Table of Contents:
Cross Training for a Double Century Ride
Video taken from the channel: Zenberry Mix
Double Century Training Ride
Video taken from the channel: Rick David
Cycling 200 miles (325km) in one day Double Century!!
Video taken from the channel: George Killick
My First Double Century Bike Ride. FASTED!!!
Video taken from the channel: Scott Bayvel
Double Century Tips Kx
Video taken from the channel: chidonchea
How to train for a double century in 30 days
Video taken from the channel: Steve Grusis
How To Train For Ultra Endurance Cycling
Video taken from the channel: Global Cycling Network
Goals of Training The central goal of training is to get your legs ready to complete the course in the prescribed time. The schedule is based on three to four rides per week with the long miles reserved for the weekends. To set your endurance goals, you will need to able to cycle for between 12 to 15 hours to complete a Double.These 12-week plans are designed for road cyclists that want to do a double century and have between 12 and 20 hours a week to train. They will prepare you to ride.
This eight-week plan for a century ride will have any determined cyclist ready to hit 100 with just three rides per week: one long, one steady and one speedy. On rest days, remember to do.It is best to built up gradually, preferably no more than 15% more miles each week. Don’t try to jump from 100 miles a week to 200 miles a week in one or two weeks.
Your body needs time to adapt. You need to get your total miles up to at least 250 miles a week for a few weeks before riding the double century.Training Plan for Cycling a Century The core of your training should be endurance training. If you start your training at least 12 weeks before the ride, you will have ample time to prepare for the century.
If you already ride more than 7 hours a week, you will need far less time to prepare.Total time in the saddle: 16 hours. Weeks 10, 11 and 12 – The Home Stretch. The final three weeks of training are here and the focus of my training is now on maintaining consistency, increasing endurance and avoiding fatigue and/or injury.
Strength Ride: This hill-filled ride will challenge your muscular endurance and stamina on the bike. After a five-minute warm up of riding at an easy pace (effort 3-4), ride uphill, either by increasing your resistance level or riding on an actual incline (effort 7-8) for 8 minutes, and then reduce your resistance, or ride downhill, at a steady, comfortable intensity (effort 5) for 2 minutes.His goals were to ride a total of 3,300 miles and to complete a double century by the end of Base training. He averaged 18 hours per week for first four weeks, 21 hours per week the next four weeks and 24 hours per week the last four weeks. Break: Feb.
19 25 (1 week) A break before Intensity training.Training for a Century Ride Preparation. A century is a long endeavour, not only on the day of the ride, but in preparation as well. It will take anywhere from four hours if you’re in a fast group, to ten hours. The riding in the weeks and months ahead must be constructed to arrive prepared not only to complete the ride, but to enjoy it as well.
If you can ride a comparably hilly century in seven hours, then your first double century will probably take 16 hours or more. You should build up to a peak training ride of 11 to 12 hours. When you train for a century you probably ramp up with a longer ride each week, 3.You’ll do three to four rides a week in specific heart rate zones and strength train one or two times a week.
All the workouts (except the long ride) take only one hour to complete, making them easy to fit in to your daily schedule.You should train up to a ride of 2/3 to 3/4 the duration of the planned event. Your speed for a double century will be slower than for 100 miles because of the cumulative fatigue and loss of power over time. If you can ride a comparably hilly century in seven hours, then your first double century will probably take 16 hours or more.significant milestone to ride a bicycle for 100 miles.
The first time you ride a century, more than likely your goal is simply to complete the event. Chapter 7 is designed for a cyclist who wants to complete a century ride at the end of 12 weeks, with an aim of averaging 12 to 15 miles per hour (mph) for the ride.»How fast do you need to ride in order to stay on schedule for 200 miles? » Does everyone ride together? » Are there any women cyclist on the ride? » Where can my family and friends meet me along the ride? » Is this a ride or a race? » Are lights required on my bike? » Can I use my iPod or mp3 player? » How do I train for this event? » What type of bicycle can I ride?
