Level I Century Ride

For many cyclists the completion of a century, riding 100 miles, is a significant milestone. Organized century rides are available in many locations. There are many benefits to entering an organized ride including a commitment to a specific goal and date, aid stations staffed by cheerful volunteers, or paid help, and portable restrooms at regular mileage intervals. Aid stations may be minimally stocked with fruit or piled high with a variety of culinary goodies for riders. At minimum, there is water available at aid stations and often event organizers will have electrolyte sports drink available as well.

In addition to aid stations, organized events obtain road permits, hire police personnel and hire medical personnel for the safety of the riders. Most events have sag wagons to pick up riders that do not wish to cut the ride short due to fatigue. Also, most events have mechanical support to help riders with equipment problems as well. Event directors spend a great deal of time and money to put on top-shelf events. You can search the Active Find Things to Do section to find an event.

Once you’ve found an event and signed up there is added urgency to prepare, train properly, for the ride. Take a look at the athlete profile to see if this training plan suits your needs.

PROFILE

This plan is designed for a Level I cyclist. You currently ride two or three days per week. You may or may not be strength training or participating in other sporting activities. Options are given to help you fit the training plan to your personal profile needs.

Over the next 12 weeks, you can commit to riding at least three days per week, with a long ride building to four hours. The weekday rides are an hour or less and can be done  outdoors or in an indoor cycling situation.

If you are currently doing a strength training program, you can continue that program on your off-cycling days. You may find you need to reduce the weights, sets, repetitions or some combination of all to keep strength training from negatively affecting your cycling.

If you are not currently strength training, but want to begin a routine, the attachment documents provided with the training plan will get you started.

GOAL

Your goal is to complete a 100-mile ride, a century, at the end of 12 weeks of training. Your event can be self-designed or an organized event. The plan is written for someone that plans to average between 12 and 15 miles per hour for the event. Your 100-mile ride time is estimated to be between 8:20 and 6:40.

This training plan has slightly more hours than the Beginner Century Program also offered on Active Trainer.

This plan is also available in the book, Training Plans for Cyclists published by VeloPress.