Training Plan for Metric Century

8 Week Metric Century Training Plan

With this easy 8-week plan, you can hit your metric century mark with just three rides a week. The key is making those rides count. Each week you’ll be doing one of the following: A long ride; a fast (don’t worry, it’s all relative!) ride and a steady ride. On other days, you can do some cross training or if you have time one or two easy spins on your bike, even if it’s just to the store.

The Rides
Long ride: Do your long rides at a steady, but not taxing, pace. Your effort should be such that you’re breathing a little harder, but can have a full conversation.  Most people find that Saturday or Sunday works best for their long rides; but the day doesn’t matter; just get it done

Steady ride: These rides should include 2 to 4 efforts (15 to 30 minutes in length) that are done at a slightly higher intensity than your long rides, as though you’re riding with someone slightly faster than you. You should be able to talk, but in shorter sentences. These rides train your body to ride more briskly in comfort, so you can finish your century faster and fresher.

Fast ride: Speed work improves your endurance by raising your lactate threshold, the point at which your muscles cry for you to slow down! When you raise this ceiling, you can ride faster and farther before your legs hit the brakes. Aim to do 4 to 6 very hard efforts between 30 seconds and 2 minutes long (pushing hard up a hill for 30 to 60 seconds is one good way) during your fast rides.

**Half-Metric Training** To scale this down to train for a shorter event, such as a half-metric ride, follow the first six weeks of this schedule, and for the “long ride”, stick to the shorter end of the suggested time frame.

8 Week Metric Century Training Plan

The actual days are only a suggestion. Do the rides when they fit into your schedule, leaving a day of rest, easy riding, or cross training between your three workout rides.

Printable PDF version of training plan

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