Hi, I’m pretty new to TR and I’m getting ready for my first MS 150 ride from Austin to College Station! I’m faithfully following the grand fondo plan and have seen my speed improve. Any suggestions for time in the saddle outside v just on the trainer inside? I’m on the low volume plan. Will that be enough to get me through the event? I have ridden 55 miles outside at a go so far…
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Just keep spinning. The big thing would be to get some 3+ hour rides in and be comfortable on your bike.
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First, as the husband of a MS Warrior, I want to thank you for doing the ride. It means a lot to those fighting this fucking disease.
As for your training, yes, a LV plan will get you through the ride. I would recommend (as noted above) getting outside and doing some longer rides not in the plan to help augment your training. Ideally, so a few long-ish rides back-to-back, maybe 50 miles on both Sat and Sun.
Ride smart and don’t go too hard and you’ll be fine. Enjoy the rides and the people you meet.
Again, thank you. 
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+1 on the back to back rides. The body needs to be able to shake off yesterdays ride and go again,
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Thank you!! I’m definitely already there. And I keep telling myself, “Just keep spinning.” Literally!
Thanks for your encouragement. It’s truly my pleasure to support the cause. My sister-in-law was in a nursing home from the age of 50 until she died in her early 70’s from this terrible disease.
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LOL that’s my worst fear – getting up the next day and saying “80 more miles?” Yikes! But I know I got this. Too late to turn back. Gotta face my fears!
Just keep your bum healthy. Get your saddle dialed in by getting the tilt just right. Grease your bum up.
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Just want to update you kind people that my team’s raised $1800+ to help fight this horrific disease. Thank you all for your words of wisdom and encouragement.
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Just closing this out to let y’all know that I successfully finished. And TR definitely helped me get there, even on the low volume plan. I am subscribing for a year!
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Give us some deets……how’d it go and how did you feel?
Thanks again for doing the ride.
We had a huge storm come through the night before the ride. Leaving from Austin, the weather was beautiful but the winds were 20+ mph.
Luckily they were mostly at our back, but the crosswinds were brutal and nearly wiped me out a few times. I had a love/hate relationship with Da Brim the whole time. I’d tied it down with straps, but it was so windy one snapped off. I had to lean down on my handlebars for stability, so my shoulders were sore that night. I’m grateful for the tailwind and the massage therapists in LaGrange. The Houston riders faced headwinds the whole way. It would have been brutal and no fun at all. I salute the Houston riders!
We had to bus around the hilliest part of the ride which went through two adjacent state parks. I wasn’t sorry. I rode this section in January in training and was sure I could get through it, but this was my first Grand Fondo and I didn’t want to push it.
So here’s the second part of Day 1
I was hoping to average 14 mph and the tailwind helped me beat that a lot!
Day 2 was beautiful, although a lot hotter. My team sprinted out, but I let them go ahead and went at my own pace. To my surprise, my legs were just fine.
I wasn’t exhausted at the end, but my hamstrings were tight. Did some stretching on breaks in the drive home. Yesterday morning I was shocked at how bloated my face was. I drank lots of Liquid IV on the ride and didn’t eat junk (I brought my own granola bars and some dried fruits and Eat the Change dried carrots – my fave!). I took a rest day yesterday and got a massage, which helped with both the bloating and the overall body. I’m part of Tony Horton’s Power of Four group and am recovering this week with Movement IQ – lots of functional fitness and range of motion work.
Thanks so much for your support!
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