Century Pace Training

Hi Bikers, When riding a century, I tend to go out too fast and suffer in the last 20 or 30 miles.
It's really hard to let upright pace lines go by. So today I did a 48 mile non-stop training ride at
a steady even pace avoiding the temptation to ride hard in the first half especially. Not looking at
speedometer mph except occasionally helped. (I plan to tape over the mph so as to not get caught up
in trying to keep up a certain mph.) Heart rate monitor really helps in guaging effort.

Out-and-back course was constant throughout (flat, little wind, but rain last hour). Following
statistics show that my performance did degrade in only 48 miles even though riding rather
comfortably. For 100 miles, the degradation would be large.

interval interval interval interval time avg hr avg mph perceived effort
1:00 131=74% 18.5 comfortable
2:00 143=81% 18.1 comfortable for 0:30 :39 151=85% 17.1 slightly hard

Although I've been doing interval training at higher speed and hr levels and rides up to 113
miles since February, I still have a long way to get in century shape, especially for a
hilly century.

Getting to a level of conditioning is half the equation. Riding the right pace for a
conditioning level and a ride is the other half of the equation for optimum performance.
--
~~~al.kubeluis..md.usa.earth.sun.milkyway.virgo.universe..corsa~~~

 

On 28-Mar-2003, "Al Kubeluis" <[email protected]> wrote:

> time avg hr avg mph perceived effort
> 1:00 131=74% 18.5 comfortable
> 1:00 143=81% 18.1 comfortable for 0:30 :39 151=85% 17.1 slightly hard

Al, Is it possible that the avg mpg column is inverted? I've never been one for much data
collection on training rides, perhaps this is why my condition does not seem to change much.
Although i always seem to lose some weight.

Daniel

 

> > time avg hr avg mph perceived effort
> > 1:00 131=74% 18.5 comfortable
> > 1:00 143=81% 18.1 comfortable for 0:30 :39 151=85% 17.1 slightly hard

On 30-Mar-2003, "Daniel Payne" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Al, Is it possible that the avg mpg column is inverted?

Oh, i see, this was one the same day, and you ' ran out of gas' as the time went on, hence the
increased hr for less mpg. Silly me.

Daniel

I admire some one that is willing to spend such effort training.

 

The best way for Al to train for non-Delmarva peninsula rides, i.e., rides with hills, is to get
away from that beautiful flatland and ride hills. His records of mph are going to be less important
to hilly riding, than his heart monitor's bpm readings. And although he can push himself to go
faster on those wonderful, smoothly paved flat roads around St. Michaels MD, the real training
should take place in (for example) the Balto.-D.C. area with its big rollers. Best of all, he should
go to the actual century ride area and ride parts of it the week before.

Hills are not only more effort; they are psychological barriers that one learns, through practice,
to conquer.

C.C.

> From: "Daniel Payne" <[email protected]>

>
>>> time avg hr avg mph perceived effort
>>> 1:00 131=74% 18.5 comfortable
>>> 1:00 143=81% 18.1 comfortable for 0:30 :39 151=85% 17.1 slightly hard
>
>
> Oh, i see, this was one the same day, and you ' ran out of gas' as the time went on, hence the
> increased hr for less mpg. Silly me.
>
> I admire some one that is willing to spend such effort training.

 

Al, do you plan on riding half your century without stopping? If not, then this doesn't seem like a
realistic training scenario.

When I ride centuries, I tend to use the major stops which typically are set every 25 miles. I'll
stay long enough to rest my area, fill my (water) bladder and get a banana... say, 15 minutes.

This is long enough for my heart rate to drop to near-normal and for the lactic acid to dissipate.

If I didn't stop, I have a feeling I'd start running out of steam a lot earlier.

Train the way you intend to ride...

 

Andrew Douglas wrote:
>
> Al, do you plan on riding half your century without stopping? If not, then this doesn't seem like
> a realistic training scenario....

The hardcore in the Chicagoland Recumbent Riders group will typically ride a century with only one
brief stop. (Hi Ed).

Tom Sherman - Rides to eat Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

Carol, Yep, have to ride hills to get in shape mentally, technically, and physically for hills.
Plus, hills are fun. Al "Carol Cohen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BAAC8F9B.48E42%[email protected]...
> The best way for Al to train for non-Delmarva peninsula rides, i.e., rides with hills, is to get
> away from that beautiful flatland and ride hills.
His
> records of mph are going to be less important to hilly riding, than his heart monitor's bpm
