about a month ago i rode 92 miles, body fell to bits after that so still not been able to crack the century, the bwlch mountain hurt a lot at the end of the ride
A week after I got my first race bike I went half way through Germany - about 150km on day one and the next one 305km in 23 hours. It was quite a leisure pace and I took lots of long breaks, but it really was an incredible experience riding through the night and eventually seeing the sunrise! And yes - I was close to aborting, because I wasn't warm enough and that would also have been okay, but I had two bin bags I could put over my hands&arms. Now (two months later) I think I would be a lot faster, because I have some training. Whatever your target distance is: first take it at a nice and steady pace you think you can sustain. It is not a race and if you don't feel well you should not push yourself too hard - but once you finished it it is an amazing feeling!
@powerofpositive 🤣🤣 We only started cycling at the end of 2016 but we both really enjoy it and we just take it nice and steady. We like touring and camping so we've managed to do some interesting rides which definitely helps.
Took a bunch of new riders on a 100 mile ride last summer. We planned a lot of food stops and took our time. It took us the entire day to ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls but everyone loved it. It was confidence building for new riders because it showed them if you take your time and fuel and rest properly, they are capable of doing a lot more than they think. :)
Fueling is key and most important by far. I did two 100km rides with a few weeks difference from one another. The first one was horrible, the second glided by with ease, and it's not due to fitness I imagine. I just ate more consistently in the second gran fondo and had some sports drink from time to time. Nothing fancy for the food either, just chocolates and bananas.
I recently did 112 miles on a ride. I didn't eat anything except when stopping at the midpoint for a somewhat larger-than-normal lunch. I have plenty of, uh, lipids to keep me going.
That's exactly what happened to me. 100km and was horrible but I tried to make it at my usual 60km pace Wich is 24kmh. I was craving for food also and was looking to maintain that average all the time. The best feeling is to complete a trip like this without anything else to give.
very nice! I actually don't see the point of shelling out 3 GBP for 1 (!) Clif Bar, if a Banana will do. Most "energy bars" are just catering to riders vanity and are just another thing to add to a 53/39 - 11/24 combo to show off. Absolutely go the cheap route! I've been riding on 1 €/8 bars of some random noname muesli bar for years now and it just works as well. plenty of metric and imperial centuries done on that type of nutrition.
@@donttouchthisatall yeah, sport bars are just to expensive.. I like to do my own fruit purees and rice cakes with different flavours. So tasty but needs a bit of work 😋
I'm 135kg and I did my first 160km a few weeks ago! Awesome feeling! After that I already collected 2 failed attempts on doing a 200km ride! Hope to get to it soon!
I’m just wondering how you’d get to 135 kg if you’re living actively enough to ride 160km. Plus tip: make your 200km ride a loop ending close to home. After riding 160 you’ll be able to push out the last 40. But if you need to do an extra 40 when you’re close to home you wont do it.
@@TSonemusic I weigh 110kg at the moment, a bit of extra flub on the keg, but I was a competitive strongman/Olympic weightlifter before getting into cycling.
Few weeks ago done my 236km ride - my PB. Very important - drink and eat during the ride and also make sure fuel your body day before. Prepare your mind for a long day in the saddle. I was thinking about my ride whole week :) took me all together nearly 13hrs , but what a feeling when you realise what have you done :)
Just did 103 km last Saturday! I only started cycling via Zwift last December to get my knee moving again after 2 operations. Started cycling in April!
I recently did my first 100-mile ride (the LondonRide 100 around end of May)... and it was exactly everything Manon said! I had a 3-month training plan that was mostly HIIT sessions and sprints, cross-training, 1-hour recovery rides and the weekly long ride spread over every week... i couldn't stick to all of them (due to travel and other life events), but I did my best not to miss the HIIT sessions and long rides... and I got to plan and practise the fuelling on these long rides. On the day of the ride, I had a full plan for 6 hours of exactly what I was going eat/drink when... Having an indoor trainer helped a LOT! In the beginning I tried to do the rides outdoors, but it was so hard to do them correctly and safely on the road... It was an awesome experience that I can't wait for another chance to do it again!
Great video Manon (why am I saying this… ALL GCN videos are great!). I’m 65 and recently joined a cycle touring club, up until then I used to cycle 20 or 30 miles at most but riding in a group has helped me up the distance, now I’m regularly doing 60+ miles and my goal is to smash the 100 mile barrier this year! I’ve learned that 60 miles isn’t much harder than 50 and 70 isn’t much harder than 60 so working up to it!
Mark you got this! If you've been riding 60+ miles comfortably, you will absolutely smash 100. I'm 63 and have ridden several 100 miles rides in the last year and have at 2 maybe 3 more planned by year end. One my friends is 65 and rides (2) 100 mile rides a week (This past Saturday he rode 201 miles). Ride on.
I just LOVE GCN. Every darn thing regarding cycling is covered, and every one of the videos produced are informative, fun and to the point. Thanks to the wonderful Ladies and Gents that produce these motivating videos.
My partner is training for a 100 mile ride in Tahoe and all Manon's videos have been so helpful for her. She's doing a 65 mile ride right now and I'm watching GCN videos while keeping an eye on her Garmin livetrack and sending her encouraging messages!
I did my first 80 mile ride only after a month of getting my first road bike in January 2010. I had gotten into biking again by riding a simple 26" mtb around town the previous fall. I wanted to go faster and farther so I got 2008 Trek 1.5 road bike in December 2009. After about a month, I got excited about riding some backroads. Next thing I know, I rode to a town 35 miles outside the outskirts of town. By the time I got there, I was pretty tired and finished off my 2 water bottles, but realized I had another 35 miles to get back. So, I went into the Dollar Store there, bought some Gatorade, gummi bears, granola bar, filled up my water bottles and was able to get back and thought to myself, "I think I can do a hundred miles today". So I left the parking lot I started in again in attempt to ride 15 miles out and 15 miles back on another road. However, after about 5 miles, I realized I was toast and turned back finishing with 80 miles. The longest ride leading up to that I had done was probably 20 miles maybe around town. However, I had been running and biking nearly everyday. So after overcoming the improper seat placement, chaffing of cheap bike shorts, sore shoulders and legs, and figuring out how to actually fix a Presta tube on my bike, I never looked back and started doing 60+ mile rides nearly every weekend with big organized charity rides. That April, I completed my first century ride (100 miles). I have since done several others centuries with the basis of my training being to try to ride 10x the number of miles in training leading up to a big single organized ride. I traditionally built up my mileage during training getting to about 80% of the length of the big ride about 2 weeks before. However when training for a 2-day 150 mile ride in 2018, I realized I had a hurt shoulder and was not able to get over 60 miles at a time without pain. So, I focused on shorter, more intense rides everyday along with tones of cardio on elliptical and jogging. When it came to race day, I was worried I had ridden over 40 miles once in my training for the ride. However, I ended up setting a personal time record with no pain and ready for more miles at the end of each day. So, in the end, the best way to train for a long ride is to simply ride as many miles as you can before your 100 mile bike ride. You can supplement with additional cardio and strength training and stretching of your core so it can support your upper body while on the bike for a long time.
I did my first 200km (125 miles) ride on Monday... The longest distance i did before was 115km.. I started cycling in April and rode about 800km in total.. it wasn't easy at all but in 2-3 weeks i want to ride my first 350km (217 miles) from Berlin to Prague in under 24h
Is Berlin to Prague an event? The distance is slightly longer than "Vätternrundan" in Sweden which is a popular race or event around the second biggest lake (315km) Beginners usually finish between 12-14h on that event. Almost 11000 finished it this year and I will start prepairing for my first time next year. Would be fun to know what other longer distance events are done in Europe.
is there cycling path between Berlin and Prague or not at all ? 3 weeks ago I did Linz - Wien (Plan was go to Bratislava, but I did not make it on time and took train from Wien). It was 230km, but all on cycling path - farming asphalt roads
Do you have sport background? That's pretty good for 5 months. I started a month ago and already making 100km trips in 4 hours. Would be good to believe that I can ride 350km in 24 hours in some months.
