Training for a century

doki said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century by
the
end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile rides at the
moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

JFDI ;-)

Go out on a few longer rides - 40 miles+, interspersed with short
*fast* rides of 10-20 miles.

Then just go and do your 100K.

Do a couple more 100K's, in a variety of conditions (hills, winds
etc).

Don't give up the short, hard rides (try and get as knackered and
out of breath as you can).

Then do an 80-mile ride one weekend. The following weekend, do a
shorter (~40 mile) ride, and the weekend after /that/ do your
imperial century.

Carry a toolkit, spare tubes, and take nutrition and hydration
/seriously/ -- see past threads on the subject.

--
jc

"doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century by

the

Quoted message said:

end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile rides at the
moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

Pick a pub or cake shoppe/cafe about 30+ miles from home. Cycle there on
Saturday or Sunday morning. Have lunch (but not too much booze). Cycle
home in the afternoon by a different route.

Hey presto -- two 30 mile rides -- metric century sorted.

Pick another pub/cake shoppe/cafe to generate a 100 mile circular route.

Set out for a 35 miler in the morning, have lunch, do a second 35 miler in
the afternoon and have tea -- wend your way home on the last 35 mile leg in
the early evening.

Have a shower, go down the local and celebrate a great day out and your
first century.

Training is for whimps!!

doki said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century by the
end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile rides at the
moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

What they said. ^

Just gradually upping your distances should be all the training you
need. If you are already comfortable in the saddle for 30 miles, you'll
probably find you can manage 50 miles without difficulty, as long as
you take it at a steady pace and remember to eat and drink plenty along
the way.

In other words, don't get too ambitious, but don't underestimate
yourself either - 50 miles might sound a long way, but it's a perfectly
realistic target. And once you have done that, 65 miles (the metric
century) is well within your sights...

d.

Quoted message said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century
by the end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile
rides at the moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

Do you just want to do it, or to do it fast? If it's the challenge that
motivates you, then follow Tony's suggestion (just start early in the
morning). You've already got the cycling legs so it'll be no problem, just
very tiring and, at worst, you'll ache a bit for a day or two after.
You'll probably get fed up part way round tho, but that's where the cafe
stops come in.

Jeremy's training scheme will make you super-fit, able to eat up mile after
mile of road with no trouble at all. Hills will turn into inclines, miles
into yards, and women will be unable to resist stroking your huge, muscled
legs.

I think they've both got promise. Let us know how it goes.

Tony W said:

Pick a pub or cake shoppe/cafe about 30+ miles from home. Cycle there on
Saturday or Sunday morning. Have lunch (but not too much booze). Cycle
home in the afternoon by a different route.

Hey presto -- two 30 mile rides -- metric century sorted.

Pick another pub/cake shoppe/cafe to generate a 100 mile circular route.

Set out for a 35 miler in the morning, have lunch, do a second 35 miler in
the afternoon and have tea -- wend your way home on the last 35 mile leg in
the early evening.

That takes me back. Used to do it most Sundays.

It was commonly known as the local CTC club rides:-)

--
Nick Kew

doki said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century
by the end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile
rides at the moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

From the BHPC Dictionary:

Training: riding to the pub
Advanced Training: riding to a different pub, slightly further away than
usual

But seriously, with a little attention to rider fuelling requirements and
bicycle reliability, most people with a regular commuting habit should be
able to achieve this. I don't do anything for audax events except commuting
and other audax events.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
I am now returned from both the seventeenth century and the Post Office.

Nick Kew <[email hidden]> wrote:

:> Set out for a 35 miler in the morning, have lunch, do a second 35 miler in
:> the afternoon and have tea -- wend your way home on the last 35 mile leg in
:> the early evening.

: It was commonly known as the local CTC club rides:-)

Bit hardcore isn't it? Our CTC section has elevenses, lunch and afternoon
tea in 100 miles.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
The struggle of people against power is the struggle
of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera

"doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century by

the

Quoted message said:

end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile rides at the
moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

I can't add to the training advice already offered but can reccomend the
"Phil & Friends Ride" starting at Stannington to the west of Sheffield which
I know is in your neck of the woods.
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3691

There are 100k & 150k routes available, beware these are tough routes, not
much spinning along on the flat but the scenery is superb (and you'll have
plenty of time to admire it on the climb up Holme Moss, weather permitting
:-)

Pete

Arthur Clune said:

Nick Kew <[email hidden]> wrote:

:> Set out for a 35 miler in the morning, have lunch, do a second 35 miler in
:> the afternoon and have tea -- wend your way home on the last 35 mile leg in
:> the early evening.

: It was commonly known as the local CTC club rides:-)

Bit hardcore isn't it? Our CTC section has elevenses, lunch and afternoon
tea in 100 miles.

Hmmm, I think it varied a bit: sometimes more, sometimes less.
But lunch was definitely a highlight. I particularly recollect the
autumn when we lunched outside every week - thinking it might be the
last of the season - right up to christmas, and it wasn't until the
new year that we found ourselves lunching indoors.

--
Nick Kew

Peter B said:

"doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial
century by the end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or
30 mile rides at the moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

I can't add to the training advice already offered but can reccomend
the "Phil & Friends Ride" starting at Stannington to the west of
Sheffield which I know is in your neck of the woods.
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3691

There are 100k & 150k routes available, beware these are tough
routes, not much spinning along on the flat but the scenery is superb
(and you'll have plenty of time to admire it on the climb up Holme
Moss, weather permitting :-)

I've been round the peak (mostly in bottom gear on a mountain bike). Maybe
if my legs double in size 😄...

"doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A friend and I have decided to do either a metric or imperial century by
the
end of the summer. We're both currently up to 20 or 30 mile rides at the
moment, I reckon. Any pointers on how to train?

Join your local CTC and go out on a few Sunday rides with them. If you
survive, you'll do the 100 no probs.

Quoted message said:

The awful thing about doing anything demanding is that to be able do it
the best training is to do it. So just get out there and do a 100 -
perhaps not too hilly for starters. At worst you may find the last 30
tedious, slow and perhaps painful. Its amazing how much distance you
can cover in "emergency pedalling" mode - i.e. bottom gear up every
slight incline or against slightest headwind, freewheel however slow
whenever possible, in an aerodynamic posture. Not much fun but it gets
you there.
Then about a week later after you have recovered you find that you can
do the same trip quite easily and enjoyably and you'll be wondering
about a 150