Training Progamme For 100 mile Sportive

Hello All
This is my very first post on this forum and I'm also pretty new to cycling and I'm looking for some advice on training.
Essentially I got into duathlons and triathlons this year but absolutely got hooked on the cycling element and so would like to focus more on that discipline going forward. I've entered the cymru etape in October and so I'm looking for a structured training plan to help me complete this.
I'm the sort of person that likes to follow a plan devised by experts and I like the structure and routine. I've not been able to find anything online and would appreciate your help.
I've got a turbo and have enlisted in a track course at the Newport velodrome and so a plan that incorporates those elements as well would be ideal.
Many thanks in advance for all your help.
Llen
This is my very first post on this forum and I'm also pretty new to cycling and I'm looking for some advice on training.
Essentially I got into duathlons and triathlons this year but absolutely got hooked on the cycling element and so would like to focus more on that discipline going forward. I've entered the cymru etape in October and so I'm looking for a structured training plan to help me complete this.
I'm the sort of person that likes to follow a plan devised by experts and I like the structure and routine. I've not been able to find anything online and would appreciate your help.
I've got a turbo and have enlisted in a track course at the Newport velodrome and so a plan that incorporates those elements as well would be ideal.
Many thanks in advance for all your help.
Llen
0
Posts
http://www.bikeradar.com/feature/article/training-take-on-the-cycling-plus-sportive-at-bikeradar-live-25833
I used it for the Bikeradar 107 mile sportive last year - worked for me.
The other option of course is to forget the plan completely and just go and ride your bike as much as possible gradually increasing the distance of your long ride each week and you'll probably end up in a similar place.
the most important thing for me was trying to get all the elements in. i did a long ride at the weekends of increasing distance, then i did a mid week ride of about 30-45miles as fast as poss, then i did to turbo sessions a week to try and build speed... i tried to space things out so i'd get rest days, also factored in the easier/recovery weeks as per the plans in TCC..
the book is great, even if you don't follow it to the letter its a good intro to thinking about training and all the variables....
Thanks for all the responses. I think i should quickly nip the coaching in the bud. As much as I'd love to have one, I'm certainly not at a level that could warrant paying £35 more than i did to enter the event on coaching.
I was hoping that there were some generic (in terms of audience but quite specific in terms of activity) plans out there similar to those that I used when preparing for triathlon / duathlon events. The bike radar link posted is very useful and definately along the lines of what i was looking for.
Also a I mentioned earlier I've enrolled in a beginners course at a velodrome and so I'm hoping there will be plenty of insight and experience I can tap into there.
Many thanks all.
Llen
"That is right up my street"
I've just read the reviews on amazon and it seems exactly what I need. Just a quick question to those who have read it - there seems a few references to a power meter??? Is this necessary or a nice to have. I have a heart rate monitor - would this suffice???
Thanks again
Llen
HR is fine. all the training plans have HR and power threasholds. he asks you to do a field test and then you set you threasholds from that,
o
Can't remember if it is as long as 100miles but it certainly gives you a step in the right direction. If I can find mine I'll post the jist of it.
Probs not as good as these £100 planning sessions but if your on a budget and doing it for fun
Oh! And don't forget to well insure both you and the bike. :shock:
Step 1: Ride 100 miles
Step 2: er, thats it
I believe that the etape Cymru is on closed roads
Still a bit dear IMHO
follow on
ditto the above..
i don't like all the sarc'y "just ride it" "its just a sportive" censored .... 100miles is tough and if you've not done it before then its a fairly intimidating benchmark... surely training and riding for most people is about personal bests and personal goals..?? the OP just wants to make advances in thier fitness and is looking for advice on how to do that efficiently and well, surely thats what everyone on here wants to do regardless of the level they're riding??
maybe we need a "my cocks bigger than yours" thread so that neaderthals can just cut to the chase without trying to belittle other peoples achievements......
It is an altogether different proposition ot the Etape Caledonia for example.
Having said that, if I were training for it then I would just try to get as many miles in, with as many hills, as possible! Not very technical but it will ensure he gets round the course!
I thought this forum was open to individuals of all abilities where the less experienced could learn and seek advice from those more qualified to give it. Had I realised that i needed to have completed a grand tour in order to use it i would not have bothered.
Crikey - imagine the attitude I would have got if i mentioned that i was going to complete it on a 2nd hand, 3 year old, entry level Giant!!! :shock:
Thanks to those that providing the helpful suggestions - I've bought the TCC book to be going on with.
Ha ha indeed. Its a bit like real life on here( a bit but not much), some are helpful some are not.
When I did my first 100 I practised up to about 70 miles I think. I figured if I could reach 70 then the last 30 I could at least have a stab at.
One bit of advice I would give is to try at least to give your self a long ride in the saddle. Even if you have to go round at 10 miles an hour, it'll do two things; firstly get you used to the encroaching aches and pains and secondly it will help you to gauge when you need to refuel. Good luck, let us know how you get on.
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
as above. I reckon you can get by on 60 mile training rides, but ideally its worth doing a couple of 75 mile ish ones. if you only manage to get to about 60-65 then try and focus on making everything else you do really hard and of good quality.
I did my first 100 recently, I based my training on the TCC, but I also went out with a very fast group of local guys on a weekday evening most weeks. we would only do about 40miles but it'd totally killed me
another bit of advice that I felt helped me was to think about tapering before the event and eating well on the day. I rested for a few days prior to the event which i felt left me fresh on the day... try to eat well on the day, start nibbleing regularyly early on on the ride, bananas, gels, flapjack ect.. also lots of fluid... I was totally knackered around 70-80miles, so I had one of those 100mg caffine gels, which completely sorted me out! we sprinted the last 3 miles
good luck and let us know how the training goes! the TCC is very good, if you can approximately stick to it you should be fine
Keep the rides at relatively low intensity and also use them to experiment with what food and drink you can get in you regularly without chundering. (Tip - using the latest hi-tech cycle foods won't make you that much faster than a bit of Soreen/ banana etc and very dilute squash in your bottle).
If you have time during the week do a couple of shorter rides at a higher intensity (i.e. puffing quite a lot) preferably with hills in.
Up the distance of your longer ride a little each week.
Ride low gears rather than trying to power a big gear.
Bosh!
Getting a coach in't gonna make that much difference over 2 months.