57 years old, did my first 100 miles last year. This year I've already done 3 of them with 1 more in a couple weeks. My first one this year was 106 miles and 13,000 feet of climb (Garrett County Gran Fondo). I indoor trained over the winter for that one. My next is completely flat, the Seagull Century in Maryland, USA. I'm glad I watched this because I needed a reminder to keep doing the HIIT work leading up to it.
The Seagull is wonderful. Utterly flat (but grippy if there's an easterly wind) - I averaged over 20mph over the length of the course, but it's still over 100 miles so don't skimp on fuelling and fluids.
I did a 420 km (260 miles) ride a while ago, left at 5 am and was home around 11 pm. Was hard but worth it. Also did a 333km (207 miles) indoor ride with a buddy of mine, we did the everest challenge. Best do a century in km as it is only 100km instead of 100 miles (160km).
Doing a century ride is my goal for next year. (Not enough summer here in the PNW of the US.) I used to do century rides with impunity back when I was younger. Now, at the age of 71, I have to build up to it. I’m confident I can do it, though. Thanks for the helpful tips.
I (60y) just finished 230 km / 144 mi around Lake Constance in Germany/Austria/Switzerland in 9.5 hrs. Manon is right about the mind set: I had done it before as a young man, so I knew what to expect. Apart from the tipps in the video, I learned: don't go too fast on the first 100km! Well fitting bike pants together with a little extra of chamois creme go a long way!
I did my first 100mile ride last year aged 65. In the fortunate position of being retired and after having spent lockdown dieting and riding 20 miles a day. Used GCN training video's found and trained my endurance heart rate, and learned about feeding and hydration. One tip I found really helpful from one of your previous videos was to get my mileage up start adding 5 miles to my regular rides. I got up to 80 miles before I did the 100. I went on an organized 100-mile fairly flat ride with support and feed stops. Can't describe the feeling when the cycle computer clicked over to 100 - turned out the ride was 108 miles though. Loved it so much I challenged myself to a harder ride this year. The key for me is to book myself on to the ride. having paid the entry fee I had to do it! Thanks for your help to get me to the first one!
Great video! I did my first century a week ago. I trained for 9 months. Riding 3-4 times a week with HIIT training and trying to ride as close to 100 as I could. I rode a 70 mile ride with 3000 elevation the week before to make sure my endurance was there. The key for me was fueling every 30-45 minutes and hydrating 24 ozs every hour. You are about eating right things. My food items that kept me with plenty of energy was plant based energy chews, protein bars, fig bars and bananas. I started out with a group but ended by myself. I’m glad I accomplished it but I’m one and done. 👍🏾
I recently did a double century on my 63rd birthday. You have to be in good shape, plus be very stubborn. Can't even think about quiting. Podcasts, and anti-inflammatories help also.
Biggest distance 381km on indoor trainer on Doddy Wear fundraiser. Outdoor 365km in 24 hours ,1km for each day of the year to raise awareness and fundraise for a local mental health charity ( Tiverton to Bourne in Lincolnshire). This year- 946km in five days. Same charity. Longest leg- 209km Mere to Wolverhampton. When I started cycling in 2012 at 59 -10 miles was a long ride. Thanks to GCN and links to Mark Beaumont, Jenny Graham, Simon........... Now looking for the challenge for my 70th birthday in March 2023🤔😉👍
Still only learning. Bought my bike 6 weeks ago. Doing 25 3 times a week and a 40ish every Saturday. When that feels easy....ill up it in 10 mile increments until I am confident in doing the ton. GCN thank you for teaching me about "cadence". It has transformed my rides 🙏
I'm reading Joe Friel's excellent Power Meter Handbook, find pacing and training with a cheap 4iiii crank power meter really improving my fitness and ability.
I did my first 100 mile ride last year. Set a plan, followed it to the letter, and picked a very flat route. It was a great ride and I was not completely spent at the end of it. This year I did a 100 mile ride on a whim. It was very different riding in the city versus riding in the country, and lots of climbing versus the flat route I took the year before. I still survived it with energy to spare. The first century ride (based on several other GCN videos) was the template for all of my subsequent endurance rides. My next challenge is to ride as far as my legs will take me and see what distance I can rack up. And, if no one else will volunteer, I will be happy to ride with you Manon.
A good option for somebody that wants to attempt their first century is try any of the "supported" ones, such as those organized by cycling clubs or such. These are the ones that have aid stations/rest stops every 20 or so miles during the ride. Often as full SAG support, which was nice when I was riding the Culpeper Fondo only to suffer a flat 21 miles in. I was able to repair the flat on the side of the rode and thankfully, there as an aid station only 5 miles from that point. Once there, had a bike mechanic check out my tire to make sure everything was good, and it was. Granted, these usually require having to signup and pay an entrance fee for the ride, but at least you will be getting full support and can usually also get into a group to ride with, as oppose to just going solo.
My wife, Jennifer, and I have ridden a Century Ride every year for the past nine years. This year, the ride was in doubt as I was hospitalized with COVID pneumonia in January and was on supplemental oxygen through April. We set the goal to get the Century accomplished and cycling was part of my rehab program. I am happy and proud to report that our annual Century Ride tradition is intact as we completed it successfully on July 25th! There is lots of good information in this short video and we have done virtually everything Manon recommends. Thanks GCN!
I completed my first century a couple months back. It was 72f and raining pretty much all day solo for 108 miles. Loved it, didn’t have to stop as much for water, never got hot, only got chilled once when I stopped for too long but quickly warmed back up when I started back.
Never did more then 35miles on a single ride, but aiming to increase that with my cycling club this year. I just need to quiet my doubtful mind and keep up my indoor training. Nervous but hopeful!😀
The most I've done in one go is 50 miles (80km). Would love to do a century, I just wish I had those amazing country lanes you GCNers seem to have in spades over there in Europe. Where I am in the States it's all busy roads with no shoulder and traffic roaring by at 55 mph (90 kmh).
As long as you're fuelled enough and have decent fitness your good to go. When pandemic started I choose to bike to work it served as my training. And when I go to long rides (+100km) I just eat 1 chocolate bar every 45mins to 1 hour, on top of enough hydration. Never bonked doing this.
We all love you Wales. You will never ride alone... "When you walk through a storm...." OK. This is not right one. But I love it. We all love you in Turkey. Simon is the coolest presenter meanwhile. Come on... He rides everything. And he speaks English properly. ::)))
fixed gear century checking in. pretty much just kept training with a weekly 50-70 mile rides on top of my 10-20 mile commutes. did that for a few months, then one day just went for the century. the last 20 miles were pretty bad. also it was raining that day, but if anything, the rain added a surreal nature to the ride and helped me push through it.
I did 150km at the weekend, I didn't train, I got on the train with my bike and got off 150km away and cycled back. My incentive was I had to get home and I had no option but to cycle back. Probably not the best way to do it and I was completely knackered but I did it.
160km with a fully loaded touring bike. Thanks for great tips and some confirmations about what I already doing Manon! Great reminders! No one could brave riding with you because you keep showing them up! We know after Steamboat springs and Paris to Ancaster that you are the Queen of long distance events! Love this content and how you guide us with a chipper attitude! Can't wait for the next one!
For me riding solo for longer periods to train for long distance rides also helps your mindset. Having that mindset that you can do it on your own helps a lot especially when your buddies might have to cancel on the day of your long ride. Or, if they have to cut short your ride before your goal and you will have to ride solo just to complete your distance goals.
