Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Training question for a tour

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kelmurfee
07-21-07, 09:53 PM
Hello everyone!

I saw the commercial today for the Wish-A-Mile Bike tour which is a 3-day event, 100 miles each day. The bikers spend the night at a school and there are busses that can pick up riders that are tired or hurt or whatever during the day. My question is...how long does it take to train for tours like that? I would love to do this tour even though I'm just now starting out cycling. I ride a hybrid bike and the longest i've ridden was 13 miles in an hour. i know..not much but its a least a start. I told myself that if i'm still biking, whether in the gym once winter hits or outside on my bike, that I will buy a road bike and my parents said they'd help me out. But..can people train for these things in a year or does it take longer? This tour seems awesome and I would love to do it. :-)
Does anyone have any good training advice?

Thanks for the help everyone!

~Kelsey

Machka
07-21-07, 10:22 PM
I was where you are in 1990, and didn't ride my first century (100 miles) till 1994. I suspect I could have progressed a little faster than that if I'd put some effort into it. Many are riding centuries after a year of cycling.

Start gradually increasing your distances about 10% per week and see how it goes. :)
ericgu
07-21-07, 10:45 PM
Hello everyone!

I saw the commercial today for the Wish-A-Mile Bike tour which is a 3-day event, 100 miles each day. The bikers spend the night at a school and there are busses that can pick up riders that are tired or hurt or whatever during the day. My question is...how long does it take to train for tours like that? I would love to do this tour even though I'm just now starting out cycling. I ride a hybrid bike and the longest i've ridden was 13 miles in an hour. i know..not much but its a least a start. I told myself that if i'm still biking, whether in the gym once winter hits or outside on my bike, that I will buy a road bike and my parents said they'd help me out. But..can people train for these things in a year or does it take longer? This tour seems awesome and I would love to do it. :-)
Does anyone have any good training advice?

Thanks for the help everyone!

~Kelsey

There are a lot of people who train from nothing to riding their first century in 6 months or so. It takes some reasonably focused but not overly hard training. The real challenges to century are getting a bike that fits you and decent clothes so it isn't painful to be on the bike and getting in enough long rides so you know what to eat and drink during the ride.

If you eat/drink well, it's really not that hard to do the same sort of distance the next day.