1K start to 100K goal ~ hilly~ ???

[jayjay]

Hello Ladies ! I am crawling out of a 7 year slump, and am going to take the bull by the horns ! I turned 46 last January, and since turning 40 I have become : depressed, obese, and achy.... just plain old Frumpy! I use to ride most of my 20's and 30's and even successfully have ridden a century. The thing is, I'm feeling about a thousand years older now , than then, and more physical challenges in just aging only 10, as well as dealing with being 50 pounds above my lean weight of my prime. I have moved up into the mtns and am on top of a steep 2K climb... which is across the valley from another mtn ridge of the same elevation. about 5 years ago I had this fantasy (before I settled into a solid depression and weight gain) of making a nice cozy loop from my new cabin atop my West Mtn, around the other EastSideMtn and back up. That's at least 2K climb twice, with likely anywhere from 65 to 75 miles , which ever roads I play with. Now, let me just call this my personal "HillyHundredK" and the thing is, I'm going to attempt to train myself back into a new fitness where I can ride this. I am giving myself one year. I figure if I can barely ride even only 5 miles down on the more level part of the hip of the mtn, today, that's a good kick off... next time I'll do 1K...heh, heh. My goal for this month is to ride only a 10 miles (hilly, but no major grades) at the end of the month. Each month I shall add 5 miles to my previous month's goal. Somewhere along the line I'll start at my house, which is at the top of a 4 mile very steep top of the mtn (well over 1000 ft elevation gain in the last 4 miles). By March 2009 I shall have made the 65 mile mark, including all the climbing.

Now this is the deal : I have to say I've never trained very much, for anything , in my whole life, never had a goal that I stuck with. I think this should be very doable, but the >>obesity and MiddleAge<< which are both new to me, are going to be the hardest factor. I am not on a program diet, but eat very sensibly, my plan is to learn to hone portion sizes. I already hike every morning up in our woods , with the dog, for 30 to 60 minutes. The Hilly100K is my personal thing. I have no desire for timing or speed, or driving far to flats.... in fact, to take it really slow, with panniers packed, on my steep roads, on my '80's steel Specialized Sequoia touring bike, I will become the ~Matron of SlowRiding ~ (sung to the tune of LowRider... add your own words! :lol:

I know that I should do a training schedule more intricate for each month. For example : next month when I want to ride 15 at the end of the month, shall I build up, pare back, build up? Or just steadily build? No idea.

Much obliged for any tips and suggestions and basic cheerleading anybody can give me. I can do this !!!

[Andrea]

I know that I should do a training schedule more intricate for each month. For example : next month when I want to ride 15 at the end of the month, shall I build up, pare back, build up? Or just steadily build? No idea.

If at all possible, just keep building! That doesn't mean, of course, that if you only have the time or energy to do a shorter ride that you shouldn't do a shorter ride, but that it's OK to keep building on your previous mileage if you can.

Sounds like you'll be a hill climbing machine within the year!

[Pedal Wench]

Congrats on starting to take charge!

The general rule of thumb is to add no more than 10% to your rides a week. Your goal sounds like fun -- and a great place to ride too.

[jayjay]

Andrea, and Pedal Wench, thank you. Going by the rule of thumb of increasing 10% per week I'd reach my 65mile goal by end of August ! Yikes, as well as start with more distance this week than I think I can do . I"m wondering if that rule of thumb is for total weekly distance over one or a few rides, or just each ride. Any way, my personal 10% Weekly Increase graph looks like this :

March ~ 7.25 / 8.1 / 9 / 10
April ~ 11 /12 .1 / 13.31 /14.64
May ~ 16. 1 / 17.71 / 19.48 / 21. 42
June~ 23. 56 / 25.91/ 28. 50 / 31. 35
July ~ 34.48 / 37.92 / 41. 71 / 45.88
Aug ~ 50.46 / 55.50 / 61.05 / 67. 15

I got to thinking how I mustn't forget the value of a shorter ride when going from very out of shape to really in shape. I'm thinking this more forgiving format (below) would give me 4 weeks to train for end-of-month goal, and each week I could do a percentage format, of the monthly goal distance. It would give me more shorter rides, while increasing the goal at a longer steadier rate. Probably good for a 46 year old woman 45 pounds overweight. I'm thinking this format might be the one: first week 25% / second week 50% / third week 75% / fourth week 100%.

