Hi friends! I feel like I’m at a bit of a crossroads with my cycling journey right now, and I’d really love to get some feedback from some of y’all.
For background, I started getting into longer distance cycling events last year as a way to stay healthy and fit, especially since my partner and I have an 18 month toddler. Cycling is both a mental health and physical fitness outlet for me.
I’m riding a Surly LHT with 700x32 Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, so I’m almost always at the back of the pack. I am not part of a team, so I’m never able to draft behind people either.
Last year I completed 2 Gran Fondos, one of which was the Whistler Sea to Sky Fondo. Yesterday was my first ride of the year and despite spending all winter with TrainerRoad 3 times a week, my time was actually slower than it was a year before and I missed the cutoff time.
Granted, I had an exhausting week leading up to their ride, I got slightly drunk 2 nights before the ride which resulted in bad sleep, and then a toddler-induced bad nights sleep the night before the ride.
Needless to say, that was pretty discouraging, especially since my plan has been to try and go for even longer rides this year (a 157km ride on July 1 and a 200km in September). My partner wants me to back down from leaning into these fondo style rides (and the longer ones too obvi), and in my disappointment from this weekend I’m inclined to go along with that.
But here are my questions:
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How much should I read into my results this weekend? Could it just be chalked up to a hard week and a bad nights sleep?
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If I had a really hard day going for 120km on June 9, should I pull back on trying to go for 157km on July 1 and 200km in September?
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If anyone is a toddler-parent who works full time and engages in long-distance cycling, I’d love to hear how you make that work
I’d recommend you don’t sweat the time at all. Unless you enjoy the competitive aspect and are willing to train hard, that is. Even then, I’ve witnessed people who are into racing get discouraged from cycling as they age and their results stop being competitive at a certain level. I like randonneuring because it makes you haul ass, but leaves you enough leeway to enjoy the experience as an adventure and a challenge. I have written a bit about a few rides, if you are interested.
Thanks, friend! I appreciate the reply! Randonneuring is definitely the goal that I have been working towards. Finishing a 200km ride this year is my peak goal, as that would qualify me as a legit randonneur!
I think that perhaps I will pump the breaks on the 157km ride, since it’s on Canada Day and I think my spouse would appreciate me being available for childcare, but I think I’ll find a better training plan for completing the 200km in September.
Never read anything into a one-off result. You need to see how you get on over multiple occasions to have any idea if there’s a pattern. Keep going! (Because by the time you’ve got more data points, you’ll also be fitter 😉)
I don’t think you can train for long distance cycling at speed whilst also being an equal and present parent. Between work, housework, and family time, there just isn’t much time left over. I love getting out for long rides at the weekends, but it’s just one long ride per week which isn’t going to get me prepped for a real race.
How much should I read into my results this weekend? Could it just be chalked up to a hard week and a bad nights sleep?
For a one-time poor result, yeah, I would.
If I had a really hard day going for 120km on June 9, should I pull back on trying to go for 157km on July 1 and 200km in September?
What has your previous max distance been, and how did that go? If you base it on average with other long rides, then you’ll get a better idea of what you can expect.
On a side note, do you have or use a fitness tracker or bike computer? Having some insight to your health/performance can be helpful, especially for distance rides. For example, helping you to pace based on heart rate or power.
If anyone is a toddler-parent who works full time and engages in long-distance cycling, I’d love to hear how you make that work
My kids are grown up, but now we have grandkids to watch, so balancing time to cycle is always a major challenge. I did get an indoor spin bike to help fill in the gaps, but nothing compares to actually get outside and putting on those miles.
Right now, my longest rides happen only on weekends, with errands and some other rides throughout the week ( much shorter stuff).
Good luck! Long rides like those are better than a week-long “regular” vacation, IMO!