Set your training plan in motion by pinpointing the known date for your century ride, then count backward from there to determine your starting date. This is a 10-week training plan and it assumes that you’re in shape at the start so you can comfortably ride at least 20 miles. That’s a two-hour ride at a very easy 10 to 12 mile per hour pace.
List of related literature:
|
|
| from The Time-Crunched Cyclist: Race-Winning Fitness in 6 Hours a Week, 3rd Ed. |
|
|
|
| from The Cyclist’s Training Bible |
|
|
|
| from The Triathlete’s Training Bible: The World’s Most Comprehensive Training Guide, 4th Ed. |
|
|
|
| from Fast-Track Triathlete: Balancing a Big Life with Big Performance in Long-Course Triathlon |
|
|
|
| from The Cyclist’s Training Bible: The World’s Most Comprehensive Training Guide |
|
|
|
| from Training and Racing with a Power Meter |
|
|
|
| from The Power Meter Handbook: A User’s Guide for Cyclists and Triathletes |
|
|
|
| from Concurrent Aerobic and Strength Training: Scientific Basics and Practical Applications |
|
|
|
| from The Triathlete’s Training Bible |
|
|
|
| from Bike Your Butt Off!: A Breakthrough Plan to Lose Weight and Start Cycling (No Experience Necessary!) |
86 comments
i did 50 kiloliters on an old mountain bike while hungry once. my body hated me for a solid 2 days before i was willing to do it again.
Awesome video, great effort! I also did a century recently, across Somerset, UK https://youtu.be/AW53KGgD_tk
Guys plenty of ultra distance rides done every year in CTT 12 hr and 24 hr time trials. The top riders doing over 300mls in 12hrs and 500mls in 24hrs in solo time trial events…simply mind blowing.
I did 8 miles and a 4 miles I was about dead lmao I dont know how you did 200 congrats to you man
They seem to be talking about riding 320km in 10 hours. Maybe someone on a velodrome could achieve that, but on open roads with traffic 12+ hours would be quick
All of your training are perfect but my English is poor some missing understand
What about different terrain? I live in Devon every ride includes 800-1000m of climbing in 50-60km some of it brutal oh for a nice flat ride in the netherlands
272 km on my MTB in a single day
i wish we had better roads to ride longer. but roads in my country is Awful. hope i will go on a Europe tour by cycle…
final conclusion is spot on,
I can’t, however convince friends to come along. They think they can’t do it. But seriously, what can go wrong. You just eat more, and keep going. Even with 20km/h will get you there eventually.
Some tips: Bring clothings for all types of wheater, Fill bidons at every stop.
Hi! Usually when I go for long rides of 80 to 100 kms in a day, I do well before lunch time however, post lunch, no matter if I avoid the midday sun, I kinda feel not-so-great as I did earlier. What am I missing?
God is where all strength and ability comes from. Give glory to Him and you will see yourself performing better physically and in every other way too!
My longest ride was 80 miles before I went out and did my first ride over 100 miles (253 to be exact)
i freaking love you guys thank you so much for your hepful advice, everytime…
I rode 25km just today over a couple hours. That’s probably my longest continuous ride to date. I’m training to do a century, perhaps a double before I can say I’m ready for what I’m planning for. Nearly there, but I’m glad I watched this.
A mate of mine suggested riding for longer at slower speeds as training for endurance isn’t the same as training for speed. Typically this can be achieved anywhere where I live, there are plenty of hilly and/or flat country road loops I’ve planned out that I can ride, double up and set new goals each time I’m out for my training regimen. The longer loops are for when I level up. Ideally, you want to train your body to operate as efficiently as possible (without putting your health in danger), so you can ride for longer and not feel as horrible aftwerwards.
Also, finding the right cadence is key to a better ride. Once you have a steady pedalling rythm, you want to maintain that rythm uphill, downhill, or on the flats. Learn what gears and ratios on your bike affect your ride and how best to use them all.
