How much rest between centuries?

[midschool22]

Hi all,

I just recently got back into road riding after a long, long break of about fifteen years. While I'm taking it easy now and not trying to kill myself, I do have a question. Back in my salad days, I used to do centuries. After a quick web search, there are two that I would like to do this fall. They are three weeks apart. Do you feel that is enough time to rest? What is the shortest amount of time you have gone between events? If it helps, I am in average shape but have the prior experience of doing this.

[Machka]

The shortest amount of time I've spent between centuries can be measured in milli-seconds. :) I'm a Randonneur ... I ride events ranging from 200 kms (125 miles) to 1200 kms (750 miles) with fairly tight time limits.

This is my upcoming event: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=267463



However, if you haven't done centuries in a while, you might want to take a little longer between them. If you're in reasonably good shape, three weeks should be fine. But you might want to play it by ear and see how you feel when you finish the first century ... and see how you feel a week later. If you're feeling pretty good a week later ... go for the second! :)

[Blue Jays]

Hi midschool22-

You didn't comment on your general fitness. If you're buff from running, hiking, mountainbiking, the gym, and general bicycle riding, you'll be absolutely fine with three weeks rest between the two events.

~ Blue Jays ~

[spokenword]

After a quick web search, there are two that I would like to do this fall. They are three weeks apart. Do you feel that is enough time to rest? In general, recovery time depends on how tough the course might be, your level of fitness, the degree of intensity with which you intend to do the ride. However, on paper, without knowing any of those variables with precision and assuming that you're riding to complete instead of riding to win, three weeks should be fine. Both of our local randonneuring clubs space their rides three weeks apart to give riders adequate rest time (and also so that neither club steps on the other's schedule for rides). I've done a 300k and 400k within a week of each other and have felt and done better on the 400k than on the 300.

On the other hand, I've also done bike tours with back to back 100 mile days and had no problems either, but a touring pace can be very different from a race.

[bigskymacadam]

three weeks is fine .. unless there's a lot of climbing. even then you should be alright.

[SharpT]

Fifteen years.... sounds like me. My last century (actually 170 miles over 2 days), was back in 1992. Been riding off and on the past 2 years in spring and fall commuting, but finally getting serious this year. And I have high goals of completing a century in April, May, June etc. But I'm only signing up for one at a time. See how it goes. I've got high hopes, but will be realistic when the time comes. I injured myself in the 1992 170mile ride, for which I am literally just now recovering, so I don't want to do something stupid again.

SharpT

[donrhummy]

Everyone's diff. but my first year cycling, I did 5 centuries in 5 weeks and 7 in 9 weeks (that's 7 total centuries, not 12). However, I built up to that over a 5 month period.

[Mike45]

I injured myself in the 1992 170mile ride, for which I am literally just now recovering, so I don't want to do something stupid again.

SharpT

15 years to recover? Do you mind telling us what happened?

[SharpT]

15 years to recover? Do you mind telling us what happened?

Long story.

Injured my right knee while training for the 170 mile ride in 1992, on a short 25 mile ride. Hyperextended, seat too high I believe. I stopped riding until the start of the ride to try and let it heal, about 7 days.

I started the ride with no pain, but after about 5 miles, pain started. I kept riding on it, mostly flat 100 miles the first day. Swollen like a grapefruit by that night. Couldn't walk on it, limped like a 3 legged dog.

Next morning, I decided to keep riding.:eek: Not sure why. The pain while riding was excruciating, and the second day was rolling hills, some steep ones with cattle guards at the bottom. But I couldn't invision sitting in a SAG vehicle, wasn't gonna happen. I used my right hand to help my right leg pedal, to take some of the strain off. And tried to just pedal with my left leg. By the time I finished, my knee had swollen even more, but managed to keep up with my uninjured riding partner the whole way, and actually beat him in a sprint to the finish line. Pretty stupid.

Limped around campus for a month afterwards, saw a sports doctor said I needed surgery. I loved biking, but hate hospitals even more. I noticed the injury most when hiking or walking downhill, but otherwise OK. I can only run about a mile without pain in my right knee, but tried cycling again in 1997 for commuting, but the pain was still there and I didn't want to injure myself further.

Anyway, I started cycling again for commuting in 2005, and still had some pain in my right knee, but I slowly built up strength, riding just below the sense of any pain whatsoever, first riding 7 miles 12 mph, then 14 mph, then 15 miles, 15 mph, etc. Believe it or not, I was training for a triathlon. I figured I could build up strength biking and then give running a try. To my amazement, the pain in my knee is completely gone while riding. Even climbing 600 feet hills, 8% grades. I am elated. But after trying running, even with knee braces I am in pain, so gave up on the triathlon, and am now focus on cycling. I was always fearful of bicycle climbing, with my knee, and am quite surprised I have zero pain when climbing. I guess it's the same reason I don't have pain when hiking uphill, only downhill. I had never considered centuries in the NoCal area, because they all have steep hills...

Anyway, I am still slowly adding miles and climbing and speed with each ride, at about 36 miles at 1000 feet climbing in 1 day. Still zero pain.

Love this board, by the way. Had never heard of randoneering, and would love to complete the PBP someday, especially since my wife's entire family and friends live in the Evreux, Dreux, Chartres region.

SharpT

[midschool22]

Thank you for all the input. I'm setting a goal of just finishing the first century and then maybe setting a time limit for the next one. I'm in no hurry to post a fast time. Once again, thanks for the input.

[Pat]

I have done centuries on four consequtive days. Now the trick is to not beat yourself up so much on any given day that you are sore the next day. But the only reason why I have not done more centuries than 4 in a row is that I did not have the time. *sigh* Trivialities like earning a living intruded.

[ericgu]

Hi all,

I just recently got back into road riding after a long, long break of about fifteen years. While I'm taking it easy now and not trying to kill myself, I do have a question. Back in my salad days, I used to do centuries. After a quick web search, there are two that I would like to do this fall. They are three weeks apart. Do you feel that is enough time to rest? What is the shortest amount of time you have gone between events? If it helps, I am in average shape but have the prior experience of doing this.

Three weeks is enough time to recover. If you were talking about one week, I'd be a bit nervous as you need a fair bit of training (and be in good shape) to recover enough to feel recharged in a week, but three weeks is easily doable.