The Ontario Ride to Conquer Cancer

equestrian56 · Member

Total Newbie...feelin nervous!

SilverFox · Senior Member

I felt the same way the first year I rode. You are not unique and you are not alone.

The ride has lots of support throughout both days. If you have any questions ask anyone. We are in this together and we want everyone to finish knowing they have risen to the challenge.

One tip. In past years I read of a person who trained for less than 200km and finished. His only regret - he didn't wear cycling gloves.

MysteryBee · Senior Member

I guarantee you are not alone.
I may be a three-time rider, but I'm also a team captain and I can tell you that all seven of my team members are raw rookies. In fact, three of them didn't even own bicycles when they signed up last year.

I've been preparing them and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Just ask away.

Oh, and don't worry... just have fun!

adiamond · Senior Member

If you are a total novice to endurance cycling here is the most important advice that people don't tell you because it is intimate.

(1) buy the best cycling shorts you can afford. I for one think that bib shorts (overall style) are the only way to go; (2) No matter what your sex DO NOT wear underwear under your cycling shorts; and (3) buy and use cycling lube. This is moisturizer that one rubs all over those parts of your body that are in contact with the saddle. Ask your bike shop for "Chamy cream" they will know what you are talking about.

Do these three things and you will be much more comfortable. Candidly for people who have not spent that much time on a bike the first day is not an issue, it is getting back on the sadle on day two. These three things will make that easier.

Lastly if you have the time in the next 10 days ride as much as you can in the shorts you are going to wear. After a few days your"sit bones" will get used to being on a bike. I say 10 days because one should rest for the last few days before the event

Feel free to ask any specific questions this is a bit of a cult and there is knowledge to be had.

adiamond · Senior Member

One more thing. While no one enjoys it, if you have limited time to train the best use of your time is riding what are called hill repeats. Find a hill that takes a couple of minutes to ride up and when you are at the top you are maxed out, and then ride down recover your hart rate and then do it again and again. This forced interval training is the best way to get ready if you have limited riding time and dont have 4 hours to go for a long ride. A difficult spin class will also do this if time is limited, Find one near work and go at lunch for the next week.

aniakarina · Member

i'm in the same boat! it's my first time riding and i'm doing it solo...although i'm sure i'll meet tons of riders during the event. while i have been doing some training i just always feel like it's never enough! i live in hamilton so i drove through part of the route the other day from millgrove to ancaster and the hills scare me, plain and simple. BUT my plan is to train hard over the next few days and then just let it go and enjoy the ride! i keep on trying to convice myself that there's no shame in having to walk your bike partly up the hill if need be ;) RIGHT????? :)

SilverFox · Senior Member

There is absolutely no shame in walking you're bike up a hill! Many people do it for many reasons. And you just might meet someone interesting or inspiring. Just believe in yourself and the do what is right for you.

equestrian56 · Member

Thanks for all the encouragement! I'm feeling better already. Thanks for all the great tips.

aniakarina: maybe I'll see you on the walk up one of those hills!

Howard · Member

First timer here too! I am also doing it solo, but I'm certain with everyone there I will not feel alone at all.
Have I trained enough, I have no clue as I don't have any other cycling event to compare it too, but I will give it my all.

The one thing that frightens me is that I signed up for the 200mile route and I'm certain that most other riders doing the 200mile are a hell of a lot more cycle experienced then myself, I just don't want to be the one in the way.

All in all I am doing this for cancer, I may not know all the bike terms, I may stop more often then others for a break and to refuel, but I will finish the ride even if the sun goes down!

Now one question, to all the female riders out there - cycling lube, how important is it?
I have not trained with it, should I start now?

Also, I have not trained outdoors as much as I would have liked to - between the weather in the past three months and my 15 month old, I have trained mostly indoors with spinning classes. Even though those classes offer the "hill" potion, I may be the one walking my bike up that hill! I will do my best to ride it, but if not this year then I will next year!

equestrian56 - I feel exactly as you feel - but I'm certain our fears will help us along the way!

twobrokenarms · Senior Member

I'm newbie too, but don't feel nervous! I'll probably be joining you on some of those hills (er..walking up them).

As for the lube, I've been using BodyGlide, and it works well (I started using when learning to run through the Running Room).

Tips - you can't let your fear overcome you! Look at all I've been through with falling off of my bike, and I still got back on. Whatever you do, don't wear anything that has a chance of getting caught in your chain. Wear the spandex, no matter how you look in it. You'll look sillier in a pair of casts. Trust me, I've learned that lesson well.

adiamond · Senior Member

Lube: try it see if you like it. It is like chicken soup: most swear by it and it certainly can do no harm.

