Originally Posted by Richard Cranium

Generally, the easiest way to improve Century-speed is to ride as much as you can. I'm surprised about so many references to speed work, Intervals etc..... That advice seems way off-base to me.

For the most part, Century riding is all about aerobic development. The best training for aerobic development is through cycling for hours and hours at a time. The 2nd most important aspect of performing a faster Century comes from each rider's ability to reach and sustain work at their aerobic threshold without depleting their glycogen before finishing the ride.

Since winds, hills and ever-so-slight accelerations can draw from glycogen reserves, it's important the rider knows how to select and endure a sustainable pace. If he rides too slow, then he fails to ride the best time, if he rides too fast, he risks glycogen depletion and possible bonk before finishing. Either case results in a sub-optimal finish-time.

Therefore, I recommend that anyone interested in achieving their best Century time, practice pacing during their workouts. Long steady, well-paced rides, that are finished with an ever-increasing average speed are the best method for building AT and learning to "read" your effort and pick speed.

Interval work and other mixed-effort rides, are a low priority unless the cyclist is already trained with a base of over several hundreds of miles per week. (250+) It's pacing and aerobic capacity that create fast Centuries, not power or sprinting.......