Today's Bike Ride

[Al Fowler]

Just build up from 49 miles, get some hills in, and pray for no wind on the day, and learn to suffer on the bike, all bike riders suffer, the top lads just suffer faster. It's the same with owt, hard work will bring you results

Im a total leightweight compare to most though, just doing that 49er finished me off, i was about 2 miles from home and i felt like i was going to fall off the bike i was that knackered.
Might try the route again on thursday and see how things go, see if i can knock abit of time off from the first attempt and not hit that wall coming down from rivington.

[stevefoster]

Im a total leightweight compare to most though, just doing that 49er finished me off, i was about 2 miles from home and i felt like i was going to fall off the bike i was that knackered.
Might try the route again on thursday and see how things go, see if i can knock abit of time off from the first attempt and not hit that wall coming down from rivington.

Just keep trying and working hard, first time my mate did 100 mile with me he was in sh!t state, threw up 3 times, soiled his chammy shorts, but he's stuck at it, while i've been doing more running, he's stuck to his cycling (he has a spinal condition so finds running painful) and has just returned from a cycling holiday in Majorca where he's covered 80 miles everyday.
If you have the desire and work hard, you'll crack it

[Al Fowler]

Just keep trying and working hard, first time my mate did 100 mile with me he was in sh!t state, threw up 3 times, soiled his chammy shorts, but he's stuck at it, while i've been doing more running, he's stuck to his cycling (he has a spinal condition so finds running painful) and has just returned from a cycling holiday in Majorca where he's covered 80 miles everyday.
If you have the desire and work hard, you'll crack it

I shall keep those words with me when it gets tough.

[Toffer]

Well toffer came up with that challenge...100 miles in 6 hours something....but you have to go up 2 big cols.

My first goal is to do more that 49 miles........then work my way up and up and up. And hopefully along the way do it within toffers time.

Looks like Al is getting serious
Good stuff Al, I guess like me the only way to get a decent exercise fix at the moment is to do a bit of cycling, plenty of pain involved!
Not sure I want to take all the blame for this though, I reckon that Dazza first came up with the line about Cav covering the Milan-San Remo in 6hrs 41 etc. I quite liked that, in that if you cycle at about 15 miles an hour then you will get to 100 miles in about that time, so that is only about 80 odd miles behind Cav!!! I just added a few rules!
But, for mortals, ie fell runners and occasional cyclists like us 100 miles at say 17 mph, so about 6hrs would be a reasonable thing to aim for, hence the challenge for the summer. I have started from pretty much zero and I am just slowly increasing the time out, not bothered about distance at the moment, just slowly getting fitter and faster as the weeks go by. I reckon being completely unscientific about it just get out for few hours to begin with, you are already doing around 50 miles so that is great, just need to be able to do it and not be dead at the end! Then just increase the time out to 4/5 and 6hrs over the next couple of months. I'm going to do 100 miles in June(hopefully!) As for the cols, if you are up in Emmaland there must be some decent climbs within a 30/40 mile radius, look for some roads going over say 1000-1500ft and look at what the roads are like up and down, hairpins are a good sign of impending pain and suffering and go and have a look at them. I guess Emmi or Daz may have some local knowledge to help prepare a route. Oh and go to Mr Ribble and get a bike And always remember Doms equation!

[Al Fowler]

