Preparing a youth for LEJOG

Out of the blue my son a 15 year old BMX coo dude aanounced that he
wants to accompany me on my LEJOG ride in August. He's notorious for
not completing anything that he starts but I don't want to dampen his
current enthusiasm. I have several rides that I can test his mettle
with in several months time but my problem is knowing whether or not he
can prepare for and can cope with a 10 day LEJOG.

Has anyone got any experience or suggestions as to how he should go
about raising his stamina and endurance - he's never ridden more than 10
miles and that's been on a BMX bike. He's a lithe fairly fit lad and I
don't want to rain on his parade - equally I'd like the comfort of
knowing that he can theoretically reach a level of fitness to make LEJOG
a viable proposition in 7 1/2 months' time.

His is ambition realisable folks?

Cheers

Vernon in Leeds

"vernon.levy" wrote ...
Out of the blue my son a 15 year old BMX coo dude aanounced that he
wants to accompany me on my LEJOG ride in August. He's notorious for
not completing anything that he starts but I don't want to dampen his
current enthusiasm. I have several rides that I can test his mettle
with in several months time but my problem is knowing whether or not he
can prepare for and can cope with a 10 day LEJOG.

Has anyone got any experience or suggestions as to how he should go
about raising his stamina and endurance - he's never ridden more than 10
miles and that's been on a BMX bike. He's a lithe fairly fit lad and I
don't want to rain on his parade - equally I'd like the comfort of
knowing that he can theoretically reach a level of fitness to make LEJOG
a viable proposition in 7 1/2 months' time.

His is ambition realisable folks?

Cheers

Vernon in Leeds

At age 15 (early '70s) I completed a cycle hostelling/camping tour from
Munich south/southwest to the Bodensee (Lake Constance), from there north
along the Rhein to Cologne, Aachen, and finally Amsterdam. I remember the
ride from Aachen to Amsterdam as being 3 days of nonstop rain. Daily mileage
was in the 60 - 120 km (35-75 miles) range, with rest days here and there.
My equipment was horrifyingly inadequate by my own current standards, but I
seem to remember thinking at the time that noone could possibly ask for
better gear than what I had. I'm still riding a bicycle (3, actually) so
the experience can't have traumatized me too badly.

1100 miles in 10 days is obviously a much stiffer pace than I set, how much
gear are you planning on carrying? Are you camping or staying in
hostels/inns/etc.? Obviously carrying camping gear and having to set up
camp, cook, etc. slowed me down a bit. Do you have the option of scheduling
one or two rest days? My own experience is that whatever teenagers lack in
endurance, they more than make up for with amazingly fast recovery times.

Whatever training program you and your son embark on, I would suggest that
your son include cycling to and from school on as regular a basis as
possible. This will get him accustomed to being on a bicycle on a daily
basis, in all kinds of weather, and should help him develop the self
discipline and perserverance to stay on his bike for the entire 10 days of
LEJOG.

If nothing else, I'm quite impressed that your son *wants* to spend 10 days
cycling with his father. I would encourage you to include him in your plans.
--
mark

"vernon.levy" wrote in news:btfjtr$rtv$1
@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk:

he's never ridden more than 10
miles and that's been on a BMX bike.

If he can do 10 miles on a BMX, he should manage considerably greater daily
distances on a "proper” bike with little problem. BMXs are amongst the most
uncomfortable (knees up round the ears), inefficient (single lowish gear)
cycles to ride over long distances so 10 miles is pretty good.

Cheers,

Graeme

I did this solo 3.5 years ago after doing my GCSE's aged 16, I didn't
train at all for it and essentially rode myself into fitness. I took
15 days over it plus 2 rest days in Liverpool with relatives so had a
lower daily mileage than you are planning. I was using a standard low
end mountain bike, no suspension but big soggy tires, it was after
doing the end to end that I got a road bike!
I have a website about my ride, take a look if you want-

http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~adw103/End2End.html

In my opinion this kind of riding is not about physical fitness but
about mental toughness. Your son can do it whether he trains or not
the question is how much he's prepared to suffer, training can help to
reduce the initial shock of sitting on a bike all day, every day!

