Zwift training for my first 100 mile ride?

dubcat

I unexpectedly got a place in Ride 100 :shock:

I had not ridden at all for several years prior to doing tour de zwift recently. Most of my cycle training is going to have to be on the turbo (zwift probably to stop the boredom).

Can someone recommend a turbo based training plan for a 100 mile ride? I’m not looking to break any records. I just want to finish comfortably and not at the back

Ps I’m training for an ultra marathon in parallel so endurance should build up through that too, but wrong muscles.

Tyresome

Dubcat wrote:

I unexpectedly got a place in Ride 100 :shock:

I had not ridden at all prior to doing tour de zwift recently. Most of my cycle training is going to have to be on the turbo (zwift probably to stop the boredom).

Can someone recommend a turbo based training plan for a 100 mile ride? I’m not looking to break any records. I just want to finish comfortably and not at the back

I can’t help with your question about turbo based training plans, but FWIW, I think you may want to get at least a few miles of actual road riding under your belt, before the event, and preferably with groups of cyclists. The PRLS 100 is a large group ride, I wouldn’t want to be riding it with no experience of group road riding, personally speaking.

dubcat

Good point. I will get some group rides in. I did group rides a few years ago with a local cycle club but I hear ride 100 is like mad max on cycles so take your point.

napoleond

I’m pretty sure there’s a zwift training plan that’ll fit your needs.

Edit: Just looked. There’s a Gran Fondo training plan. Do that!

imposter2.0

At RL you’ll be on the bike for 5hrs plus. Unless zwift has sessions of that duration, I would aim to get outdoors a bit too..

Despite what the troll says, Ride London is not a 'large group ride'. Riding in a group is not mandatory or necessary - some inevitably will, most won't.

bobmcstuff

NapoleonD wrote:

I’m pretty sure there’s a zwift training plan that’ll fit your needs.

Edit: Just looked. There’s a Gran Fondo training plan. Do that!

Yeah if you're using Zwift I would just do this. TrainerRoad has a century plan which I have used before and looks fairly similar. The key is consistently following the plan (not because the plan is magic or anything, just because consistently doing 4-5hrs of sensible intervals spread over the week is really good training).

My experience is you don't need to have cycled 100 miles in training to cycle 100 miles in something like this (although obviously it can help). I would try to get some longer outdoor rides anyway but for me that would be more about keeping it interesting (lots of turbo gets dull), checking what you're planning to eat on the bike works OK for you and making sure your position/setup is OK for longer rides. Also maybe pacing; if you're used to 1hr workouts you could find yourself setting off too fast, so it's good to have some idea of what effort you could sustain for that period of time (I guess you might be looking in the 6 hours or so range, not really sure how fast the RL100 course is though).

For me 100 miles isn't really much different from 100 km, once you get beyond maybe 3 hours it is more mental than physical (pacing aside - if you get that wrong it can still be physically difficult).

Tyresome

Dubcat wrote:

Good point. I will get some group rides in. I did group rides a few years ago with a local cycle club but I hear ride 100 is like mad max on cycles so take your point.

That’s a good way to describe it

cougie

Yes use Zwift in the week and get out on the bike at the weekends. You need to be used to road riding and sorting out your nutrition and clothing needs for different weathers.

I like Zwift for 60-90 min harder sessions but you need the endurance to ride for 6 hours or so ? You're better off building that up outside.

drlodge

cougie wrote:

Yes use Zwift in the week and get out on the bike at the weekends. You need to be used to road riding and sorting out your nutrition and clothing needs for different weathers.

I like Zwift for 60-90 min harder sessions but you need the endurance to ride for 6 hours or so ? You're better off building that up outside.

This. Use your Turbo during the week for shorter and more intense riding, then try and get out at weekends, preferably with others, for a longer more relaxed ride.

I've done RLS100 twice, I'm middle aged and not massively fit and the one thing you'll want to be able to do is to pace yourself. With so many others on the road, swarming like bees, its exceptionally easy to put the hammer down in the first half, leaving yourself exhausted by the time you get to Newlands Corner.

Ben6899

OP, I'm a big proponent of the turbo for quality, targeted training - and there is definitely merit in using the Zwift and TR plans to work up to the 100miles distance - but I would certainly look to get out on the road as well, even if it's just to nail down what you want to wear, depending on prevailing conditions etc.

cougie

Please tell me the Zwift plans don't want you to ride for 5 hours at a time on the turbo ?
Oh and riding wheels is s good skill to learn. Both in the real and virtual worlds

joe_totale-2

Do at least a few long rides of a similar distance in the real world to get your bottom used to spending several hours in a saddle given that you've not cycled for several years.
The last thing you want is developing saddle sores on the big day!
Also means that you can be certain of what gear to wear and use.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Isn't there a full Ride London route on Zwift, something like ~157Km?

whyamihere

NitrousOxide wrote:

Isn't there a full Ride London route on Zwift, something like ~157Km?

Kind of, it covers the distance but it's the same loop for almost the whole thing and is therefore even more boring than usual. Pretzel + Surrey Hills would be preferable at just under 100km, or some of the longer, more varied loops on Watopia, like the 100km Mega Pretzel.

Preferable to all of these is to ride outside, unless you have a reason to do these longer rides indoors like injury.

bobmcstuff

cougie wrote:

Please tell me the Zwift plans don't want you to ride for 5 hours at a time on the turbo ?
Oh and riding wheels is s good skill to learn. Both in the real and virtual worlds

No, of course not.

Their "Gran Fondo" plan includes a range of workouts from 45-90 mins which build up over time (length of intervals etc.). Pretty typical. As mentioned above you would probably want to do some longer rides outdoors to test pacing, fueling, gear etc. (and because it's more interesting than turbo).

It's here https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/gran-fondo/ (their workout graphics are a right mess, TR is much clearer IMO)

Typical Analytical

On any given day, ride for as much time as you have while targeting a cardiac drift of 5-10%. Below 5%? Add power to your next session. Above 10%? Reduce duration or power of your next session.

dubcat

Thanks very much for all the replies. I’ll follow the gran fondo plan. I do want to do long outdoor rides on weekends but I’ll be doing long runs too so balancing them is going to be hard - from a recovery perspective but more from a “angry wife being left with the kids all the time” perspective.

phreak

On Zwift there are Kiss AT Base rides on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (2 per day), which are group rides designed to build up your base fitness. These are a pretty good way to get some decent time in the saddle and might be something to consider if the timings allow.

thegreatdivide

The OP is doing an Ultra Marathon - which means the OP is probably a lot fitter than many of the weekend puffers on this forum! I don't think base fitness will be a problem.

I reckon you just want to train you backside to take 100 miles in the saddle. Some really good bib shorts will help.

cougie

Cycling isn't the same as running. Different muscle groups but you do get the cardiovascular benefits.

Juggling long runs and long bikes is a bit tricky but lots of us have done it. If you can get up to 60/70 miles by yourself on the bike the peletons will get you comfortably round the 100.

phreak

cougie wrote:

Cycling isn't the same as running. Different muscle groups but you do get the cardiovascular benefits.

Juggling long runs and long bikes is a bit tricky but lots of us have done it. If you can get up to 60/70 miles by yourself on the bike the peletons will get you comfortably round the 100.

Indeed. The route is about as easy as a 100 mile route could be as it's almost entirely flat, so getting into a group will help the distance whiz by.