A 20-Week Training Plan Designed for Those Who Want to Conquer Their First Century
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When you’re a new cyclist, the idea of riding 100 miles may seem scary. It may even seem unattainable. But it’s absolutely possible—as long as you put in the time, training, and some smart tactical decisions.
Here, we’re sharing a 20-week training plan to ride a century that can take you from being a casual or occasional cyclist to a 100-mile-riding machine, without sacrificing all of your free time in the process. Yes, riding a century is a commitment, as is the training process. But the feeling of accomplishment you get when you see those three digits flash across your cycling computer or phone screen is unbeatable. Let’s get started!
Your 20-Week Training Plan to Ride 100 Miles
Designed by longtime cycling coach and kinesiologist Peter Glassford, this plan is tailored specifically for busy people who don’t have a lot of free time during the week to train. Weekdays max out at 90 minutes on the bike. If you have the time and bandwidth to add extra time, great—but if you don’t, you can still meet your goal of riding the century if you focus on putting in the work on the schedule.
Weekends are flexible, with most rides offering a range of hours spent on the bike to allow you to work around your commitments as needed. Glassford recommends “playing” with the time ranges: Don’t always opt for the shortest ride possible, but also don’t always force yourself to fit in the maximum length of the ride. Do what makes sense and feels good for you.
If you’re new to cycling, some terms like your functional threshold power or heart rate may be confusing. You can find a full explainer about training to power zones in this article (if you have a power meter), or you can base your training on heart rate using this explainer article. Don’t have either? Understanding your perceived exertion—how hard something feels—can get you started just fine!
Lastly, don’t neglect the recommendations from Glassford around core work and walking. They may not seem important for cycling, but especially for beginners, they can be critically important.
Walking serves as some bonus endurance training, particularly if you haven’t been doing much walking in recent years and you find you start breathing hard as you walk a bit faster.
Core work can help to keep your upper body from fatiguing as you go longer and longer on the bike. Often, new riders put a lot of stress on their arms and shoulders because their core isn’t engaged on the bike, which can lead to neck pain, fatigue, and discomfort. If you’re not sure what to do, try this simple 15-minute routine—no gear needed!
Tips for Nailing Those 100 Miles on Race Day
To make it through your training, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Fuel for long rides
Remember to fuel on weekend long rides. Experts recommend about 200 to 500 calories per hour and 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour. Also, aim to drink at least one big bottle of water per hour (more if it’s hot outside!). Even on rides that are two hours versus the longer four-plus hour rides, fueling is important.
Skimp on fuel or hydration, and you’ll likely bonk by the end of the ride. Equally important: fueling on these shorter long rides gives your gut a chance to get used to the foods and drinks that you’ll be using on the day you ride your first century. No one wants to be frantically hunting down a port-a-potty 20 miles into their big ride because the new gel flavor they tried isn’t settling!
Put in the hours
Do at least one five-hour ride before your first century. The first time you clock 100 will almost certainly take seven or more hours, so while it may be tempting to always stick to the short end of the recommended rides on your training plan, your butt, your gut, and your legs will all thank you for putting in at least one long ride before the big day.
Practice drafting
Planning to ride with a friend? Practice with them. Drafting behind another rider can save you a lot of energy and make the ride go faster, but drafting is a skill that you absolutely should practice before the big day. Do at least a few rides with the friend you’re hoping to ride 100 miles with well ahead of time so you can practice drafting off of each other and learn about each other’s respective paces and effort levels.
Plan (and ride) the route
Try to ride most of your planned century route before the big day. Use some of your weekend long rides to scout the route so that it’s not all a scary unknown on your big day. If you’re planning a century in a location far from home, use Google Maps to preview the route the best that you can, scoping out gas stations or restaurants to refill bottles, places to stop for bathroom breaks, and any other intel you might need. While you want the big day of your century to feel exciting, you don’t want to feel stressed about the route!
Get up and go
Start early in the day. While summer is great for century rides because there’s plenty of daylight, give yourself as much cushion as possible so that you’re done before dark. If you’ve never ridden with a light on your bike, your first century probably isn’t the time to be figuring out a headlamp when you’re already exhausted.
Prepare for uncertainty
Share your route with someone and be prepared for emergencies and breakdowns. Make sure you’ve filed a “flight plan” with someone who can serve as your emergency pickup if needed.
Also, make sure that your saddle bag and pockets are packed with snacks, cash (in case a gas station won’t accept a credit card or Apple Pay!), flat repair supplies, a multitool, and a mini-pump. An emergency blanket or a lightweight raincoat may also be a lifesaver if the weather suddenly turns on you. This is your longest ride ever, so think like a Boy Scout and always be prepared.
Use what to know
Don’t try anything new on the day of your century ride! This isn’t the time to experiment with a new energy drink, new saddle, new cycling shoes, new anything… Stick to what you’ve found that works for you.
Expect hurdles
It’s almost inevitable that your first century (and every century afterwards, if we’re being honest) is going to have a dark moment or two. The feeling of already tired legs at mile 30? Frustrating. That big hill at mile 70? Soul-shattering. The flat at mile 90? Devastating. But push through those dark moments and try to focus on the positive. The tired legs early on are just your body getting used to the work it’s doing. That big hill will likely have a descent following it. The flat gives you a minute to stretch your back, catch your breath, and have a snack. You’ve got this.
Above all, be patient with yourself. That’s the best advice that Kristen Legan, gravel cycling coach and winner of the 350-mile Unbound XL, has to offer. “You will go through highs and lows out there: It’s going to feel awesome at some point, and it’s going to feel like there’s no way you can finish it at another point,” she says. “Just know that those emotions will continue to change. Slow it down and take it one mile at a time.”
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