Training Schedules??

[pikato]

Are there any websites that can explain/help you create training schedules?

I'm finding I'm more interested in distance than speed when it comes to cycling, but I'm not sure how to properly train for longer rides. I'm planning on doing a ride down here in September-it has a 25 mile & 60 mile option. I know I can do the 25 with ease, but am not sure how to properly train for the 60 mile option.

Thanks,

[Nanci]

Hi Pikato,

This isn't a professional training schedule- it's just how I got from 35 miles to 100.

On Saturday I would ride a long ride. For you, let's say 30 miles.

On Sunday I would ride half that distance. 15.

Monday rest.

Tuesday 15.

Wednesday 15.

Thursday 15.

Friday rest.

Saturday 35.

Sunday 15 or 20.

Monday rest.

Tuesday 15.

Wednesday 15.

Thursday 20.

Friday rest.

Saturday 40.

Sunday 20.

So increase the long ride by 5 miles a week on Saturday, and the Sunday ride is half.

Then a couple rest days during the week, and ride 15-25 miles on the other week days.

It got hard for me in the 60-75 mmile range, then easier at 80-85. When my mileages were higher, like 65 or 70, I'd increase 10 miles on the long ride. I had to be really careful to get enough to eat toward the end of those rides. I learned a lot about nutrition!!

I think my last long ride before the Century was 90 miles. I didn't worry on the Century that I could go 100, but it was still scary because it was my longest ride ever!!

[Grog]

Exactly what Nanci says, with only one tiny change: I'd reduce mileage every four weeks or so to give your body a break (and do other things you enjoy!).

[Nanci]

Good idea, Grog. I forgot about that part.

[Ellen 06]

That's what I did to get to a 40 mile ride. I'm aiming for a metric century next month.

My friend and I want to focus on increasing our average speed, it's the time in the saddle that gets us, more than the distance, so we figured less time/more miles equals less sore?

We've been going for a 13 mile ride three times a week, pushing hard the whole time, but I wonder if intervals would be better? I plan to take longer rides on the weekends, but my schedule hasn't cooperated much for that lately.

Ellen

[Geonz]

I think if you're naturally drawn to distance (like me) you do n't need a formal strict plan - do like they said, and go long every once in a while and make it a little longer than the time before. There's nothing htat says it has to be on the same day of the week, either. You should probably work in backing off periodically - I've always found on my 'no plan" plan that life enforces that for me, so for instance, this weekend I'm driving to my sister's and will probably end up two (maybe three) full days without riding, and only short rides the days I'm driving out and back. Those little taper-offs are great because right after the rest I'm stronger than in the middle of all the work, so I can really feel the progress. (It was one of those three day weekends that catapulted me from a 50-mile-a-week person to a 100+-mile a week person all at once, but I'm not sure that works for everybody or if there were other unknowns involved.)
More tmie in the saddle is what worked for me - it meant I got used to the saddle and didn't get sore, and I worked in intervals (charge up all overpasses!). I'm impressed by anybody who has the attention span to push hard the whole time :-)