Training for transam tour 09

[lukeduke]

I want to do the transam tour in 2010/11/12 need help training for it. I am out shap want to get in shap to servive the ride.

Hi would like to talk to some one who has done the transam who lives near harpers ferry wv you can email at djcvdc@yahoo.com I want to train for it, I am in my 50's




Daniel J Ciccarelli

[staehpj1]

How out of shape are you?

My opinion is that the biggest thing required to complete a TA is a strong commitment to do so.  It is very possible to train as you go on a trip that long.  The younger you are the more that is true.

The biggest thing is to be generally somewhat fit and to have some saddle time in so that you aren't sore after a day of riding.  There really is no need to train hard for a long tour.

On our TA last Summer one of us had ridden a good bit, the other two not much and one of them wasn't a cyclist before the trip.

If you are interested in three first timers perspectives of the TA you might find our journal interesting.  There are also a lot of other journals on the crazy guy site.

Pete
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/staehling2007

This message was edited by staehpj1 on 3-4-08 @ 3:40 AM

[rabbitoh]

Daniel,

You really don't need to do a massive amount of training to do a cross country ride. Some training rides with a touring load with either panniers or a trailer (whichever you are planning to use on your ride) to experiment with what is going to work best for you, are worth while.

Start your cross country tour steadily for the first two weeks, and the fitness will take care of itself.

The biggest hurdle you are likely to face will be of the mind.  Especially if you are doing the ride solo, there will be times of self doubt and it's important to understand that even the most experienced cycle tourists face these doubts from time to time, and that they will not last more than a day or two.

As Pete said, it will be your determination that will get you through.

 Have a good tour.

Good Cycling
Dennis

[staehpj1]

You have over a year to get ready.  That sounds very do-able.

You say weekends only.  Riding on weekends only may be OK, but if that is the only exercise you get it is a bad idea.  Ride all you can on weekends, but also get some kind of exercise during the week.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  If you need to go somewhere that is only a mile or two, walk instead of drive.  Find some time to get exercise somehow during the week.

Remember that the primary goal is general good health and fitness.  The secondary goal is enough saddle time so that you can ride longer distances without being too sore.

[MRVere]

Daniel,
How is the riding going? I'm just across the river from you in MD. The weather is going to change for the better any day now so, hang in there and keep the pedals turning.  I am hopefully going to ease back into riding after some injections for my bad back. If all goes well it's back to the C&O Canal path for me.  Hope to do the whole Canal and the GAP this summer.
All the best,
Michael

[bigjim]

I started the Transam from Vienna VA in 2005 after only about 100 miles in the spring here in Oregon where I live (we did not have real good cycling weather before I left).  I went out the WOD trail to its end (I can't remember the name of the town) and south toward Shenandoah NP.  I rode through the park and met my co-riders in Christiansburg VA.  I had several days of riding alone and there was certainly some mind over matter issues.  The saddle time was really a problem at the start and I can vouch for the comments that recommend getting a lot of that for training.  The ride out of Front Royal and up to Big Meadow, two days with one camp out on the AT, was very tough and that is where the training would have really helped.  As most have said, its hard to train for a 3 month ride, you might as well just start riding.  Unfortunately, starting with the Appalachians makes it pretty tough.  None of the riding from the Rockies west was as hard as many places in the Appalachians and Ozarks.  Folks who rode with me who trained for a year or so (from Florida, for instance) had a better time of it but by about 1/3 of the way I was doing as well or better than they were.  For an account of this ride see http://www.oldshoepress.com/page.cfm?name=Jim

Maybe the pictures won't be there.  I haven't looked at this lately.

This message was edited by bigjim on 4-3-08 @ 12:19 PM

[MRVere]

Sorry for the slow reply.  Had major phone line probs. All better now.
I live in Hagerstown.  I catch the C&O in Williamsport at Mile 100.  I also used to catch the trail in Shepherds Town while one of my daughters was at Shep for music lessons. I got to do about an hour or so while I waited for her. As soon as my back Doctor gives me the OK, It would be great to meet some time and ride. Hopefully in May.