- Sound familiar?
You've signed up for a hundred mile ride.
And maybe it's for charity
but you haven't been able to get the training in
and you're nervous.
I mean, you're really nervous.
- Yeah.
It's not surprising really
because riding a century is a pretty big deal
but we think we can get you round one
if you follow this advice.
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- On one hand, we want to make this ride
as easy as possible
and we can do this by making sure our bike
is in tip-top condition.
So start off by making sure our chain
and gears are clean
and make sure our chain is moved up.
If a chain is rusty and dry,
then it's going to rob you of precious energy.
Then, we'll look at our tire pressure.
I would go for an 80, 90 PSI
and that's a good ballpark for a road bike
but it totally depends on your weight.
You don't want to be too soft
because that will also rob you of good energy
or you don't want to be too hard
because, frankly, that'll be far too uncomfortable.
And then, we want to make sure our bike is clean
because, after all, a clean bike is a fast bike.
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Now, this is super important
because, ultimately, food is fuel
and you need to make sure
you keep eating and drinking
throughout your bike ride.
But before you set off,
think really carefully
about what you put in your pocket.
Yes, sports nutrition products are great
and they pack the calories needed
and are easily digestible
but we would suggest you go
for some solid normal foods
like jam sandwiches, flapjacks or even oat bars
and that seems to work really well especially
if you're not used to those sport nutritional products
on your stomach.
And on that last hour, if you need an emergency kit,
why don't you take a gel.
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So the first thing to do on morning of the event
is to check the weather. The last thing you want to be doing
is carrying around wet weather kit
if there's no chance of rain.
13 degrees and sunny.
Perfect.
Make sure you've got good kit that fits well
and is comfortable
because the last thing you want to be doing
is riding an ill fitted kit
'cause it'll slow you down.
You might feel like wearing Lycra
but if you can grin and bear it,
tight lycra really does work
and it'll make your riding a lot better.
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Keeping your undercarriage as comfortable
as possible is also paramount.
But if you haven't done a ride of this length,
then you might feel a little bruised
at the end of the day.
But don't worry because you will get through it.
One thing you can do that will prevent
any chaffing or unwanted irritation
is to use something as simple as chamois cream.
Think about it as a lubricant for your bum.
I personally don't use it
but some people really find it helps.
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We can't stress how much of an effect this will have.
Even if it's only one rider,
it's the equivalent of taking
your 100 mile ride and taking it down to 70.
As long as you keep nicely tucked in
behind the rider in front
making sure you're saving
as much energy as possible
and giving you the best chance
of getting around your 100 mile ride.
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- That said, you need to be really conservative
with your own pace.
So if the person whose wheel you're following
goes a little bit too hard for your upper climb,
you need to be prepared to back off
and let them go.
- So try riding the climb at a comfortable pace for you.
This stops you burning precious energy
more quickly than is necessary.
- You can think about it a little bit like a car.
You're going on a long journey
and you only got a limited amount of fuel.
If you start accelerating really hard
away from junctions or going really fast up hills
on the motorway, you're going to burn through
that patrol really quickly
so you need to drive efficiently
and it's exactly the same when nursing your body
around a century.
- So be conservative and sick to a pace
you're comfortable with the entire way
around your hundred mile ride.
(upbeat music)
- Despite those tips, the 100 miles
is still sounding a little bit daunting.
So why not go for a 25 mile ride instead
and then just do it four times.
- Yes, sounds stupid but it works,
not only physically allowing you to grab some food
and have a nice respite, but also mentally.
We can all do 25 miles, so don't worry about it.
And before not too long, the ultimate goal will be in sight.
- That's right.
Make the most of the little break that you get
between your 25 mile rides.
Take on some food.
Maybe fill up your water bottles
and mentally reset before you start the next leg.
The only thing I would say is you probably don't want
to rest for too long between 25 mile rides
because it is going to be a big day anyway
and if you start adding in loads of rest,
you might actually find you start to run out of time.
- Know as the day wears on,
you might find you stiffen up.
So try to be disciplined,
and maybe keep those breaks
to around five to ten minutes
before you get going again.
Right, I reckon it's time to get going.
- Already?
- It's been 10 minutes.
- Man, time flies.
In summary then, the first step is
to try and make that 100 miles
as easy as possible.
So you make sure your bike is in tip-knot position.
You make sure your clothing isn't going to hold you back
and you make you shelter from the wind
as much as humanly possible
by following a rider or riders in front of you.
- Then you need to think about your own ability.
So fueling up as best as possible
and being conservative in your pacing.
And don't forget to shave your legs.
- Hang on a minute, mate.
I thought we established that we weren't going
to recommend leg shaving,
it really doesn't make much difference?
- Really does.
Looking good. Feeling good.
Going fast. It makes sense.
- We'll carry this debate on
a little bit later on.
In the meantime, please give this video a big thumbs up.
Best of luck in your century quest.
I'm absolutely positive
that you'll make it round.
Just follow the advice that we've given.
And if you would like a little bit more information
about the nutrition side of things,
which is super duper important,
then we've got a video devoted to that subject.
You get through to it just down there.