Go The Distance
Some tips on finishing the century you started.
Invariably, we all start a century ride with the best of intentions. Why is it, then, that so many of us wind up on the sag wagon or dreaded DNF list? Poor planning.
Many put in enough miles--just not the right kind of miles. It's often the unexpected intensity of a long ride, not its length, that knocks people out. Here are four training techniques to help you go the distance:
Negative splits. Ride the second half of your rides faster than the first. The first 5 to 10 miles of the ride should be just below a tempo pace, which means comfortably challenging and at about 70 percent your max heart rate. Increase your effort as the ride goes on.
Ebb and flow intervals. Ride at 75 percent of your max heart rate to warm up. Then, three times per ride once a week, introduce short intervals at 90 to 95 percent of max heart rate. The fitter you become, the slower it'll rise and the quicker it'll fall.
Hill circuits. Map out a route that includes at least three big climbs, ideally more than a mile in length. Do this hill loop once a week.
The 75 percent rule. To finish without suffering, complete a training ride that's 75 percent of your big ride at least once. (That's a 75-mile ride for a century.) Do your longest training distances three weeks from the event then taper mileage and intensity the following two weeks.