Done my first 160 km ride (solo) few weeks ago. 1. Water and food. Take some extra! 2. Check the weather (especially wind). If it is to windy, train + ride is a very good option 3. Pace yourself 4. Stretching/yoga/core exercises 5. Select nice destination 6. Enjoy every moment!
Don't have many local friends who ride, and few of them would consider a century ride (metric or imperial), so I used big ride events to expand my riding. First a 50 miler, then a metric, finally an imperial. Found riders of a similar pace and chat with them a bit between rest stops. Get in my century rides and meet new people.
For a long distance, prep and mindset are the importance one, no matter what your power or pacing is, you still can get back home easily with a good prep and a strong mindset. I finished my 120km alone after the second week of biking last year even i did 17km/h 😂. Now is different story with new goal about ~ 400km biking with 25km/h pace in one shot.
Fueling is a given. But building up to a long ride also requires conditioning in the saddle. Great shorts and Chamm cream. Anything with a high Vaseline content works best for me. I packed some in my kit so could reapply at the 50 mile mark.
Just did my first century. it was an organized event. Went with a friend, and took advantage of the rest stops to shake it out a bit and refuel. Wasn't worried about time, just finishing. Enjoyed the day. It was actually kind of fun.
Aged 54, 170cm and a whopping 90kg last month did 108km/1116m ascent in 4:34 North East Fife/East Neuk of Fife....hills make a big difference as I've done 103km/675m in 3:45.... top tips as per others- if a loop or out and back and it's windy make sure the outer half is the "work section" so you get a help back, and make sure you don't have to faff about riding up and down the road at the end, or adding in a soul destroying extra loop to another village to get the distance to what you were aiming for!
What I learned from my 1st century to my 2nd century was to bring a top tube bag. 1st century, I had all my food and belongs in my back pockets and it was overloaded. Don't worry so much about speed, just get to the 100 miles as your goal.
Im doing mine in septmeber. Im coming back from a nasty quad tear. Just started riding month ago again after my quad tear. Im prepared and diciplined to get it done.
100 miles last month solo. GCN videos helped me with my training and fueling strategy. Planning to ride 50 miles with my cycling friends in a week, it'll be our longest ride together.
In May 2021 I did my first and so far my only 100 mile bike ride, it took me 7hrs 38 minutes and the feeling after completing it was like no other, surprisingly I wasn't very sore I took 7 breaks totalling up to 1 hr 40 minutes. I felt my management of breaks and fuelling up was spot on, thus not being in any pain after the fact. I regularly ride 55 miles so with that conditioning it helped me a lot. I drank about 4L of liquid, water/Gatorade, along with 4 energy bars 3 Banans one ham and cheese sandwich and a chocolate bar.
Got my first 100 mile ride in 9 years coming up - Round lake Taupō sportive in November. Cancelled 2 years running, hopefully all goes ahead this year!
Did my first (and only) century in 1991. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and I think I pretty much did everything wrong. My buddy bailed after about 40 miles and I was pretty much on my own. Didn't do enough long training rides ( previous max about 110km), didn't fuel properly, not nearly enough! It was a fall day and cool in the morning. Wore a windbreaker and got all sweaty and then kept the damn thing on all day, ugh! The thing I'm proudest of was just persevering. I was sure a mess the next day!
I am going to accomplish the Virginia Capital Trail ride this fall. Fifty miles from Williamsburg to Richmond, with no cars, and back (100 total miles)! Thanks for the HIIT training information! That will really help me attain my goal. I'm riding four to five times a week and I will "overcome"!
It's going to take longer than 3 to 4 weeks to get your body ready for a 100 mile ride unless you are already used to 50 mile weekend rides. Try to do one long weekend ride, along with riding at least twice during the week. If your "big" ride is 30 miles, do a 35 mile ride at the end of your first week of training. The second week, do a 40 mile ride on the weekend. The next week, do 45 miles. The next week stay at 45 miles and see of you are less tired when you get home. After that, go 50, 55, 60, and then 70 miles. Once you work up to an 80 mile ride, you should be able to finish a 100 mile ride. I would recommend doing a couple 80 mile rides before you do the 100 mile ride, so that you won't feel dead when you finish.
I trained for, and rode 100 miles earlier this year. It was my first century in several years. It is super important to get the long training rides in, simply to become comfortable being on the saddle for that long. Now I'm looking to train up for an Iron distance race so 112.
All good advice, but there's also a lot to be said for 'just get out and do it'. I've cycled 100 miles + plenty of times without a training plan or HIIT sessions. Go for it and enjoy it. Fueling essential though.
Great tips! GCN videos have helped so much. Longest ride was 125miles on 1Jan2022. Just did my 16th 100 mile ride 2 weeks ago (2 in 2020, 10 in 2021, 4 in 2022 so far and I got my 1st real road bike in Feb 2020 and started watching GCN videos at the end of 2019). It was in 90+°F temps and covered 8100ft of elevation. Goal was to do 150 miles but the heat was too much and my wahoo died.
i've done over 100 miles a few times, but not very often. Last time was on a very flat 28 mile loop so the riding was relatively easy and i could pick up food and drinks from my car. Not the most interesting route but a great way to show i could do it before heading out into the wild for 100 miles. i just never got round to doing the 100 mile ride on a "real" route. Riding with friends can be the difference between counting down the miles to the finish and being disappointed to get to the finish.
Furthest I've ridden is 171km back last November. In April I rode 96 miles. I've actually exceeded 100 miles twice. I usually go out 5 nights a week and ride 22 or 33 miles . About once a month I will do around 50 miles. Acording to Strava, I have ridden so far this year (to 14 Sept 2022) 6,072.2 km or 3,773 miles
Most important thing is, that this is not a race its a ride, adventure, super sightseeing (hopefully the nature is nice around). So, if you feel like you need brake, take it. Dont worry about time / average pace etc. And yeah, my main enemy is always pain in ass. But thats doable, if you ride on regular. 50km today, tomorrow 80, because you had more time. Over the weekend day a 100.
Longest I've done this year was 76 miles. Birthday ride as I hit 51. Running out of season to do a 100 but hoping I can figure it out and smash it. Thanks for the suggestions.
Fuelling and the right mindset were my most important factors for longer distances. Re-started my cycling in 2020 and increased the distances from 30k at the beginning to 250k with bags this year. Refuelling has to be learned! it's key! as theres great hardcopy content from GCN (books) I'd love to see more videos with Nigel and the presenters in the kitchen ;-)
I tried one in 2020 and barely made it. Then tried the same ride in 2021 and decided halfway to stop as the pain in my knees was not good. Turns out the wedges I used to correct my tilt were backwards (and didnt think about it). Corrected them and so far this year I've done three century rides (one virtual and two real life ones). I plan to do a 100 mile race at the end of the month.
I've done 54 miles/88 km even though my goal was 100km and my body could do more but during recovery, I felt terrible because of wrong pacing. Average speed is not a target. My advice is not to plan a route with climbs towards the end because your legs will beg for mercy and never against the wind, even on flat terrain. Magic of tailwind will push you towards the finish line :)
Longest ride is 50 mi, done several of them. Doing 100 for charity ride. Long distance riding is not my thing, but the extra milage helps with fundraising and it is a worthy challenge! edit: Doing HIIT cycling rides during week(shorter ride), with a longer weekend ride if I can fit it in. A pretzel run can help to boost miles, with motivation for me. Sponsored rides, and routes of just exploring have been great too for building endurance
Did a 300km solo ride this year. To bring nutrition is obvious. What I overlooked was water! Drank 1,5 liter (2 bottles) every 100 km, this was not nearly enough!! Woke up about 4 times that night because my throat was so dry it got hard to breathe. Drank a full water bottle each time. So if you’re planning on really long rides, drink!
