Training and safety tips

Training Tips for Cyclists

Things you should have on you or on your bike when riding 

How to train to ride 500 miles in a week

There is no substitute for good training! It’s the difference between a good experience and a not-so-good experience on the Ride. You don’t have to be a super fit cyclist to do this Ride, but you do need to put in the training time. This section will provide guidance to help you set and meet your training goals. We provide suggested training plans, strategies, mileage tracking charts, injury prevention tips, suggestions to avoid burnout, as well as resources you will want to have access to throughout your training.

Each week:
March: 50 miles / 2–3 days / 10–25 miles
April: 100 miles / 2–3 days / 10–25 miles
May: 300 miles / 4–5 days / 25–60 miles (working up to back-to-back long rides)
June: 400 miles / 4–5 days / 25–60 miles (doing back-to-back long rides)
July: 150 miles / 4–5 days / 25–60 miles

Safety Tips for Cyclists

• Always wear a correctly fitted bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride. It should be snug and level on the head.
• Follow the rules of the road when riding your bike in the street.
• Stay on the righthand side when riding your bike in the street, in a straight, single-file line and go in the same direction as auto traffic.
• Use appropriate hand signals when riding in the street.
• Obey all signs and traffic lights.
• When crossing the street, look left, then right and then left again, making eye contact with drivers.
• Always watch for vehicles when crossing driveways or alleys.
• Never carry riders on your bike.
• Never ride between cars.
• Give pedestrians the right-of-way.
• Stay alert for unexpected obstacles.
• Always make sure your bike is in good repair.
• Wear bright-colored and/or reflective clothing to increase your visibility.

 

Safety Tips for Walkers

• Always walk on sidewalks or paths separated from vehicular traffic. If there are no sidewalks or paths, always walk on the side of the street FACING the oncoming road traffic, as far to the left as possible.
• Dress to be seen. Wear bright-colored clothes so drivers can easily see you.
• Obey all signs, signals, and traffic lights.
• Always look for vehicles backing up when crossing driveways and look for traffic at every driveway and intersection.
• Tips for crossing the street safely:
  • Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks. Never cross in the middle of the road unsupervised.
  • When available, cross at a location with an adult crossing guard. Otherwise, cross the street with an adult whenever possible.
  • If a car is parked where you are crossing, look for a driver in the car - they may be getting ready to move. If there is not a driver in the car, go to the edge of the car, look left-right-left, and only cross the street when no cars are coming.
  • If no cars are parked where you are crossing, stop at the curb, or the edge of the road. Look left, right, and left again, before you step into the street. Also look behind and in front of you for traffic.
  • Wait until no traffic is coming and begin crossing.
  • Always walk when crossing the street - never run! You could trip and fall when running.
  • Keep looking for traffic and make eye contact with drivers until you have finished crossing.
• When crossing the street at a signalized intersection:
  • Stop at the curb or edge of the road.
  • If a pedestrian pushbutton exists, push it to activate the "WALK" signal.
  • If the "WALK" signal is lit, look left-right-left for traffic before crossing the street. Also look behind and in front of you for turning vehicles.
  • If the "DON'T WALK" signal is flashing, wait for the next new "WALK" signal. IT will give you the most time to cross the street.
  • If you are in the middle of the street and the "DON'T WALK" signal begins to flash, don't stop or return to the curb or edge of the road. Continue to walk at your maximum comfortable pace until you reach the other side.
  • If a pedestrian countdown signal exists at the intersection, it will tell you how many seconds you have left to cross.

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Cue sheets for some past training rides

 

Miles	Name	Depart	Link
35	Old Tour de Manure	HVCHS	https://cdn3.rallybound.com/Content/images/img/10862/2019_Tour_De_Manure.pdf
20	Cory's ride	Rosedale Park	https://cdn.rallybound.org/Content/images/img/3739/CORYS_20--Rosedale.pdf
40	Cory's ride	Rosedale Park	https://cdn.rallybound.org/Content/images/img/3739/CORYS_40--Rosedale.pdf
20	Cory's ride	Tall Cedars	https://cdn.rallybound.org/Content/images/img/3739/CORY_20--tallcedars2.pdf
50	Cory's ride	Tall Cedars	https://cdn.rallybound.org/Content/images/img/3739/CORY_50--tallcedars.pdf