Training plan for Chiltern 100

Harry B

On 6 June I will be taking part in my second Chiltern 100. Last year I went out too soon and died after around halfway. It took me about 8.5 hours to complete the course. This year I would like to take an hour off that time if possible and could do with some advice about training. At the moment I get about 100 miles a week on my pretty flat commute. The weekends tend to get taken up with family stuff but I can usually get some time on a Saturday afternoon.

I have a turbo but hate it with a vengence. I commute on my road bike but also have a single speed/fixed and a mtb. I have occasionaly used the mtb on my commute but don't particurly enjoy it (the frame is too small for me and its not that comfortable over a longer distance). I'm not brave enough to use the fixed on my commute (20 miles through London). At the moment I go part of the way by train in the morning cycling 5 miles from the station to the office. I then cycle 20 miles home in the evening. I do wonder if going both ways by bike would help. That would be 200 miles a week which may be a bit much plus it still flat and I need the bumpy stuff.

I know that the best thing is to go and get some long hilly rides in but I am going to struggle to do that on a regular basis and just wondered if there were any other means by which I can get the imrpovement I am looking for. I have been taking the mtb out over the muddy woods which seems to do the legs some good but these tend to be short rides and the mud is starting to dry up now.

Any ideas gratefully recieved

GiantMike

I think you need to get out and do some 60-75 mile rides over similar terrain to what you're expecting, and on the bike you're going to use for the actual ride. This is because shorter rides will not give your body the same 'endurance' training required. 100 miles at 16mph average is over 6 hours so the real limit will be your body's ability to keep going that long, and not necessarily your power output. Last year I thrashed myself over a 100 mile hilly Sportive and managed 16.7mph and I think the long-distance prep I did for this event was essential.

Cycling uphill is exactly the same as on the flat except you do it slower and can't coast!

Despite the above, any riding will help. If you can't ride for too long, try to ride harder.

And don't forget to carb-up before the event and keep hydrated/well fed on the day.

Good luck

sloboy

I'd think about spending some time just on hills. It's a bit dull, but if you can find a decent hill near you, maybe similar to the hardest on your target route, and can spend maybe an hour a week riding up and down it that may be helpful.

My thinking is, there are two things that get you through a long ride:

- be comfortable for the 6+ hrs required. There's no substitute for saddle time on that one.

- be strong on the hills.

So on your hill practice, don't worry about dancing up them like Contador - it's the last hill on the course you're training for, not the first. So grind your way up it. Seated, cadence probably in the 70's or a bit higher (so a bit faster than 1 a second) if you can manage it.