Brusheda

I just signed up for the Ride Without Limits in November. It is a 2 day event- 100 miles per day. I need advice on the training plan. I am planning on working off of the double century training plan from the Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling. Because it is a two day event, I know I need to practice back-to-back long rides. So if I take the long ride in the double plan and split it between two days, will that work well? If so, should I split it evenly, or unevenly?

ericgu

I've done a couple of back to back centuries and a double.

The training for a double is a lot harder than what you need for back to back singles. I think that if you use standard century training, add in a couple of back-to-back days (say, two 60 or 70 mile days in a row), and I think you'll be ready, as long as you take it easy the first day.

Oh, and recovery nutrition is *really* important in a back-to-back. You have to make sure to eat well during the ride and get your glycogen stores replaced as soon as possible.

Carbonfiberboy 

Most plans I've seen put more training mileage on Saturday and less on Sunday, say in a 70/50 ratio. I don't know why that is, but I'm guessing that during the actual event you will be hyped up to finish the second day's ride, so you don't have to train for it as much. And during training, you'll want to go from the Sunday ride to another training ride on Tuesday, so you can't be too wasted. So maybe that's it.

I've never done back to back 100's. I thought it easier just to do the whole thing all at once and have done with it.

spokenword

In prepping for a 600k, where I had planned on sleeping at the 300k mark, I did a couple of rides that were, like 100 on Saturday and 50 on Sunday. CarbonFiberBoy asked about why folks go for less mileage on their Sunday training ride, and while I can't speak for everyone -- for me, the goal of the second training day was to get my muscles used to getting back on the bike after one long day, and be ready to pedal out another with some sense of freshness. In that sense it's important to do a ride of some significant length, but it doesn't have to be the same as the last day's ride. ... and besides, I had housework that I was neglecting on Saturday

also, if you've done any kind of multi-day bike touring recently, then your body is already used to that tempo, even if your tour days are only, like, 50 or 60 miles on each day

fwiw, in prepping for previous charity events like the MS150's (which, in New England are all two-day events with 100 and 75 mile options on both days) and the New York Boston AIDSride, I didn't do any real back-to-back training. Just a century on a Saturday and commute on Monday. So, it's possible to do without the two-long-ride weekend regimen; so long as you remember to eat and hydrate well on day 1 of your event. Also stretch thoroughly as soon as you're done with Day 1 and before you go to bed.

bmike

Here's a great artible by Chris Kostman on 'Doing the Double'.
This is really for a double on the same day... but it all applies to multiple days in the saddle as well.

There are many good training articles here and here.