I feel like this may have been covered previously in a podcast but can’t find the correct one.
On a whim I have decided to enter an event in early August: 300km of ‘gravel’ riding (greenway, canal, former railways and ancient packhorse routes) over 2 days (bivvying over night - can stop at any point along route).
I will likely be averaging about 20km/hour so it is a lot of time in the saddle.
How can I best prepare for this distance on trainer road? I have just started the sweet spot base high volume (late in the day I know) - having previously gone through a base, build, specialty for short distance road racing.
I am concerned that doing 8-10 hours of training per week will not adequately prepare me for such a long ride over a single week end.
Just go easy and have frequent, schedules brakes, and you’ll be fine. Its a long time, but as you’ll be bivvying, you’ll have about 10 hours a day for about 90 miles?
Not sure if going into HV base now will be the right move - I’d be tempted to just do some long outdoor rides. Make sure you do back to back days though. If you’re short on time, do a late night - early morning combo.
Past weekend I completed a 260km ride in under 10 hours. Was a very hilly route too.
Longest ride prior to the event was 160km. I was probably training 10 hours a week but half of that was running.
If you’re well trained the key for going longer is nutrition and ensuring you’re bike fit is right so you can be comfortable in saddle for hours. Also just pacing it right due to distance you’re covering
I am riding around 750 miles in 7 days in a couple of weeks. I remember @Jonathan taking about his Everesting day - keep the IF relatively low and focus on eating and drinking early on the ride and often thereafter - don’t deplete your energy or get dehydrated
The route runs from the west coast of England in Liverpool to the east coast in Scarborough and is organised by the Racing Collective who also organised the GBDuro which Lachlan Morton recently smashed!
It is like nothing I have ever done before (i’m more used to hour long cross races and road circuit races) but i’m really looking forward to the challenge.
You’ll be fine. I’ve done Liverpool-Hull, but it was on the road. That was before I started training and racing, just used to do a lot of miles. Its pretty flat, only the pennines to get over. Enjoy, its great to go coast to coast just powered by your legs.
You’ll be fine if you pace and fuel appropriately. I did a 150mile (240km) gravel ride last year with no real training prior - just 4-5 hrs of “just riding” per week prior. I was with a group that paced conservatively, and stopped every 1.5-2hrs to eat/rest. If you have been doing 8-10hrs of TR training, you’ll be more than fine.
