Cycling Training Plan

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artanis50
artanis50 Posts: 96 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm really new to road cycling - been getting out about 3-4 days a week for 2 weeks. Only going about 5 - 7 miles with an average pace of 10 - 11 mph. I have set my sights on an event that will require me to ride 30 miles. It's a breast cancer fundraising event - my best friend is a breast cancer survivor and was recently diagnosed with secondary brain cancer. I want to ride this for her, but I need a training plan to help me get to be able to ride 30 miles. The event is on October 7th, so I've got just under 2 months to train for it.

Question #1 - Is it even possible for me to go from 5 mile rides to a 30 mile ride in this time?
Questioin #2 - Do you have a cycling training plan you can recommend?

THANK YOU!

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  • CyclingRoadie6
    CyclingRoadie6 Posts: 59 Member
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    artanis50 wrote: »
    I'm really new to road cycling - been getting out about 3-4 days a week for 2 weeks. Only going about 5 - 7 miles with an average pace of 10 - 11 mph. I have set my sights on an event that will require me to ride 30 miles. It's a breast cancer fundraising event - my best friend is a breast cancer survivor and was recently diagnosed with secondary brain cancer. I want to ride this for her, but I need a training plan to help me get to be able to ride 30 miles. The event is on October 7th, so I've got just under 2 months to train for it.

    Question #1 - Is it even possible for me to go from 5 mile rides to a 30 mile ride in this time?
    Questioin #2 - Do you have a cycling training plan you can recommend?

    THANK YOU!

    Answer #1 - Yes
    Answer #2 - We can definitely work on a plan that works for you.

    If you want, I can send you a message to help get you started. By the looks of things though, you are already on a good path.
  • artanis50
    artanis50 Posts: 96 Member
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    YES, please! Thank you so much!
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I recommend the sofa to 50k programme. It's free and I found it great.

    https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/sportivetrainingplans/sofa_to_50km/8_WEEK_SOFA_TO_50KM_TRAINING_PLAN_OVERVIEW.pdf
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    Absolutely possible to go from 5 to 30 miles in a couple months. This isn't like running, your wheels bear your weight for you.

    If your longest ride so far has been 7 miles, go ride 10. Plan a coffee stop in the middle as a rest, and stretch out before you get back on the bike. Next day, gentle recovery ride with a slow pace. Keep adding miles slowly and give yourself time between long tires.

    Flat tires are more common on road bikes than other kinds because of the high pressure and low volume. Your going to ride a lot of miles getting ready for this, so you should learn to fix a flat if one happens to you, and then carry the things you need as you ride.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Good on you - or as we cyclists (which includes you) say..... Chapeau!

    Yes that progression is entirely possible. A lot of it is simply being comfortable on the bike and being determined.
    Good bike set up and decent cycling shorts help enormously.
    An experienced cyclist or friendly local bike shop will be happy to help with bike set up.

    Riding 3 or 4 times a week is perfect. Personally I would alternate that between quicker but shorter rides and long slow rides pushing the distance/duration up with a rest day in between.

    Have an easy week before the event so you are totally fresh and rested.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,874 Member
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    artanis50 wrote: »
    I'm really new to road cycling - been getting out about 3-4 days a week for 2 weeks. Only going about 5 - 7 miles with an average pace of 10 - 11 mph. I have set my sights on an event that will require me to ride 30 miles. It's a breast cancer fundraising event - my best friend is a breast cancer survivor and was recently diagnosed with secondary brain cancer. I want to ride this for her, but I need a training plan to help me get to be able to ride 30 miles. The event is on October 7th, so I've got just under 2 months to train for it.

    Question #1 - Is it even possible for me to go from 5 mile rides to a 30 mile ride in this time?
    Questioin #2 - Do you have a cycling training plan you can recommend?

    THANK YOU!

    1. Yes.

    2. This ....

    A couple times this week, ride 5 miles.
    This weekend, do 10 miles on Saturday and 7 miles on Sunday.

    A couple times next week, ride 6 miles.
    Next weekend, do 12 miles on Saturday and 8 miles on Sunday.

    A couple times the following week, ride 7 miles.
    The next weekend, do 15 miles on Saturday and 10 miles on Sunday.

    Keep increasing like that.

    If you hit a weekend where you're really struggling to do it, go back to the previous week and repeat. Then move ahead the next weekend.

    Once you're up to a 20 mile ride, you can do a 30 mile ride. It might be a bit of an effort, but you can do it.

    I might also suggest that on your shorter rides during the week, you could work on increasing your speed a bit ... you're not going as far, so you can try riding faster or riding up hills. :)

    Also, on the weekend rides, ride in a variety of terrain.


    Focus on hydration and fuel ... one 750 ml bottle of water every 1 to 1.5 hours ... and try to eat about 100 calories per hour. Once you get up and over 50 miles, you may want to increase that to about 150 calories, and if you continue to pursue longer distances you might want to start aiming for about 200 calories per hour. There is, of course, some variation to that depending on how efficiently your body is handling fuel, and the calorie amounts you've been eating prior to the ride.

    And most importantly, make sure you've got your bicycle set up so that it fits you correctly.

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