Training

"I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards."

Abraham Lincoln

For many Riders, one of the greatest challenges of the Big Ride Across America will be the training. We hope to give you the tools and resources necessary to complete a successful training program that will prepare you for the Ride.

Your experiences on the Ride will be - in a word - AWESOME. The miles you travel, the friends you make and the sights you see will stay with you forever. Though training for the Ride may seem daunting, don't let it intimidate you. You are a powerful, resourceful person. Your training will demand discipline and enthusiasm as you move toward your physical goals. Your Mentor will be an excellent resource to get you started on a training routine. Your local gym, health club or personal trainer can also assist in a regime that can be tailored to your level of experience and fitness.

Where do I start?

1. Determine what your cycling level is now.
2. Break down the time you have to train before the Ride starts, and determine the fitness level you need to be at, to successfully complete the Ride.

To make things easier, we've broken cycling levels into three major categories: beginning, intermediate and advanced. Beginning:
You ride occasionally and may not own a bike fit to ride cross-country.
Your rides are usually 5-10 miles and generally flat routes.
You don't consider bicycling a passion, but you're up to challenging yourself while helping others
You've yet to take on a century (100 miles in one day)
Intermediate:
You cycle regularly (every week)
Your rides are generally 20-50 miles with challenging terrain
You own a bike that is suitable for cross-country riding
You ride two to three centuries a year
You are a very avid cyclist
Advanced:
You spend most of your spare time cycling
You regularly do multiple day cycling events or tours
You cycle on a competitive level
You regularly do rides of 50 to 100 miles
Whatever cycling level you rate yourself, you need to start training and planning for the Ride NOW!
After you've determined your level, continue reading to help you get started on the road to the Ride.
Training plan
So, you're ready to begin. Whether you registered ten months or six months before the Ride, you need to break down the time you have remaining to train until the Ride, and develop a workable training plan. Remember, a lot of variables play a role in your training: work, family, weather, illness and life in general. So, keeping your schedule flexible is important. We don't want you neglecting your everyday life to do this Ride. We want you to incorporate the Big Ride into your life. If you don't already belong to a gym or fitness center, this is a good time to get started. Weight training
Weight training is something that you can add to your workouts during the cold season, November to February/March, but saddle time should be your first priority. Try not to do your weight workouts and cycling back to back. Give yourself some recovery time.

You should progress slowly in your weight training as in your cycling. Pushing yourself too hard from the start will lead to injury. We will have more details on weight training in the Big News.

Beginner:
Be reasonable. Set achievable goals and be realistic. If you over-train or start too hard, you risk injury! Take it slowly at the start, and consult with your Mentor throughout this process. You do need to prepare for eventually riding an average of 60-80 miles per day on the Ride. There will be 100+ mile days as well as 40-mile days. You need to be ready for all types of mileage and terrain. Start training.
Here are some good tips for getting started:

• Month 1: Ride with a partner who is equal in ability to you or a little more advanced.
• Month 2 and 3: Begin riding 20-30 mile rides 1-2 times a week weather permitting
• Month 4: Start incorporating weekly hill rides, climbing 5-10 minutes per session. Additionally, you should incorporate two rides of 50 or more miles for the month.
• Month 5: You should be riding 75-100 miles per week with two days of climbing 10+ minutes per session.
• Month 6: Try and start the month with a 75 - 100 mile ride. There are organized, well-supported cycling rides throughout the country you can participate in (bike clubs often have weekly rides)
• Months 7+: Peak training of 200-250 miles per week, then tapering 1 week prior to ride

Finding time to train: For many Riders, finding the time to training is just as challenging as the training itself. There are only so many hours in the day. You may work 8-10 of them. Sleep for 6-8 of them. And of course, there are many other obligations. Remember your commitment to the Ride, to your donors, and to everyone else who has donated to support you. Also, remember the people you will be helping through the American Lung Association of WA. Training can be lonely if you are tackling it alone. Find a riding partner or group to help stay motivated, physically and emotionally. What goes on inside your head and heart is as important as the rest of your body. Ask questions. Be prepared and you'll fully enjoy the experience. If you keep focused on the Ride, you will make the time to train. Your training time should not be your "spare" or "leftover" time. You must prioritize it, just as you would your other obligations. Mornings can be a great time to train, before the other things in your day crowd your time. And exercising in the morning wakes you up and gets the day started on an invigorating and healthy note. You will truly find yourself getting more done with less fatigue at the end of the day. Try it! Time "in the saddle" Ultimately the time you spend on your bike will be the most valuable to your training regime. Take every opportunity to ride outside in varying terrain and conditions.