Ride safely, know your limits so you can push them to new heights, and have fun!
I have done 20 or 30 hours by bicycle, the worst thing for me is to fight with sleep. (well i have 50)
Where is Lasty’s seat pack? He’s just gonna make Matt change his flat for him? On an “endurnance” ride?
When I biked over 200 miles I was eating everything in site and I still cracked. ��
109 miles…maybe I’ll get that 200 in 2019 on gravel if all goes well.
Thx for the Tip! Now I’ll try to beat my record of 8km `1hr under an hour.
Guy on the right looks like he needs a bike fit, those knees look horrendous
Hi guys, love all your clips. Where did you filmed this one. Thanks
For a recent 185km MTB race, I broke it down into 4 stages. It sure was much easier to think about 3 down 1 to go than 155 down 30 to go.
Thank you, GCN! Thanks to the advice in this video and the other GCN videos on fueling properly, I was able to train for and complete a 200-mile cycle event in one day this year, with a minimum of discomfort and no bonking! Eat and Hydrate! Ride a comfortable pace!
It’s not going to happen in the next 5 or 6 years, but my goal for the RTTC 24 hour time trial is 450 miles with a mezo-endo body type. I hope I will smash it!
It´s 70% exercise, 30% mental training and a good portion of persistence. My motto is “If you can dream it, you can do it”. 😉
At this point idc about time or distance but the calories holy sh*t
I love it, they keep saying 10 hours for a double century. This must be a video for pro riders as that would be 20 mph. Come on GCN you guys are better than that. The average double century rider is in the 13-15 hour total time range with 12 to 14 hours of moving time for completing a double.
Hi Guys, i am preparing for a Fleche event to be held next week, thanks for the tips.
Last year 3 of my buddy’s did a massive 244 mile ride from Kettering in Northants to Cromer and back in 1 day. What helped us was all food and hydration needs was in a support car. We rode for around 6 months build up and as the GCN guys said keep the miles increasing over the weeks. It’s such a fantastic feeling once completed. So my advice is get support if poss and then enjoy.
One tip, don’t aim to ride your first double in 10 hours!! What the hell!
Do You Fancy Doing another One, In Nottingham Boys For Charity? 200 Miles IRON BOY’S Marathon, Thank You for Showing Me, it Can be Done, I will Do this on my own, If nobody else Fancies it. LOL
Thank you these are fab tips for someone like me starting out on ultra endurance.
Do long distance cyclists perform wearing jeans pants if they can’t afford swag for cycling?
Made a promise when my girlfriend was sick, and last year, rode solo 1000k in three days, took a small camel bag with tools, jacket, lights, energy bars, money for lunch/dinner. First night sitting awake on a door step in front of Santiago Catedral the second sleeping 2:30 hours on the floor of a car parking, then Fátima Sanctuary and home again. People that you meet in the way look at you like overhuman, and their words give you strength… Motivation and objectives are everything but give your best also when training. The hardest was to get sleepy on the road, give your best, being conscious…
I’m doing a ride in May of 2018 it’s only 69 miles but it’s my first time on a long ride what do you recommend i do to preparer for it. I have 4 months till the ride and im a 46 year old that commutes to work about 2 times a week but with the cold and the snow it makes it hard to keep my legs in good shape.. my passion for cycleing keeps me going on the cold days but the snow and ice is to dangerous to ride on. Help lol
I did john o’groats to lands end unsupported last week, the week prior to posting this comment. Completed in 8 days, really recommend watching the vid you showed with sean conway. Took all his tips did about 110 miles a day.
Go ride with the Randonneurs, ride a few 200k’s and then try to complete an SR series (200k,300k,400k & 600k). Set your goals and follow through with it. Also don’t be afraid when things will not go as planned because it will happen. And train to eat, lots of riders have stomach issues because of eating way too much carbs. You will need to find what will work for you! Real food is good, also carry food and enough to drink. And if you don’t feel good or bonked just ride slower than usual for a while. Most of the time your legs will naturally pick up the pace again.