The inaugural Bowral Classic. 165km/1900m. The first and still only 100 Imperials ride. Now I'd like to do some light bike packing (pubs & caravans > tents pls) repeating similar rides 3 - 4x in a week.
I've done 100 milers a few times before COVID and used to do 60-70 milers every Sunday. However did next to no cycling since COVID hit and put on loads of weight. I agreed to do c2c with no training this year. I was surprised how much fun it was to still ride 70 mile in a day without training, yes it was a little tough and slow but it was still fun. Just enjoy it, have fun and make sure you eat/fuel up.
I did 110 10 days ago and 66 this weekend gone. Being ex military I was (over)prepared. Omelette,fruit and yoghurt for breakfast,enough bars and gels to be able to fuel every 30 minutes (I used half of them) and a mindset that I was going to do it.It never entered my head I wouldn't finish even when the ride completely changed after 30 miles. 6 if us split off the club ride as the pace was very high and did 110 instead of the 130 I set out to do.We also averaged just over 15 mph for the ride I'm 6 foot and 118kg and only been on the bike just over 2 months so if I can do it anyone can
130 miles, I was on a second -hand budget bike (Probably the best I've ever owned) Anyway, when I started cycling, I struggled to do 20 miles. So, every time I went out I would try to go a little bit further whilst fuelling consistently (Gels, bars, jellybeans, Battenberg cake and energy drinks) After a few months a was doing between 50/65 miles without any major issues. Then one day I set out to do my first 100 mile ride on the final 10 miles I came to a road closure so double backed to the A5 which a mile from my turning was closed due to an accident, so double backed again to another route and eventually home. a Few weeks after I fell out of love with cycling due to an accident from a close pass and haven't reached the millage or fitness I once had.
I did my first 100 miles this summer. Agree about using HIIT to build fitness, Manon. 30 mins HIIT on a turbo each day with building up longer rides at the weekend. Also, I picked a good interesting route on Komoot and built in food stops regularly. Can recommend lots of malt loaf, bananas and a decent pub lunch! Used hydration tablets in one bottle and had two refills from a cafe stop and the pub. Broke the ride up into 30km segments. Found it easier to ride 165km rather than 100+ miles mentally! Thanks for this vid - now looking for my first 200K!!
I have basically a non-existent fitness and a really poor power output, but I am proud to say, that recently I hit the 100km mark with a 112km long ride. I struggled a lot in the final 20 km with a slowly deflating tire and a soaring knee pain, but I did it. I used about 6 litres of water in that ride, and ate nothing but a single large dosa for the entire ride, this was my main mistake I gather. Looking forward to get that 200 Km mark next.
I do 100 kilometers rides regulary. The best upgrade I've made to my road bike is a frame bag. I carry all the food and water I need inside it. Much better than to wear a rucksack that gives sweaty back.
Im obese about 49 BMI, but was able to ride 35 miles thru just biking a year, 10 to 15 miles regularly, next goal is 50 miles, ultimate goal is a cemtury
Started cycling in April and rode my first century a couple of weeks ago. Road strong until about the 85 mile mark then started struggling. Average speed until that point was 19 miles an hour last 15 miles dropped down to about 14 miles an hour, but I finished and it feels great. Have a 300 mile coming up in March
Did my first 100mile ride last year and so far this year had done three 100+ mile rides, 172 (road) and 215 (gravel) in June and 126 (gravel) in August
Once I got 100+ miles accomplished in 1 day, I bumped it up to 200+ miles in 1 day. Like Forest Gump just kept running, I just kept ridding. Great video for beginners.
I’ve done a few of those. I built up my base mileage by riding to work. Probably 60 miles for the week. Then a build up on the wknd with a 50 or 60 miler. Eventually I rode a 90 in the heat (summer afternoon in Tennessee). I felt ready. I stopped for liquids along the way and had some liquid sports thing with carbs and protein. I was in my 50s then. It was hard and my time was nowhere close to great. I was eventually able to do these with little aftershocks. Heat and hills baby! I’m 65 and just did 60 miles today. (In Nebraska) It’s been awhile but I feel pretty good. The route was 50/50 gravel and pavement with an ornery wind from the south. You can do this.
Longest I did was 84Km. I had to battle a headwind for more than half of it. No fear Manon, nobody wants to ride with me either. At least you had the camera people with you. Cheers great video.
Loving the clips of Bristol in the video! I'm training to do the south downs pathway century and am very nervous based on the comments by those on fb pages. I hope I can manage it!
Lift dumbbells to strengthen your shoulders and upper back. Just 10 minutes of dumbbell work a day will help you keep your cycling posture at mile 70 and beyond. I’ve completed three centuries this way.
The longest single day is a 160 miles w/10K feet of climbing on a road bike but Shenandoah VA 100 mile MTB race with 14K feet vertical with a heavy rain at mile 70 with mudfest to the finish was by far the hardest day on a bike. Even harder than 7 days of Haute Route Alps! One trick that works for me on a 100 mile ride is to start nibbling on a protein bar around mile 60 and finish it by mile 90-95 besides the usual gels, bloks, hydration and electrolytes. The best Pre-ride food the night before is 3 slices of pizza with coke. The worse is anything mexican or spicy and ice cream 🤣
The old CTC standard ride 100 in 8 used to be a lot of peoples first go... maybe also mention if its windy do the 1st 50 into it and get pushed back with the tail ..
What’s the furthest you’ve cycled in a single ride?
Years ago I missed a turn during a century ride. Ended up riding 127 miles. Missed the beer. Recently 72 miles in the heat.
about a month ago i rode 92 miles, body fell to bits after that so still not been able to crack the century, the bwlch mountain hurt a lot at the end of the ride
I'm getting ready for an 80-mile ride at the end of the month! I'm nervous, but super excited to set a new personal best!
A week after I got my first race bike I went half way through Germany - about 150km on day one and the next one 305km in 23 hours. It was quite a leisure pace and I took lots of long breaks, but it really was an incredible experience riding through the night and eventually seeing the sunrise! And yes - I was close to aborting, because I wasn't warm enough and that would also have been okay, but I had two bin bags I could put over my hands&arms. Now (two months later) I think I would be a lot faster, because I have some training.
Whatever your target distance is: first take it at a nice and steady pace you think you can sustain. It is not a race and if you don't feel well you should not push yourself too hard - but once you finished it it is an amazing feeling!
42 miles is my longest, did it solo. I'm 57 and just started cycling seriously. I'm doing a century ride as soon as I can, before im too old!
My wife rode her first 100 mile ride in February at the age of 70. It's inspiring to know that it might not be too late to have a go.
Amazing achievement - tell her well done from us Stephen!!
Awesome, she's a hero!
Wtf..And I'm all concerned over here at 54😅..was she always big into cycling? That's amazing
@powerofpositive 🤣🤣 We only started cycling at the end of 2016 but we both really enjoy it and we just take it nice and steady. We like touring and camping so we've managed to do some interesting rides which definitely helps.
Go girl!! 💪💪
Took a bunch of new riders on a 100 mile ride last summer. We planned a lot of food stops and took our time. It took us the entire day to ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls but everyone loved it. It was confidence building for new riders because it showed them if you take your time and fuel and rest properly, they are capable of doing a lot more than they think. :)
Wow 100 miles for new rider is an amazing achievement.
Fueling is key and most important by far. I did two 100km rides with a few weeks difference from one another. The first one was horrible, the second glided by with ease, and it's not due to fitness I imagine. I just ate more consistently in the second gran fondo and had some sports drink from time to time. Nothing fancy for the food either, just chocolates and bananas.
