"How do I train for Little Red?"
Can you believe it? Little Red is only 11 weeks away! The days are getting longer, spring is just around the corner and many of you are determined to ride 100 miles on June 7th. A Century ride is a major accomplishment for a cyclist that requires training and preparation. Will you be ready?
We've got a 3 Step Program to get you ready for Little Red. So what are you waiting for????
Just get riding!
Step 1: Follow a Training Plan
There are plenty of training plans out there that will help you build up miles if you like a structured approach. These plans focus on riding 100 miles, but you can modify them to fit your personal goals. Below is a 10 Week Training Plan from Bicycling Magazine. This is just one example - there are many training plans out there to follow. The main point is to get riding and be consistent.
There are plenty of training plans out there that will help you build up miles if you like a structured approach. These plans focus on riding 100 miles, but you can modify them to fit your personal goals. Below is a 10 Week Training Plan from Bicycling Magazine. This is just one example - there are many training plans out there to follow. The main point is to get riding and be consistent.
Training Concepts
- The main principle of training for a century is to increase your mileage gradually over a number of weeks. By doing it that way, you help avoid injury, burnout and over-fatigue. Plus you will also be able to detect any issues with your body or your bike that you want to discover before the big day.
- To set in motion your training plan, pick a known date for your century ride and count back from there to determine your start point. This ten-week training plan below assumes you are in shape at the start to be able to ride 20 miles comfortably. That's a two-hour ride at a very easy 10-12 mph pace. If this is more than where you are, consider a metric century (100 km/62 miles) as another potential goal.
- The best way to learn training and riding tips is to ride with people who have done it before. Find an experienced riding buddy.
- As you prepare, aim for the targets as laid out in the table below to get you ready. It shows the distance of your longest ride each week (typically on a Saturday or Sunday) plus a cumulative mileage total for the week that you reach with your other riding.
Century Training Plan
Century Training Plan Week Length of Long Ride Total Miles/Week 1 25 55 2 30 65 3 35 73 4 40 81 5 45 90 6 50 99 7 57 110 8 65 122 9 50 75 10 Century Ride Yeah!
Step 2: Grab Your Posse - The Buddy System
Get your friends, neighbors and family together and get your riding group going! Its always more fun to ride with friends and helps the miles to pass quickly. The more fun you have, the faster those miles seem to go.
Step 3: Cycle with the Bonneville Cycling Club
Make new friends, learn new routes! The BCC has rides throughout the year, for every level of cyclist. You do not have to be a member to ride with the BCC and we have a large variety of rides, routes, distances, challlenges and members.
... then come and check us out! You'll find a fun & welcoming group of people - all ages - who simply love to bike for the pure joy of riding. The BCC has dozens of rides scheduled every month with a variety of terrains, routes and miles to choose from. Ride with us and you'll be ready for Little Red in no time.
