Mileage base question

[DarcyInOregon]

Riding as much as possible during the winter months is also good training for riding in strong wind conditions.

Always look at the temp and wind on the weather forecast before setting out on a ride. The forecast will tell you from which direction the wind will be and how strong it will be blowing. One trick I do during the ride is I look at flags whipping in the breeze so that I know the direction of the wind and then when the direction changes. Just because the forecast says the wind that day will be from the northwest doesn't mean it will blow from the northwest consistently. Farmers love to have flagpoles in their yards so there are lots of flags to see. There are more flags when going through the small rural towns. How much the flags are whipping in the breeze is a good clue to how fast the wind is.

Think back on your ride yesterday. On a long ride the wind comes up around mile 60, more or less, and then picks up tempo and can be real gusty by mile 80. So on yesterday's ride, could you have ridden another 40 miles in the wind to have completed a century? And could you have ridden another 65 miles to have completed a brevet?

[Catrin]

Think back on your ride yesterday. On a long ride the wind comes up around mile 60, more or less, and then picks up tempo and can be real gusty by mile 80. So on yesterday's ride, could you have ridden another 40 miles in the wind to have completed a century? And could you have ridden another 65 miles to have completed a brevet?

Of course not, last weekend was the first time that I've ridden 60 miles but my mileage base is increasing

Thanks for your comments, and for everyone else who has commented on this. I just wasn't sure if I need to do more than a century prior to the brevet and it is obvious that I need to do so if at all possible. The adventure continues

[crazycanuck]

Catrin, I have to agree with MP on the mental aspect of long rides. I am training for a mtb 100km event & whilst wind won't be an issue..The ability to keep mentally fresh after 60km to do 10km of really tech singletrack is. For me, it's the exact timing of my nutrition that matters.

No matter what you do to prepare, think about how you'll push yourself through the wind or whatever.

Keep up the good training work!

I'm doing a 200k the weeend after yours...(Trekhawk possibly too..)

[Catrin]

Catrin, I have to agree with MP on the mental aspect of long rides. I am training for a mtb 100km event & whilst wind won't be an issue..The ability to keep mentally fresh after 60km to do 10km of really tech singletrack is. For me, it's the exact timing of my nutrition that matters.

No matter what you do to prepare, think about how you'll push yourself through the wind or whatever.

Keep up the good training work!

I'm doing a 200k the weeend after yours...(Trekhawk possibly too..)

I've been thinking about the mental aspect of long rides since Saturday, MP's comment was well timed. I did see some of this Saturday, I seriously considering pushing for a few more miles just to do it - but didn't like how the clouds were piling up into what looked like thunderstorm configuration (which never came).

Thanks for the encouragement, and it is good to hear what events others are training for. Good luck on your mountain bike event, that does sound like fun, and a challenge as well!

[maillotpois]

The mental thing is huge.

I haven't done a ride longer than 90 miles since May or June, and I haven't done a ride longer than 120 all year (I certainly haven't done anything over 130 since my last double century 3 years ago), but I did 170 miles of a tough double century 2 weeks ago. I'm not "fit" enough under any technical sense to do it, but I knew I could so I did. Plus I was helping a friend, and it was her goal event, not mine, so it was fun to see her succeed and take my mind off my own aches and pains.

I have also had at least one instance where I was fit as all get out, but just didn't want to keep going. (DMD 2009 - I DNF'ed at about 130 (?memory fades) even though I was quite a bit fitter and better trained than when I completed the whole event 2 years before. I knew how hard it was going to get and I just didn't have it in my head to keep going.)

[crazycanuck]

Catrin, if you're bored, here's the link to the event i'm doing.

I did the 40km event last year & there are some SERIOUS hills(ok, perhaps not for you in Mountainous areas) http://www.dwellingup100.com.au/

I've pretty much scouted out all the big hills i can find on and off road...

Now all I have to do is meet the time limits for each section

[Catrin]

Catrin, if you're bored, here's the link to the event i'm doing.

I did the 40km event last year & there are some SERIOUS hills(ok, perhaps not for you in Mountainous areas) http://www.dwellingup100.com.au/

I've pretty much scouted out all the big hills i can find on and off road...

Now all I have to do is meet the time limits for each section

That is quite an elevation profile! Thanks for sharing the information on your event, it looks like it will be a lot of fun - looking forward to reading your report afterwards