice downhill after about 10kms out of shizuoka and i was back flying again. Had only one hill climb which was pretty easy (300m vert over a few kms) and didnt trouble my leg at all. Ambled into hamamatsu ahead of schedule and spent the next few days getting nicely toasted with old mates.

Day 6-10: rested up, stayed off the bike as much as possible so lets pretend they dont exist. 

STAGE 2: Hamamatsu - Nagano (about 320km and around +500m above sea level (max 1300m)). 

By now id discovered planmyride and that ridegps site and could actually see what was coming. This was HUGE as it turned out. Knowing took out a lot of the mystery and the mental battles you have wondering just how long this uphill misery was going to last. Now i knew what was ahead of me, i could psyche myself up for it.

Day 5: Hamamatsu to Tajimi (110km).

I didnt really plan on getting that far, but figured id have a crack at it and maybe bail at toyota or even toyohashi if i needed to. Instead, although the knee started hurting again after about thirty kms and became extremely noisy around 50kms, it was alright. Popped into a bike shop somewhere along the way, they lowered my seat and suddenly i found that both my knee was less annoying and i was much more likely to pop out of my seat in a hill climb. Good stuff. At least it gave me another technique than just whirring down the gears until i hit a standstill. 

By now i was feeling rather comfortable and the idea of 100kms felt pretty much doable. So pushed at it. Got within 20kms, the heavens opened and decided to have my dinner. 
Popped out feeling refreshed and figured id just cruise into tajimi. It had gotten dark, but no worries i thought. 

And this is the second place i left a nasty yellow stain along a busy road. 

It turns out that the road i was on was a tiny narrow road used by almost every damn truck going from nagoya to nagano. It also had no lights at all on it. By the time i hit the descent i was honestly bricking it. Easily the most scary ride ive had to be honest. Night time, no visibility and a pretty steep descent for 4 or 5kms on an unbusy but nevertheless +busy for trucks+ narrow road in hilly terrain with no real verge. In daytime i dont think itd be an issue, but at night, on a slippy road requiring your full concentration after a decent hill climb and after 100+ km my nerves were pretty much shot by the time i rumbled into tajimi  Found a net cafe, and then the heavens seriously opened. Got a crappy sleep in prep for the climb i was dreading...

Day um... 6? Tajimi to Kiso Fukushima (110km),

All uphill.
We:re heading into the japanese alps now and i really figured i was out of my depth. Knee was gone. I popped pain killers to get through it but it was always there throbbing away. And now my hands were starting to feel tingly a bit too quick. 
Still, i was determined to try this (though id bought a bike cover from the 100yen shop just in case i needed to bail and take the train instead). 

And had a ridiculously good time.

Thoroughly enjoyed the scenery from gifu through to nagano. Also never really felt the climb, and even enjoyed the sensation of looking down a hill only to realise it was uphill when i looked back. Mountains make nice optical illusions. The climb itself was rather easy. I dont just mean id adapted to it. It was objectively easier than i thought it would be. Well, i mean it was until i hit agematsu, but that was (yet again) almost the last bit of riding in the day. I dunno what to say about this. it wasnt as hard as i thought it was going to be. I had a blast. The knee shut up for the majority of it and just let me grind on in peace and enjoy it. The last 10km after the agematsu climb were a bit tiring though, but rolled into kiso fukushima, found a nice cheapish hotel and just chilled out. 

Day 7: Kiso Fukushima to Nagano (100km). 
I knew Narai was the end of the uphill and it was a joy to see it was barely 20km at the start of the day. Had a reasonably tough time of it just ebcause i wasnt warmed up but found my feet eventually and took it fairly easily. And then i hit the descent. And what an AWESOME descent it was. The sheer euphoria of realising the uphill was done was like having a hurricane at my back. I had thirty kms of straight downhill and found myself reaching my initial destination (matsumoto) far too early to stop. So having not learned from my earlier mistake, i pressed on. 

Just outside matsumoto I took the turnoff to chikuma and immediately came face to face with another hill climb. By now i was getting cocky though. I breezed the first couple of kms, but eventually it got me. I hit a patch that was just horrifically tough for me and gave it everyuthing i had but just ran out of energy. Eventually got to the top and had a nice quick blast down... only i knew what was coming...

Within 3 kms i was back on a second hill climb and though not as steep, it was twice the length and utterly murderous. I couldnt do it. Hand on heart, there was nothing left from the first one, and even if there was, the second one came so quickly after it i was beaten. I cant realy say i rode that. Maybe i took about 25% of it. Most of it i trudged up the hill pushing my bike and feeling completely defeated. 