> readings. And although he can push himself to go
faster
> on those wonderful, smoothly paved flat roads around St. Michaels MD, the real training should
> take place in (for example) the Balto.-D.C. area with its big rollers. Best of all, he should go
> to the actual century ride
area
> and ride parts of it the week before.
>
> Hills are not only more effort; they are psychological barriers that one learns, through practice,
> to conquer.
>
> C.C.
>
> > From: "Daniel Payne" <[email protected]>
>
> >
> >>> time avg hr avg mph perceived effort
> >>> 1:00 131=74% 18.5 comfortable
> >>> 1:00 143=81% 18.1 comfortable for 0:30 :39 151=85% 17.1 slightly hard
> >
> >
> > Oh, i see, this was one the same day, and you ' ran out of gas' as the time went on, hence the
> > increased hr for less mpg. Silly me.
> >
> > I admire some one that is willing to spend such effort training.

 

Hi Andrew, I try to ride most organized metric and statute centuries in minimum total time (riding
plus stop time). I usually make 2 or 3 5-minute stops in a 100 miles. I find long stops
dysfunctional because I get mentally soft and physically stiff. I try to do centuries without
stopping but haven't succeeded so far. A key to pacing is, I think, to minimize lactic acid buildup
and avoid having to stop to dissipate it. When The Evil Dork Vader (WheelDoctor) bears down on me
(Wide Body), then the century transitions from a personal race to an interpersonal race to the
finish line. ~~~al.kubeluis..md.usa.earth.sun.milkyway.virgo.universe..corsa~~~

"Andrew Douglas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Al, do you plan on riding half your century without stopping? If not, then this doesn't seem like
> a realistic training scenario.
>
> When I ride centuries, I tend to use the major stops which typically are set every 25 miles. I'll
> stay long enough to rest my area, fill my (water) bladder and get a banana... say, 15 minutes.
>
> This is long enough for my heart rate to drop to near-normal and for the lactic acid to dissipate.
>
> If I didn't stop, I have a feeling I'd start running out of steam a lot earlier.
>
> Train the way you intend to ride...

 

The re-wedding (of Mr. & Mrs. Wheeldoctor) is over, but Al K. continues his effort to be
the Best Man.

C.C.

> From: "Al Kubeluis" <[email protected]>

> Hi Andrew, I try to ride most organized metric and statute centuries in minimum total time (riding
> plus stop time). I usually make 2 or 3 5-minute stops in a 100 miles. I find long stops
> dysfunctional because I get mentally soft and physically stiff. I try to do centuries without
> stopping but haven't succeeded so far. A key to pacing is, I think, to minimize lactic acid
> buildup and avoid having to stop to dissipate it. When The Evil Dork Vader (WheelDoctor) bears
> down on me (Wide Body), then the century transitions from a personal race to an interpersonal race
> to the finish line. ~~~al.kubeluis..md.usa.earth.sun.milkyway.virgo.universe..corsa~~~

 

My way of riding a century Al, is to ride as hard as I can, as long as I can. Also be sure to ride
as many hills as you can, as hard as you can. One of my riding mates always goes out with the wind.
I too suffer at the end of many rides. good luck Dave Balfour 16 centuries this year. 10 on fixed
gear DF 6 on coaster DF (in Texas) on recumbent so far.

"Al Kubeluis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi Bikers, When riding a century, I tend to go out too fast and suffer in the last 20 or 30
> miles. It's really hard to let upright pace lines go by. So today I did a 48 mile non-stop
> training ride at a steady even pace avoiding the temptation to ride hard in the first half
> especially. Not looking at speedometer mph except occasionally helped. (I plan to tape over the
> mph so as to not get caught up in trying to keep up a certain mph.) Heart rate monitor really
> helps in guaging effort.
>
> Out-and-back course was constant throughout (flat, little wind, but rain last hour). Following
> statistics show that my performance did degrade in only 48 miles even though riding rather
> comfortably. For 100 miles, the degradation would be large.
>
> interval interval interval interval time avg hr avg mph perceived effort
> 1:00 131=74% 18.5 comfortable
> 1:00 143=81% 18.1 comfortable for 0:30 :39 151=85% 17.1 slightly hard
>
> Although I've been doing interval training at higher speed and hr levels and rides up to 113
> miles since February, I still have a long way to get in century shape, especially for a hilly
> century.
>
> Getting to a level of conditioning is half the equation. Riding the right pace for a
> conditioning level and a ride is the other half of the equation for optimum performance.