“Dam!!” heh.. great vid Stan.. congrats on the Hall Of Fame!
Congrats on the ride. Riding long distance is always rewarding. Just a note for future posts…it didn’t seem clear in your video title that you were planning to ride a metric double. Unfortunately in the States we use standard and when referring to a double century we think 200 miles. Bravo on the ride though. Cheers!
i cant respect someone who calls 200 miles “ultra-endurance’
I believe some music would definitely make the ride enjoyable and prove a rest for your mind!
Yeah it can be done. I’ve done two, triple centuries (+30 miles) in a day. In 11 hours actually…Edit: Not two triple centuries in a day, only one. Two different times
My friends and I did 165 miles in the first day of the Seattle to Portland ride a few years back. What really kept me going was 1) having someone there to talk to and suffer with. We did a lot of picking each other up and pushing each other to keep going, and 2) we had a support wagon (our wives) that met us at certain pre-determined points, so we were able to get into an air-conditioned car and have a real meal every once in a while. I can’t tell you how good a Safeway sub sandwich tastes after 100 miles.
It can be tempting to ride with a quicker group than you are comfortable with and push yourself to gain from the drafting. You can find yourself exhausted with only a small part of the ride done. My average speeds when I did my first events would tail off by around 5kph over 200km. Prepare with enough supplies so you can avoid the race to beat the queues at the first feed stop and then give it a miss.
in california we have a lot of doubles i typically train up by doing at least four 120 milers, and a couple of 140 milers before the event. if you start to do enough of these in a year, eventually the event itself is your training.
I sweat at a rate of about 46 oz. per hour and can replace at 24 oz. per hour. After about 4 hours of riding, I am far enough behind on fluid replacement that I am down about 5 lbs. This isn’t abnormal but it does preclude me from tackling extra long days as I haven’t yet cracked “the code”. I’ve tried nuun, pills, electrolyte drinks, etc however their effectiveness is limited. any guidance? I’m planning on two rides (self-supported) that will take between 10 and 14 hours… carrying 5 gallons is not an option. #askgcn #tourqeback
my friend’s 12 year old brother cycled 1000 kms in 29 hours, his only tactic was training long distances and keeping his power output around same during trainings
Fortunately for the few that can, a brilliant bike, like the GCN presenters ride makes you mentally psyched to ride 100 miles easily, no matter whata the pain.
longest ride I have ever done was 130 miles. sooo difficult, could have finished Stronger with more food. Dropped 10 lbs and insane chaffing like I have never experienced before and hope to never again.
hi lads, IV been training for a ultra 550km race in June, doing long 200 and 300km rides. I went to recent club race and didn’t have the legs to keep up. Two different sports?
Comfy bike and food and drink stops if you are not against the clock stop at the pub for lunch! Enjoy the day. Metric doubles are quite doable with such stops. Ate a whole ginger cake once outside a corner shop. Great.
Water! Plan your route to include regular stops with safe water sources (if not riding in an organized event). Dehydration will not just sap the energy quickly, it is dangerous, and annoying having to hunt around for somewhere to fill the bottles.
I tends to break down the distance by 50K and just do that one at a time. The first 15 km is always around 25km/h despite I might warm up already.
I really like your channel. You guys post great information and always do it with a dose of good humor. Cheers.
Picking a route with the fewest controlled stops was important to me. My hardest/longest ride was a 160 miles (solo) which consisted of 20 miles of bike path with controlled stops about every mile. It was an out and back and those stop signs killed me. I’ve done rides up to 50 miles longer that didn’t hurt as bad as this one.
longest I’ve made it is 176 miles and I exhausted out. my hydration and nutrition was spot on. however my route had way too much climbing, so I became much more fatigued in the miles past 100. I’d say route planning is another huge vital step in the big picture of it all. it is still on my list to do!
Can you make video on how to train for a really long distance such as Paris-Breast-Paris Brevet?
