Can anyone recommend a good book or web site to help set up my training?

How long should I have to train to be able to do a century? Etc, etc…

I am fairly new to riding and so far my longest ride has been 30 miles. I know I have a long way to go in order to ride a century but have no ideas on training.

There is a Century in Nov and on in April. If possible I would like to ride both. If I do not have enough time to train for the one in Nov then I will skip it or go for one of the shorter options they have for that ride.

Thank you for you help

Sorry to hop onto your thread Bolo, but I'd also like a specific training plan if anyone has one. I'm looking to do a century in mid-September, for the first time in 21 years. I've got a good base this summer (1,000 miles so far; I plan to ride around 2,100 for this summer season) and ride about 100 to 125 miles/week. Group rides are the longest ones: to date my long for the year is 55 miles. Where do I need to be with a two months to go? With one month to go? What about cycling intensity and recovery rides (I usually take one the next time out after the long group rides)?

Sorry for all the questions...it just seems like I can and should be training more systematically than I am now (I vaguely remember Bicycling mag had a similar training program last year but I can't find it in my back issues) and I really don't want to dish out 30 dollars a month to CTS when I imagine a pre-packaged training plan would work just fine.

Thanks in advance for your help! :) Tailwinds!

Neither of you should have the slightest problem with your Sep and Nov Centuries, really.

I started riding in about April, 1998 (at age 58) and did a 350 mile tour in the end of June that year, including one day of 100 miles. It should be a pushover for someone younger, like I assume you are!


Do a google search - lots of sites with suggestions:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/conditioning/a/aa052703.htm

Neither of you should have the slightest problem with your Sep and Nov Centuries, really.

I started riding in about April, 1998 (at age 58) and did a 350 mile tour in the end of June that year, including one day of 100 miles. It should be a pushover for someone younger, like I assume you are!


Do a google search - lots of sites with suggestions:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/conditioning/a/aa052703.htm


Good suggestion and I will check out the link you posted as well as others I find such as
http://www.adventurecorps.com/how/centtrain.html

But if anyone has used a book or guide that they can recommend it would be greatly appreciated.

Kaiser welcome abroad :)

For a great book on long rides, check out "The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling" by Ed Pavelka and Ed Burke. They provide a training plan for centuries and double centuries, as well as critical information on what, when, and how to eat, etc...

A September (Kaiser) or November (Bolo Grubb) century is well within reach if you start increasing the length of your longest ride by about 10% per week. April may actually be more difficult, depending on whether you can ride through the winter.

Here's a couple links to century training plans:

http://www.diablocyclists.com/RiderTips/EasyCenturyTrainingProgram.htm
http://coloradoms150.org/training-for-tour.htm

For a great book on long rides, check out "The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling" by Ed Pavelka and Ed Burke. They provide a training plan for centuries and double centuries, as well as critical information on what, when, and how to eat, etc...

A September (Kaiser) or November (Bolo Grubb) century is well within reach if you start increasing the length of your longest ride by about 10% per week. April may actually be more difficult, depending on whether you can ride through the winter.

Here's a couple links to century training plans:

http://www.diablocyclists.com/RiderTips/EasyCenturyTrainingProgram.htm
http://coloradoms150.org/training-for-tour.htm


Thanks, riding through the winter is easy as I live in Phoenix Az. I also have a resistence trainer that was given to me.

Thanks, riding through the winter is easy as I live in Phoenix Az. I also have a resistence trainer that was given to me.

Great! Riding year round will be helpful in keeping the fitness levels up. I live in Vancouver, Canada, and can usually ride year round, with maybe a week or two where it is too icy to go out. Mind you, I sure have to be willing to ride in the rain :D . I don't have a resistance trainer, but when the weather was too miserable I would go to spinning classes after work.

Good luck with your training. It's great that you have a goal you want to work towards. I found that when I set a goal with a deadline, ie. a specific cycling event, it helps me get off the couch or out of the car and onto my bike when I'm feeling lazy. Last year my goal for the end of the summer was a metric century (100 km) and I had 2.5 months to prepare. Well, the distance bug bit me and since January 1 I have done 16 rides over 100km, including 3 of 100 miles or longer with another 200km ride coming up this Saturday. You never know where this will take you. But most importantly, have fun!