You will not be in the way. All will be there for you just grab a wheel and there will be many there to help you.

As has been reported elsewhere on here, ironically the 100 mile course is topigraphically easier this year than the 100 km course as there is no last climb to the end. Check out the route thread.

dramafille · Member

I rode for the first time last year. I'm a teacher, had an almost 2 year old at the time and a husband who does shift work... I didn't feel like I had trained nearly enough. I was on my own - didn't know anyone either. My longest training ride was 60 km and I had NO problem doing the ride. There were a few challenging spots - mostly the rolling hills near acton and then the hill in Hamilton, but aside from that, there was very little that was super tough. I've trained even less this year because of the weather, but I'm probably in better shape because I've been doing other things aside from riding, so I'm not too worried about anything other than those few hills! You'll have a lot of adrenaline to feed off of from all the people doing the ride. It's an incredible event. Don't worry - take your time, be safe and you'll get there when you get there... It's not a race.

Cheers,

Michelle

aniakarina · Member

re: lube, i'm assuming you're referring to the one you put on your derirere? ;) i've ben using the Happy Chamois Cream from MEC and it's made a difference in terms of comfort level. it's worth a try as it's not very expensive ($12 i think???) and it will prevent any burning and chaffing and keep you, well...happy!

what are everyone's training plans for the next two weeks?
i read a post on one of the threads where a rider recommended climbing a hill over and over again for as long as you can. THAT is my plan. i'm hurting just thinking about it ;)

Howard · Member

Thank you for the "lube" advice all!

I will probably being doing some hills as well and another couple of spinning classes this week.

I don't think I will be doing much as of Monday June 6th - as my body should rest for the big weekend ahead.
To all the veterans out there, how many days rest do you recommend off the saddle?

Reading all these posts are making this alot more exciting for me rather then scary!

MysteryBee · Senior Member

I've completed my last big training rides before the event this past weekend. (2 rides totalling 185 km)

Next weekend, I'll do a few gentle (40-50k) back to back rides to keep my legs moving.
Over the next two weeks, I might take an occassional mid-week ride and maybe a bit of cross-training, but I'll spend most of my spare time stretching and resting up.

Friday the 10th will be a hearty pasta dinner and then I'm ready to go!

twobrokenarms · Senior Member

I'm done long rides as well. Went to Edwards Gardens today (only about 20km for me) while towing son, but may go up to about 40km at most. Lots of stretching planned, though no pasta dinner for me (I'm diabetic and need insulin, so carb loading is lost on me).

adiamond · Senior Member

Consistent with what MyteryBee said above this from the book Run Your First Marathon:

Tapering and peaking: These are concepts which runners and other athletes are familiar. The days leading up to the race are the time for the crucial tapering and peaking. The taper or winding down, is built into the last two weeks of your training program. This is why the time period features lower mileage, without long or strenuous running. My own [the author's] taper was always two weeks. ...In the last two weeks, the training will not make you a better runner. In fact too much running at that stage will undermine your effort. You have trained hard for fourteen weeks, and now your body needs to fully absorb that work and prepare itself for the race. Tapering does not mean you will simply sit on the couch. You will do some running, but not as much. Some runners are very reluctant to taper because they are afraid they will lose fitness. But you are not going to stop running; you will simply maintain what you have built up.

When you taper you feel rested and have more energy...You taper in order to peak - to be optimally readyfor the race. You rest because you want to have your best possible performance...

Having said that and despite the warnings about undermining my efforts the above is based on 14 weeks of hard training. My plan, because I still am not sure that I have trained enough this year due to the weather, is to ride medium distances this week with hill repeats, go for a longish ride Saturday and then a short ride Sunday, and then that will be it so 5 days of rest with a massage booked for the following Tuesday.

Last piece of advise make sure you do one decent length ride in exactly what you plan to wear for THE RIDE. Same base layer, shirt, shorts, socks and shoes and eat the same snacks just to make sure there are no issues. If you are getting your bike tuned make sure to ride it for a while after to ensure that they did not screw any thing up (it happens) and when you have done all of that have fun knowing you have done everything that you could do in the time you had available.

Hope this help

aniakarina · Member

some great advice adiamond, thank you! i'm going to do some uphill repeats this week, a 50K ride on Saturday and a shorter ride on Sunday, and maybe some super short 2K rides to get my starbucks(!!!) on monday and tuesday and then that will be it. the massage idea is sheer brilliance.

twobrokenarms · Senior Member

I have followed the fourteen week plan as mentioned (I actually have the book Run Your First Marathon), and feel that I'm ready for this ride. I have to do a few rides to break in my new brake pads, but I feel that I'm ready to go!

