Training for a ride like BikeMS is really important. Most people can do the ride, but the better you train, the faster you’ll get there and the better you’ll feel once you’re there.
Last year, I added the Century option to the end of the second day’s ride, and man was I beat by the time I crossed the finish line. I could barely walk, and even though there was a huge lunch tent, I didn’t feel like I could eat anything.
Here’s a look at my training log from last year:
March: 173.20 miles
April: 283.99 miles
May: 340.54 miles (includes Santa Fe Century Ride)
June: 441.52 miles (includes BikeMS ride).
This year, I’m already off to a better start. In March I rode about 250 miles. My friend Steve, who is also riding in BikeMS, challenged himself to ride 300 miles in March, so I jumped in as well. He made his goal, but I fell a bit short.
In April, my goal is to ride 400 miles, and May and June, I’m hoping to reach between 400 and 500 miles. Steve is also shooting for 400 miles.
If you break 400 miles down, it’s a pretty doable 13 miles a day. But there’s no way that I’ll be able to ride every day. Plus you’re supposed to build in at least one rest day so that your muscles can recuperate.
So my plan is to ride 13 miles five days a week and then go on a longer (at least 35 mile ride) each weekend, which will put me at 100 miles each week. The 13-mile days are pretty easy to get in at lunch or after work - I can do that in under an hour. If I do longer rides on the weekend or even after work, that’ll add a little cushion to days when I can’t ride.
So far, my rides have been mostly flat with a few hills to get the heart rate going, but now that the weather is better, that’s going to change.
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