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How to pace a brevet?

NortonNorton
in Community Forum 🏠

 This year, in my pursuit of doing cool stuff with my fitness, I'm going to try participating in some brevets. My first, a 200k, will be on April 24th. The next, a 300k, will be two weeks later. I'll assess then whether I want to continue on in this vein, but the distances keep going up! If I want to do Paris-Brest-Paris next year I'll have to pre-qualify this year. 

Any experienced randonneurs among us? Any pacing guidance? It's different than an IM in that I don't have to complete that little run after the bike. I want to enjoy the experience and not have a huge recovery period. % of FTP?

Comments

  • Linda PatchLinda Patch

    I have no brevet experience, hence very little to share in the advice area. image But where are you rolling out of? From where to where?

  • mattsullmattsull

    Bill, This has really sparked my interest. I have a friend who's done PBP twice and it's on my list of dream races. I'm also in a have fun with my fitness year.

    Anyway, I poked a round the interenet and didn't come up with much regarding pacing except this. epictrain.blogspot.com/2008/01/san-...300km.html He talks about his power numbers for a 300k brevet but nothing about ftp or % of ftp. Maybe you could contact him?

    My gut tells me you're still looking at close to IM zones due to the distances. Big difference between the 200k and the 600k though. Gotta keep cut off times in mind too.

    Hope you get some responses. Maybe Dan Socie has some knowledge.

  • NortonNorton
    @Linda: we're rolling out of Westfield, MA along the western edge of the Connecticut River up to Vermont and back. It's described as moderately hilly. We'll see!

    @ Matt: thanks for the link. And I think you're right about being close to IM power zones; after all, if I'm too conservative, I can go harder close to the end, right?
  • chris malonechris malone
    http://groups.google.com/group/ultracyclists/about

    This is a Google Group that discusses such craziness.
  • Steven FordSteven Ford

    I just created Chris's post to a link HERE

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    In my experience, IF of .70 is basically go all day, forever, as long as you are eating and drinking. .75 might not be infinitely doable. Maybe pulls/working with groups at .75-8, then sit in as you can = it all sorts out to .7.

    Much different gig, but when Brian Massey and I did our TT down to Oceanside this weekend, I pulled at .85-90. Sitting in slow down for traffic, etc brought me down to .82-83 for a 4.5hrs ride. I was tired, for sure, but not shelled. Plenty of gas, if not motivation, left at the end.

  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    Brevets are all about pacing and fueling...it's not so much "whose first" as how consistent you can be. A PM will be a massive advantage...I would plan on trying to negative split your day overall and really focus on quality, steady nutrition. Core strength / body prep could help too...

    P
  • Dan SocieDan Socie
    I did a double-century last year and planning on it again this year but a little further (245miles)

    Actually it's no different from IM at all. It's all about pace & fueling. I rode 207 miles last year in 10:45 by merely eating consistently and never really riding hard (spiking my power/watts) I did it solo which I think would be easier than a group since the group mentally pushes the pace. As long as you ride within yourself knowing that you'll be on the bike all day you'll be fine.
  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Something tells me there's a 3rd discipline with Brevets. Pace, Nutrition, and BUTT MANAGEMENT! Holy Cow, 245 miles? I can't imagine what that's gotta feel like! Does Soigneur have any skin care ointments for the Brevet yet?
  • Dan SocieDan Socie
    I will be testing Soigneur chamois cream for that ride
  • Steven FordSteven Ford
    Posted By Dan Socie on 30 Mar 2010 08:16 AM

    I did a double-century last year and planning on it again this year but a little further (245miles)



    Actually it's no different from IM at all. It's all about pace & fueling. I rode 207 miles last year in 10:45 by merely eating consistently and never really riding hard (spiking my power/watts) I did it solo which I think would be easier than a group since the group mentally pushes the pace. As long as you ride within yourself knowing that you'll be on the bike all day you'll be fine.

    I know nutrition is a personal thing but what did you eat during that ride?  A double century sounds doable this year.

     





     

  • Dan SocieDan Socie

    The majority of calories came from gas station food. I reached for high calorie junk food. Snickers, chips, coke. I made a stop at McDonalds at mile 180 - I think. Burgers while tasted great sat in my gut and I probably rode the slowest of the day waiting for those things to process.



    Low quality, high calorie food is great for riding. Just make up for it off the bike.

     

    edit: this isn't nutrition. It's fuel

  • Coach RichCoach Rich
    Posted By Dan Socie on 30 Mar 2010 09:20 AM



    Low quality, high calorie food is great for riding. Just make up for it off the bike.

     

    edit: this isn't nutrition. It's fuel



    Yep, that's good advice . Seriously though, I don't know if it's because I've gotten lazy now that i'm not IM training or my body has adapted, but it's kinda crazy how long/far I can go on very few calories. I think for my TT with Brian this weekend, I had about 500cals for breakfast and then a total of 500cals on the ride. 4:33 ride time and >3500cals burned. I felt fine.

    For me, less is more and I can always fix it with a Coke and/or snickers at a gas station

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