This would be riding minimal of riding once per week (remember, I hike every day, sometimes twice to exercize German Shepherd pup) I must remember if I really want to not sabotage my goal, I've got to be really conservative, and not overdoing the distance is of utmost importance !

My Personal Format theory would look like this :

March (10 mile goal) ~ week 1= 2.5 week 2 = 5 mi / week 3 = 7.5 / week 4 = 10
April (15 mile goal) ~ 3.75 mi / 7.5 / 11.25 / 15
May (20 mile goal) ~ 5 / 10 / 15/ 20
June (25 mile goal) ~ 6.25 / 12.5 / 18.75 / 25
July (30 mile goal) ~ 7.5 / 15 / 22.5 / 30
Aug (35 mile goal) ~ 8.75 / 17.5 / 26.25 / 35
Sep (40 mile goal) ~ 10 / 20 / 30 / 40
Oct (45 mile goal) ~ 11.25 / 22.5 / 33.75 / 45
Nov. (50 mile goal) ~ 12.5 / 25 / 37.5 / 50
Dec (55 mile goal) ~ 13.75 / 22.5 / 41.25 / 55
Jan (60 mile goal) ~ 15 / 30 / 45 / 60
Feb ( 65 mile goal) ~ 16.25 / 32.5 / 48.75 / 65

What do you think? Doable???

[Pedal Wench]

JayJay,

I think you might be taking this a bit more literally than necessary. At those distances, adding a mile or two wouldn't hurt. For example, if your very first ride happened to be 20 miles, you would be adding significantly more each week. And, the numbers are for each ride, not over a week. You'll want to ride as often a week as you can. I hike too, but they are really two different types of exercise. Hiking is a slow movement, and your cycling should be at a high cadence.

The 10% is a general guideline, but usually when you're already at a higher distance. Just start riding as often as you can, as many days a week as you can. (But don't cut out the hiking -- that's a great weight-bearing exercise, good for your bones!)

Don't let your age define you. I'm riding more at your age than I ever did when I was younger!

Edit: I just figured out your personal format plan. No need to do those shorter rides. Keep going with the longer rides. If you get really intense in your training, take a 'recovery' week every 4 weeks, where you don't push as hard.

[jayjay]

I've decided to do my 25/50/75/100 percent method. I totalled up monthly mileages and its pretty neck in nec in the 3rd month, but starts out definitely increasing faster, but from a very short distance start. It does increase the distances more than 10 percent in the first months, but less in the months further into the year of training. All over, comparing the two training methods is very interesting, the key being if I were to want to ride for competition, for extreme physical transformation, or with just others who are competative, the more agressive method (the 10% rule) might be a good choice. HOwever, I only intend to ride solo, at my own pace, long and slow, and so I think my method will be good. Will need some honing I'm sure.

This morning, the day after yesterdays >> 5 mile << ride, I am so sore… and it was only 5 miles I rode ! Oy, the training schedule I meticulously wrote out yesterday is overwhelming and daunting right now. These first rides are going to be the hardest. I need to not look at the big numbers of the months’ rides, but the *small* ones. I can do the small ones really easy. And soon I’ll be fit enough that I wont have to drive anywhere to ride on leveler spots, but can start from home (steep section of the mtn).

I can tell I’m going to be taking a lot of ibuprofen in the coming months, not something I care to do on a regular basis ~ oy, I should buy stock in the company that makes it ! The ONLY consolation I find in this regimen I’ve cooked up for myself, is that it’s a sure fire way to lose weight the right way, and that’s good enough in itself. It’s not easy doing this, facing my condition and being accountable to fixing it… not easy for anyone.

Thanks !

[jayjay]

Hi Girls ! I thought I'd check in. So far, I'm on plan, have done one ride per week up until now. Yesterday I rode 6 (coasted downhill for 3 miles, rode up for 3) Today , the next day I will do 8. I'm parking down off the steepest 2 miles from my house, just to get a more reasonable start on my training regimen. Monday is the 31st and my goal for March is to ride 10 and I'm confident I can do this. So far, as little as I'm riding, I'm on plan. THa'ts how one goes from Frozenstiff, Frumpy FortySix ... 40 lbs overweight and depressed, to a 47 yr old Lean Mean Riding Machine.

[lph]

THa'ts how one goes from Frozenstiff, Frumpy FortySix ... 40 lbs overweight and depressed, to a 47 yr old Lean Mean Riding Machine.

That's a terrific quote. Go for it!