why i can't peddal in a longer period of time?

Question

i can't go along as the underdogs for a longer time

Answer 1

I'm confused by your question but i think i understand.
Several possible factors, nutrition, conditioning, and riding out of your league for starters.
Do what you can do. The next day do a little more. building up endurance takes time and pain. If it doesn't hurt, you're doing something wrong.

Answer 2

If I understand your question correctly, you're not lasting through the longer distances when riding with your 'club' buddies.

This can be for a couple of reasons.

First, they've been putting down the miles for longer than you have (even if they've just joined the club, they may have been training elsewhere). This basically means they have the endurance to keep up at that speed - whereas you don't. To start making a noticeable difference in your riding, do some extra miles at a higher speed - sprinting short distances and then keep pedaling through a recovery distance. This will build up leg strength at the same time as improving your breathing and overall stamina.

Second, watch how they're using their gears. If you're trying to keep up by mashing a big gear at slow revolutions on the hills, and they're sitting back in a lower gear and spinning at a high cadence ... well, if the hill has any real steepness or length to it, they'll pull away. And once they're over the top and start bumping up their gearing as the pedaling effort gets easier, they just KEEP pulling away.

Third, simple energy. One of the earlier posters covered this in fairly good detail ... basically, make sure you eat right before, during, and after the ride to maintain your energy levels. Several products are out there - protein bars, plain old granola bars, carbohydrate-loaded candies, gels, drinks, etc. Find a combination that doesn't kill your taste buds (so you'll actually take the stuff, instead of avoiding it because it tastes bad) and does the trick for boosting your energy. Waiting unutil you're bonking isn't going to work - it takes time to break down the food/drink into usable energy. Keep doing a little and a little every half-hour or so to stay 'topped up' in the fuel department.

Finally - bike setup. This was also alluded to earlier ... but having your bike 'fit' you correctly and comfortably to enable you to put the best power transfer to the pedals will help you enormously. If it isn't 'fun' to ride, then you're not likely going to put any more time into than you absolutley have to ... which means you're not going to do the 'extras' necessary to bridge the gap to the rest of the club.

Ultimately, you need time in the saddle to improve. It might not look like you're making up much ground on the others at first, but take a longer (like 6 months) view of things. There's bound to be things that you couldn't do at first that you can later on ... maybe not easily, but at least you're doing them. Like climbing that monster hill and not getting dropped ... even if you're winded and legs are shaking. At least you hung in there! And next week .. who knows? Maybe you'll make BOTH of the monster climbs ...

Alternatively ... look around for a group that fits your riding style a little better perhaps. If you're more of a recreational rider than a racing buff, maybe the group you're in isn't the best crowd for you. Or simply ride with other groups on the days you're not riding with your main gang ... makes those 'extra' miles go easier when you're sharing them with someone else.

Answer 3

Muscles work for as long as they are fueled. Waiting until you bomb out is too late to consider your energy levels.

Take a hydration pack full of carb drink with you when you ride. Try for something that will top up your electrolite levels as well. This should keep you fueled and help prevent cramping. Take a sip at least every 10 min, but look at using 500 mil every 1/2 hr

Take an energy bar with you and munch on this as you ride. Also, keep a pocket full of jelly babies for a quick sugar burst to get you up those pesky hills.

Another consideration, as well as getting out regularly, is your set up. Perhaps fitting bar ends or altering your bar height might make more of the difference. By your reference to underdog, I assume that you ride with a club. Talk to the members and see what they sugest. Basically though, get out on your bike. Put the miles in and you should get better.

Luck

Answer 4

how about going at a steady speed try not to wear yourslef out especaily up hill try a lower gear to help you on hills also your diet could also not be helping try not to eat sugar so much (thats if you do) eat more starchy foods like pasta which are slow releasing energy foods so instead of eating sugar for a sudden burst of energy eat starchy food so you can travle a further distance over time if you pratice going far then you will get better and will find it easy to go a much longer distance

Answer 5

"Have no fear, underdog is here"...How about training and working on endurance. Join a cycling club and learn from them. Get sized right to your bike first.

Answer 6

you just need more saddle time. And if you want to pedal for a longer time, try doing tempo intervals

Answer 7

you have to build up you leg muscles

Answer 8

Train and eat more :)