Just picked up a bike (Trek 5200) and plan on riding the Dallas MS 150 in May. I've been on MTBs for quite a while, but have not seriously ridden road bikes in 20 years. Looking for a training program that's not quite beginner, but not strickly race-oriented, either. Current strategy is 500 "acclimation" miles, followed by a more structured regiment. However, I'd like to maximize my returns, and not waste miles/hours with marginal gains.

Insight/feedback/ridicule welcomed and appreciated....

Weave

Just riding, getting in a number of shorter rides and one long ride a week, and gradually increasing the length of your long ride, will work.

"Long Distance Cycling" by Pavelka and Burke is a really good book for training for and riding centuries and similar rides.

Try and get in a long ride every week, 2x your typical weekday ride.

At this point, you will be improving rapidly by just riding, and it is a good time to suss out any fit issues you may have on your new bike. The best way to do this is to put in some longer rides where things like your neck, shoulders, or sit bones may not be quite right.

Silas

1. Go for a ride every day.
2. If you ever have feelings of not wanting to go for a ride, go ride your bike and think about those feelings. After about an hour on the bike you wont have them anymore. (Its magic)
3. See 1.
4. Rinse and repeat.

K.I.S.S.

Weave, what part of the Metroplex do you live in? I ride a lot with the Fort Worth Bicycle Assn. and highly recommend going to their rides, they are "no drop."

I did my first MS150 last May and it was the best time I've ever had on any ride, just very well supported and a great course. Do you have a team for the MS150? You need that to help with support. I'm on Chaingang so feel free to PM me to get signed-up or for more info.

Good luck!
Jerry

I'm in Double Oak, just west of Flower Mound. My neighborhood is littered with cyclists on the weekends. I plan on jumping in with some locals to start, and calibrating my speed/fitness.

I'm working on a corporate sponsorship for the MS 150. We have approximately 6 riders to date, and my employer is pretty good about supporting events like the MS rides.

If the Fort Worth group has a website, I'll check it out to see if the times and locations fit my schedule.

I have 3 kids under the age of 5, so daily rides are not feasible. 2-3 rides/4-8 hours per week is more realistic. Not sure if anyone has put together a training program for people who live in the real world.

dont waste your time with books or others 'tips.' u dont have to spend a hundred bucks for a decent coach. look around their out there.

yeah, you don't need a training "program" at this point, just ride your bike a lot.

Just make sure you get some longer rides in (more than one or two hours) in a month or two and don't do all one thing -- if there are hills in your area, go up them, or mix up the pace a bit, or whatever.

Once you feel confident handling your bike, find some smaller group rides, they will really help you get ready for a mass participation event.

I have 3 kids under the age of 5, so daily rides are not feasible. 2-3 rides/4-8 hours per week is more realistic. Not sure if anyone has put together a training program for people who live in the real world.

Hi Weave,

I'm in a similar situation as you. I have a son who is just turning 3 years old and a daughter who is 4 months old. I went out and bought a trainer. We already had a TV/DVD combo in the guest room so I snagged that too. I also bought a cheap fan at Target and set the whole thing up. The best thing I did was buy the Spinervals DVDs http://www.spinervals.com and ride along to those in my garage. It's been great on the days I can't ride (usually during the week) and by the weekend I'm rearing to go. I have gotten a lot stronger as my buddies can tell during the weekend rides as I can do interval training, hill simulation, etc. all from the heat hell that is my garage (Florida). I couild never do hill climbing here as the hilliest point anywhere near me is a drawbridge! I highly recommend it. Some folks will say to go with rollers but for the 1-2 hour mark, the trainer is ok for me.

First, don't get all bunched up worrying about the 150. Yeah, you want to prep for it. Once you're on the road and se the folks you are riding with, you'll feel a lot more confident.

If you're looking to do better than finish, to come in strong and comfortable, it doesn't take a lot more. Search through the national ms web site, and maybe the links to some of the local rides. Several of them have training plans for beginning and experienced riders. Look at both, and you'll quickly decide where you are and what the general idea is. They'll give you a framework to work from.

That's fine for the immediate goal. But starting this far out, you could do better. Go to the bookstore and find the Friel book that appeals to you. It will suit you for years.

www.dorba.org - the local mtb club has lots of roadies too and they had a big turnout for last year's ms150. Post up on their forum and you'll find some training buddies.

Team In Training - for the Leukemia Society - this is an organized charity training program where you sign up to get pledges, and they do formal training rides, group events etc, and the ms150 is one of their target rides for this year.

See you on the road.