# Century training while traveling



## tensorgirl (Jun 1, 2011)

Hi everyone! 

I just joined the forum after browsing for a while. I've got a century training question... 

So I just signed up for my first century race, which is in August. I'd like to complete the race with about a 17 mph pace, though I'm not worrying about competing this year. At the moment I've got no trouble maintaining this pace on rides 25-35 miles and can do a 40 mile ride at about a 15-16 mph pace. 

The trouble is that I travel frequently on business, and will be gone for two different two-week trips (one in June, one in July). When I get back from the last trip, there will only be 4 weeks to the century (not time to start from scratch). I don't want to drop training for 2 week periods at a time, but I've had little luck finding road bike rentals where I'll be (West Virginia in June, Wales (UK) and Vermont in July). 

Has anyone had this trouble training for an endurance ride before? Is there any sort of cross training I can do? It looks like the hotels I'm staying at all have those gym-recumbent bikes, but I have to say those never felt anything like an actual road ride before -- not sure how helpful they'll be. Or, do you think there's any possibility of finding people in the various cycling communities with extra road bikes they'd loan to a complete stranger for a few rides? What do you all think?


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

Welcome to the forums. 
Any training helps, so the bikes in the hotels will be better than nothing. On the speeds listed, are those solo or group? Something to help with the average speed is to do intervals. They've helped me get my speed up close to 2mph on average.


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## tensorgirl (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks for the reply! 

The speeds are solo. I actually average 18-20 mph on flat roads, but I'm a terrible hill climber (need to work on that) and even the little Milwaukee hills always bring down my average speed. 

How do you do intervals? Do I need a computer that measures cadence to do them?


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## Clyde250 (Feb 24, 2007)

I wouldn't try riding in West Virginia. I drove around that place for three days and never saw a shoulder on the road. The rails for trails might be an option. Intervals are the way to go. Any exercise bike will help and you won't need to sit on them for hours at a time (which is torture.) Warm up for 10 minutes and do a few 1 minute 80% efforts with the 1 minute rest in between. For the main set I do Yapata (?) intervals. I like 1 minute at 100% followed by 30 seconds of soft pedal. Knock out between 5 and 8 reps and you will be pretty cooked. Cool down for a 10 minutes and your done. 

Something like that would be good enough to maintain your fitness and maybe improve your ability to power up those shorter hills and recover quickly.


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

Clyde250 said:


> Something like that would be good enough to maintain your fitness and maybe improve your ability to power up those shorter hills and recover quickly.


Intervals will make climbing a lot easier actually. You don't need a cadence sensor, you just need to push hard. A 30 minute workout of intervals will yield more results and burn more calories than a 3 hour ride at a steady pace.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

Peanya said:


> Intervals will make climbing a lot easier actually. You don't need a cadence sensor, you just need to push hard. A 30 minute workout of intervals will yield more results


Absolutely.



> and burn more calories than a 3 hour ride at a steady pace.


Only if the 3 hour ride is slow enough to kill you with boredom.

An active recovery pace may be 50% of FTP; VO2max might be 120% of FTP.

Assuming 0 rest between VO2 max intervals (obviously impossible) the three hour recovery ride would burn 2.5X the calories of the half hour work out. Training stress would be slightly higher for the half hour though. 

More realistic comparisons might be three hours in zone 2 at 70% of FTP and 3x5+5 in zone 5 at 120% of FTP (4.9X the calories on the long ride) or 2x10+5 in zone 4 at 100-105% (4X the calories)


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

Endurance, not speed is key here. Get the long rides in as best you can and if you can't, go for 3-4 hour walks. It gets your body used to prolonged activity. A century is as much mental as it is physical.

Advice from a double century and 25+ century vet.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

*I'd probably*

use the hotels stationary bike for intervals to maximize your time and do long rides when you get home. 30 minutes on a stationary bike with some hard intervals will do wonders. But nothing replaces saddle time. Its near the end of your century were you'll be wanting that time so you can just sit on the bike comfortably after 5 hours.  Its hard to train when your on the road, so the short workouts work better. Just make sure they are hard intervals. Maybe throw in some leg presses before you ride. It stinks being indoors now but if you want to be in shape for your ride....oh yeah, is it a ride or race? If its a ride then you can not worry so much and perhaps practice drafting when you get home.


