First of all, I hope this is the correct forum for this post.

This weekend I completed my first metric century. I averaged 18mph for the first half. Then I slowed to about 14 to 15 mph.

I am looking for training advice to bring my overall average into the 18-20 mph range. I have run many 5ks and 10ks and know what training works for those, but I am a recent bicycle commuter and totally new to distance riding. I am not even sure if it is realistic to average 18-20mph in a 100km ride.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, and sorry if I should have posted in a different forum.

Some folks on this forum consider metric centuries to be warm ups. I visit this forum because I enjoy reading about people who think that long distances don't begin until you reach 100 miles and routinely do 200 miles in one day.

Anyway, since I like to do two or three metric centuries per week, I will chime in. 18-20 mph is a challenge. You will definitely need to do interval training zone 5, 3min each, 3min rest. Do four sets of those 2 times per week. You will also want to vary your cadence. Over 100 RPM for some intervals, 80 RPM for others. You will find an average of 90 RPM to be your most efficient pedaling cadence.

Books such as The Complete book of Long Distance Cycling by Burke and Pavelka and Heart Zones Cycling by Edwards and Reed and Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes by Ryan have helped me achieve an 16 - 18mph metric century. I'm 59 years old and began serious training about two years ago.

You will find the folks at the training and nutrition forum to be a great help as well.

Thanks for the advice.

I am certainly interested in riding those long distances you mentioned, but do not feel that I have the endurance to ride that far. I have been commuting for about 6 months, but I am new to long distance stuff.

I will check out the books you mentioned.

Just like running, interval training will increase your average speed.

First of all, I hope this is the correct forum for this post.

This weekend I completed my first metric century. I averaged 18mph for the first half. Then I slowed to about 14 to 15 mph.

I am looking for training advice to bring my overall average into the 18-20 mph range. I have run many 5ks and 10ks and know what training works for those, but I am a recent bicycle commuter and totally new to distance riding. I am not even sure if it is realistic to average 18-20mph in a 100km ride.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, and sorry if I should have posted in a different forum.

A 100km is a good first step towards doing the bigger endurance events, and since you're interested in going farther I'd say this is the right place to be posting.

I'm not into speed on my distance rides, so I can't help you much there. But I can tell you that 18-20 (and faster) is certainly an attainable goal for long and ultradistance riding. There are solo racers up here who do the Cannonball (276 miles including a 3000+ climb over a mountain pass) in under 15 hours, putting them at an overall average (including stoppage time) of 19mph.
I saw pacelines at STP (204 miles) whipping past me at well over 20mph, and overheard some riders discussing their 23 and 24mph averages at the rest stops.