Stick it on the little ring and fill your pockets with Mars bars, you’ll be fine.
Will you please come to Kansas on June 3rd to cover dirty kanza. Truly a cycling secret of the world.
I did a 540 km (335 miles) race last summer. It was great. Hydration and getting enough calories in is key. The longest training rides before the race was about 200-240 km. Good enough for me, atleast.
That isn’t Warwick at the start, that’s lillington. I know that road
The noise from the clock or whatever it was was really annoying. This was more of a blow by blow of your goals versus how to train for a double. Hope you got your 12 hours.
A small group of us did a 200 miler last summer. We rode from Worcester to Aberystwyth (and back) via a very hilly Elan valley. Our food regime consisted of Fish and chips on the beech once we got to Aberystwyth. Never have chips tasted so good.
I’ve been waiting for this video, I’m doing The Dragon Tour in June.
Nah I can’t do it, can’t handle it any more, I give up, all of this stealth advertising by Canyon, I give up. Especially when there’s only three clicks between me and an Aeroad… DAMNIT GCN DAMNIT
Nutrition, hydration, AND electrolytes. I’ve done a couple of one-day double centuries and many centuries. I’ve learned my lesson on things like bagels, high fiber energy bars, bananas, etc., as the primary source of nutrition. You can get away with such food for a metric century, but not for longer rides, and especially not for double centuries or multi-day long tours, e.g., STP, RAGBRAI. After all that time, I find that I like a liquid drink rather than solids… because what goes in must come out! I’ve settled on Spiz as my source of food during the ride, augmented by the occasional banana and PB&J sandwich. I mix up a 24 oz water bottle with 4 scoops of Spiz, giving me 500 calories that I’ll drink every 25 miles, a slug a mile or thereabouts, and I’ll pre-measure the Spiz into baggies and bring them with me on these long rides, refilling the bottle at each 25 mile stop. I put a second 24 oz water bottle with just water in it, and try to drain one of these every 25 miles as well… using my need to urinate as well as the color to help me determine whether I’m getting enough liquid. I’ll also bring along some Enduralyte capsules with me as well and will take these if I start to feel sluggish… often what feels like lack of nutrition is really electrolyte imbalance. If it’s late in the day and I’m starting to slow down after 150 miles or so, a regular Coca-Cola, poured into that water bottle over ice and ‘de-fizzed’ (shaken until the carbonation is mostly gone… practice this before the ride!) will provide enough pep for another hour or so on the bike… the caffeine and sugar really have an impact when you’re close to bonking.
As far as training, you can do a double uncomfortably if you can ride 75 miles, and relatively comfortably if you have done a century three to four weeks before the double… and you have 4 to 6 months of training rides in getting to close to 100 miles a week with at least one big ride toward the last third of the training cycle. Hills and intervals help, too. I would commute daily (5 miles round trip), and would build up to be able to ride long 3x a week, with a 20 mile ride on Monday evening after work, then a 40 mile ride on Wednesday, then one long weekend ride of 60 to 70 miles) a month before the big ride, then cut back to just two long rides a week with the century at least three weeks out from the big ride, and a couple of weeks of 30 to 40 mile weeks before the event… and only 5 mile rides the week of the ride and no riding for 72 hours before the ride.
My first back-to-back double (a century per day on two consecutive days) happened without really any training… I hadn’t ridden more than 40 miles at a time and didn’t really have a base in. I did the ride and it was very painful, and I didn’t ride my bike again, or even look at it, for more than a month. The next year I trained as above but didn’t have the nutrition down, the third year I trained as above with a good nutrition plan and it was easy. I did the next two years riding the double century in one day, and it was readily do-able… 200 miles in a day is never easy.
I’ve been binge watching your channel for a few weeks and this is what I was looking for the most. I’m in love with endurances and I have completed a 200KM brevet already, but I failed to complete a 300km brevet recently and this video just showed me what I lacked of in that particular run. You guys are just fantastic, I’m really glad I found and subscribe to your channel. Greetings from Chile!
