1200k planning

Today someone showed me a detailed spreadsheet for planning out a 1200km ride, complete with average speeds, control open/close times, sleep stops, and loads of other data. That set me to wonder why a data-hungry nerd like me has never been interested in using that sort of spreadsheet and to think about what I use instead.

Perhaps I fear that with too detailed a plan, I'll get overly concerned (especially when tired) about deviations from the plan and that the concern will do more damage to my ride than a lack of planning. Or maybe I just don't want to see just how slow I ride enshrined in Excel glory.

So for what it's worth (bring your own salt grains), here's my approach to a 1200km event (I'm up to 13 finishes):

• Try to maintain 20kph (including stops) during the day.
• This is easy to calculate, even when tired.
• Keep stops short enough to keep on that schedule.
• That gives me 6 hours in 24 for rest.
• 18 hours x 20kph = 360km or 24 hours of brevet time.
• 5 hours rest instead allows me to start with an hour in the bank.
• Don't panic if falling behind.
• I assume a shorter sleep break can fix.
• Be cognizant of the 10 hours extra time on return.
• Forgetting this can induce unnecessary panic (as it did on my DNF).
• Ok to settle for 15kph (including stops) during days 3-4.
• Anything better than the 20kph/15kph is gravy. Stop for ice cream.
• Did I mention already? Don't panic.

Looking over this, I can see why I almost always finish in about the same time (83-87 hours). My very few shorter times have generally come when I've only had 2 sleep breaks instead of 3.