Sample Training Schedule

	TRAINING SCHEDULE MILEAGE CHART
MONTH 1
SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	TOTAL MILES
5	5	OFF	10	OFF	5	5	30
OFF	5	5	5	OFF	5	10	30
OFF	5	5	OFF	10	OFF	15	35
10	OFF	10	OFF	5	OFF	10	35
MONTH 2
SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	TOTAL MILES
7	5	OFF	10	OFF	8	10	40
10	OFF	5	7	OFF	10	8	40
OFF	5	10	OFF	5	OFF	25	45
OFF	OFF	5	OFF	10	OFF	30	45
MONTH 3
SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	TOTAL MILES
10	OFF	20	5	OFF	10	5	50
30	OFF	OFF	10	OFF	OFF	10	50
OFF	10	OFF	5	10	OFF	35	60
25	OFF	5	10	5	OFF	15	60
MONTH 4
SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	TOTAL MILES
OFF	5	10	OFF	10	OFF	40	65
15	OFF	10	OFF	20	OFF	20	65
OFF	10	OFF	OFF	10	OFF	50	70
OFF	15	OFF	15	OFF	20	20	70
SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	TOTAL MILES
OFF	OFF	10	OFF	10	OFF	60	80
15	OFF	20	OFF	10	OFF	40	85
15	OFF	OFF	10	OFF	OFF	60	85
20	OFF	OFF	15	OFF	OFF	50	85
MONTH 6
SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THUR	FRI	SAT	TOTAL MILES
OFF	OFF	10	OFF	10	OFF	70	90
20	OFF	OFF	10	OFF	OFF	60	90
20	OFF	10	20	10	OFF	40	100
20	OFF	OFF	10	OFF	OFF	70	100
MONTH 7+: INCREASE MILEAGE BY 5% WEEKLY, so you are cycling between 200 and 250 miles per week before the Ride starts.

Hydration

Importance of hydration-

Dehydration during cycling is common because of the breeze crossing your body, cooling you off. It is easy to ignore for the same reason. Fifty percent of your blood is fluid, namely water, and dehydration effects your bodies ability to transport nutrients, effecting your overall performance and fatigue level. As part of your hydration control, it is essential to take in electrolytes. Electrolytes enable your muscles and organ systems to function properly. The easiest way to consume electrolytes is through energy drinks. To help you recognize dehydration in yourself and others and help you control fluid intake during cycling and other activities, here are a few tips:

• If you are thirsty, you are dehydrated. It is a natural response for your body to project a sense of thirst when you are dehydrated. So, drink fluids throughout activity, to avoid dehydration.
• Look for clear urine. Your body eliminates excess water, but guzzling extra water all at once isn't the cure. You need to continuously drink water during exercise to avoid dehydration. Dark urine is a sure sign of dehydration.
• How much to drink. As a rule of thumb during cool weather drinking about one water bottle (28-32 oz) per hour. If the temperature is hot or if the humidity is really high, or really low, you need considerably more (1-2 bottles per hour). Beat the sense of thirst before it starts.
• Is there a chance of over-hydration? Generally not. Your efforts during exercise and your kidneys should compensate for and expel the excess fluids.

Bonking:

"Bonking" is a term used to describe what happens to your body when you have completely depleted the glycogen (the energy store in your muscles) stores in your muscles. Essentially, your body runs out of fuel. When this happens, you will experience disorientation, headaches, and loss of body and bike control. Bonking is avoidable through proper hydration and electrolyte restoration (such as sports drinks). You should plan your food intake before you feel hungry, and drink every 10 to 15 minutes. On average, an adult should take in approximately 30 ounces per hour in normal temperature conditions. As the temperature or humidity increases, so you should increase your intake of fluids and calories.

Injuries and how to prevent them:

Commonly athletes suffer from over use injuries. Just like the name says, these injuries to cartilage, tendons, muscle and bone occur from doing the same movement over and over and over. Cyclists are no different, and usually suffer from injuries to their wrists, knees, hips, ankles, elbows, and shoulders, usually diagnosed as tendonitis (creaking feeling and paint to a tendon), arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, cyclist palsy (numbness to the pinky and ring finder), or patella chondramalasia (knee pain behind the knee-cap). There are ways to prevent these types of injuries from plaguing your training.

• Have your bike professionally sized at a reputable bike shop. To be sure your ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and back are aligned properly. Progress slowly. Your body needs to get used to activities. Putting too much stress on it suddenly will cause injury.
• Stretch everything. Some stretches are better than others are, and there are several different types/styles. Consulting a Doctor, Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Physical Therapist, Exercise Physiologist, or Licensed Massage Therapist may give you more insight to proper technique. Rest days help your body recover. You might think you feel well, but not taking rest days increases your propensity to injury.
• Eat properly. Eating a well balanced diet is essential for us all, especially when expending calories while cycling. Increasing your caloric intake is an important part of training. We will give you more information as time progresses. Proper eating habits lessen your likelihood of fatigue and resulting injury.
• Bike Fit: Bike fit is vitally important to your physical and mental well being. Don't ignore this simple procedure. A bike properly fit will prevent common injuries, while a bike improperly fit will wreak havoc on your joints, muscles and back, lowering your emotional stress threshold. On a long-distance ride like ours, this could spell disaster for you. Get your bike professionally fit now (see your local, reputable bike shop for details). After your bike has been properly fit, mark your seatpost height, saddle fore and aft, and your stem position permanently to avoid movement that might occur in transporting your bike to Seattle or along the route. (Suggest finding FIT KIT dealer in your area).

"Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity."

Lord Charles Beresford