300miles sahara challenge

[batess01]

I am now in a team of 6, formed mostly of ex paras and one ex marine all over the age of 30, which will attempt to complete a 300mile bike over 4days from makerech over the atlas mountains into and across a part of the sahara, carrying 4 days kit/food/water/shelter->bivvi.

Im 17 and the youngest in the team . The others have done similar biking challenges before but they say this is the hardest they have entered.

Each member of the team is doing it for a different charity, im doing it for alzeimers.

I was just wondering... we leave in late october,
Would you lot suggest:
Training now?
IF so how much?
IF not, when?

I am concerned about getting bored of biking and loosing motivation for biking if i start training for it now...

Just wanted your opinion, thanks a lot.

Seb

(i know its a crazy idea, but i was asked to join the team, and i had two choices either do it, or dont do it, but ive booked the tickets now, non-refundable, so if i fail then looks like im going on holiday )

[chrisaryee]

Seeing as the other members of the team have done this kind of thing before why not ask them for advice on training? Sounds like a fun thing to do though, wouldn't mind an edventure like that myself. All the best and hope you have a blast.

[_chris]

No it isn't too early to start training now, you need to start early and gradually build up your endurance, don't go out for 75 mile days now though, but do start to build your endurance now. Just go for bike rides, use other methods of increasing your endurance like long swims runs etc. If you leave it too late to start training you could start to panic and overtrain etc. starting now allows you to build up gently and gain confidence in your ability to complete the challenge.

But as chrisaryee says ask your mates what their doing.

[jonno2006]

im afraid i cant help you in regards to your training, but i would like to say, f*cking good on you mate and thank you for chosing to do it in aid of such a worthy cause!
all the best with it seb,

jonno

[Macca]

good on ya mate, yeh it is best to prepare and train as soon as you can mate, it will give you alot more confidence if you start now and also gives you plenty of time to progress in your fitness. is a big challenge to take on at 17 so for that good on you mate plus your doing it for a good cause so i wish you the best of luck mate and if i was you i would start ya training now

all the best
macca

[Scouser]

Alright Seb,
I'm going cycling around Europe this summer, nothing like 300miles in 4 days but looking at covering about 1500 miles over several weeks. All I'd suggest is get as comfortable as possible with your bike, the saddle, handlebars, pedals etc and change what isn't right for you. You can cover some distance quite easily on your bike so you shouldn't get as bored as you might do running doing the same route again and again. Do plenty of cardio work and careful back stretches to avoid injury on your bike. To cover that kind of distance you'll need to build the appropriate muscles, which means loads of cycling - this is much more useful than leg weights at the gym to build the stamina in the muscles that your using. Maybe try 'spinning' classes, I know a few people that rave about these! Remember to build up to training with your panniers full. Other than that, keep as fit as possible, as _chris says, don't do 75mile rides yet, stick to 30milers for now and look forward to a very sore arse next October! Good luck with it mate.

By the way - what bike are you using?

Ben

[batess01]

wow thanks for the quick replies.
i go to a gym and have done for 2 years. i think il start doing the spinning classes at least 1-3 times a week, i live 6miles from the gym so il bike there at the weekends to do the spinning class, il try and get biking as part of my life (daily routine) may help.

As far as the other blokes go.
they are from all around the country and i dont realy know them so cant realy contact them as easily as i can you lot, i will try to, just intrested to see what you can cough up thanks, anymore tips/advice would be very welcome.

the bike im using is just some cheapo halfords one i found for £80 a while back, i dont have too much money to chuck at a bike, but i think i will when it becomes a big part of my life.

[batess01]

Another thing that may slightly hinder training is that from febuary to May every other weekend im doing a 30-50mile yomp with 60lbs in dartmoor, as im doing ten tors again this year. I dont think it will hinder training too much hopefully.

[rgj-rifleman]

ah seb mate, well done for even applying to take on such a challange, and as jonno said, for a worthy cause.

I wish you the very best luck my friend, talk to you soon mate

RGJ-Rifleman

[_chris]

Another thing that may slightly hinder training is that from febuary to May every other weekend im doing a 30-50mile yomp with 60lbs in dartmoor, as im doing ten tors again this year. I dont think it will hinder training too much hopefully.

My college wouldn't do that for second year running, stupid cocks, every year they say they will; get us to do loads of work then back out. Last year it got so close all the team were planning personal training for it and we were all going out for long runs etc. together thinking they'ld do it.

I don't see how it would be detrimental to your training, increase both physical and mental endurance which is what you'll need.

[batess01]

yeh your rite, probably wont get in they way, im just guna be a busy guy. I need to sort out some sort of program for training.

I was thinking i need tobe able to do about 15km an hour for 8hours straight everyday.
I reckon, if i can do 25km an hour with ease then 15km/ph for 8hours would be no problem.

so as a test il do a max in one hour every 2 weeks or something to check progress.

any chance of giving me ahand put together this program?

Cheers,
Seb