Just start bumping up your long rides, and you'll be fine. If you can ride 60, you can ride 100; however, if you're wanting to ride a fast century or increase speed; I'd throw in intervals and hills, and maybe increase the long ride to 75.
Sarah

Thanks Bolo, Mariposa, and Denver. Good mileage plans on those websites. And thank you for the welcome Bolo!

Thanks too Sarah. Same face, new place, eh? ;)

Well, I'm happy to report that I did 72 miles today (over 4 hours in the saddle) on a course with a lot of short steep hills (well, steep for Chicago! e.g. 9 mph going up some). Felt pretty good. Days like today, the re-completion of a century after 2 decades seems very do-able.

Thanks guys.

Well, I'm happy to report that I did 72 miles today (over 4 hours in the saddle) on a course with a lot of short steep hills (well, steep for Chicago! e.g. 9 mph going up some). Felt pretty good. Days like today, the re-completion of a century after 2 decades seems very do-able.

Thanks guys.


Congrats

I have not built up to that kind of distance yet

Well, I'm happy to report that I did 72 miles today (over 4 hours in the saddle) on a course with a lot of short steep hills (well, steep for Chicago! e.g. 9 mph going up some). Felt pretty good. Days like today, the re-completion of a century after 2 decades seems very do-able.

Thanks guys.

Yeah, you got it in the bag now. I'd start throwing in some intervals/hills, tempos, and keep the long ride at least every 2 weeks; your times should drop, if you're still looking for the fast century. Congrats, and good job. See, nothing to worry about.

Well, I will give a few guidelines. What you need to do depends on your goals. Do you want to do a "fast" century or just do a century? Also are you more willing to pay the price in training and want the century to be enjoyeable or would you rather suffer on the century and to the heck with training? Those sorts of things will influence what you need to do.

Actually, you probably need NO training to ride a century if you know the tricks. I have had friends who do just that. They would ride this annual quad century (centuries on 4 days in a row) and do no other riding during the whole year. Of course, they very slowly and they stop often and they drink and snack the whole dern way and after 10 hours or so, they are done. But I find that to be a little extreme.

The thing is to learn about basic bicycle survival stuff - like drinking plenty of water, wearing the proper clothing, using sunscreen, eating the right snacks, and so on. You can get away with well poor practices on shorter rides, but unless you are in terrific shape, it will catch up to you on a century.

As for training, it is good to ride at least on the weekends and do 1 ride of about 70 miles in preparation and the more the better. If you can not ride during the week, really try to get routine in aerobic exercise on most of the weekdays. By aerobic, I mean where your breathing becomes sort of hard but you don't need to get to the point where you tongue is hanging out. Don't kill yourself because that is generally counterproductive. It is important to build up your aerobic conditioning. The better your aerobic conditioning is the better off you will be.

Also be patient. Generally increase your mileage by no more then 10% per week. The same thing goes for intensity.

There is no reason that a healthy and sort of fit person should not be able to get into shape for a century in 10 weeks but longer is better.

my main goal is to complete the century, having never done one before.

I have plenty of ( I think). My first Century is schedule for Nov 20.

I can ride on the weekends and during the week. Although I work Monday through Friday so I have to train around that, but should not be a problem.

This last weekend I did 20 miles on Both Saturday and Sunday and felt like I could have gone longer but did not want to over do it, just getting started. Based on information from here, other web sites and some of the suggested books, I plan on increasing my "long ride" mileage each week by 10%

Here is my riding plan for just my long weekend ride. You will notice there is a 2 week gap in September, I will be out of the country on Vacation during that time and with out a bike. I will be able to run during that time though to help keep up my conditioning.

