Training is the key to having fun riding a bike.  How much training should you do? Well.....

Start with the basics. Go 6 miles and see how you feel. Do this 3 times a week for two weeks and then add 2 miles each week until you are doing 20 miles 3 times a week. By now you should feel pretty good and people will start noticing the change in you.

Now you are ready to start some serious miles. On a weekend plan a 40 mile trip. You can do this because the rule of thumb is you can ride twice as far as your longest training distance for a one day ride. You will really surprise yourself with the ease at which you make the ride.

Gradually increase your tour distance until you can comfortable ride 60 miles twice a month along with your usual 10 to 20 mile training rides. Congratulations! If you started this in January you are now ready to do Bike Across Kansas in June.

This is like my training schedule with the exception that I will do 60 mile rides every weekend just because I like the miles. You can do ANY long tour if you have a least 500 miles(for the year) in the saddle before the tour starts. More miles equal an easier ride with less sore muscles, but I have seen 30 year olds with only 2 weeks training start and finish Bike Across Kansas before. It just depends on how bad you want to finish as to how you do.

Get a log book

I keep a ride journal to track the miles I have rode in a year, as well as what I thought of each ride, the temp, conditions etc. This is one of your best tools to help in your training, and it is a lot of fun to look back at how your season went each year..

Cardiovascular

Also it is important to know what your cardiovascular system is doing. Periodically take your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to find out what your heart rate is when riding. Then consult my section on heart rate monitors to be sure you are in your target training zone. You can use my heart rate calculator to find out where you should be.

Training for a Century

Nothing gives you a sense of pride like riding your first Century. How do you train to accomplish this task?  Here is a sample training schedule from Bicycling magazine:

If you follow this schedule you will be ready for anything. Did I train like this for my first century? No I didn't. I did my first century while on BAK so I had a LOT of miles under my belt for the year (like 1500), and I was able to do it without much trouble. If you aren't training for a long ride like BAK or Freewheel though, a training schedule like this one will get you through that century with plenty of strength to spare.

A question I get a lot is "What speed is Easy, Pace, and Brisk?" To be frank they are not speeds but simply training styles. Please see below:

Easy is a leisurely ride where at the end you feel like you could ride further without any trouble. You can chat with others while riding and never breath very hard.

Pace is a ride where you are keeping a good pace and your heart rate is up in your training range for the whole ride. You can talk with others but you are focused on the ride. At the end you feel good but are ready to stop, but could maybe do a few more miles if you had to.

Brisk on the other hand, well, your heart rate is at the top end of your training range, you are going at a hard clip and at the end you are completely done and don not feel like riding another mile.

E-Mail Klent