Relatively new - is a century/120mi achievable to train for in 11 weeks.
norgaardd
Posts: 2
Hello,
I only really started cycling in November last year as a means of commuting however since getting involved well and truly caught the bug; always saw it as a means to an end so I had bought a cheap hybrid with the intention to then commute by car once I had passed my test. I've recently upgraded to a decent road-bike in the last two weeks.
I've signed up to the 60 mile charity ride from Manchester to Blackpool, but I've been considering whether to do the cycle back home/last 40 miles to make it an 'unofficial' century. Naturally as this is a charity ride, if I am riding the 120 miles or whatever I'd be using that to generate sponsorship so I need to be sure that it would be feasible to actually do it. It will also be a big personal goal of mine as when the event comes around in July, it will be almost a year since I had to be rushed to A&E with an asthma attack (sitting down watching a film at a cinema no less!). Since then though I feel drastically fitter and it is no longer as debilitating as it used to be.
For background, I cycle around 60-70 miles minimum a week for commuting. I'm 24 years old 60 kg (165cm), as I started cycling during the winter I haven't had much opportunity to get out for longer rides until the last few weeks which is why I am making this post. Longest ride I've done so far is a 35 mile ride around the mostly flat cheshire lanes with an average speed of 16-17mph which wasn't too taxing and felt like I could have definitely done a bit more, certainly if I dropped the pace.
I have around 11 weeks until the event. Assuming I can fit in one long ride each week at the weekend gradually building up, one ride during the week at a more thorough pace (probably just extend my commute) and also a weekly wattbike 10 week course class they have recently introduced at the Manchester NCC, and then another day doing core/gym/swimming. Would this be a decent enough training plan to be ready for a 100 miler or am I running before I can walk and should stick with the 60 mile for my first event? From the few 'long' rides I've done 60 miles feels like I could achieve it pretty easy.
I only really started cycling in November last year as a means of commuting however since getting involved well and truly caught the bug; always saw it as a means to an end so I had bought a cheap hybrid with the intention to then commute by car once I had passed my test. I've recently upgraded to a decent road-bike in the last two weeks.
I've signed up to the 60 mile charity ride from Manchester to Blackpool, but I've been considering whether to do the cycle back home/last 40 miles to make it an 'unofficial' century. Naturally as this is a charity ride, if I am riding the 120 miles or whatever I'd be using that to generate sponsorship so I need to be sure that it would be feasible to actually do it. It will also be a big personal goal of mine as when the event comes around in July, it will be almost a year since I had to be rushed to A&E with an asthma attack (sitting down watching a film at a cinema no less!). Since then though I feel drastically fitter and it is no longer as debilitating as it used to be.
For background, I cycle around 60-70 miles minimum a week for commuting. I'm 24 years old 60 kg (165cm), as I started cycling during the winter I haven't had much opportunity to get out for longer rides until the last few weeks which is why I am making this post. Longest ride I've done so far is a 35 mile ride around the mostly flat cheshire lanes with an average speed of 16-17mph which wasn't too taxing and felt like I could have definitely done a bit more, certainly if I dropped the pace.
I have around 11 weeks until the event. Assuming I can fit in one long ride each week at the weekend gradually building up, one ride during the week at a more thorough pace (probably just extend my commute) and also a weekly wattbike 10 week course class they have recently introduced at the Manchester NCC, and then another day doing core/gym/swimming. Would this be a decent enough training plan to be ready for a 100 miler or am I running before I can walk and should stick with the 60 mile for my first event? From the few 'long' rides I've done 60 miles feels like I could achieve it pretty easy.
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Comments
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Yes is the simple answer.
It depends though.
Distance is just time in the saddle - you'll only _KNOW_ you can do it once you've got a few longer miles in.
I did my first century off the back of 10 mile each way commuting - haven't changed a lot since, but i know I can sit in the saddle for an 8 hour day without too much bother.
Longer riders are a matter of pacing yourself too - so why not extend your commute, try some efforts on it and find your sweet spot - if you know you can do the 60 then a ride home after may be achievable - just don't stop for long after the 60 - and have some bail-out options.0 -
Your commuting will stand you in good stead. Go out next chance you have and ride 60 miles. Don't worry about the speed, if you can do 35 miles without feeling wrecked, pretty sure you'll be able to do it.
Long as you keep the longer weekend rides going, you can get to 100 in 3 months.0 -
From a standing start, having done NO cycling? Tricky, but I reckon it could be done. From where you are, already doing some cycling? Definitely.
I know, because I did it three years ago. I'd smashed my leg up on a century ride, and gave myself the target of riding the same century twelve months later. But the surgeon insisted on my staying off the bike for nine months (and the wife forced me to delay my return by another fortnight in case I crashed and ruined ANOTHER family holiday. So I had ten weeks to start cycling again and make it to the end of the 100 miler.
Which I did without too much difficulty. In part because once I did start riding again, I was commute by bike most days. The hardest part was getting over the fear of falling off.They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.0 -
I took up cycling again after not having been on a bike for 20 years. I started in Feb, and by the end of May the same year I did a 103 mile sportive at 17mph average. My longest ride before that was 75 miles, but I was regularly doing 50 in the Peak District.
In fact my very first ride back on the bike was 57 miles to Holme Moss, it was sheer stupidity and I will never feel pain and fatigue in my legs like that ever again. I did it though, even at 11mph average and stopping more times than a bus!0 -
Pacing, fuelling and ability to spend that much time in the saddle will be your main issues.
Pacing: As long as you don't go full gas for the duration of the organised event (easy to do as you get caught up chasing others or in faster groups) you should be right. Getting your pacing on point is only learnt through actually doing longer rides though.
Fuelling: Once again, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of an organised ride with loads of others around you and forget to eat and drink enough until it's too late!
Time in the saddle: Your bike may not be as comfy after 100 miles as it is after 30 miles. It's something you will need to gradually build up unless you want to be incredibly sore the following day! If you've got any aches or niggles now it might be worth getting a bike fit, or at least researching bike fit and tuning your current position.
But to answer your question - YES - go for it! May not be easy, but certainly achievable!0
