Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Training

This was posted over in the road cycling forum, but it was suggested I post over here.

My wife and I are riding the 3 state 3 mountain in May this year in Chattanooga and it'll be our first mountain century. This weekend we rode a 55 mile ride in the mountains (4500 ft of climbing and took 5 hours) and that was the hardest ride I've ever ridden. So in a month we have to at least double that. Anyone got a good link or ideas on training for this thing? I'm beginning to think it's too much too soon.

Here are some good articles:
http://www.ultracycling.com/training/prep_for_double_centuries.html

I also recommend "Long Distance Cycling" by Ted Pavelka.

Yeah, 5 hours for 55 miles is pretty slow. Sorry. I once asked Pete Penseyres how I could ride the third pass faster. He said "more base." He was right.

I took a look at the profile. They say 6-8 thousand feet of climbing. Only one hard climb at 8-10%. OK. Not too bad. I do a ride very like that every year. So I assume you have triples in front. Go to a 13-27 in back. Do not go out hard at the start. Dial it back about 2mph from what you usually ride. Try to save your strength for the 3rd climb.

As far as training goes, try to ride a lot. Mostly ride base miles in zone 2, on the flat. 75% of your miles should be on the flat. The more moderate miles you ride, the more you'll be able to ride. Don't try to ride hard too much, you'll wear yourselves down. Ride 5 days/week and hike or go for a long fast walk on one day. If you feel yourselves getting tired, take a day off. You only get stronger when you rest, not when you ride. Ride in the mountains one day a week, just like you did. That's a good ride. If you're not too tired, you can ride hills on another day, Wednesday or Thursday. Ride the hills hard, much harder than you will ride them on your century. You want to punch it really hard on some of them, to where you think you're going to die. You won't. That's very important.

Find out what nutrition will work for you on your long ride on the weekend. That's very important, too.

You can try riding in the mountains on both weekend days. That would be best, but it might be too much. I'd probably try doing the mountain ride on Saturday and then just put in about the same number of miles, but easier miles, on Sunday. With that weekend scheme, I'd take Friday off and take my hike or walk on Monday.

The last week before your century, just ride on one weekend day, a ride in the mountains about like what you just did. Then do very easy rides on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, doing shorter rides each day. But on Monday, do three 2 minute very hard intervals. On Tuesday, two of them, and on Wednesday, one. Take Thursday and Friday off. Eat a high carb diet on Thursday and Friday.

That's some great detail! Thanks for your help. Centuries we have no problem with. Most of them only have about 5k worth of climbing so this one will be much more difficult for us. The 5 hours also includes breaks, so it's a little misleading. Our average was 15mph. We usually ride a bit faster than that, but the one climb up Hanging Rock was 2 miles up a good 8% grade. Ahhhggg!!!! That messed our average up a bit. The biggest issue with riding on the weekdays in the mountains is that it takes a good hour to 2 to get to them. The mountain rides will have to wait till the weekend.

Overtraining is a hazard I hear a lot of people having in the Spring and with this ride coming so early in the year, I was worried I'd either not train hard enough or way too much.

Worst part of that ride is the 8-10% part is 2.5 miles and is at mile 85. Gulp. People say that you'll see a LOT of people pushing their bikes at that point. I don't want to be one of them.

Thanks again for your help.

Edit: I am using a triple. 53/42/28 with a 13/29 cassette. Put together for this ride.

Yeah, 5 hours for 55 miles is pretty slow. Sorry. I once asked Pete Penseyres how I could ride the third pass faster. He said "more base." He was right.

I took a look at the profile. They say 6-8 thousand feet of climbing. Only one hard climb at 8-10%. OK. Not too bad. I do a ride very like that every year. So I assume you have triples in front. Go to a 13-27 in back. Do not go out hard at the start. Dial it back about 2mph from what you usually ride. Try to save your strength for the 3rd climb.

As far as training goes, try to ride a lot. Mostly ride base miles in zone 2, on the flat. 75% of your miles should be on the flat. The more moderate miles you ride, the more you'll be able to ride. Don't try to ride hard too much, you'll wear yourselves down. Ride 5 days/week and hike or go for a long fast walk on one day. If you feel yourselves getting tired, take a day off. You only get stronger when you rest, not when you ride. Ride in the mountains one day a week, just like you did. That's a good ride. If you're not too tired, you can ride hills on another day, Wednesday or Thursday. Ride the hills hard, much harder than you will ride them on your century. You want to punch it really hard on some of them, to where you think you're going to die. You won't. That's very important.

Find out what nutrition will work for you on your long ride on the weekend. That's very important, too.

You can try riding in the mountains on both weekend days. That would be best, but it might be too much. I'd probably try doing the mountain ride on Saturday and then just put in about the same number of miles, but easier miles, on Sunday. With that weekend scheme, I'd take Friday off and take my hike or walk on Monday.

The last week before your century, just ride on one weekend day, a ride in the mountains about like what you just did. Then do very easy rides on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, doing shorter rides each day. But on Monday, do three 2 minute very hard intervals. On Tuesday, two of them, and on Wednesday, one. Take Thursday and Friday off. Eat a high carb diet on Thursday and Friday.


this is a really good plan. saving your legs at the beginning is always a good idea.

Our average was 15mph. Edit: I am using a triple. 53/42/28 with a 13/29 cassette. Put together for this ride.That's good for that much elevation per mile. You'll be fine. Won't be too much too early.

I've done a couple MTN 100 miler they make the century road look like a coffee ride. I recommend riding in the morning and evening a few days a week. I would ride 6 days a week and two of those days do double. I would ride 60% on the road bike if not more. Mtn training would be high rep high intensity climbing. In the race I'd ride the climbs out of the saddle to change up muscles. us a heart rate and stay in your zone don't go 90% or above. Find a good fuel. I love Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem, if is money. No cramps no spikes, no hunger. Well worth the cost. use the electrolytes and the recoverite. Heed is a good mix in the Perp. Eat some real food on the race, nothing you haven't eating while training. If you have pit stops on the race only stop for 10 min. don't sit down! Just ride easy and stay on the bike. Log asmany miles as possible speed doesn't matter, hours in the saddle. You'll be fine, and you'll love the finish feeling. Good luck

I've done a couple MTN 100 miler they make the century road look like a coffee ride. I recommend riding in the morning and evening a few days a week. I would ride 6 days a week and two of those days do double. I would ride 60% on the road bike if not more. Mtn training would be high rep high intensity climbing. In the race I'd ride the climbs out of the saddle to change up muscles. us a heart rate and stay in your zone don't go 90% or above. Find a good fuel. I love Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem, if is money. No cramps no spikes, no hunger. Well worth the cost. use the electrolytes and the recoverite. Heed is a good mix in the Perp. Eat some real food on the race, nothing you haven't eating while training. If you have pit stops on the race only stop for 10 min. don't sit down! Just ride easy and stay on the bike. Log asmany miles as possible speed doesn't matter, hours in the saddle. You'll be fine, and you'll love the finish feeling. Good luck

Thanks man. I've been commuting a few days a week and the route has some decent hills on it. I've been attacking each and every hill and have really sped up my commute. Actually cut about 30 minutes off it. That's pretty good while riding a 35 pound bike. I think I will be switching up to my road bike soon though. Just switched saddles to a Brooks Swift and need to get it broken in before May. Thanks for the suggestions.