Good luck and look forward to the midges at Duncansby Head.

Andrew W.

Pain is just weakness leaving the body

"vernon.levy" writes:

Out of the blue my son a 15 year old BMX coo dude aanounced that he
wants to accompany me on my LEJOG ride in August. He's notorious for
not completing anything that he starts but I don't want to dampen his
current enthusiasm. I have several rides that I can test his mettle
with in several months time but my problem is knowing whether or not
he can prepare for and can cope with a 10 day LEJOG.

At about 16 I cycled by myself from Edinburgh to Cheltenham. I averaged
about 60 miles per day. On the sixth day I did 100 miles and it was
(either individually or cumulatively) too much so I then took about
four or five rest days at a family friends' house to recover before
completing the ride. I probably could have gone on sooner but I was
made so welcome that I just enjoyed the break.

I was not hugely fit and my bike was a cheapo Halfords machine on
which I was carrying all my kit. I had done no training whatsoever,
but was used to cycling about thirty miles in a day occasionally and
probably eight or ten miles on an average day around
Edinburgh. However, I had been very seriously ill over several years
prior to the journey so I was not in as good shape as your average
teenager.

I do not recall any seriously unpleasant weather on the trip (it was
early summer, I think 1973). There was one very frightening incident
on a roundabout over a motorway when I was overtaken rather close by a
very fast moving artic, but apart from that it was altogether an
enjoyable ride.

Has anyone got any experience or suggestions as to how he should go
about raising his stamina and endurance - he's never ridden more than
10 miles and that's been on a BMX bike. He's a lithe fairly fit lad
and I don't want to rain on his parade - equally I'd like the comfort
of knowing that he can theoretically reach a level of fitness to make
LEJOG a viable proposition in 7 1/2 months' time.


His is ambition realisable folks?

My guess is it probably is. Make sure he has a halfway decent bike,
and do at least one 120 mile weekend with him before you start. Keep
an eye both on his energy levels and his morale. And make it clear to
him before you start that if he does run out of steam, you'll put him
on the train home, but you aren't going to abort your journey because
of him.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; 'I think we should trust our president in every decision
;; that he makes and we should just support that'
;; Britney Spears of George W Bush, CNN 04:09:03

"vernon.levy" writes:

Out of the blue my son a 15 year old BMX coo dude aanounced that he
wants to accompany me on my LEJOG ride in August.

[...]

His is ambition realisable folks?

At the age of your son I went for a bicycle trip in France. I rode
approximately 1400 km in about 3 weeks with heavy gear. I have never
been a really fit guy and I recall that I only had done two or three
quite short training rides to prepare for the trip. All in all it went
well and was a very pleasurable event -- most of all because it was my
first holiday without my parents :-).

Of course you are planing to do quite a higher mileage per day than I
did. Therefore your son probably should have some more training than I
had. But as some of the other folks have already written in this thread
his morale might be most crucial. How do the two of you get along
together? Would you, Vernon, be willing to lower your intended mileage
in case your son turns out to be not as fit as necessary? I believe such
a trip could really be a valuable experience -- provided both of you
manage to arrive at JOG.

Cheers

Christian

"vernon.levy" wrote in message ...
Out of the blue my son a 15 year old BMX coo dude aanounced that he
wants to accompany me on my LEJOG ride in August.

my problem is knowing whether or not he
can prepare for and can cope with a 10 day LEJOG.

When I was 15 I did an 1 day tour of the highlands with my younger
brother and two friends of the same age. We did little or no training.
We found the first few days doing around 45 miles a day over hilly
roads and with a strong headwind on one day very hard going. At that
age our fitness improved fast and later on we were doing 75 mile days
comfortably.
I think with a bit of training 75 or 80 mile days would be
feasible for your son. But it would be preferable to take a few more
days for the trip if possible to allow a short day or rest day after 2
or 3 days and to bring the average daily mileage down a bit.
I did a LEJOG in 13 days a couple of years ago and with hindsight
would take another 2 or 3 days longer. I was averaging 85 miles a day.
I found doing that mileage left little time for stops at any places of
interest.Also if you are committed to a big mileage to reach your
accomodation it can be a very long day on the bike if you get a
headwind.
Iain

My equipment was horrifyingly inadequate by my own current standards, but I
seem to remember thinking at the time that noone could possibly ask for
better gear than what I had.

