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Sportive speeds 100miles events

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  • February 20, 2013 at 8:49 pm #18031
    Leviathan

    Sorry this is another London 100 thread. It is still nearly 6 months away but the clock is now ticking.
    I am crazy scared I will be stuck at the start behind 10,000 people and won’t be able to go my own speed. The very reason that I want to do an event like this is to have a traffic free road and not be balked by cars and traffic lights, take the smoothest line on corners etc. All the best training times I have done also happen to be ‘lucky’ runs where I hit few or no traffic lights; my average speed goes up a lot if I don’t have to stop, even if I stop my watch at traffic lights all the energy lost to braking just cuts my average. However, I am concerned it will take miles to get a bit of free road or overtake people.
    I have been ambitious and said I will do the event in 5h20 which is 30kph for the whole thing. I am not sure how I will also factor in some stops to stretch my back and feet and pickup drinks, perhaps I’ll need to go faster. I am planning on a bit of yoga to help.
    Two of my best/longest rides have been 83km at 30.8kph and 100km at 28kph, so I am hoping to build the distance along the 30kph line until I am near my event target.

    I would love to hear what sort of speeds keen sportivers can do for 100miles/160km or if you have signed up, what was your target? Do you find that a closed road event gives you a big boost due to lack of required stops? Do you think I have bitten off more than I can chew? Or will I find I have shoved my way to the front and now need to justify myself? I won’t find out my start time until July but I can’t stop worrying about it.

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  • February 26, 2013 at 1:23 pm #717989
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    Old Cranky

    Great advice from
    Great advice from Bedfordshire Clanger, who I suspect could get very close to a 30kmh moving average for an event like the London 100.

    February 25, 2013 at 4:38 pm #717987
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    notfastenough

    I did the GMC last year, and
    I did the GMC last year, and completed the 52m route in 2:30:52.

    I think the very quickest time for the day was about 2:13.

    February 25, 2013 at 3:43 pm #717985
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    Leviathan

    I found some results online
    I found some results online which show just what is possible over 100miles. The winner of this event did it is an amazing 3:41 (43.7kph!) though this seems astonishing there are others in the 4 hours range. In this small event about 10 riders or about 10% too managed around 5:20 or less. So it seems I have set myself something of a gold standard target. Thanks to Pash for saying you were targeting 6:00, you might be more realistic; I will just have to see how my training goes, but now at least I am confident I won’t be starting at the back.

    http://www.stuweb.co.uk/event/849

    February 22, 2013 at 12:07 pm #717983
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    pashda

    I would imagine that due to
    I would imagine that due to the number of entrants you are going to struggle to go at your preferred pace for the first 20-30 miles. I have put 6hrs as my estimate because that is the time I did for a 150km ride last year with little specific training and included a couple of refueling stops. The Ride London 100 will be like the London marathon in that it is staged to be a massive charity event so will attract lots of charity riders who will be trying to beat the cut-off. You will struggle to set your best time for the distance in this event but it should be a grand day out with loads of support all the way. Enjoy

    February 22, 2013 at 10:01 am #717981
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    spongebob

    Turn up really early then you
    Turn up really early then you may start near the front giving you a better chance of reaching your target speed. Also a great idea would be to try and latch on to a group of riders trying to get the same sort of time.

    I can see 30kph being doable if it’s a flat inner city loop.

    From your current ride speeds I think that you could probably achieve your goal now if you ride with a group of 3.

    February 21, 2013 at 11:10 pm #717979
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    Simon E

    bikeboy76 wrote:Thanks for

    bikeboy76 wrote:
    Thanks for the replies and encouragement, but I was hoping for a bit more than a pat on the back and ‘try your best, son.'

    Why? How would it help?

    If you need mileage why not join a club or getting on some group rides? Find some people with the same goals, I think you’re expecting a lot from some random strangers on the internet.

    February 21, 2013 at 9:47 pm #717977
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    Bedfordshire Clanger

    I cheat by commuting 34 miles
    I cheat by commuting 34 miles a day, every week day and will gladly get up earlier to do another hour or two before work if the weather is nice. See what you can do to get yourself up to 10 hours a week on the bike. You won’t regret it! If you manage 30kmph for Ride London as a first big sportive you are a better man than me.