Cool. At 2/3, doing 123mi training rides? yeah I know it’s 4yrs old
at 2:30, a rider gives some distance advice…can you clarify? Did he say 1/3 of the distance on any given training ride…2/3 of the distance for weekly milage? If so, we could survive a double…if our longest single training ride is 66mi… totaling 120mi per week? I hope this advice is true…
The note in the car about the drop bag is great advice. I forgot my bag after Mt. Tam. You’re just too damn tired to remember your stuff sometimes.
Thanks Patrick,
With the distances you’ve been riding, these doubles became easy recovery rides for you. Keep up your fun adventures!
I did 500km in 27h 11m. Best advice hmm. Good nights of sleep before for around the week. Rest and relaxation and visualisation.
I did a double century the Tour de Mont Blanc it’s a good challenge for Simon 😉
I did a 205 mile ride a few years ago. I think the longest ride I’d done in prep was 80 miles but I’ve done many century plus rides in my life. When choosing the bike for the the double I opted for my trusty cross bike with 32mm road tires. Road bike would’ve been faster but the cross bike was the most comfortable bike I own. Plus I knew my route would take me over some rough roads and wanted a bike I knew would handle them. I finished the ride in 11.5 hours total and 10.5 hours ride time. Eating and drinking are key. I jumped on the scale when I got home and I actually gained a little. Probably over hydrated a bit but felt pretty good and the end of it all. Could’ve gone farther for sure but was glad it was over.
Dont know if u have enough time in the day to deal with ppl like me and their/my shit ����������
Wow that is incredible….please explain what FAT ADAPTED is
GCN giving advice on “Ultra” distance riding is like a randonneur telling us how to use blood transfusions and EPO to increase performance.
200 miles is hardly “Ultra” endurance cycling. If you’re serious about ultra distances, you might want to not slam the stem. Maybe a stable bike with wider tires? If you aren’t being supported by a team car, how about a bike that can carry extra food/fluids/clothing. Or you can dress up like a pro racer with ads from head to toe and ride your oh-so-cool-this-month plastic bike 200 miles and tell people your an ultra-distance cyclist. Being silly is easy. Riding long distances on a bike is not and has tended, so far at least, to minimize corporate poser nonsense. I hope it stays that way.
Nice work, I’m planning on doing a 200 miler from Swindon down to Padstow, Cornwall in June. What satnav do you use cos my Garmin Edge 820 only lasts for 7 hours? Or do you have to stop off for toilet break and to charge the satnav up?
Fancy a collab mate? I’m from rugby and am planning a 200 mile ride vlog on my channel��
1300km in 55hours.. race around Slovenia.. 500km per week for 6 months… eat drink and have stell ass:)
I had only been riding seriously for about 9 months before I started riding more and more each day trip, first 100 miles then hundred fifty and then ultimately I did 200 miles one day last summer. it was glorious. I took a long plenty of food and electrolyte supplements and refill my water bottles frequently, as I learned from watching many gcn videos. I also strapped to my top tube a 20000 milliamp hour battery to keep my cell phone and front and back lights going all day. what an adventure, nothing like it.
Thanks GCN. I was hoping to do my first century last year but the event was shortened to 50 due to weather. This year I’m planning not one, but two century rides for charity events. I will get one day to recover between the two. Any suggestions on how to spend that one day (nutrition, rest, massage)? #AskGCN
I wanna ride from Lynchburg va to San Francisco Cali once I turn 18
Should I??
Thanks for great info
Looking at doing 340 in two days for charity. Relatively new to cycling, so great to have info like this available. Keep it up ��
I have done 540kms in sub zero temperature. And many times over 300kms. If you ride longer and longer you body will adapt perfectly. Example for me no problem if I dont eat anything in a 150kms ride. Btw on the previous day, I eat a lot, this helps a lot, and during a ride after 100kms at every 50-80km
Great works lads, a real endurance achievement. I’m based in Cov, a loop via Warwick is enough for me ��