Ah the ignorance of youth :-)

My first 100 miler was on a single speed Royal Enfield Gir;ls bike
that belonged to the newsagent that I worked for. Irode from
Darlington to Pickering amd back via Thirsk and Sutton Bank. It
nearly killed me but not my enthusiasm.

I'm still riding a bicycle (3, actually) so
the experience can't have traumatized me too badly.

I have five bikes and a very patient wife.

1100 miles in 10 days is obviously a much stiffer pace than I set, how much
gear are you planning on carrying? Are you camping or staying in
hostels/inns/etc.?

We'll be camping but as I'd already factored in all the camping gear
for my bike, my son will just need to carry sleeping bag, mat and
personal clothing so he wont be over burdoned. He can of course carry
extra when I feel the strain :-)

Obviously carrying camping gear and having to set up
camp, cook, etc. slowed me down a bit.

Not to bothered about the camping slowing the pace. It adds the
flexibility of being able to add or subtracting miles from the daily
schedule depending on how we feel.

Do you have the option of scheduling
one or two rest days? My own experience is that whatever teenagers lack in
endurance, they more than make up for with amazingly fast recovery times.

THe route is not finalises and there is the possibility of breaking
the journey at Leeds where we live.

Whatever training program you and your son embark on, I would suggest that
your son include cycling to and from school on as regular a basis as
possible.

School is within spitting distance and it's not worth the bother of
getting the bike out of the garage.

This will get him accustomed to being on a bicycle on a daily
basis, in all kinds of weather, and should help him develop the self
discipline and perserverance to stay on his bike for the entire 10 days of
LEJOG.

He came out with me tonight for his first ride. We pottered about for
45 minutes. He seemed happy with the relaxed pace.

If nothing else, I'm quite impressed that your son *wants* to spend 10 days
cycling with his father. I would encourage you to include him in your plans.

I'm quite gobsmacked by it all. He's never shown much interest in my
hobbies and interests. I only hope it issn't another nine day wonder
for him. At least I don't have to buy a bike for him as he can use
one of mine.

http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~adw103/End2End.html

An interesting read. I'll point my son at it and it should encourage
him. He'll have done his GCSE's and will have to phone home for the
results if he wants them.

In my opinion this kind of riding is not about physical fitness but
about mental toughness. Your son can do it whether he trains or not
the question is how much he's prepared to suffer, training can help to
reduce the initial shock of sitting on a bike all day, every day!

He's had a very comfortable life to date. I've got some rides in the
Yorkshire Dales that will toughen him up :-)

Good luck and look forward to the midges at Duncansby Head.

We'll cover ourselves in cling film :-)

Snip

His is ambition realisable folks?

My guess is it probably is. Make sure he has a halfway decent bike,
and do at least one 120 mile weekend with him before you start. Keep
an eye both on his energy levels and his morale. And make it clear to
him before you start that if he does run out of steam, you'll put him
on the train home, but you aren't going to abort your journey because
of him.

Thanks for the encouraging tale. His bike will be a Ridgeback
Adventure, a chromo framed rigid hybrid. It's pretty light and I was
impressed with it when i rode it 60 miles to Darlington. It's the bike
that I was originally going to use myself until I found a very good
Dawes Galaxy at a price too good to refuse.

He's keen to do a Coast to Coast ride and we are spoilt for choice as
there's the C2C, Rievers and Transpennine Trail all of which give the
opportunity to get some miles in. He cam out with me for the first
time tonight and we did a 45 minute ride at a leisurely pace.

I'll need to re-educate his palate as he has a fixation on oven chips
and chicken fillets almost to the exclusion of everything else. He'll
also be under no illusion that I will not be slowing down to
accomodate his lack of pace and that the train ride home will be
unnacompanied. I have a fairly inflexible window of opportunity for
the ride and I'd be cheesed off if I don't achieve completion of the
ride.