training for a metric century or century

[RoadRaven]

How far are you guys riding at the moment?

At the moment I'm doing "time on the bike" rather than aiming for kms (although I am recording those as well).

I am aiming for 8-9 hours/week in December and 10 hours/week over January.

That has equated to150-200kms per week in December (this last week I did over 9 hours and clocked up 211.73kms). I'm doing "base-training" at the moment and not racing. The Tour de Beautiful will be my first 'race' (even though its a fun ride) for 2009.


EDIT: I see this post has started a new page. Millie, the Tour de Beautiful details are at the bottom of the previous page...

[kiwi girl]

Pip
I'm still looking for Grape ride accommodation - I've sent you a PM in case (as I hope) your posting implied you know of something (If its one spare bed in whatever you have I could leave BF behind and make a girls weekend away of it)

[hilldweller]

Accommodation? Haven't even thought of that LOL but would be grateful for any suggestions.

New bike (well new second-hand bike) , complete with cracked fork , is in pieces on the living room floor while bike shop tries to sort out insurance and a replacement fork over the holiday period. And I haven't been on a bike for so long I've got no idea how far I can actually ride 5km? 20km? 30km? Definitely not 100! If I can get bike and body together in time though I'd love to meet up with other TE bods

MillieNZ - Otago

[Pip]

Hey Hilldweller, whereabouts are you based in Otago? I'm going to be down there in April - my FIL has a vineyard in Bannockburn and we're trying to time our arrival with the grape harvest. Will be taking my bike with me if you're nearby and want to ride together.

I hope you get your bike issues sorted. How frustrating.

[MillieNZ]

Pip - we must have gone up that damn hill around the same time, I swear the air stopped moving at the bottom ! We also haven't done much cycling since Taupo (crappy auckland winds), today Crazycanuck passed us slogging it out up the Hunua hills this morning ... got a Sarah Ulmer ride in five weeks so training time again YA !

RR - Will talk to Hubby about the Tour de Beautiful..... will keep you posted

hilldweller - you can do it

would be good to met up or even if we all ride different speeds/distances, catch up for a wine afterwards

I met fellow 'downunder' boardie Crazycanuck today Very nice to put a face to the name & seems they enjoyed the hunua mountain park .... i just enjoyed a rather large chocolate muffin and their company !

[Pip]

Crazy Auckland winds ....

As a former Aucklander now living in Wellington, and having spent this afternoon slogging it around the Bays into a wretched Northerly in a tiny gear and struggling to maintain 20kmph (at one point I was down to 13kmph - I suck at riding into the wind), I'm smiling gently at your Hunua ride! It must have been lovely out there today though.

I'm keen to catch up for a drink afterwards and I'm sure we'll all keep in touch over the next few months. Perhaps this thread really belongs in the New Zealand forum. I'm wishing now I'd posted something in there when I was training for Taupo and we'd all hooked up sooner.

The Graperide is a good first metric century ride because people of all levels of ability take part so it doesn't matter how fast or slow you are. Other than the false flat up the hill to Picton there's only one real climb - Mahikipawa Hill on Queen Charlotte Drive. QC Drive itself is quite undulating but with the bush and bellbirds and gorgeous views I wasn't noticing the pain last time! Plus they throw a great party afterwards.