Goal Distance
07/10/2004 20
07/17/2004 22
07/24/2004 24
07/31/2004 27
08/07/2004 29
08/14/2004 32
08/21/2004 35
08/28/2004 39
09/04/2004 43
09/11/2004
09/18/2004
09/25/2004 39
10/02/2004 43
10/09/2004 47
10/16/2004 52
10/23/2004 57
10/30/2004 63
11/06/2004 69
11/13/2004 76
11/20/2004 Century


I plan on doing intervals and such during the week. My goal each week is to ride 5 days+ out of 7.

Does this sound good? I am willing to listen too and consider any tips for anyone.

ps I am also planning on running a 10k on Thanksgiving ( the annual local Turkey Trot) so I will be mixing in some running during my cycling training.

Do you think this might be too much? or is the plan sound?

Definitely NOT too much.

Why not make it 11% each week and you will have already done a century before the century, and will be confident of your skills during the century?

Once you hit about 30+ miles or so, 40 seems awfully easy! There will come a time when you can make larger jumps in your mileage without even realizing it.

I agree with Denver, up the milage a bit as adding 2 at this stage is easy. That way toward the end you will be closer to 100 and not have to do 20 mi increase at the end.

My attitude is one of "Just do it"
Last month my son and i did a ride thru the Tennessee mountains with
very little "training" It was self supported and we camped most nights.
Pulling that Yakima trailer with about 40 pounds of gear in the 80 degree
heat and never ending hills was no easy task, our longest day was 63 miles
It's pretty amazing how the "heart" kicks in while your out there trying to
make it to the next campground/motel, you actually get use to the heat.
We took Gatoraid in the powder form, i think thats the best advise..drink
lots of liquid! Allthe training in the world dont really prepare you for some
of the "serious" encounters you will face on the actual ride such as tornado
warnings, dogs and in our case...log trucks. I say hop on your bike and ride!
You aint gonna die! But if by chance you do....we'll miss your posts :)

My attitude is one of "Just do it"


So is mine. But some folks have a real need for detailed plans - it fits their personality style.

To me, spontaniety and just charging in there is a part of the fun! Not that I don't prepare and get in shape. But, I just go until my body says stop and keep trying to add miles each time I am out, if I am preparing for something.

Some good points about just doing it!

My main concern is not to over train or get injured as I am still pretty new to riding in general.

I think What I will do is just ride as long I feel good on my long wekend rides, with the distance outlined in my plan as a minimum and adjust the plan as I go.

Some good points about just doing it!

My main concern is not to over train or get injured as I am still pretty new to riding in general.

I think What I will do is just ride as long I feel good on my long wekend rides, with the distance outlined in my plan as a minimum and adjust the plan as I go.

Excellent! You will have a great time in preparation. It is not the destination, but the journey, that is the fun part!

Excellent! You will have a great time in preparation. It is not the destination, but the journey, that is the fun part!


oh and of course the ride distances outlined above is just the one long weekend ride. I also ride 30-60 minutes 4 days a week before work and ride a group ride and my long ride on the weekends.

Today I had a very fun and enjoyable "fast" ride. I did sprints for 40 minutes. Since I caught alot of red lights, most the sprints were against cars :D

oh and of course the ride distances outlined above is just the one long weekend ride. I also ride 30-60 minutes 4 days a week before work and ride a group ride and my long ride on the weekends.

Today I had a very fun and enjoyable "fast" ride. I did sprints for 40 minutes. Since I caught alot of red lights, most the sprints were against cars :D

Bolo - what part of Phoenix are you riding in? I'm training for El Tour de Tucson as well, riding sometimes along the AZ Canal & also Union Hills Rd. I'm doing 55-80 miles/week at this point.

Bolo - what part of Phoenix are you riding in? I'm training for El Tour de Tucson as well, riding sometimes along the AZ Canal & also Union Hills Rd. I'm doing 55-80 miles/week at this point.

I live on the east side, near the Mesa & Apache Junction border. I ride alot around Falcon Field area and out to Usary (sp?) pass and back. My brother-in-law lives in South Chandler and we ride down by his place a lot too. Riggs rd and Highway 87 areas.