Still, i made it over the brow to lake hijiri, and trundled through to chikuma and my nice new house in nagano. 

Fun ride overall but heres what i learned on it:

1. Cycling pants are nice and all, but they aint saving your ass that much...
2. Gloves! FFS! buy gloves. The sweat is atrocious. And slippy. 
3. Cycling jerseys are great. They take it all. 
4. Avoid the big roads.
5. Beware of small winding mountain passes connecting any two major cities at night. Pretty much call it a day unless you know your terrain well. 
6. Get a hat.
7. Drink more than you (think you) need to. 
8. Watch your knees and dont be tempted to overdo it because you got a nice long downhill part.
9. Go at a comfortable pace, you arent doing a time trial. 
10. Nagano is beautiful. 
11. 1000m over 120km is much less draining for me than 700m over 5km. 
12. 100km is doable i think, but 100 miles might be a bit past anyones level without a decent build into it. 
12.2. Build into it a few days in advance. Its not only good for your health, but it also gives you some idea of your level, what your walls might be, and also point out any potential problems you might have before you leave the comfort of your own environs. 
13. If you start early, get a nice breakfast, lunch and dinner, youll find you cruise the miles without even a second though.
14. (related) after an hour of night riding and i reckon your enthusiasm to keep going will be taking a serious knock.


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## unsunken (Aug 6, 2012)

Thanks for all the responses. I realized I had other responsibilities I need to take care of in the next week, so I decided not to go. But I ended up doing a short 50mi loop (Lake Washington loop). Butt started to feel it about halfway through, but it did not get any worse. My legs were sore and tired before even starting, so they were also tired by the end. On the flats I could keep up, but on the hills my friend was still coasting seemingly quite a ways after I had to start pedaling. Overall it wasn't bad except when we got lost and ended up walking a very steep hill. I may try for a longer ride this weekend. Any ideas for a good slightly longer ride?


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## Trek2.3 (Sep 13, 2009)

It depends on the terrain. I did a 2-day 150 miles ride (well supported) ride on paved abandoned RR roadbed within 2 months of starting riding in 2010. Take a long lunch break (2 hours) and break it into 3-4 hours in the AM and 3-4 hours in the PM. *Do not *try to keep up with the experienced riders. Ride your own pace and you'll be able to do it.

P. S. I was 65 at the time.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

unsunken said:


> Thanks for all the responses. I realized I had other responsibilities I need to take care of in the next week, so I decided not to go. But I ended up doing a short 50mi loop (Lake Washington loop). Butt started to feel it about halfway through, but it did not get any worse. My legs were sore and tired before even starting, so they were also tired by the end. On the flats I could keep up, but on the hills my friend was still coasting seemingly quite a ways after I had to start pedaling. Overall it wasn't bad except when we got lost and ended up walking a very steep hill. I may try for a longer ride this weekend. Any ideas for a good slightly longer ride?


Ride with Cascade for a while or get a book. REI has some. I have one, but to be honest, I pretty much ride routes that I've learned from friends, and have never actually used the book.


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## twalkman (Jul 23, 2011)

OP: Wise decision I think. If you can do 45 miles on a mtn bike you could probably suffer through a long bike ride. But two days in a row would be a killer. The thing that always hurts me the most when I increase the mileage is the back of my neck, and then the butt. How old are you? If you're 22 you might get away with the body pain of that much mileage and you're recovery would be much quicker. .


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## thebludoc (Aug 21, 2012)

Lanna said:


> Maybe an exit strategy?


This - have a cellphone in case its needed for emergencies

AND LOTS of water. the worst that can happen is that you do not drink it all.


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## TonyV1 (Aug 7, 2012)

I agree with tlg:
"Saddle sores are likely your biggest problem. As well as sore back, neck, and arms. There's a 99% chance the bike isn't going to be set up right for you and cause all these problems".

I am new to this and getting ready for a century this Spetember. I found that my new bike & set-up was fine for up to 40 mile rides. During the last 10 miles of my first 60 mile ride I developed a horrible pain (and slight brusing) in the perineum area. A new bike saddle (specialized Avatar Comp Gel) resolved that issue. Oh yea ...I do have a decent pair of bibs (pearl elete)

Be aware ...my advice is to train up to the task so that its enjoyable.


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## TonyV1 (Aug 7, 2012)

I see you dicided against the long ride good for you,


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