I recently did 112 miles on a ride. I didn't eat anything except when stopping at the midpoint for a somewhat larger-than-normal lunch. I have plenty of, uh, lipids to keep me going.
That's exactly what happened to me. 100km and was horrible but I tried to make it at my usual 60km pace Wich is 24kmh. I was craving for food also and was looking to maintain that average all the time. The best feeling is to complete a trip like this without anything else to give.
very nice! I actually don't see the point of shelling out 3 GBP for 1 (!) Clif Bar, if a Banana will do. Most "energy bars" are just catering to riders vanity and are just another thing to add to a 53/39 - 11/24 combo to show off. Absolutely go the cheap route! I've been riding on 1 €/8 bars of some random noname muesli bar for years now and it just works as well. plenty of metric and imperial centuries done on that type of nutrition.
@@donttouchthisatall yeah, sport bars are just to expensive.. I like to do my own fruit purees and rice cakes with different flavours. So tasty but needs a bit of work 😋
Nope its not, gtn full ironman and no fuell heater did it 💪
I'm 135kg and I did my first 160km a few weeks ago! Awesome feeling! After that I already collected 2 failed attempts on doing a 200km ride! Hope to get to it soon!
You will! Take a look at @leonardmlee channel
Good man you'll do it
I’m just wondering how you’d get to 135 kg if you’re living actively enough to ride 160km.
Plus tip: make your 200km ride a loop ending close to home. After riding 160 you’ll be able to push out the last 40. But if you need to do an extra 40 when you’re close to home you wont do it.
@@TSonemusic some of us are just big units! I’m at 120 kg and ride 100km no problem…
@@TSonemusic I weigh 110kg at the moment, a bit of extra flub on the keg, but I was a competitive strongman/Olympic weightlifter before getting into cycling.
Few weeks ago done my 236km ride - my PB. Very important - drink and eat during the ride and also make sure fuel your body day before. Prepare your mind for a long day in the saddle. I was thinking about my ride whole week :) took me all together nearly 13hrs , but what a feeling when you realise what have you done :)
Well done Tomasz! Great advice!
Just did 103 km last Saturday! I only started cycling via Zwift last December to get my knee moving again after 2 operations. Started cycling in April!
How is it on your knee? Congrats by the way.
Great achievement Simon!
Fantastic effort. Just keep an eye on those knee, not to overwork them.
I recently did my first 100-mile ride (the LondonRide 100 around end of May)... and it was exactly everything Manon said!
I had a 3-month training plan that was mostly HIIT sessions and sprints, cross-training, 1-hour recovery rides and the weekly long ride spread over every week... i couldn't stick to all of them (due to travel and other life events), but I did my best not to miss the HIIT sessions and long rides...
and I got to plan and practise the fuelling on these long rides. On the day of the ride, I had a full plan for 6 hours of exactly what I was going eat/drink when...
Having an indoor trainer helped a LOT! In the beginning I tried to do the rides outdoors, but it was so hard to do them correctly and safely on the road...
It was an awesome experience that I can't wait for another chance to do it again!
Great video Manon (why am I saying this… ALL GCN videos are great!). I’m 65 and recently joined a cycle touring club, up until then I used to cycle 20 or 30 miles at most but riding in a group has helped me up the distance, now I’m regularly doing 60+ miles and my goal is to smash the 100 mile barrier this year! I’ve learned that 60 miles isn’t much harder than 50 and 70 isn’t much harder than 60 so working up to it!
Mark you got this! If you've been riding 60+ miles comfortably, you will absolutely smash 100. I'm 63 and have ridden several 100 miles rides in the last year and have at 2 maybe 3 more planned by year end. One my friends is 65 and rides (2) 100 mile rides a week (This past Saturday he rode 201 miles). Ride on.
Yes Mike! You can do it! 💪
100 miles bike ride is almost 2500 calories ( 2700) that means you need to refuel frequently.
Hydration + fueling ,+ rest
I just LOVE GCN. Every darn thing regarding cycling is covered, and every one of the videos produced are informative, fun and to the point.
Thanks to the wonderful Ladies and Gents that produce these motivating videos.
Thanks Jay!
My partner is training for a 100 mile ride in Tahoe and all Manon's videos have been so helpful for her. She's doing a 65 mile ride right now and I'm watching GCN videos while keeping an eye on her Garmin livetrack and sending her encouraging messages!
To minimize soreness in hands, back, shoulders and butt change your position on the bike frequently. Sit/stand, drops/hood mix it all up occasionally.
Yes, great tip Andrew!
I did my first 80 mile ride only after a month of getting my first road bike in January 2010. I had gotten into biking again by riding a simple 26" mtb around town the previous fall. I wanted to go faster and farther so I got 2008 Trek 1.5 road bike in December 2009. After about a month, I got excited about riding some backroads. Next thing I know, I rode to a town 35 miles outside the outskirts of town. By the time I got there, I was pretty tired and finished off my 2 water bottles, but realized I had another 35 miles to get back. So, I went into the Dollar Store there, bought some Gatorade, gummi bears, granola bar, filled up my water bottles and was able to get back and thought to myself, "I think I can do a hundred miles today". So I left the parking lot I started in again in attempt to ride 15 miles out and 15 miles back on another road. However, after about 5 miles, I realized I was toast and turned back finishing with 80 miles. The longest ride leading up to that I had done was probably 20 miles maybe around town. However, I had been running and biking nearly everyday. So after overcoming the improper seat placement, chaffing of cheap bike shorts, sore shoulders and legs, and figuring out how to actually fix a Presta tube on my bike, I never looked back and started doing 60+ mile rides nearly every weekend with big organized charity rides. That April, I completed my first century ride (100 miles). I have since done several others centuries with the basis of my training being to try to ride 10x the number of miles in training leading up to a big single organized ride.
I traditionally built up my mileage during training getting to about 80% of the length of the big ride about 2 weeks before. However when training for a 2-day 150 mile ride in 2018, I realized I had a hurt shoulder and was not able to get over 60 miles at a time without pain. So, I focused on shorter, more intense rides everyday along with tones of cardio on elliptical and jogging. When it came to race day, I was worried I had ridden over 40 miles once in my training for the ride. However, I ended up setting a personal time record with no pain and ready for more miles at the end of each day.
So, in the end, the best way to train for a long ride is to simply ride as many miles as you can before your 100 mile bike ride. You can supplement with additional cardio and strength training and stretching of your core so it can support your upper body while on the bike for a long time.
I did my first 200km (125 miles) ride on Monday... The longest distance i did before was 115km.. I started cycling in April and rode about 800km in total.. it wasn't easy at all but in 2-3 weeks i want to ride my first 350km (217 miles) from Berlin to Prague in under 24h
Is Berlin to Prague an event? The distance is slightly longer than "Vätternrundan" in Sweden which is a popular race or event around the second biggest lake (315km) Beginners usually finish between 12-14h on that event. Almost 11000 finished it this year and I will start prepairing for my first time next year. Would be fun to know what other longer distance events are done in Europe.
u will need to go constantly like 15 km/h
is there cycling path between Berlin and Prague or not at all ? 3 weeks ago I did Linz - Wien (Plan was go to Bratislava, but I did not make it on time and took train from Wien). It was 230km, but all on cycling path - farming asphalt roads
Do you have sport background? That's pretty good for 5 months. I started a month ago and already making 100km trips in 4 hours. Would be good to believe that I can ride 350km in 24 hours in some months.
@@FekalKilla Was this an event or something that you decided to do alone?
57 years old, did my first 100 miles last year. This year I've already done 3 of them with 1 more in a couple weeks. My first one this year was 106 miles and 13,000 feet of climb (Garrett County Gran Fondo). I indoor trained over the winter for that one. My next is completely flat, the Seagull Century in Maryland, USA. I'm glad I watched this because I needed a reminder to keep doing the HIIT work leading up to it.
