how long did it take you to train for a half century ride? Century ride?

I want to work up to a half century ride for now (with the idea of a century ride in the future), what was your training schedule like?

i'm doing my first century on sunday, my training has been working on spinning in the gym 3 to 4 days a week for up to 65 minutes, and one long ride a week (usually on Sunday's).  my long rides started out at the 20 mile mark and eventually moved up to 50 + miles.  i did a couple 70 + rides with the longest at 75 miles last week.  i think that i'm ready for the century as the pace of the ride will most likely be lower than my pace for 75.  i've only been biking on my road bike since july and have been on the stationary bike since maybe april or may.

good luck!

Thanks for all the great info. Best wishes on your first century ride! I think I'll start with 5 miles and then up a couple of miles each week.  unless I find the 5 miles not long enough. I think I'll push a little on my first ride and see what feels "doable" and then increase a little each week. between the bike riding and working on the c25k program I'm hoping I can increase a little faster without killing myself.

I do my training mostly by time and not miles. So I started out riding for about 45 min. and worked my way up to a regular ride every week for 90 min. and occasional 2-4 hour rides. Once you get to the point where you can ride about 3 hours, you can do pretty much any distance as long as you take regular breaks.

Thanks for the tips! That might be a good way or maybe a time/distance connection. Hmmm. Will have to think about that.

It depends on how fast you want to go and how many hills you have.
Is there a cutoff time for the ride  you are planning to do?

My first ride with the cycling club was 35 miles at a slow pace.
The following week we did a 50+ mile ride, with moderate hills.

After that we have done several that were 75+ and into the 100 range.
No formalized training at all, just got on the bike and rode.
Now if I was trying to stay up with the competative riders (C or D), that is a whole different subject.

Their group rides are rated A, B, C, D
A Relaxed social ride wait for all riders
B Touring pace with regroups every 30 mins or so
C Brisk pace, with pacelines possible regroups depends on riders
D Agressive pace lines, slower riders will be left behind.

They rate the riders based on a timed set distance.
We have a 4 mile ride that is all uphill. 
26+ minutes and you are an A group rider
23-26 minutes is B group
19-22 minutes is C group
sub 19 is D group

If you have some more info on your ride, I could probably give you a better idea.

Good luck and have fun.

Scott

Thanks for all the detailed notes. We don't seem to have a cycling club in this area. I asked about them at the one bike store in town and got the weirdest look..

I really appreciate the notes on how your riders are rated. That gives me a really good idea of what I am looking at. There are some pretty good hills around here that I would love to bike eventually (will have to work up to them).

Did you start out on your own for awhile and then join the cycling club? I might try working up to the 35 mile and see if "the big city" has some cycling clubs that I could join on occasion. Will add that idea to my list and spend a little time trying to find some cycle clubs there. 

Katie

I had ridden on my own, but nothing beyond 10-15 miles and certainly no sustained efforts even beginning to rival a century ride.  Maybe a 1/2 hour at the most on the stationary bike at the gym.

Have you tried Googling any cycling clubs in your area?

As for your hills, I am working on some of my larger hills.  What was recommended to me was ride it as far as you can, turn around and ride down.  Rest a few minutes and give it a go again.  Do this 3-5 times, then call it a day.  Keep up this cycle striving to go further and further each time.
Nothing says you have to climb as fast as you go when you are on a flat road.  Shift into the granny gear and take it easy.  You have plenty of time to blow up your legs later as you get more and more comfortable with the hills.

Scott

There is a Salem bike club (about 40 minutes away) so I may try and do some rides with them. They do sponsor three large rides a year, the monster cookie, the watermelon, and the peach. (I think they like food. LOL) That would be fun to do.

I'm also trying to google some in the Portland/Beaverton area and see what they have available (also about an hour away).

Thanks for the idea about tackling some hills. I might try doing that. I think I know a pretty good hill to use for that.

Katie