hi all,

since I'm really new to the whole road cycling thing I wondering if you could give me some advice

I'm planning on riding in the Tour Las Vegas, (which should be in october) there are several different courses to choose from, and I was hoping to ride the 100 mi. course.

right now I know I'm no where near where I want to be to complete my goal, but I currently ride at least 10 miles a day. I guess I'm probably going to build up my endurance, since it is not a race... but what do you guys suggest? is this a unrealistic goal? thanks for any input

oh yeah if anyone wants to join me on this ride you can read about it here.

It is not the least bit unreasonable. Your biggest concern is comfort on bike rather than fatigue. Keep doing your ten-milers and maybe some 15 or 20 milers. Once a week throw in a 35 or 40 mile ride. If you can do that without serious pain you've got it made.

If riding 40 miles DOES cause lots of pain, then you've got a fit problem. Then it's just a matter of diagnosing the problem and fixing it.

good luck and have loads of fun. That's what it's all about :=)

Vegas, your 10 miles a day is a great base to start from, especially when it is that consistent. Just start adding in some mileage, take the long way home etc., and do some longer recreational rides every once in a while, say once a week, building up your distance and tolerance gradually. You've got lots of time to do this if you start now.

The rule of thumb is that virtually anyone can get fit enough to do a century in 10 weeks.

Bicycling magazine publishes training schedules and you might scare up an old copy or two to give you an idea. You don't have to follow it slavishly.

Riding daily is a big help. Try doing longer rides on the weekend. 10 miles is a bit short. For me that is getting my stuff on, getting on the bike and warming up and by that time, the 10 miles is almost done. Doing 20 miles every other day would be more productive.

Do a long ride before the century like 70 miles. That will give you a decent experience base.

Emphasize comfort. If anything causes pain in a short ride, it will be much much worse in a century. Stop every now and then (depending on fitness) and snack, refill water bottles, take pit stops and let the circulation get back to your hands, feet and hinder parts. Also pace yourself. Trying to finish the last 30 miles of a century bonked is not at all fun.

Good luck.

If you check www.bicycling.com and go to their training section
they have a 10 week schedule for preparing for a century.
They list 2 goals, just finishing or as they say "crush this event".
I was going to post the schedule but I couldn't get the formatting
correct.
good luck,
Marty

Vegas,

Here is the Bicycling magazine website that lotek was taking about.

Two things that many first-time century riders don't think about is "butt" comfort and arm strength.
Sitting for 100 miles is a lot of sitting!! Stand and stretch your legs, lower back, and butt muscles every so often.
Start riding for longer times/distances to build up the muscles in the back of your arms. They will start to ache after 40 miles if you aren't used to riding for several hours.

Also drink LOTS of water the days before the ride, during the ride, and afterward to avoid cramps. This is the voice of experience speaking.

Let us know how your training progresses and don't be shy about asking questions.

There's no reason you can't be in fine shape to do a century by October.

If you aren't trying to set a speed record, or anything like that, it's my opinion that the biggest difference between a 50 miler and a century is logistics. Basically, it's a matter of being sure you're eating and drinking sufficiently, and not exerting yourself too much early in the ride.

So, aside from adding longer rides for the purpose of increasing long-term stamina, you need to do them to familiarize your self with what works and does not work for 5-8 hrs in the saddle. Nutrition, hydration, and pacing are key. Marathon runners experience what's called "hitting the wall" around 21 miles. It's my opinion that a milder version of the same thing happens around 75 miles on the bike. If you're riding easy, you may not even notice it. If you're riding harder, it'll be uncomfortable for a few miles, but if you've done everything else right, you'll ride through it without undue discomfort.

Ultimately, you don't really need to ride centuries to prepare for centuries, but I think you should do at least a couple 80 milers. If there are any supported metric centuries, those make good prep events, too.

On ride day, don't let testosterone or the excitement of the event overcome what you've learned in training. Try to hook up with other riders going your pace, to help share the work and pass the time. When you get to 75 miles, if you're still feeling froggy, that's the time to jump!

thanks for the info guys I'll keep you all updated on how I am doing. I'm going to try to do my first group ride this weekend