Howard · Member

Here's another question for you veterans out there.

What would be the equivelant of a one hour intense spin class - (intense to the point of heart throbing in your brain, and it takes about 2 hours after my shower to really cool down) in kilometers?

RSinfield · Veteran Member

aniakarina just from reading your posts here, I wouldn't make hill repeats a pivotal part of your training at this point. You most likely will not see any dramatic results in such a short period and it will come at the cost of your cardio training which IMHO is much more important for the long haul.

I'm planning on doing 50K per day with a rest day in the middle of the week, and maybe 160k next weekend. I probably wont ride the Thursday or Friday before the ride... maybe a half hour at the gym at most.

RSinfield · Veteran Member

Howard there's no hard rule saying x = y hours and everyone's max heart rate is different.

for me a hard 1 hour spin class running at 80% - 90% of max feels like I've ridden 3+ hours. I ride at about 85 RPM when I'm on the road and am able to carry a conversation without my breathing being labored... probably 50% of max maybe lower.

adiamond · Senior Member

I am not a trainer but from everything I read assuming a basic level of fitness the difference at this stage of riding 25 k or 50 k a day at a regular pace will make no differnce, but doing intervals where your hart rate gets pushed and then recovers over and over will have a benefitial impact over a week.

I am sure there is a right answer and maybe someone can quote some authority on this but until then this is what I understand.

My 2 cents

aniakarina · Member

good point RSinfield...i guess the hill training is mainly to feel more comfortable climbing, but you're probably right that doing a general ride might be more beneficial. hmmm...need to reassess my plan here! thanks for the insight.

adiamond · Senior Member

BTW my understanding comes from Chris Carmichael's book The Time Crunched Cyclist.

MysteryBee · Senior Member

If I were going to recommend anything to newer riders (and I see this problem often) it is to take the next weekend to REALLY get a feel for your bike.

- Go up and down through all the gears to get an idea of what is your top gear and what is your bottom gear so you can find them without looking or screwing around.

- Test your brakes both on downhill and on flats. If possible, run through a puddle and then try the brakes again.

- Ride over gravel and through a bump or two.

- Practice getting in and out of your clipless pedals OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

- Get a good feel for turning at various speeds and in various terrains.

- If you can, head down by the lakeshore and get a feel for navigating your way through slower traffic on the boardwalk.

At this point, where you are at physically is where you are. You're not going to turn into Mega-Athlete overnight. The bigger challenge to consider now is to not injure yourself while riding in the middle of a huge crowd of cyclists. Learn to control your bike. Learn your comfort zone and what your limits are. Find a comfortable pace that you can sustain over an extended period.

Remember, this isn't a race. You don't get points for going fast or passing people. The people who aren't IN CONTROL of their bikes are inevitably the ones who either get hurt or get someone else hurt. Don't let yourself be responsible for hurting anyone. (including you!) That'd be my biggest advice to inexperienced riders.

RSinfield · Veteran Member

adiamond I'm making a base assumption that their training/fitness level is beginner.

During triathlon training March & April were base miles only. No intervals, no hill repeats, nothing fancy, just getting the miles on the saddle. Usually to the tune of 2000 kilometers. This was to regain your core strength, balance, and perfect your form on the bike not to mention conditioning your rump for many hours in the saddle.

After you had completed your base miles you introduced intervals, hill repeats, and sprints.

I'm not saying she shouldn't ride hills, but if her fitness/riding level isn't there yet, she runs a greater risk of injuring herself or straining muscles and requiring prolonged recovery time by doing repeats.

Also everyone 30+ should have a physical so they know and understand their rested heart rate and max heart rate so they can push their limits safely and not run the risk of passing out or hyperventilating.

Great points MysteryBee

-- Edited by RSinfield on Monday 30th of May 2011 06:57:29 PM

RSinfield · Veteran Member

Here are a couple good links that discuss base miles. Second link is more beginner/enthusiest oriented.

http://www.cptips.com/mileage.htm

http://easycycling.com/?p=151

lilEagle · Member

There are so many good tips in here that I don't want to confuse any beginners...but I will add a quick two cents :P.

Just realize that there is no set time period for tapering. Anywhere between 1-2 weeks should do you fine. In fact, it is more personal to your own body than a strict number from a book. I get quite sluggish following a 2 week taper while 1 week is nearly ideal; but that doesn't mean everyone is that way. Whatever you do (or don't) from here on out, don't worry about your fitness level; get excited for the ride!

Your number one priority now should be to stay healthy and avoid injury. There was a good point made that anything you do within that last 2 week window will not help you significantly improve prior to the ride. You've already trained long and hard; there is no sense risking it all trying to push yourself farther. Shorten the kms or lower the intensity and you'll do great!

