Too Chicken To Go On Longer Rides

[papaver]

The morning I suggested a 50 mile ride to DH, he said, OK, plan a route.

So I did.

Then he came up with his own idea:

He planned the first 20, which was something we were pretty used to, for an area we have had lots of fun riding many times. Then he planned the other 30 with lots of "bail out" options -- where a simple right turn would take us back toward home within about 5-7 miles.

We made the whole fifty, but the thing we should have remembered was that during those first twenty, we still had thirty to go, cuz the last ten were pretty doggone hard! (we had, in fact, chosen one of the bail outs, then realized how close to making it we were, and toured around the neighborhoods on our way home until we had our fifty!)

Karen in Boise

congrats!

[SpeedyChix]

When I was just getting started I'd look at a map of the area and keep going a bit farther. Looking for roads I hadn't been on before. As time went on, this would take me onto longer rides every couple of weeks.

RidewithGPS.com is a great way to see your area and make routes. Easy to check the distance before you go. Also to see ways to shorten if required.

Take adequate hydration/nutrition on the bike once you get to rides that are going to be over an hour.

Think of it as an adventure!

Keep with it.

[TrekTheKaty]

Pick a half-point destination: ice cream, hamburger, coffee, farmer's market, meet a friend. I love to eat and when I kick into a late-ride sprint, DH says to the others "she must be thinking of cheeseburgers." Lay out a loop--once you pass halfway it's just as easy to go forward as it is to back track.

I also like the drop-off idea. We take the train out and ride back some weekends.

I use MotionBased.com and mapmyride.com to search for routes and map new ones.

[jodz1984]

Hi, I go for group rides with the bike shop 3 times a week, and i try to go out by myself another 2 or 3 times a week, but not as long, but just so i can get better at riding against the wind myself instead of dropping back and hiding in the group. I rung the bike shop on thursday because i wasn't sure if they were going to go becuase of everyone leaving town for a long weekend, they told me that they were going and they were planning to do 100kms. I instantly told him that i can't do 100km and was about to say cya on saturday morning. they then told me they were going to go around town so i could go home whenever i wanted. I ended up making it 88.5kms, the only reason it wasn't the 100km was becuase it started raining extremely heavy. i was extremely happy that i made it 88.5kms after about 2 months of cycling. The bike shop owner kept saying to me, i didn't think you were going to do the 100km, and he was extremely happy with my efforts too.

My previous longest ride was 50km before this, but once you start it is very suprising how easy it can be to make the distance. Since thursday (4 days) i have ridden 230kms and i am planning to do another 20km, to make it 250km in 4 days, so that i can beat my previous total weekly ride of 145km.

My advice is to join in with a group, it makes the ride so much more enjoyable and easier as well. i will get home more tired from a 20km ride by myself compared to a 40 or 50km ride with a group.

[cylegoddess]

When I was riding to the center of town, to train myself to ride to work, it was a bit demoralizing at first. I had been ill for years so I had to walk up hills and rest a couple a times on the way( 15 miles), plus have a couple hours break between riding back.
The ride home was harder, as it is uphill, always has a headwind and there are always two or three huge fit men that just zoom by, made me feel like I am going backward.
All I wanted was to go on the big rides, that I would see zooming by me , like the Tour!
Now I can do twice a week! Plus a ride on weekends, alt weeks.
you can always call a cab if you dont have anyone to pick you up!
My riding buddy said, if you ride to to work a couple times a week, that should train you up for big rides. So increase your rides during the week, as you get able.
I havent made one yet( as I have to ride 20 km to GET to the group rides, then they are 22 to 55 km, plus ride home) but I am working on it.

I read women dont push themselves as much as men exercising. I recently said ok, and kept up with some really fit people for 5 km or so, which was a first.
I do interval training, to learn how to keep pace.

[sundial]

He planned the first 20, which was something we were pretty used to, for an area we have had lots of fun riding many times. Then he planned the other 30 with lots of "bail out" options -- where a simple right turn would take us back toward home within about 5-7 miles.

That's great! Good job!