The Seagull is wonderful. Utterly flat (but grippy if there's an easterly wind) - I averaged over 20mph over the length of the course, but it's still over 100 miles so don't skimp on fuelling and fluids.
I did a 420 km (260 miles) ride a while ago, left at 5 am and was home around 11 pm. Was hard but worth it. Also did a 333km (207 miles) indoor ride with a buddy of mine, we did the everest challenge.
Best do a century in km as it is only 100km instead of 100 miles (160km).
207 miles indoor?? You're a lunatic!
Wow, that's one big ride - where did you do it Ilko?
Great video :)
My longest ride is 30 miles to a campsite. It was a lot of fun!
Thanks Daniel - do you have any longer rides planned?
Doing a century ride is my goal for next year. (Not enough summer here in the PNW of the US.) I used to do century rides with impunity back when I was younger. Now, at the age of 71, I have to build up to it. I’m confident I can do it, though. Thanks for the helpful tips.
Good luck, Miles! I hope to still be riding at your age.
I (60y) just finished 230 km / 144 mi around Lake Constance in Germany/Austria/Switzerland in 9.5 hrs. Manon is right about the mind set: I had done it before as a young man, so I knew what to expect. Apart from the tipps in the video, I learned: don't go too fast on the first 100km! Well fitting bike pants together with a little extra of chamois creme go a long way!
I did my first 100mile ride last year aged 65. In the fortunate position of being retired and after having spent lockdown dieting and riding 20 miles a day. Used GCN training video's found and trained my endurance heart rate, and learned about feeding and hydration. One tip I found really helpful from one of your previous videos was to get my mileage up start adding 5 miles to my regular rides. I got up to 80 miles before I did the 100. I went on an organized 100-mile fairly flat ride with support and feed stops. Can't describe the feeling when the cycle computer clicked over to 100 - turned out the ride was 108 miles though. Loved it so much I challenged myself to a harder ride this year. The key for me is to book myself on to the ride. having paid the entry fee I had to do it! Thanks for your help to get me to the first one!
Great video! I did my first century a week ago. I trained for 9 months. Riding 3-4 times a week with HIIT training and trying to ride as close to 100 as I could. I rode a 70 mile ride with 3000 elevation the week before to make sure my endurance was there. The key for me was fueling every 30-45 minutes and hydrating 24 ozs every hour. You are about eating right things. My food items that kept me with plenty of energy was plant based energy chews, protein bars, fig bars and bananas. I started out with a group but ended by myself. I’m glad I accomplished it but I’m one and done. 👍🏾
I recently did a double century on my 63rd birthday.
You have to be in good shape, plus be very stubborn. Can't even think about quiting.
Podcasts, and anti-inflammatories help also.
Biggest distance 381km on indoor trainer on Doddy Wear fundraiser. Outdoor 365km in 24 hours ,1km for each day of the year to raise awareness and fundraise for a local mental health charity ( Tiverton to Bourne in Lincolnshire). This year- 946km in five days. Same charity. Longest leg- 209km Mere to Wolverhampton.
When I started cycling in 2012 at 59 -10 miles was a long ride. Thanks to GCN and links to Mark Beaumont, Jenny Graham, Simon........... Now looking for the challenge for my 70th birthday in March 2023🤔😉👍
Still only learning. Bought my bike 6 weeks ago. Doing 25 3 times a week and a 40ish every Saturday. When that feels easy....ill up it in 10 mile increments until I am confident in doing the ton. GCN thank you for teaching me about "cadence". It has transformed my rides 🙏
I'm reading Joe Friel's excellent Power Meter Handbook, find pacing and training with a cheap 4iiii crank power meter really improving my fitness and ability.
Manon is the BEST GCN presenter!!
😁
I did my first 100 mile ride last year. Set a plan, followed it to the letter, and picked a very flat route. It was a great ride and I was not completely spent at the end of it. This year I did a 100 mile ride on a whim. It was very different riding in the city versus riding in the country, and lots of climbing versus the flat route I took the year before. I still survived it with energy to spare. The first century ride (based on several other GCN videos) was the template for all of my subsequent endurance rides. My next challenge is to ride as far as my legs will take me and see what distance I can rack up. And, if no one else will volunteer, I will be happy to ride with you Manon.
Brilliant video Manon . I really want to tackle my first 100 this year so this is perfect.
You can do it Levi!
A good option for somebody that wants to attempt their first century is try any of the "supported" ones, such as those organized by cycling clubs or such. These are the ones that have aid stations/rest stops every 20 or so miles during the ride. Often as full SAG support, which was nice when I was riding the Culpeper Fondo only to suffer a flat 21 miles in. I was able to repair the flat on the side of the rode and thankfully, there as an aid station only 5 miles from that point. Once there, had a bike mechanic check out my tire to make sure everything was good, and it was. Granted, these usually require having to signup and pay an entrance fee for the ride, but at least you will be getting full support and can usually also get into a group to ride with, as oppose to just going solo.
The only century I’ve done was supported. The support was much appreciated.
Usually I ride with a bag to carry items like water/food, etc. I didn't realize a supported century was different than a solo/group ride
Doing outlaw cycle as part of a relay team very last min. I feel more confident to finish it now I have watched this thank you
My wife, Jennifer, and I have ridden a Century Ride every year for the past nine years. This year, the ride was in doubt as I was hospitalized with COVID pneumonia in January and was on supplemental oxygen through April. We set the goal to get the Century accomplished and cycling was part of my rehab program. I am happy and proud to report that our annual Century Ride tradition is intact as we completed it successfully on July 25th! There is lots of good information in this short video and we have done virtually everything Manon recommends. Thanks GCN!
I completed my first century a couple months back. It was 72f and raining pretty much all day solo for 108 miles. Loved it, didn’t have to stop as much for water, never got hot, only got chilled once when I stopped for too long but quickly warmed back up when I started back.
Doing my fist 100+ miles (120 miles to be exact) this week, doing 2 this month for prostate cancer uk
Never did more then 35miles on a single ride, but aiming to increase that with my cycling club this year. I just need to quiet my doubtful mind and keep up my indoor training. Nervous but hopeful!😀
Fuelling, pacing and a bike that fits you!
The most I've done in one go is 50 miles (80km). Would love to do a century, I just wish I had those amazing country lanes you GCNers seem to have in spades over there in Europe. Where I am in the States it's all busy roads with no shoulder and traffic roaring by at 55 mph (90 kmh).
Started cycling a couple of years ago when I turned 70. My typical ride is 40-50 miles, but I do 100K once a month. Next year the goal is 100 miles.
As long as you're fuelled enough and have decent fitness your good to go. When pandemic started I choose to bike to work it served as my training. And when I go to long rides (+100km) I just eat 1 chocolate bar every 45mins to 1 hour, on top of enough hydration. Never bonked doing this.
We all love you Wales. You will never ride alone...
"When you walk through a storm...."
OK. This is not right one. But I love it.
We all love you in Turkey. Simon is the coolest presenter meanwhile.
Come on... He rides everything. And he speaks English properly. ::)))
fixed gear century checking in. pretty much just kept training with a weekly 50-70 mile rides on top of my 10-20 mile commutes. did that for a few months, then one day just went for the century. the last 20 miles were pretty bad.
also it was raining that day, but if anything, the rain added a surreal nature to the ride and helped me push through it.
I did 150km at the weekend, I didn't train, I got on the train with my bike and got off 150km away and cycled back. My incentive was I had to get home and I had no option but to cycle back. Probably not the best way to do it and I was completely knackered but I did it.
