Training for Your First Century

If you've never undertaken an endurance event before, it can be difficult to know where to start. We've put together a simple training plan that'll get you from the couch to the 100-mile mark in twelve weeks. Following a few rules, you can adapt this program to meet your own needs for future events!

Take it slow

Endurance will not come all at once. Undertaking too much too soon is a surefire way to risk injury and burnout. Avoid increasing your weekly duration by more than 10% from the previous week. You're training to go a long way at a consistent (i.e. slow!) pace. Save going fast for your second century and beyond.

Train consistently

For an event like a century, the most important thing you can do is increase your aerobic capacity. That means consistently stressing your aerobic system and resting to allow your body to adapt to the stress. Avoid missing workouts. When you do, avoid "making up" the ones you missed.

Rest harder than you train

Your physical adaptations occur after your workouts, not during them. Every time you rest, your body will work to grow more capillaries, store more glycogen, and repair muscular trauma. That's when you get stronger. It happens most effectively when you allow your body time to recover.

Practice more than riding

More than just training your body and mind for the century, you'll want to make sure you're also trying different gear, clothing, and nutrition to find your ideal combination for the century. 

Listen to your body

If you feel like you're overdoing it, then you probably are. Back off in workout intensity and duration, and make sure to give yourself ample time to rest.

Because different terrains can cause drastic differences on weekly mileage, we focus on training duration, not distance. This plan increases from four hours to eight hours per week of dedicated training over the course of twelve weeks. It begins with a two-hour long ride and concludes with a five-hour century simulation to test your pacing, nutrition, and comfort for the century itself, then tapers for two weeks to allow ample recovery prior to your chosen event.

For simplicity's sake, there are only three types of ride to get you ready for your event. First, "easy" rides should be ridden at a conversational pace--you should be able to have a conversation with another rider without having to catch your breath between sentences. Second, "medium" rides should be ridden at a sustained, vigorous effort that is slightly uncomfortable but well below your maximum--go find a long hill and ride up it over and over. Third, "long rides" should be ridden at an endurance pace similar to your effort during your easy rides, but with realistic medium efforts mixed in--plan a nice long route with some interspersed climbs and enjoy your time outside. Finally, we include a fifteen minute shakedown ride the day before your century. This is an opportunity to spin out your jitters and make sure all of your gear is ready for the big day!

Our plan includes ample rest days to recover, progressively longer long rides to ease you into century-length durations, a period of overload and recovery in Weeks 8-11, and a taper before the century itself. It also never ramps your training load over 10% week to week. It's as basic and generic as plans come. If you really want to tailor your plan, consider hiring an expert who can help you realize your full potential. Although they're certainly not necessary to complete a century, they can create and adapt your program to your individual needs. 

Traveling to a cycling event involves a whole new set of logistics and considerations. Check out our guides for traveling with a bike and for handling nutrition when traveling.