TogetherWeCan · Member

equestrian56 - Your post made me feel much better! Thank you for sharing. I too am very nervous but also very excited about the ride. I am also a first time rider who was to ride along with her friend who is now unable to take part. So my team of two is now a team of one. I know you are never alone on these things and getting out riding in my community has really encouraged me to keep at it. The support I have had from others on the trails has already been tremendous! Keep up the good work and know you are not alone!

aniakarina - No shame in walking up those hills if needed. (I hope)! I may also see you and equestrian56 on the walk up. However, I am going to push myself as much as I can. I just need to keep remembering my sister as with everyone else who has battled cancer first hand...giving up isn't be an option (but there is no shame as long as you try your best...at least that is my thoughts on it).

Looking forward to riding with all you wonderful people! Together we can accomplish great things.

-- Edited by TogetherWeCan on Tuesday 31st of May 2011 05:16:37 PM

janetg · Veteran Member

@Howard. Spin class is very different from the bike, although it will help prepare your legs for the ride. Spinning is 45-60 minutes of really intense activity. You are dripping sweat, but you can take your hands off the handlebars to rest. You won't fall over. The ride is longer. You will spend many hours in the saddle, and you need to be comfortable on the bike. I don't know how fast you plan to ride, but 100 miles will take time -- probably more time than you think.

And as to the lube question, I've never used it, never needed it. Well, I lube the chain, but I don't lube me. :)

mmgirl · Veteran Member

spin class and long distance riding = different!

The intensity of the class after an hour when you get off the spin bike your legs might feel a bit jelly, as if you rode for a few hours (so maybe 40km?)

But part of the challenge with the ride Like J said is sitting in the saddle for so long in the same position (think of your back, shoulders, feet especially if you do clipless pedals!)

If you have not done a long distance I encourage you to get out there at least once this week and do a long ride (like 4 hours plus) before the actual ride

Longest I've gotten to is 75kms and it took me about 4 hours. I'm moderate cyclist, but getting back into it after a year off for treatment.

The hard part for me is going to be getting up the second day and doing it again!

Howard · Member

I understand that there is a difference between spinning and riding - I was mainly curious on distance.

Of course riding outside brings many other challanges - weather, traffic of other bikes, roads that are not always smooth!
I've done a few long distance rides 80k, and I intend to get out there this weekend and ride some more.

I have found that between my ride days doing Yoga classes has helped tons with my core strength.

I know that 200mile will take me a really long time - but I intend to finish.

The next day will bring more challanges, but again from what I've read from previous post there will be tons of support and encouragement and even though I will be riding alone and not with a team, I will never feel alone.

I look forward to meeting some fantastic people, but most of all I look forward to being a part of finding a cure!

Still frightened of the unknown - but the unknown got me to the top of Kilimanjaro in 2006 - I climbed for breast cancer!

twinpro · Veteran Member

MysteryBee wrote:
If I were going to recommend anything to newer riders (and I see this problem often) it is to take the next weekend to REALLY get a feel for your bike.

- Go up and down through all the gears to get an idea of what is your top gear and what is your bottom gear so you can find them without looking or screwing around.

- Test your brakes both on downhill and on flats. If possible, run through a puddle and then try the brakes again.

- Ride over gravel and through a bump or two.

- Practice getting in and out of your clipless pedals OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

- Get a good feel for turning at various speeds and in various terrains.

- If you can, head down by the lakeshore and get a feel for navigating your way through slower traffic on the boardwalk.

At this point, where you are at physically is where you are. You're not going to turn into Mega-Athlete overnight. The bigger challenge to consider now is to not injure yourself while riding in the middle of a huge crowd of cyclists. Learn to control your bike. Learn your comfort zone and what your limits are. Find a comfortable pace that you can sustain over an extended period.

Remember, this isn't a race. You don't get points for going fast or passing people. The people who aren't IN CONTROL of their bikes are inevitably the ones who either get hurt or get someone else hurt. Don't let yourself be responsible for hurting anyone. (including you!) That'd be my biggest advice to inexperienced riders.

Great points.

Further to these suggestions I'd say practice three things:

1) Riding in a straight line. It's amazing how many new riders have trouble maintaining their line. Riding in a predictable manner makes you a better and safer rider.

2) Hand signals. Here's a topic to review: http://theontarioridetoconquercancer.activeboard.com/t43026996/hand-signals/

3) Looking over your shoulder without veering off your line. To look over your left shoulder without turning to the left you need to drop your right elbow. To look over your right shoulder without turning to the right you need to drop your left elbow. Both of these acts require skill - and the way to develop a skill is practice.