jrickards

I would like to start my "century" riding with a 2-day 200km ride (Toronto to Barrie on Saturday, Barrie to Toronto on Sunday, 100km each). My training schedule is significantly steeper than the 5%/wk: this coming weekend, I'll be riding my first 60km ride, next is another, next is two 60km-days back to back, next is 100km/60km, next is 100/100, and continue that distance until the ride in late May. I do ride a 16km commute 2x/day, a hilly commute: the 2x centuries is on a flat route and my 60 and 100km training rides are intermediate in terms of hills. I think I'll be fine. I've been this agressive before with a swimming distance: I prepared for 7-8 wks from little swimming (although I was a racer in high school so I had the techniques and experience) to a 5km event (200 lengths of the 1/2 Olympic pool) and I did the "event" a couple of times before the actual day.

The issue I've had to deal with, in both distance swimming and riding, are leg cramps: I drink lots of water and some Gatorade and I eat a couple of granola bars during the 60km distance so nutrition shouldn't be the issue, I don't know what it is but I do know that in previous 60km rides, I've pushed fairly hard even though I tell myself to "ride to finish" not "ride to race". I'll definitely take it easy on the speed during training for this upcoming ride. Hopefully, leg cramps (calf) will not occur.