Training for a Century

For those new to cycling lingo, a century is a 100-mile ride. And we have the training plan to put it in anyone’s goal list. You will need a few important things to start: equipment, food and determination. All three have specific guidelines according to training experts. Read on to start working the right way on your goal.

Your equipment should be in good condition and, most importantly, it should be comfortable. You should be familiar with your bike and confident in its fit. If you’re experiencing pain or aren’t sure if your bike is adjusted correctly, take your bike to your local professional to provide a fit-assessment. This should be 8-12 weeks before your century as your body will need time to adjust to a different fit. Don’t arrange to ride a new or borrowed bike for a century.

You may want to have a tune-up before your ride; you should also carry a spare tire and patch kit, tools and a pump. Note: these things do little good if you lack the experienced knowledge of how to use them.

You’ll also need a helmet that fits you properly, water bottle(s) and cage(s), and cycling clothing including sunglasses, shoes, shorts, gloves and rain gear. You should bring a jacket and tights in the morning. Most Century events start early in the morning; be prepared for chilly and/or rainy weather.

Enough talk about the gear; the most important thing you’ll do to prepare is train. You’ll need 12 weeks to train before the event and it will require strict diligence. If you already ride more than 7 hours/week you won’t require as much time to prepare. During most rides, you should reach about 65% of your maximum heart rate (MHR). Two days of riding you should push yourself to 85% of your MHR. Hills will break up the monotony of your ride and bring your cardio level up as well. Interval training is an excellent way to prepare yourself for the century, particularly if you do some training on a stationary bike.

A typical training schedule should be somewhat similar to this mock workout. Remember to leave a day open for rest and recovery.

Monday- 1-1.5 hour interval ride Tuesday- 1 hour easy recovery ride Wednesday- 1-1.5 hours with hills Thursday- Rest or 30 minute easy recovery ride Friday- 1-2 hour ride with 30 minutes hard effort Saturday- 1-2 hour ride at steady pace (65% mhr) Sunday- Rest

To measure your effort and keep you going, follow these training tips.

-maintain 70-90 revolutions per minute. -increase your mileage as the century approaches. Don’t increase it more than 10% a week. -Complete a long ride (60-75) miles two weeks before the century. -Cut your mileage back the week before the century. Your hard work is complete, just complete low resistance spin workouts. Rest up and start watching what you eat.

The Right Food

It’s important to start eating for the ride day about five days beforehand. Drink water and drink little, if any, caffeine and alcohol. Start eating carbohydrates a few days before the event.

Eat a light, carbohydrate-packed breakfast on ride day and drink lots of water. Start drinking before the ride and continue to drink every 20-30 minutes. It’s important to drink before you’re thirsty. You can replace water with your favorite sports drink. Just make sure it’s what you regularly consume on your training rides. You want to make sure everything is “normal” to your body. This includes food that you’ll need to snack on during your ride. Easily digestible carbs like energy bars, granola, fruit and bagels are good options. Just eat what you’re used to. The ride day is not the appropriate time to “try” something new.

Determination

The nice thing about a century is that it’s not a race. If it’s your first century, the goal is to finish comfortably. If you’ve completed others, perhaps you’d like to beat your previous record. Some tips for enjoying the ride:

-Take short breaks. Nature will call if you’re well hydrated anyway. Stretch your legs and eat a little something. Don’t stay off the bike more than 10 minutes though, you may start to get stiff. If you’re on an organized ride, there will be stations with bathrooms, water and snacks spread throughout the ride. -While riding be sure to change your position. Move your hands, straighten up, stand and pedal for a little while, stretch your arms, shoulders and neck and arch your back. You’ll feel fresher, longer if you avoid staying in one position for a while. -Talk. If you’re on an organized event, find one or two people to ride with. It will go faster if you can converse or just get your mind off how many miles you have left. Skilled riders may want to join a pack to do some drafting and save some energy. If you’re on your own you could arrange for a friend to bike a portion of the ride with you. The last 20 miles can be very encouraging if you’re worried about finishing.

Otherwise, sit back, consider what great shape you’re in and enjoy the scenery.