I did the same kind of thing...train fron norwich to London,,cycled back...145 miles...not my longest but a great day out 😎
Did the north coast 500 in 5 days with effectively no training. Definitely a brilliant experience but would definitely try training for it next time
160km with a fully loaded touring bike. Thanks for great tips and some confirmations about what I already doing Manon! Great reminders! No one could brave riding with you because you keep showing them up! We know after Steamboat springs and Paris to Ancaster that you are the Queen of long distance events! Love this content and how you guide us with a chipper attitude! Can't wait for the next one!
For me riding solo for longer periods to train for long distance rides also helps your mindset. Having that mindset that you can do it on your own helps a lot especially when your buddies might have to cancel on the day of your long ride. Or, if they have to cut short your ride before your goal and you will have to ride solo just to complete your distance goals.
Thanks for the tips Manon, got my 1st 100 miler in june after 35 years off a road bike.... Its going to hurt but worth it...
Done my first 160 km ride (solo) few weeks ago.
1. Water and food. Take some extra!
2. Check the weather (especially wind). If it is to windy, train + ride is a very good option
3. Pace yourself
4. Stretching/yoga/core exercises
5. Select nice destination
6. Enjoy every moment!
'Pace yourself' perhaps one of the most important aspects of the training required.
Well done Maksim & great advice too!
Don't have many local friends who ride, and few of them would consider a century ride (metric or imperial), so I used big ride events to expand my riding. First a 50 miler, then a metric, finally an imperial. Found riders of a similar pace and chat with them a bit between rest stops. Get in my century rides and meet new people.
Any video with Manon on it just automatically gets a like from me ❤
For a long distance, prep and mindset are the importance one, no matter what your power or pacing is, you still can get back home easily with a good prep and a strong mindset. I finished my 120km alone after the second week of biking last year even i did 17km/h 😂. Now is different story with new goal about ~ 400km biking with 25km/h pace in one shot.
Did my first 100 miler this year, soooooooo cuffed :) Lots of small snacks and short breaks, not too long or café legs!
Yes fueling and hydration are very important when long distance cycling because you need to get your energy from somewhere.
After my longest ride (75 miles) the challenge I was considering the next morning was how to negotiate the stairs...
Did a 600 Brevet in Spring and I Think another Key beside nutrition is your pace. Listen to your Body and never Ride too fast
I did my first 100 mile ride in July and am doing another century a week from this Saturday. I hope this one will be as much fun as the first one!
Have a great time Elizabeth - sure you'll smash it!
@@gcn ❤️
Fueling is a given. But building up to a long ride also requires conditioning in the saddle. Great shorts and Chamm cream. Anything with a high Vaseline content works best for me. I packed some in my kit so could reapply at the 50 mile mark.
My longest ride is 73miles, hoping to do a century before the year ends
You can do it!
Just did my first century. it was an organized event. Went with a friend, and took advantage of the rest stops to shake it out a bit and refuel. Wasn't worried about time, just finishing. Enjoyed the day. It was actually kind of fun.
@@dlbutler great! Mine is way overdue, couple of my buddies and I are hoping to do it by November
Aged 54, 170cm and a whopping 90kg last month did 108km/1116m ascent in 4:34 North East Fife/East Neuk of Fife....hills make a big difference as I've done 103km/675m in 3:45.... top tips as per others- if a loop or out and back and it's windy make sure the outer half is the "work section" so you get a help back, and make sure you don't have to faff about riding up and down the road at the end, or adding in a soul destroying extra loop to another village to get the distance to what you were aiming for!
What I learned from my 1st century to my 2nd century was to bring a top tube bag. 1st century, I had all my food and belongs in my back pockets and it was overloaded.
Don't worry so much about speed, just get to the 100 miles as your goal.
Im doing mine in septmeber. Im coming back from a nasty quad tear. Just started riding month ago again after my quad tear. Im prepared and diciplined to get it done.
100 miles last month solo. GCN videos helped me with my training and fueling strategy. Planning to ride 50 miles with my cycling friends in a week, it'll be our longest ride together.
In May 2021 I did my first and so far my only 100 mile bike ride, it took me 7hrs 38 minutes and the feeling after completing it was like no other, surprisingly I wasn't very sore I took 7 breaks totalling up to 1 hr 40 minutes. I felt my management of breaks and fuelling up was spot on, thus not being in any pain after the fact. I regularly ride 55 miles so with that conditioning it helped me a lot. I drank about 4L of liquid, water/Gatorade, along with 4 energy bars 3 Banans one ham and cheese sandwich and a chocolate bar.
Got my first 100 mile ride in 9 years coming up - Round lake Taupō sportive in November. Cancelled 2 years running, hopefully all goes ahead this year!
Did my first (and only) century in 1991. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and I think I pretty much did everything wrong. My buddy bailed after about 40 miles and I was pretty much on my own. Didn't do enough long training rides ( previous max about 110km), didn't fuel properly, not nearly enough! It was a fall day and cool in the morning. Wore a windbreaker and got all sweaty and then kept the damn thing on all day, ugh! The thing I'm proudest of was just persevering. I was sure a mess the next day!
Longest ride was a few weeks back, 45 miles. I’m 67 and wanted to ride my age in km. 50 miles I’d my goal for this year.
I am going to accomplish the Virginia Capital Trail ride this fall. Fifty miles from Williamsburg to Richmond, with no cars, and back (100 total miles)! Thanks for the HIIT training information! That will really help me attain my goal. I'm riding four to five times a week and I will "overcome"!
I recently did my first 50km ever, like you said in the video I immediately decided I want to do 100km next, thanks for the tips!
It's going to take longer than 3 to 4 weeks to get your body ready for a 100 mile ride unless you are already used to 50 mile weekend rides. Try to do one long weekend ride, along with riding at least twice during the week. If your "big" ride is 30 miles, do a 35 mile ride at the end of your first week of training. The second week, do a 40 mile ride on the weekend. The next week, do 45 miles. The next week stay at 45 miles and see of you are less tired when you get home. After that, go 50, 55, 60, and then 70 miles. Once you work up to an 80 mile ride, you should be able to finish a 100 mile ride. I would recommend doing a couple 80 mile rides before you do the 100 mile ride, so that you won't feel dead when you finish.
I trained for, and rode 100 miles earlier this year. It was my first century in several years. It is super important to get the long training rides in, simply to become comfortable being on the saddle for that long. Now I'm looking to train up for an Iron distance race so 112.
All good advice, but there's also a lot to be said for 'just get out and do it'. I've cycled 100 miles + plenty of times without a training plan or HIIT sessions. Go for it and enjoy it. Fueling essential though.
Great video Manon. This week I did my first 60 mile. Starting my training to do 100 miles at the end of this month.
I'm studying English I have a bike speed caloi Estrada 2016 I became a fan of the channel hugs from Brazil
fueling and hydration is everything
Great tips! GCN videos have helped so much.
Longest ride was 125miles on 1Jan2022.
Just did my 16th 100 mile ride 2 weeks ago (2 in 2020, 10 in 2021, 4 in 2022 so far and I got my 1st real road bike in Feb 2020 and started watching GCN videos at the end of 2019). It was in 90+°F temps and covered 8100ft of elevation. Goal was to do 150 miles but the heat was too much and my wahoo died.
Awesome! Great to hear our videos have been helpful!!
Thanks for tips, I’m new to cycling.
i've done over 100 miles a few times, but not very often. Last time was on a very flat 28 mile loop so the riding was relatively easy and i could pick up food and drinks from my car. Not the most interesting route but a great way to show i could do it before heading out into the wild for 100 miles. i just never got round to doing the 100 mile ride on a "real" route. Riding with friends can be the difference between counting down the miles to the finish and being disappointed to get to the finish.
