by Franz Kelsch
So you have been cycling for awhile now and have been increasing your weekly mileage. You keep hearing about the Century (100 miles) and wonder if you might be able to finish one. This section will get you started with a plan.
Start with a Training Plan
Like any sporting event, a Century requires a good plan to get ready. This is true even if the pace is not a concern but only finishing is the goal. First you need to pick the event. There are many centuries in our area. You may want to pick one that covers some of the roads you are familiar with. The challenge for your first century will be both endurance and climbing. If you pick a flatter century, you can focus just on the endurance portion. This training program is offered by Edmund R, Burke in his book "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling". More advanced programs may be used for subsequent centuries.
| Week |
Mon
Easy |
Tues
Pace |
Wed
Brisk |
Thurs |
Fri
Pace |
Sat
Pace |
Sun
Pace |
Weekly
Mileage |
1 |
6 |
10 |
12 |
Off |
10 |
30 |
9 |
77 |
2 |
7 |
11 |
13 |
Off |
11 |
34 |
10 |
86 |
3 |
8 |
13 |
15 |
Off |
13 |
38 |
11 |
98 |
4 |
8 |
14 |
17 |
Off |
14 |
42 |
13 |
108 |
5 |
9 |
15 |
19 |
Off |
15 |
47 |
14 |
119 |
6 |
11 |
15 |
21 |
Off |
15 |
53 |
16 |
131 |
7 |
12 |
15 |
24 |
Off |
15 |
59 |
18 |
143 |
8 |
13 |
15 |
25 |
Off |
15 |
65 |
20 |
153 |
9 |
15 |
15 |
25 |
Off |
15 |
65 |
20 |
155 |
10 |
15 |
15 |
25 |
Off |
10 |
5 easy |
100 |
177 |
Build Base Miles
Having a good training program for doing a century will greatly increase your prospects for having a safe and enjoyable ride. Part of that training program is to increase the number of miles you cycle. It is best to built up gradually, preferably no more than 15% more miles each week. Don't try to jump from 50 miles a week to 100 miles a week in one or two weeks. Your body needs time to adapt.
So start at least eight weeks before the event and focus on both total weekly miles and the length of the longest ride of the week. You should try to get your total miles up to at least 125 miles a week for a few weeks before riding the century. Mileage in the range of 150 to 200 is even better, but may be difficult for most people due to the time required. It is a good idea to have one long ride of at least 65 miles one to two weeks before the event. This is important not only for training but for confidence.
Pace Line Practice
One important aspect of doing a century is to learn to ride safely in a pace line. Drafting behind another rider can reduce your effort by as much as 30%. However you need to learn to ride in a pace line before the event and you need to be cautious because you will be in a pace line with riders you may not know in terms of their skills.
Watch Nutrition
Just as important as training on the bike is what you eat. You will need the proper nutrition during the weeks before the event to make sure you have endurance on the ride. Also important is what you eat and drink while on the ride. You should not be experimenting on the double century. Try out food and drink combinations on your long riders first.
Taper
Long distance training too close to the event will not help you and will actually be detrimental. Read the article on tapering.
Take it Easy and Have Fun
When you ride the event be very mindful of your speed at the beginning. It to easy to go out too fast and then suffer later in the day when you have expended all your energy. You want to keep the pace that you can hold for the entire distance. Riding the event with a friend will not only make it more enjoyable but you can help each other from going too fast at the start.
Other Sources
Ultra Marathon Cycling Association |
