In the spring, 4 months from now, I am planning to bike the Natchez Trace Parkway from Nashville to Natchez. It is 444 miles. Planning on 4 to 6 days, or 75 to 111 per day average. I have never done anything like this before. Besides the standard answers of “bike lots!” what should I be doing? Should I get used to riding long (@ 80 -100 miles) on 2-3 consecutive days? Any training plans out there for such an undertaking? ST Nation, I await your wisdom!
Hard ride mid-week. Long ride Saturday and long ride Sunday. Increase volume and repeat unitl you are comfotable.
I haven’t done the whole Trace, but our group use the Alabama section to train for flat Ironman courses. It is not flat, but it is flatter than just about anywhere around.
We hit ~100 on Saturday and ~80 on Sunday several weeks in a row before a race. If I were doing the 444, that is how I would train.
Tn to Ms is mostly downhill until you hit Freedom Hills just before the MS state line. Nothing major, just long climbs. If you take are going with a group, beware of the Park Patrol. Those jokers love to hit the PA right behind riders to remind us to ride single file. Sounds crazy, but on the Trace there is no two abreast for cyclist. The motos come threw as a parade with no problem, but we are an inconvience.
Good luck and post a report. I’d love to do it when I get a long weekend.