Question for road warrior consultants,etc out there?

[pinkbikes]

I'm hoping to complete at least 61 miles in my first century. I'm not sure bringing my bike will be feasible. Days are usually 10-12 hours long and I don't want to risk losing my bike if I have to jump to an earlier flight (that happens at least 80% of the time).

Ok denny, so basically you're going for a metric century. I understand completely about not wanting to bring the bike with you - there are just some risks that you don't need to take and that's one of them!

I'm very fit and will usually run or spin in the absence of outdoor cycling. I'm hoping a recumbent bike or treadmill found in most hotels will help keep my base training up but I'm not sure if it will help outdoor cycling. I'm hoping that it will.

To be honest, if you are very fit then you could probably go out and do a metric century now. You may not do it with style or grace, you might feel a bit uncomfortable in your bike skills, you would probably have a really sore butt, and you may feel like crap for a week afterward, but I bet you could stick your jaw out and soldier through if you had to. So what you are chasing is some style and grace and comfort on the bike while you do it.

Step One: Maintain your current level of fitness. You need your fitness to succeed in this and so you need to preserve it. Don't let the new job cost you this. The recumbent bike or treadmill can allow you to do this part. They will both help you keep up your cardio efforts. Do these while you are away.

I find an upright exercise bike is similar enough in position to a "real" bike to be useful in terms of strength training (do one of those hillclimbing programs they have on them) but find recumbent bikes are really only useful for preservation of cardiac fitness.

Step Two: Bike Time It doesn't matter if it is spinning in a gym or your bike on a trainer indoors in the cold weather, but you need to work the right muscles the right way and the only way to do this is on a bike of some sort. You need to build muscle memory and strength. Make your weeks at home the time for this.

If you can manage a ride outdoors in the cold weather, then by all means do it, but really you just need miles on the bike to get the body conditioned the right way. Sit in front of the television, listen to an iPod, use one of those nifty training DVDs. Whatever - just ride the bike as much as you can when you're home. You are putting miles in the bank so that you can withdraw them later when you need them! With interest!!

Step Three: Bike Skills You said you are just getting comfortable on a bike, and by this I am assuming that you are talking about your bike handling skills and your ability to ride in traffic or amongst other riders. This is a bit trickier because it depends on the individual and their level of agility, fine motor-skills and perceptual ability.

I figure these are the last things on your shopping list. Leave these until the warmer weather starts to pick up and then transfer your efforts during the weeks at home into riding out on the road as much as possible to hone your handling skills. Maybe even take a bike handling course for a half day if one is offered around your parts. By this stage at least you will have a huge store of cardiac fitness and "bike muscles" on your side so that all you need to do is concentrate on putting the bike right where you want it.

Step Four: Century Choice Try for an easy win for your first one. If possible, pick one that isn't the hilliest one possible! A century without a hill feels a bit empty I'm sure, but there is no sense beating yourself silly on your first one. Try to do some of your "skill rides" on portions of your chosen century (especially on the hills) so you have some comfort in knowing you have conquered them already and you are familiar with parts of it from a "cyclist's eye point of view." You'll be surprised what a comfort this will be during the real thing.

Step Five: Prepare Well No new clothes on the day, no new foods or drinks on the day, no new routines on the day, no new equipment on the day.

Sleep well, hydrate well. Enjoy every minute. Sounds easy doesn't it? Sorry if this is a bit "how to suck eggs" but I like structure!