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Training and Fitness
Important Health Warning: Be sure to see your doctor before beginning your training!!
Your Big Ride will be a better experience if you train sufficiently before you leave. This means beginning as early as possible. Former riders will tell you that you'll enjoy the ride more and avoid the risk of aches, pains and injuries if you train gradually for this super endurance event. It sounds overwhelming, but it is actually quite achievable by most people if they remember to ride "one mile at a time". Take your time, enjoy the moment and "train, don't strain".
Start Slowly
So you've set this huge goal of riding your bike a great distance and you haven't been working out regularly for some time now. Remember that any exercise or training program must fit you as an individual. It is the balance between the mind, body and spirit that will help you accomplish your goal.
If you have been working out regularly, you may find yourself reaching for another level of fitness. If you are a beginner or haven't worked out for more than two months, commit yourself to the Base Level for just one month.
The Basics of Training
The hardest part of the Big Ride is making the commitment to yourself to register for the ride and design your fundraising and training plan. Once that is accomplished, you simply follow the plan you set for yourself and you should have no sweat achieving your goal. Easier said than done, right?! There are some basic guidelines to follow as you begin a training program to help you stay on track and focus on "training" not just "exercising".
When designing your training plan, remember to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Action oriented, Realistic and Timely. Your plan should be accommodating to your lifestyle and your goal, not anyone else's. It should consist of a series of short-term and long-term goals. Write your plan on paper or in an Excel or Word document that you can make a training log of and review regularly.
Additionally, as you set your goals and build your training plan, there are a couple of rules that can help your training go smoothly and help prevent the risk of injury and overtraining.
- Obey the 10% Rule.
- Increase in steps.
- Don't let mileage become a goal in itself.
- Be honest with yourself.
- Be consistent.
- Schedule in rest periods.
- Vary your rides.
Building a Plan
This is an endurance event, not a race. There are no points for finishing first at the end of the day, just for finishing. Each day will present a different challenge for you than it will for the next rider, so listen to your body and ride based on how you feel, how long the day is and what the climate and terrain present. If you are already registered, you are doing yourself a huge service by starting slow and easy through the winter. This will give you the opportunity to establish a solid endurance base, do some weight training indoors and spin on a trainer at home or at a spin class to improve your fitness and spin technique. You will want to cover at least 500 to 1,000 miles on the bike before the Big Ride starts, so having a plan will help stay focused to accomplish this.
Because of the significant amount of time you will be spending on the bike, it is helpful to do some upper body and core body strengthening during the off season. You don't want to bulk up, as you don't want to add weight, but a light weight routine for the arms, back, neck and core muscles will improve your overall metabolism, help you feel better and get your upper body prepared for "saddle time". You can do some light leg work in the off season, but if you are spending time on the trainer or in a spin class, that will accomplish the same goal. Have a better workout on the bike and save yourself the extra time in the gym.
A heart rate monitor can help you train more accurately. If you are using one already - great! You already know the benefits of training with one and are more familiar with your fitness level and training zones. If not, you may consider using one or consulting with a trainer on the benefits of heart rate monitors and knowing your training zones. The paragraphs below will help you decide where you are physically to start your plan.
Base Level: as you exercise here, your workouts will feel easy. You will experience some physical changes such as decreased blood pressure, resting heart rate and it will feel easier to do the same workouts over a period of time. Aim for three to four 30 minute workouts per week. At this level, you are training to develop a base level of strength and endurance that will sustain a workout without a great deal of fatigue and muscle soreness. When the routine feels easy, you are ready to move on. If you are already at this level, then start at the next.
Endurance Level: here you expand on your systems ability to sustain longer training periods, or improved endurance. Most of your training will be at this level. Your body can now carry more oxygen to your muscles and blood to your fat storage cells to burn fat calories as it adapts to its new workload. You will feel yourself going the same distance at a lower heart rate or easier effort - evidence of your increasing fitness!!
Strength Level: adding resistance to your workouts periodically, once you have established a solid endurance base, will increase your overall strength. You will not need to spend as much time here as if you were training for a race. Since the Big Ride is an endurance event, you will spend most of your time on the endurance level. However, you should incorporate one to two short strength workouts during the week. This can be by making one of your weekly rides a course of mostly hills. Hills are great strength training tools, and you will need to be ready to ride lots on the Big Ride! You can also incorporate strength training through interval training on a trainer or on a flat course if hills are hard to come by. If you haven't added hill training by April or May, this would be the time to do so. You will be glad that you did!
Remember that as you build your training plan and set your goals, that you also build in rest periods. Every 4th week schedule a riding week of at least 40% less than the previous week to give your body and mind a break. Your body will thank you and will respond by feeling easier to do those extra miles the next week. Additionally, do not increase your mileage by more than 5 - 10% per week. This will give your body time to adjust to the work and prevent injury. Listen to your body! Don't hesitate to level off at a certain weekly mileage if you are feeling tired, sore or your schedule does not permit. You do not have to increase mileage every week. But be consistent, the stronger fitness base you have the better off you will be overall.
