Endurance Race training

[treky92]

I have been reading as much as I can find online about training for a "dirty century" but what other input do you guys have? How many have completed one?

The biggest question I have is training. What should I do to get ready for this besides just riding longer distances? What types of cross training are useful?

Also, this last week has been the first week in a while that I have actually started to put miles on the bike again and I have been sore as heck. Any ways to prevent this and have faster recovery time?

Lastly, what nutritional guidelines are there for building muscle endurance? Muscle endurance rather than cardiovascular fatigue will be my shortfall i feel because when I feel tired it is always my legs and not heavy breathing or rapid heart rate.

Any tips are helpful! I have about 4 months to prepare.

[Jeff Barber]

I can’t offer much advice yet but I am planning on racing the Cohutta 100 in late April, my first Dirty Century. A couple pieces of advice I’ve heard from veterans:

– Train for time, not necessarily distance. My initial idea was to base my training on mileage (50 miles, then 55, etc.) but a friend suggested getting used to spending hours in the saddle. This forces you to deal with nutrition, comfort, etc. leading up to the race while keeping your training rides focused on a training pace rather than riding a stressful race pace. I know when I trained for a metric century a few years ago I focused on distance and I’d try to finish my 40-mile training ride as fast as possible to get it over with. This left me burned out for the next training ride.

– During the race, try to stick with a group of riders. The mental challenge can be grueling, especially when you feel like you’re riding alone.

Last week I did a 5-hour ride and this week I’m shooting for 5 and a half. I’m still trying to optimize my hydration and nutrition needs and working out a good recovery routine for after the week’s big ride. Keep us posted on what you learn and I’ll do the same.

[Dustin Gaddis]

What’s your background like treky92? What’s the longest ride you’ve done, most hours on the bike, etc.

As for cross training, do a little upper body work with some weight lifting. Nothing major, lowish weight, high reps. When I was doing a little weight lifting it made long days in the saddle easier, my arms/back/shoulders/etc didn’t get tired and sore as fast. No need to bulk up or anything, even just doing some push ups a few times a week will be helpful.

[treky92]

I don’t have whole lot of back ground in mountain biking. I just bought my first true mountain bike a little under a year ago and have been riding the crap out of it whenever and where ever I can. My longest ride has only been about 3 hours to date, but I plan on rides up into the five hour range in the near future. I have always been in really good shape and workout everyday just about year round, whether it be road or mountain biking, spinning, running, or lifting weights.

Any types of leg endurance strengthening cross training, since I think that is my weaker point right now?

Trek7k mentioned saddle time being crucial, but does this matter whether it is road or trail? I live in Indiana and most of the trails around my area are only 10-15 miles in length so trail miles will be lots and lots of laps if that were the case.

[GoldenGoose]

The good number of mtb racers get their miles in on a road bike. While you won’t gain technical skills, you will at least get your legs strong.

[Jeff Barber]

Yeah, hours in the saddle should translate no matter what bike you’re on, though I plan to do at least half of my training on the MTB. That way I’ll iron out any issues with my rig and it’ll be closer to what I’ll experience during the race.

[Dustin Gaddis]

Unless you’re really fast, you got a long ways to go to get from a 3hr rides to doing a dirty century! I think most first time dirty centuries are in the 9-12hr range. Some of the pro’s can knock them out in less than 7hrs, but for the rest of us, it’s an all day affair (I haven’t done one yet, 70miles is my biggest day)

I’d ride the road bike a lot. Or ride your mtn bike on the road a lot. Riding on the road you’re always pedalling, it’s a better workout.

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

Lots of great advice above.

One thing you can do to squeeze in more time on the bike is to quit driving your car. Ride your bike everywhere: To work, to school, to the trailhead, on the trails, and back again. I really want to train up to a dirty century at some point, but I know the biggest constraint for me will just be the sheer amount of time required.

[oneeyeredeye]

i know this is a mtb site but if you want long times in the saddle and pumped up legs,road bike then road bike some more and when your sick of road biking road bike some more. i usaully road ride 6000 miles a yr. my friend wonders why i never "bonk" (get tired) when we mtb. he says i am like mario andretti on the flats and like a mtn. goat on the climbs. 😆

[fat_billy]

Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
Pedal, Pedal, Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,Pedal,
rest and go to the event. 😄 Later,

[oneeyeredeye]

ah! the two p’s. pedal and planking( or puking) 😀

[fat_billy]

3 P’s: Pedal, planking AND Puking. Just to clear the air. 😄 Later,

[Jared13 ✓ supporter]

LOL!

+1 for fat billy’s first post.

@Treky92
What’s the century course like and are you able to ride it (many, many times) before the event?

[uekiya]

As far as endurance goes I agree with everyone who says hours in the saddle. I have an 11 mile loop with lots of climbs I ride several times a week. If I only have time to do one lap…I do it. If I have time to do 2 or 3 I do it.

As far as streanghting your legs my best advice…and this works for me is take long climbs up mountains. As for me I live and work in Western NC and at least two times a week I will ride up a mountain just for streagnth training and it works great so if you get the chance to come to an area with long climbs…do it. Best of luck.

[uekiya]

After reading my last I see all types of typo’s. Just horrible. I forgot to add…I don’t know who said it in an earlier entry but your upper body and torso can not be stressed enough! Push-ups, pull-ups, abdomen work. Light weights will do. You will be surprised how your enduranc e increases when your whole body is fit. Think of it as if one of your bike components is out of whack…the bike won’t ride as smoothly. Same goes for your body. Enough from me. Good luck.

[cynergy68]

Get a bike with a motor

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