Ride a Metric Century in 8 Weeks With This Simple Training Plan
Using this easy eight-week training plan, you can hit your metric-century mark with just three rides a week. The key is making those rides count. Each week, you’ll be doing one of the following: A long ride; a fast (don’t worry, it’s all relative!) ride, and a steady ride. On other days, you can do some cross-training or, if you have time, one or two easy spins on your bike, even if it’s just to the store. Or if you really want to take your training to the next level, try our 10-week century plan from Training Peaks with structured workouts and data integration.
RELATED: Train for a 100-Mile Race with This 8-Week Plan
The Rides
Long ride: Do your long rides at a steady, but not taxing, pace. Your effort should be such that you’re breathing a little harder, but can have a full conversation. Most people find that Saturday or Sunday works best for their long rides; but the day doesn’t matter; just get it done.
Steady ride: These rides should include two to four efforts (15 to 30 minutes in length) that are done at a slightly higher intensity than your long rides, as though you’re riding with someone slightly faster than you. You should be able to talk, but in shorter sentences. These rides train your body to ride more briskly in comfort, so you can finish your century faster and fresher.
Fast ride: Speed work improves your endurance by raising your lactate threshold, the point at which your muscles cry for you to slow down. When you raise this ceiling, you can ride faster and farther before your legs hit the brakes. Aim to do four to six very hard efforts between 30 seconds and two minutes long (pushing hard up a hill for 30 to 60 seconds is one good way) during your fast rides.
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8 Week Metric Century Training Plan
The actual days are only a suggestion. Do the rides when they fit into your schedule, leaving a day of rest, easy riding, or cross training between your three workout rides.
Get even more 100-mile training tips with Bicycling Magazine's Century Training Program. Or go even bigger with this 10-Week Hilly Century Plan from TrainingPeaks.
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