Traning for June ride

Am planning on riding the whole shebang with the DNR's Katy Ride in June and I'm a little nervous. May I ask for your expert feedback?



I plan to train by riding the St. Joe State Park trail (11 mi., vy. hilly), working up to 3 rounds in a day. Am also working out on my spinning bike while it rains. Think this is a good start? I mean, how "expert" do you need to be to make 30-60 mi. a day? Is it more about stamina than speed or strength?



Also, I plan to stay in hotels along the way, but the wet weather makes me nervous. Do I need to pack quite a bit of gear on my bike?



...Which is a mountain bike. I've seen the back-and-forth on this wonderful forum about the merits of comfort/mountain/road bikes, but am wondering if my mtn. bike (with flat-faced, knobby-edged tires, thank you) is going to kill my shoulders at the end of the day. Was thinking of a quick investment in a comfort bike....?



I'm not in the best of shape, but I have excellent memories of riding the trail in college, and am looking forward to riding it with my dad. Am just trying to prepare to the best I'm able...Thanks for any advice you can provide...

It sounds like you're on the right track. In my opinion the biggest issue on multiday rides is saddle fit to your hind side. Time in the saddle while you train is the best prep for that. Get good and familiar with your bike. Stamina...yes. Speed....doubtfull you'll break, or want to break any land speed records while trying to enjoy the trail. Strength....nawww....a steady cadence perhaps though while your out in Flatland.

I certainly wouldn't consider a comfort bike purchase...would probably ride what ya have. If you're thinkin you'd like a new bike....a hybrid is probably a better fit than a mountain bike, road bike, or a comfort bike. They are a good tweener in regards to tires and gearing. My riding partner and I just rode two days on the Katy Sunday and Monday of this week. It was her first ride on her new hybrid after riding a comfort bike for the past few years...she was amazed at how much easier the hybrid rode and how much more comfortable it was on the Katy than her "comfort" bike. I've yet to figure out exactly what nitch a comfort bike is supposed to fill.

Trek is right. The key seems to be increasing your saddle time as your distance is more likely to be limited by your rebellious sit bones than your heart, lungs or legs. The trail is technically very easy.

Neither myself or my wife were in great shape before we did our end to end last summer, However we did have 5 or 6 hundred miles on the seat before we made the trip. We took our time (approx. 40 miles a day) on the Katy and enjoyed our suroundings. If you plan to go self contained I suggest you make several short trips with your bike loaded (dumbells in the bags). Fourty extra pounds makes a larger difference than one would realize.

A couple of things I have found that aid in comfort for a multi day trip.

1. (Learned from a blog of a distance rider) from day to day or every few days alter the height of your seat. A quarter of an inch makes a big difference. After our second day on the Katy I did this with great success on both of our bikes, 1/4 down today and a 1/4 back up tomorrow.

2. I don't know about you but I have my "favorite" gears I run a lot (usually large front sprocket and mid rear sprocket, when my bike is loaded). Again several days into the Katy I discovered if I went center front and a higher rear gear it changed my cadance enough to "rest" my legs, but I was able to keep pace.

"I've yet to figure out exactly what nitch a comfort bike is supposed to fill." From what I have seen the nitch is the 6 mile weekender on a paved trail. I was excited when my sister-in-law went out to get a new bike thinking they would now join us on some weekend trips. I was disapointed when they came back with a comfort bike but it suites her style of a few miles on the weekend.

Because the Katy Trail is so flat, riding becomes constant pedaling (instead of pedaling for awhile, going uphill, coasting downhill), which does make a difference after awhile. A smooth, comfortable pedal stroke makes a world of difference.

It is important to practice riding with as much gear as you plan on bringing. Training with 10-20 extra pounds makes your trail weight seem that much lighter: a true blessing.

Distance riding is about pacing yourself. Going too hard the first portion makes the end all that much harder. Slow and comfortable pace, with breaks is good.

The best on-bike wet gear I have found is a poncho. It is possible to drape it over yourself and the bike. Tuck the front corners under your hands on the grips; gather the back (that otherwise could get tangled in the wheel) and rubberband. Effective, simple, cheap; plus one can alter the amount of wind coming in from underneath. That, plus a showercap to go over your helmet, and you're set.

Best of luck.

Many thanks to all for your advice.

My "training" began today when my dad invited me out with him to ride the St. Joe State Park circuit (20 mi., paved, lots of hills). Oy! Lots of practice ahead, and I definitely need to develop a few callouses to get my "bike butt" back!

The St. Joe terrain, of course, is nothing like Katy's-- It's anything but flat. But I figure if I can do a couple of 20 mi. loops in a row, maybe tackle a Farmington-Fredericktown round trip,I'll be loaded for bear.

My father did last year's ride, and when I grilled him this morning about the experience, he echoed everyone's sentiments here.

Let's cross our fingers for excellent weather.

Thanks again!

I plan on riding St Joe some for my training for my first DNR ride. I know it is different terrain than the Katy, but I see the hills as a bonus to the training. I know riding 30 miles of flat trail after training on hills is a breeze. The big difference is the surface, especially if you are using narrow tires. I have thought several times about the Farmington/Fredericktown trip as a possible ride. I will be down that way in a couple of weeks and my bike will be with me.

Hello, Festus. Maybe I'll see you at St. Joe. Curious thing about hilly vs. flat, my dad and sister have a different perspective... My dad said he found it difficult to maintain speed from the incessant pedaling on the Katy (then again, I think he was going for Lance Armstrong records). My sister said she'd never ride the Katy because of all the pedaling as well.

While there are some heart-stopping hills on St. Joe, they at least provide some downhill relief once you get to the top (unless a deer jumps in front of you during the downhill-- That was exciting!). It certainly is appealing, but I think as long as I maintain a slow, deliberate pedal stroke, I'll enjoy the Katy ride.

I'm using tires that have a flat face and knobby edges. Thinner tires are probably faster, but I've spilled on the Katy before and it wasn't fun.

You're coming all the way down from Festus? Wow! Just an idea-- My father rode on the Hwy. 67 shoulder from Park Hills to Festus, at the top of the hill where that gas station is with the stop light-- before you get to the 55 interchange? He said the shoulder's newly paved and it was a really enjoyable trip, although he said it took about 90 minutes Park Hills-Festus, and 150 minutes Festus-Park Hills (climbing away from the Mississippi valley, I guess).

I throw that out there in case you'd like to save gas but get a good workout.

Your dad is a better man than I am. I would be interested in riding Farmington south toward Fredericktown. Heading north toward Festus would be a little tougher. I need some more training for that adventure. My plan is to visit St. Joe Monday the 14th and Thursday the 17th during the day. I will be passing through for a trip and will stop. I hope to meet up with you.