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

[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]

Oh , and I forgot to mention that this road riding training schedule is for *one* day per week. I realize I should some weeks ride more (but I *do* hike daily, sometimes twice).

>> I plan to divide up between my already established mini mountain bike rides around my home, and my part-way town commuting as well. The training schedule is for the “goal day” road distance rides. I need to now lighten up about it, I'm not use to such schedules.

[jayjay]

Not that I'm anywhere *near* there, but I'm curious, what you experienced trainers would throw out for me as a 'maintenance' schedule. I live on a mtn with a great loop of about 20ish miles, so that's something I can do once every couple weeks, with some shorter atb rides inbetween, perhaps keep up the HillyHundredK loop I've fixed, every couple of months. Adequate, for a SlowRider?

[Tuckervill]

I think once you work up to that 20 mile loop, you'll see how easy it would be to do it twice the next time. Ride lots, as someone said.

The important thing is to have fun!

Karen