Training Schedule

This is actually pretty doable.

Everything I've seen says if you ride seven hours a week, you can get in shape for a century in 12 weeks.

Only problem is, I've got closer to 10 weeks. And have some catching up.

Here's the weekly training schedule I've adapted:

• Saturday: 1-2 hour ride with 30 minutes of hard effort
• Sunday: 1-2 hour ride at steady pace (65% Maximum Heart Rate)
• Monday: Rest
• Tuesday: 1-1.5 hour ride with hills
• Wednesday: Rest or 1-hour easy recovery ride or two miles on an elliptical trainer
  
• Thursday: 1-1.5 hours with interval training
• Friday: Rest or 30-minute easy recovery ride or two miles on an elliptical trainer

The idea is to create a pattern of 7 hours in the saddle every week as the base. But the Sunday rides will actually grow over time to work on endurance. Eventually, I'll want to do 45 miles in a single ride the week before the Tour de Cure.

Easier said than done. Lots of rain. Makes it hard to ride. I'll do cold. Rain's another problem. It's just plain dangerous.

So.

I'll shift rides from rain days to rest days or make up with elliptical training or spin classes.

I've been riding 20 miles at a time. I'll be working up from there. Checking the forecast, my training schedule starts Wednesday, April 2!