Training Schedule for a Double Century Bike Ride Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Cycling Outdoor Cycling Training Schedule for Your First Double Century By Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 27, 2020 Fact checked Verywell Fit content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Adah Chung Fact checked by Adah Chung Adah Chung is a fact checker, writer, researcher, and occupational therapist. Learn about our editorial process Print Thomas Tolstrup/Getty Images As more and more people have begun to embrace the challenge of distance cycling, the idea of a riding a Century (100 miles) has suddenly become mundane. Ever eager to expand horizons, a new breed of cyclist have risen to the challenge of the Double Century (200 miles). The Double Century phenomenon began on the West Coast of the U.S and has steadily moved eastward to Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, and beyond. Arguably the most famous is the Solvang Spring Double Century in California. If you have already logged a few Centuries, you will likely ready to face the rigors of the 16-week training schedule. It requires not only the right equipment and attitude, it demands that you train at the right pace to achieve your optimal speed and endurance goals. Training Preparations As you've already completed your first Century, you will already be well aware of the importance of a well-fitted bike. But don't assume that riding a Century is simply "more of the same" only longer. The stress on your body will be exponentially increased, making it all the more important to get the fitting right to minimize stress on your pressure points and maximize aerodynamics. To this end, you would need to do the following: Your seat would need to be adjusted so that your hips don't rock from side to side.The fore and aft seat position would also need adjustment so that your forward knee is aligned directly over the pedal axle.Your handlebars would be positioned so that you can comfortably bend your elbows while riding.You would need to find the right saddle to relieve pressure points on soft tissue.Your 20-millimeter tires would need to be replaced with more suitable 25-millimeters tires running at around 105 psi. Beyond your bike and cycling clothes, you should also consider getting a cycling computer. The best Double riders use these handy gadgets to record their mileage, time, and altitude. The computer will help you stay on course. Keeping track of your climbing will help you better pace yourself. Goals of Training The central goal of training is to get your legs ready to complete the course in the prescribed time. The schedule is based on three to four rides per week with the long miles reserved for the weekends. To set your endurance goals, you will need to able to cycle for between 12 to 15 hours to complete a Double. What this means is that you will need to do more than a few 50-mile rides and think you'll be prepared; you won't. Instead, you will need to be able to complete a few 100-plus-mile rides two to three weeks before the race. The midweek miles listed below should only be considered a minimum. You can well exceed this mileage and even throw in some extra rides during the week if you so choose. Finally, it is important to eat and drink in accordance with your endurance training needs. 16-Week Double Century Training Schedule Week # Week Goal Midweek Saturday Sunday 1 90 30 50 10 2 110 20 70 20 3 110 30 50 30 4 130 40 70 20 5 120 20 80 20 6 140 40 70 30 7 190 50 80 60 8 160 50 90 20 9 160 40 80 40 10 180 40 90 50 11 190 50 110 30 12 210 40 150 20 13 200 50 100 50 14 150 30 80 40 15 120 40 60 20 16 220 20 200 Rest 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Leavitt TG, Vincent HK. Simple Seat Height Adjustment in Bike Fitting Can Reduce Injury Risk. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2016;15(3):130. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000254 By Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles Why Properly Fitting Your Bike Is Important Outdoor Cycling Workouts for All Levels The 7 Best Online Cycling Classes of 2022 Outdoor Bikes: Which Type is Right For You Health Benefits of Cycling: 6 Reasons Cycling Is Good For You Get the Most Out of Your Stationary Bike Workout How Long Does It Take to Train for a Half-Marathon? How to Start Cycling: What You Need to Know Basic Half-Marathon Training Schedule for Beginners The Time It Takes to Train for a 10K and Your Fitness Level MYX's II Plus Exercise Bike Offers Total-Body Workouts to Do at Home Ride On With the Ultimate Guide to Indoor Cycling Workouts How to Prepare for Walking a Half Marathon The Best Bikes for Women of 2022 Basic Nutrition and Hydration Tips for Cyclists The 22 Best Peloton Bike Accessories of 2022 When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All