Looks like Al is getting serious
Good stuff Al, I guess like me the only way to get a decent exercise fix at the moment is to do a bit of cycling, plenty of pain involved!
Not sure I want to take all the blame for this though, I reckon that Dazza first came up with the line about Cav covering the Milan-San Remo in 6hrs 41 etc. I quite liked that, in that if you cycle at about 15 miles an hour then you will get to 100 miles in about that time, so that is only about 80 odd miles behind Cav!!! I just added a few rules!
But, for mortals, ie fell runners and occasional cyclists like us 100 miles at say 17 mph, so about 6hrs would be a reasonable thing to aim for, hence the challenge for the summer. I have started from pretty much zero and I am just slowly increasing the time out, not bothered about distance at the moment, just slowly getting fitter and faster as the weeks go by. I reckon being completely unscientific about it just get out for few hours to begin with, you are already doing around 50 miles so that is great, just need to be able to do it and not be dead at the end! Then just increase the time out to 4/5 and 6hrs over the next couple of months. I'm going to do 100 miles in June(hopefully!) As for the cols, if you are up in Emmaland there must be some decent climbs within a 30/40 mile radius, look for some roads going over say 1000-1500ft and look at what the roads are like up and down, hairpins are a good sign of impending pain and suffering and go and have a look at them. I guess Emmi or Daz may have some local knowledge to help prepare a route. Oh and go to Mr Ribble and get a bike And always remember Doms equation!

Good words of advise.

[Ady In Accy]

Club ride today for me with 14 of us setting off from Whalley on to Sawley. A left at the Copy Nook saw 2 riders suddenly remember urgent appointments as the roller coaster ride of 9 miles/1600' to the top of Bowland Knotts began. 3 of us took up the front, soon pulling away from the tarrying band of slackers and gradually upped the pace until the 1/5 initial climb to the Knotts. The 8 stone club hill climb champ sprinted off the front and put in 20 yards on this steep section as I ground up keeping a sensible (ish) HR all the way to the cattle grid where I decided to try and close the gap a little - little it was by the Knotts but at least I didn't blow and got up in second place. As it was a very mixed ability bunch, a 10 minute wait ensued before we started the fantasic descent down to Keasdon. A 20 yard plastic cleated walk/rush to my stead saw me set off close to the back of the bunch but lack of any common sense and a little bit of descending/cornering ability saw me carve my way through the string of descending riders with a max of 55mph reached somewhere en-route. A strongish cross wind and meandering sheep prooved an interesting distraction on the way down but all the riders landed safely in Brook House cafe at Clapham. The route back had a few bumps via Austwick, Helwith Bridge, Little Stainforth, Giggleswick, Rathmell, Wigglesworth (road race section back to Sawley), Clitheroe, Whalley and back home.
Sunshine to start but cloud and drizzle by the end of the ride endured in shorts and short sleeves. Enjoyable ride of 70 miles at 18 average.

[Ady In Accy]

Not many people cross training then?

Club training ride today with 8 others out to Longridge and the A6 via the lanes at a brisk pace and then 7 of us did through and off for 12 miles round to St Michaels, Stake Pool, Nateby and Scorton where just 3 of us landed together with an average of 21mph. 1 or 2 sorry states shuffled into the cafe for a re-group over lunch, soon followed by a steady paced ride back through the lanes to Longridge, Ribchester, Whalley and home. 75 miles at 19.5 average.

[Stagger]

Not many people cross training then?

Club training ride today with 8 others out to Longridge and the A6 via the lanes at a brisk pace and then 7 of us did through and off for 12 miles round to St Michaels, Stake Pool, Nateby and Scorton where just 3 of us landed together with an average of 21mph. 1 or 2 sorry states shuffled into the cafe for a re-group over lunch, soon followed by a steady paced ride back through the lanes to Longridge, Ribchester, Whalley and home. 75 miles at 19.5 average.

Did my 1st hour on the road bike for a long time. Averaged 14 mph and 1500" of ascent.

You guys make me look like a numpty

I need to get out more and as running is out of the question at the moment I may be posting more on this thread

[Toffer]

52 miles in greying humid conditions, lots of hills, 2 absolute bu****s, only one argument with a moron in a car, might have used my finger.........

[millipede]

I rode home from the pub. What better bike ride is there than that?

It was a lovely warm evening, with stars and quiet roads and everything.

On my pub bike (how professional am I?)

I do have a complaint about my hope head torch though, it gives you a red mark on your head which isn't that becoming when you have to chat in the pub.