Sample Plan
This sample training plan and the weekly plan below is just a general outline to help you get started. You will need to determine what works best for you and adjust it to your lifestyle and level of training. No two people will have the same plan, but can be equally trained. Be sure to customize for you!
| Month | Total Weekly Miles | Longest Ride in Miles | Days per Week | Total Hours per Week |
| 1 | 50-75 | 10-25 | 3-4 | 6-8 |
| 2 | 75-100 | 25-40 | 3-4 | 8-10 |
| 3 | 100-150 | 45-55 | 4-5 | 10-12 |
| 4 | 150-175 | 55-75 | 4-5 | 12-14 |
| 5 | 175-200 | 75-100 | 5 | 14-16 |
| 6 | 200 + tapering | 100 | 5 | 14-16 |
Sample Week
Monday:
Day off to rest and recover from weekend rides. This is a good day for weight training if that is part of your plan. Be sure to do upper body only -- NO LEGS!Tuesday:
75 to 120 minutes in zone 2, except for 30 to 45 minutes of sporadic high zone 3 efforts in the form of short time trials, hill jams, pushing hard into a headwind, etc.Wednesday:
Day off from riding or up to 60 minutes in zone 1. Weights as on Monday.Thursday:
60 to 90 minutes of zone 2, except for one 30-45 minute interval in low zone 3.Friday:
Day off from riding or up to 60 minutes in zone 1. Weights as on Monday.Saturday:
2 to 3 hours with a small group on flat terrain. Ideally you will be at the higher limit of zone 3 much of the time.Sunday:
2 hours in the hills, climbing in high zone 2 with short bouts (2 to 3 minutes) in high zone 3. Between climbs, ride in the low end of zone 2.Measure your training by frequency, intensity and time (FIT). Intensity can be measured by percentage of max heart rate or threshold. Frequency is the number of workouts and time is usually measured in minutes, but can be miles if you prefer. Monitoring the training load is critical to be sure you are achieving the maximum results for the time you are spending training. Our lives are so jam packed these days and finding a balance is mandatory for achieving all of your goals and being properly trained for the Big Ride. Therefore, getting the most out of your training time is essential. Monitoring your training will help you assess the overall exercise stress on your body. It gives us a measurable, quantifiable amount. Too much training can lead to deconditioning and reduced efficiency of your metabolic functioning. Too little leads to under training and struggling out there on the road this summer. The goal is to train for the least amount of time with the most benefit. Remember the law of Diminishing Returns - at a certain point, the more you train the less benefit is received.
Motivation
Staying motivated to ride, even when you feel tired, stressed or just plain don't want to, is important for such an endurance event. By following the steps of writing a training plan and doing the training will provide results. Keep a training log while you are preparing for the Big Ride. It will help you to monitor progress. You will be surprised at how motivating it is when you watch your average miles per hour slowly increase, or watch your weekly mileage increase while your overall health and wellness improves! When you achieve a short term goal, such as your first half century or your first 100 mile week, reward yourself. You will enjoy the reward more and you will be more motivated to get to the next level.
You may also want to find a training buddy. Having someone to ride with keeps the training fund and keeps you accountable for getting the training done. Varying your rides will also keep it fresh.
Training for the Elements
Wind
Wind is a cyclist's best friend and worst enemy. On the Big Ride you are likely to have both head winds and tail winds (hopefully lots of the latter!). The best way to handle wind is to prepare for it mentally. You want to be low and narrow riding into the wind and tall and wide when the wind is at your back. If you do encounter strong head winds, stay positive and focus on how much of a stronger cyclist you will be as a result. By practicing an efficient spinning technique, you can ride an easier gear at a higher cadence to keep you moving steadily through the wind.Heat
Even if you are acclimated to the heat and are properly hydrated, heat is a challenge to manage. Your cardiovascular system is diverting blood away from the organs to your skin to keep you cool while simultaneously trying to supply oxygen to the working muscles. On average, your heart rate increases one beat for every two to three degrees increase in temperature above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Staying properly hydrated is critical. Fluid ingestion during cycling in the heat reduces body temperature, dehydration and cardiovascular strain while increasing performance. You will want to get in the habit of drinking at least one water bottle per 30-45 minutes in high heat. Studies have shown that sports drinks are well tolerated by the body (more than food sometimes) during exercise in the heat and can improve endurance. There are lots of brands out there. You will need to just try a few kinds to decide what your body can tolerate and what is palatable for you.
Another recommended strategy is to consume a lot of water before you ride (hyper hydrate). This means that on the Big Ride you will want to be drinking constantly, on and off the bike, during the ride for maintenance and after you finish for the day for recovery.
Rain/Cold
Rain or wet weather is often accompanied by cooler temperatures. If conditions are wet, be sure to allow extra time for slowing, braking and stopping. Be alert for standing water as there may be hidden hazards in the water. There is not much affect to the body, but you want to be prepared to maintain your core body temperature by dressing accordingly. Multiple layers of a moisture wicking material with a wind/water proof or resistant shell is recommended. Remember that it is still important to drink. We often forget that our bodies are still working hard when temperatures are cooler. You still want to drink about 20 oz. per hour. The Big Ride is just that, Big, and the better you can maintain hydration, the more enjoyable your experience will be!
