training for first century and have questions

[indigoiis]

What I have found works best is building up your weekly mileage slowly. I'm doing a century June 1st and I started training first week of April. Midweek rides were limited to 5-10 miles, upping that by a couple of miles each week. Weekend rides started out at 15-25 miles each until week 4 where I upped them to 30-40 miles each. Now for the rest of this month, my midweek rides are 11-15 miles at a time, and my weekend rides are 45-60 miles at a time. Lately I take Thursdays and Friday's off the commute because of kid schedules, but I squeeze in extra miles on Monday and Tuesday to make up for it. And I do think while cross training is helpful, it's really really important to have TITS (time in the saddle) as well.

Hill training can be done in 45 minutes. Go out, find a hill, and go up and down five times. Practice shifting and different climbing methods.

Learning to snack on a bike, remembering to drink water while riding, and feeling balanced and comfortable all really help with a century. A lot of it is psychological, from what I found last year training for my first.

[cyclingmama]

indigoiis - what you describe sounds very similar to what I have in mind. The century is July 28, I am starting now to just get out there and get a few miles in and get the feel of my bike again (boy, its been a long time!) and I hope to be really training by mid-May. I was going to start my mid-week rides at 10-12 miles, and my weekend rides at about 30, gradually adding on miles each week.

Hill training can be done in 45 minutes. Go out, find a hill, and go up and down five times. Practice shifting and different climbing methods.

Is doing this once a week sufficient??

What I am leaning towards now (with help from advice from all of you) is to do morning rides on M, W, F; gym time in the mornings on Tu, Th; spin class at lunchtime on Tu; and long rides on Sat. If I know in advance that I'll be able to fit in back to back long rides on Sat/Sun, I'll take Thursday off and do that instead.

At this point I wish it would just get warm!!!! I wanted to ride this morning, but it was 36 degrees with ice on my driveway, so I went to the gym instead. I'm a wus when it comes to the cold.

[indigoiis]

When it's below 40 I wear my underarmor and a balacava. You warm up soon enough!

Also, be sure not to "overwork" yourself. You don't need to go nuts - enjoy the training and you will enjoy the century more.

And yeah, one day a week on your local hill should be enough. Start with two times up. Next week do three. Week after do four. etc.