Furthest I've ridden is 171km back last November. In April I rode 96 miles. I've actually exceeded 100 miles twice. I usually go out 5 nights a week and ride 22 or 33 miles . About once a month I will do around 50 miles. Acording to Strava, I have ridden so far this year (to 14 Sept 2022) 6,072.2 km or 3,773 miles
Most important thing is, that this is not a race its a ride, adventure, super sightseeing (hopefully the nature is nice around). So, if you feel like you need brake, take it. Dont worry about time / average pace etc. And yeah, my main enemy is always pain in ass. But thats doable, if you ride on regular. 50km today, tomorrow 80, because you had more time. Over the weekend day a 100.
Longest I've done this year was 76 miles. Birthday ride as I hit 51. Running out of season to do a 100 but hoping I can figure it out and smash it. Thanks for the suggestions.
Fuelling and the right mindset were my most important factors for longer distances. Re-started my cycling in 2020 and increased the distances from 30k at the beginning to 250k with bags this year. Refuelling has to be learned! it's key! as theres great hardcopy content from GCN (books) I'd love to see more videos with Nigel and the presenters in the kitchen ;-)
I tried one in 2020 and barely made it. Then tried the same ride in 2021 and decided halfway to stop as the pain in my knees was not good. Turns out the wedges I used to correct my tilt were backwards (and didnt think about it). Corrected them and so far this year I've done three century rides (one virtual and two real life ones). I plan to do a 100 mile race at the end of the month.
I've done 54 miles/88 km even though my goal was 100km and my body could do more but during recovery, I felt terrible because of wrong pacing. Average speed is not a target. My advice is not to plan a route with climbs towards the end because your legs will beg for mercy and never against the wind, even on flat terrain. Magic of tailwind will push you towards the finish line :)
Longest ride is 50 mi, done several of them. Doing 100 for charity ride. Long distance riding is not my thing, but the extra milage helps with fundraising and it is a worthy challenge!
edit: Doing HIIT cycling rides during week(shorter ride), with a longer weekend ride if I can fit it in. A pretzel run can help to boost miles, with motivation for me. Sponsored rides, and routes of just exploring have been great too for building endurance
Did a 300km solo ride this year. To bring nutrition is obvious. What I overlooked was water! Drank 1,5 liter (2 bottles) every 100 km, this was not nearly enough!! Woke up about 4 times that night because my throat was so dry it got hard to breathe. Drank a full water bottle each time. So if you’re planning on really long rides, drink!
The inaugural Bowral Classic. 165km/1900m. The first and still only 100 Imperials ride.
Now I'd like to do some light bike packing (pubs & caravans > tents pls) repeating similar rides 3 - 4x in a week.
I've done 100 milers a few times before COVID and used to do 60-70 milers every Sunday. However did next to no cycling since COVID hit and put on loads of weight. I agreed to do c2c with no training this year. I was surprised how much fun it was to still ride 70 mile in a day without training, yes it was a little tough and slow but it was still fun. Just enjoy it, have fun and make sure you eat/fuel up.
I did 110 10 days ago and 66 this weekend gone.
Being ex military I was (over)prepared.
Omelette,fruit and yoghurt for breakfast,enough bars and gels to be able to fuel every 30 minutes (I used half of them) and a mindset that I was going to do it.It never entered my head I wouldn't finish even when the ride completely changed after 30 miles.
6 if us split off the club ride as the pace was very high and did 110 instead of the 130 I set out to do.We also averaged just over 15 mph for the ride
I'm 6 foot and 118kg and only been on the bike just over 2 months so if I can do it anyone can
130 miles, I was on a second -hand budget bike (Probably the best I've ever owned) Anyway, when I started cycling, I struggled to do 20 miles. So, every time I went out I would try to go a little bit further whilst fuelling consistently (Gels, bars, jellybeans, Battenberg cake and energy drinks) After a few months a was doing between 50/65 miles without any major issues.
Then one day I set out to do my first 100 mile ride on the final 10 miles I came to a road closure so double backed to the A5 which a mile from my turning was closed due to an accident, so double backed again to another route and eventually home.
a Few weeks after I fell out of love with cycling due to an accident from a close pass and haven't reached the millage or fitness I once had.
I did my first 100 miles this summer. Agree about using HIIT to build fitness, Manon. 30 mins HIIT on a turbo each day with building up longer rides at the weekend. Also, I picked a good interesting route on Komoot and built in food stops regularly. Can recommend lots of malt loaf, bananas and a decent pub lunch! Used hydration tablets in one bottle and had two refills from a cafe stop and the pub. Broke the ride up into 30km segments. Found it easier to ride 165km rather than 100+ miles mentally! Thanks for this vid - now looking for my first 200K!!
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I have basically a non-existent fitness and a really poor power output, but I am proud to say, that recently I hit the 100km mark with a 112km long ride. I struggled a lot in the final 20 km with a slowly deflating tire and a soaring knee pain, but I did it. I used about 6 litres of water in that ride, and ate nothing but a single large dosa for the entire ride, this was my main mistake I gather. Looking forward to get that 200 Km mark next.
I do 100 kilometers rides regulary.
The best upgrade I've made to my road bike is a frame bag.
I carry all the food and water I need inside it.
Much better than to wear a rucksack that gives sweaty back.
Im obese about 49 BMI, but was able to ride 35 miles thru just biking a year, 10 to 15 miles regularly, next goal is 50 miles, ultimate goal is a cemtury
Started cycling in April and rode my first century a couple of weeks ago. Road strong until about the 85 mile mark then started struggling. Average speed until that point was 19 miles an hour last 15 miles dropped down to about 14 miles an hour, but I finished and it feels great. Have a 300 mile coming up in March
Did my first 100mile ride last year and so far this year had done three 100+ mile rides, 172 (road) and 215 (gravel) in June and 126 (gravel) in August
Once I got 100+ miles accomplished in 1 day, I bumped it up to 200+ miles in 1 day. Like Forest Gump just kept running, I just kept ridding. Great video for beginners.
I’ve done a few of those. I built up my base mileage by riding to work. Probably 60 miles for the week. Then a build up on the wknd with a 50 or 60 miler. Eventually I rode a 90 in the heat (summer afternoon in Tennessee). I felt ready. I stopped for liquids along the way and had some liquid sports thing with carbs and protein. I was in my 50s then. It was hard and my time was nowhere close to great. I was eventually able to do these with little aftershocks. Heat and hills baby! I’m 65 and just did 60 miles today. (In Nebraska) It’s been awhile but I feel pretty good. The route was 50/50 gravel and pavement with an ornery wind from the south.
You can do this.
Longest I did was 84Km. I had to battle a headwind for more than half of it. No fear Manon, nobody wants to ride with me either. At least you had the camera people with you. Cheers great video.
Loving the clips of Bristol in the video!
I'm training to do the south downs pathway century and am very nervous based on the comments by those on fb pages. I hope I can manage it!
Lift dumbbells to strengthen your shoulders and upper back. Just 10 minutes of dumbbell work a day will help you keep your cycling posture at mile 70 and beyond.
I’ve completed three centuries this way.
The longest single day is a 160 miles w/10K feet of climbing on a road bike but Shenandoah VA 100 mile MTB race with 14K feet vertical with a heavy rain at mile 70 with mudfest to the finish was by far the hardest day on a bike. Even harder than 7 days of Haute Route Alps!
One trick that works for me on a 100 mile ride is to start nibbling on a protein bar around mile 60 and finish it by mile 90-95 besides the usual gels, bloks, hydration and electrolytes. The best Pre-ride food the night before is 3 slices of pizza with coke. The worse is anything mexican or spicy and ice cream 🤣
The old CTC standard ride 100 in 8 used to be a lot of peoples first go... maybe also mention if its windy do the 1st 50 into it and get pushed back with the tail ..
As well as fuel Trg is also key, zone 2, base and HiiT.