A 100-mile occasion or ‘century experience’ is regularly a objective for a starting bicycle owner. It is not solely a ceremony of passage however it additionally rightly comes with an awesome sense of accomplishment. Even on ‘straightforward’ terrain, driving 100 miles is extraordinarily powerful and requires not solely bodily but additionally psychological energy. I nonetheless bear in mind my first 100-mile experience which, out of necessity, did have a number of café stops and after I bought in I used to be very a lot prepared for my mattress.
However – do it’s good to truly experience 100 miles upfront of taking in your occasion or problem? In fact it might assist, however that is extra as a result of it builds the boldness in your self that you are able to do it. Should you don’t have a limiteless variety of hours on the bike to spare – as many people don’t – what then? I recall, my longest experience was round 3-4 hours previous to my first 12-hour mountain bike occasion.
So, how can I full a 100-mile occasion with minimal coaching time?
Even when we don’t have a lot time for a protracted endurance experience, let’s say we do have time for two x 90 minute periods on the bike after which 1 x 60 minutes. Let’s check out how finest to optimise 4 hours of coaching per week.
Alex is a physiologist and efficiency coach who’s learning for a PhD in essential energy and W’ at Loughborough College. He competed for 10 years on the bike, together with for GB in each cyclo-cross and mountain bike occasions, and as a coach has labored with cyclists of all ranges together with ultra-endurance world champions and Tour de France Femmes individuals.
With solely 4 hours of coaching obtainable, the main focus is basically going to be on high quality, with the purpose of getting probably the most out of every session to get you as ready as we are able to in your occasion. If you’re new to the game this could be a nice time to start out with a purposeful threshold energy (FTP) take a look at or Vital Energy take a look at. This lets you set your coaching zones prepared in your 100-mile occasion preparation. Should you don’t have an influence meter, you need to use coronary heart price as one other information.
Regardless of the very fact you can be spending plenty of time beneath your FTP/CP, simply ‘driving’ for these three periods will unlikely make the identical enhancements to a extra centered and structured strategy.
In fact, if we had as a lot time as we needed, we will surely spend plenty of time in your decrease coaching zones build up sufficient quantity. However as that isn’t an possibility, let’s give attention to what we do have and take advantage of out of it.
The coaching periods it’s best to embody
Get within the zone
Coaching zones confer with completely different ranges of coaching depth, zone 2 being very straightforward, and zone 5 very onerous. Zones could be set utilizing price of perceived exertion (RPE), coronary heart price, or energy – learn extra right here.
Tempo efforts
As a result of we’re quick on time, we are going to improve the depth of our longest experience, which is 90 minutes. This session ought to predominantly be finished in zone 3 (see field). You can begin with 3 x 20 minutes, progress to 2 x 30 then 2 x 40 and eventually go for nearly the complete 90 minutes. Clearly, use the primary 5-10 minutes to heat up and settle into it. Restoration time will solely be 5-10 minutes on these because the depth is zone 3.
Threshold periods
This may be accomplished in both your 60 or 90-minute periods. Threshold is equal to zone 4.
After your warm-up full 3 x 8 minutes at 97-103% of your CP/FTP and you may progress these by including on length to those efforts: 3 x 10, 3 x 12, and so forth.
I’m a giant fan of prescribing under-over type threshold periods, as they’ll simply add development with a number of variations to maintain issues fascinating. Begin with 3 x 12-minute blocks with 1 minute round 102-108% of FTP/CP then 3 minutes at 85-95% of your FTP/CP with not less than 5 minutes restoration in between blocks. If it’s your first time doing these, you are able to do 30 seconds over and a 3:30 below.
Extra intense efforts
Lastly, add extra depth. Listed below are two variations: begin with 4 x 3 minutes at your 5-6 minutes maximal energy, with 3 minutes’ restoration. The primary time you do that is usually a shock to the system. When you get acquainted then begin to improve the variety of repetitions, working your manner as much as 6. The opposite entails some shorter sharper efforts which might be all maximal: 2 x 60s, 3 x 30s and 4 x 20s. Have round 3 minutes of restoration between every of those efforts, including extra if you happen to want it.
These are some periods that it’s best to use within the lead-up to a 100-mile occasion in case you are restricted on time. As talked about in a perfect world we would come with some longer endurance riders. However with time being scarce the main focus actually is on that high quality.
On the Massive Day
One factor that may’t be uncared for, and one that can actually make your time within the saddle much more pleasant, shall be fuelling in your 100-mile experience. There shall be nothing extra soul-destroying than attending to that 50-70 mile mark and having the sensation of being empty and hitting the ‘wall’ – also called old school bonk.
Take into consideration your pacing. Don’t set off too onerous, as you usually tend to hit that wall. Don’t be tearing it up the climbs as you’ll quickly pay the worth, and nobody enjoys the sensation which might solely be described as ‘going backwards’. Hold a gentle and simple tempo throughout the 100 miles and it’ll make it rather more pleasant.
With all this being mentioned, and having fun with the occasion being the primary objective, don’t get inside your personal head. Take your time, be assured that your coaching has ready you and gasoline all the manner spherical.
