Training & Nutrition - New Century Question

Koffee's century and quest for knowledge before she rode started me thinking.

I have always been told that you can ride in one day what you can ride for an AVERAGE WEEK, but it will wipe you out. And that you can ride 2/3's your AVERAGE WEEK in one day easily with minimal damage to body and mind.

So the question is: WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE WEEK WHEN YOU RIDE A CENTURY OR METRIC CENTURY???

Remembering that an AVERAGE WEEK is not the longest week but a typical one.

I was doing 30- 55 miles a day (taking one day off per week) in the past month. In the last two weeks, I was working on doing 30 miles in the morning and an additional 15 miles in the afternoon on weekdays, and then one longer day on the weekends (55- 65 miles).

I think that comes close to what you say. I'm now going to work on doing the 45 miles a day for 4 days, then 55 miles on the fifth day, then 65- 70 miles on the sixth day, with a rest day on the seventh. Then within a month, I'll be doing my next century.

I'm hoping to be better prepared next time.

Koffee

At that level of fitness, what becomes important is hydration and feeding. As you approach the 80mi mark you are completely depleted of stored glycogen and if you haven't been drinking all along, and eating appropriately varying degrees of bonk occur. I do 5-6 centuries a yr. and still have problems; your appetite is depressed, and I can recall an unnerving slosh in the stomach from drinking so much. Practically speaking stomach emptying limitations mean that consumption of much more than 1.5oz/mi is not useful but less than 1oz/mi
is not enough. FWIW Tour of France riders find this a major problem as well, pro riders need a few yrs of long stage races to calibrate their bodies hydration and fueling needs. Steve

Originally posted by 1oldRoadie
Koffee's century and quest for knowledge before she rode started me thinking.

I have always been told that you can ride in one day what you can ride for an AVERAGE WEEK, but it will wipe you out. And that you can ride 2/3's your AVERAGE WEEK in one day easily with minimal damage to body and mind.

So the question is: WHAT IS YOUR AVERAGE WEEK WHEN YOU RIDE A CENTURY OR METRIC CENTURY???

Remembering that an AVERAGE WEEK is not the longest week but a typical one.

I have never heard that metric. I would take that one with a lot of caution. I have ridden 350+ miles per week for months on end and it is not even hard to do. Doing 400 miles in a day, assuming a 4 hours off the bike for a nap and potty stops and refueling, it would be 20 mph on the bike for 20 hours. I don't think so.

Here is a different suggestion. I think ideally one should spend 2 hours of aerobic activity during the week for every hour during the weekend. Of course, if you can't do that try to at least hit 1 to 1. Having a weekend dominated schedule is not good.

The thing is to gradually increase your mileage until you can do a 70 mile training ride. If you can do a 70 mile training ride, you should be able to do a century. The support and the buzz you get from the event should put you over the top.

Also, pacing is critical on centuries. I generally avoid all sprinting on a century. I accelerate gradually. And I ride at a moderate comfortable cruise. The harder you ride the more carbohydrate you burn, and the more carbohydrate you burn, the sooner you bonk. I have done 4 centuries in a row several times. Never felt motivated to do 5 though.

I have gotten into shape where I can pump out a reasonably fast century without any problem. But I don't feel motivated to go much farther. I find after I have done 100 miles, I have had all the fun I am going to have on a bike for that day.