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## Cooper1960 (Oct 14, 2010)

I would contact local bike shops close to where you are staying, maybe you will get lucky and someone will hook you up with a loaner bike while there. Or at least give you contact info for some local clubs and maybe they can get help get you some saddle time by lending you a bike and taking you on some rides. 

I lent a bike to an exchange student last year and she thanked me by beating me on a metric century ride!


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## schaubut (May 29, 2011)

Endurance is what is needed. If you don't have time to ride all the time then make a long ride at least once every 7-10 days and work your way to to a 100 miles going easy 15 Ave. On the days you cannot ride do othet aerobic workouts about 1 hour 3 to 4 times a week. Swimming for me is the best. If you cannot swim use a kick board for at least 40 mins. Lower or raise your body weight to normal.


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## psycleridr (Jul 21, 2005)

As another frequent traveler Iunderstand your challenges although I am not gone for long durations but at times almost every week. I bought an S&S coupled bike for this purpose but that is another story

Endurance is key for a century and I would not worry about your average as it doesn't matter and it can change depending on size of group, elevation profile just to name a couple that are not in your control.

I do agree that sitting on a stationary bike in the hotel gym sucks. I can't do more than an hour and that is often mind-numbing. Although if you are in a hotel where they have these (http://www.ifholdings.com/ ) then it is great as I can easily spend a couple of hours on this one. Lots of fun (or as much as you can have on a stationary) but back to the point. If you don't have the time for long distance then intervals will help tremendously so that when you are done traveling for that last month you can focus on distance as you will have the power already. Best of luck!


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## number1dane (Jul 8, 2006)

Without much information about how your currently train it really is difficult to give exact advice BUT for someone who also has a very challenging schedule here are some ideas:
- any activity which increases your cardiovascular fitness is good: use hotel gym treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical trainer (even better). Taking a spin class is also good use a little time.
- if you're not using it now consider using heart rate monitor to measure the intensity of your 'rides'
Heart rate monitor can also help you to do intervals. But heart rate monitor is not essential progress can easily be made without.
- interval training will improve both fitness and endurance and if time crunched really is the best use of your time.
To find out about interval training try searching google for 'interval training cycling' there are plenty of easy to read things, I found one on active.com


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## drummerboy1248 (Jan 6, 2005)

I travel for work as well. But much of my travel is done by automobile. I just make sure I get a rental that is large enough to accomodate a bike. typically something with a hatchback. I take it you are travelling by air, which makes this option much harder and more expensive.

When travelling by air, I have rented a bike from a LBS. That was only for a day though. What I've done on extended business trips where I could not take a bike is to find a local gym with spin bikes. That way I can closely replicate actual road biking. My company has an arrangement with a nearby gym near our corporate training facility. That one's easy. I have a membership at Gold's and can go to any of their locations. I have also located a gym and arranged for a one week guest membership. Also, I get the use of all the gym's other facilities (weights, showers, hot tub etc...). 

I agree on the interval suggestion. When travelling on business, I rarely have time for 3 hour endurance rides.


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## 2Slo4U (Feb 12, 2005)

I agree with drummerboy.....find a gym and do spin classes when on the road traveling. These will do wonders. When home, make sure you plan some long rides so your body can get used to the extended efforts. Don't forget about liquids and food. If you forget to drink in the first half, you will pay for it in the last 50 miles.


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## tensorgirl (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, I am finally back from my summer travels. This last trip was just over two weeks. I was unable to get any sort of bike in the UK (did spend an hour a day walking, but that's hardly the same) and the 2nd week I actually managed some good exercise backpacking and biking in Vermont. Still not a *real* training week though. 

The problem is, I came down with an awful cold right after the backpacking trip. Got home yesterday and I've got a lot of chest congestion/coughing going on. I desperately need to train since I haven't done much the last two weeks, but is this bad with chest congestion? I don't want it to turn into a chest infection.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

I wouldn't worry too much. If it was really just a cold, and the congestion is in the aftermath phase, moderate exercise can actually help that clear up faster, IME. Just be sure to hydrate adequately, and pay attention to how you feel -- back off if your breathing really seems to be getting worse. The weather is warm, and that helps. Sounds like you're on track, assuming your century is at least a week or two off.


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## tensorgirl (Jun 1, 2011)

Yep - I've still got 3 weekends before the race, so I think it will be okay. Based on how I felt doing 50 miles before this trip I'm pretty sure I can finish the race, so it will be more a matter of how comfortable I am finishing...


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