    February 21, 2013 at 5:18 pm #717975
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    Leviathan

    Thanks for the replies and
    Thanks for the replies and encouragement, but I was hoping for a bit more than a pat on the back and ‘try your best, son.’ Is no one going to go on record and give up some performances in your Earth hours and minutes?

    Thanks Clanger for remembering I am also doing the Etape Cymru. It is part of my three sportive plan for 2013: Great Manchester Cycle 52m, London 100m flat, Etape 92m climbing. About one month apart during the summer. The GMC2013 should be opening up on Monday 25 Feb I’ve heard. That event was quite crowded with big pinch points that really cost me time last year, but it was my first ever sportive and local so I will learn lessons and try to start closer to the front instead of having to overtake 1000 people. The inner city loop design of the course means pretty crowded roads and lapping people, this is why I am hoping that bigger events don’t have this problem after the first couple of miles.

    500miles a month! I have to ask what you are doing to log that much time on the bike, or can you go at 50mph? Are you commuting a long way; I keep a 30 day rolling target and the most I could manage last year was 419m at the end of july, and that was the summer peak. I just might not have the time put in that type of preparation; hence my ‘marginal gains’ philosophy and worry about crowds.

    February 21, 2013 at 2:31 pm #717973
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    Simon E

    If the numbers bother you
    If the numbers bother you find a quieter event to enter.

    If you think you can average 30 km/h for 100 miles then you might as well race a 100 mile time trial. I can guarantee you won’t get held up by loads of people in one of those!

    Other people’s speeds and targets are irrelevant. It’s recreational thing, not a race. Stop worrying, ride your bike, and try to enjoy it. Isn’t that the point of it all?

    February 21, 2013 at 11:32 am #717971
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    giff77

    Would say much the same as
    Would say much the same as Bedfordshire Clanger. Also work on your cadence rather than av speed. During the sportive you are going to hit junctions etc or get caught in a slower moving group that you won’t be able to pass quickly. You’ll actually find that the start sets you off in bunches of thirty or so and the course is designed to split everyone up. I’ve found myself not starting at the front but quickly passing people twenty thirty miles in. If you don’t have a buddy team up with some one or jump onto bunches, do your fair share and if you get spat out wait for the next group or feel free to drop them. Most importantly. ENJOY your day. Whilst getting a good time is great there’s no point in pushing yourself and blowing half way round the course. Hope you have a good day when it comes.

    February 21, 2013 at 9:08 am #717969
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    Al__S

    the faster you estimate your
    the faster you estimate your completion time, the closer to the front you’ll be starting.

    February 21, 2013 at 9:00 am #717967
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    Bruvva74

    Great advice Bedfordshire
    Great advice Bedfordshire Clanger B-)

    February 20, 2013 at 10:09 pm #717965
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    Bedfordshire Clanger

    Hi G, your speed totally
    Hi G, your speed totally depends on the route, the weather and the state that you are in so I can’t suggest a time that you or I could complete the event in. I am pretty sure that you will love riding on closed roads and that the combination of group riding, absence of traffic and the adrenaline of the day will get you going pretty quickly. My advice would be not to get too het up over times or comparing yourself to others. There will be a big range of abilities taking part and the most important thing is that you you go out and enjoy the day on your terms. There could be all manner of things that interfere with your plans for the day that you aren’t in control of, so control what you can by preparing well and keeping your bike in good condition. The best thing that you can do is to be well prepared, and that starts now. Get the miles in whenever you can, just use any excuse that you can to use the bike over any other form of transport and throw in some extra rides at every opportunity. Getting up a couple of hours or more earlier than I usually would to bang in some extra miles works for me, find out whatever it is that suits you. You’ll get round if the bike’s in good shape and you remember to eat and drink enough as you go but if you want to go faster then there’s no substitute for time on the bike. I have friends that do turbo sessions, spinning classes and follow training plans but I just go the old fashioned way and clock up the miles, gunning it whenever I can. Set yourself a target for each month and hit it by hook or by crook. 500 miles a month should put you in fairly good shape, if you get the opportunity to do more then so much the better. You’re in the Etape Cymru too aren’t you? Consider this one as part of the preparation. Train well for the next few months and you are guaranteed to have a good day out. Good luck with it, you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Work hard and make yourself proud on the day.

    Cheers!

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