WHO THIS IS FOR
IS THIS YOU?
The cyclist preparing for their first 100-mile ride
You can ride 40-60 miles comfortably and want a structured approach to build towards 100 miles with confidence.
The rider who has attempted a century and struggled
You tried a century before and bonked, cramped, or simply ran out of energy, and you want to understand what went wrong and how to fix it.
THE ROADMAN VIEW
The Roadman view
The first century is a rite of passage in cycling, and Anthony has discussed preparation for long events extensively on the podcast. The single biggest mistake riders make is underestimating the fuelling challenge and overestimating the fitness challenge. If you can ride 60-70 miles comfortably, you have enough fitness for a century — what you may not have is a nutrition strategy that sustains you for 5-7 hours on the bike. The bonk does not care about your FTP. It cares about glycogen, and glycogen runs out after roughly 90 minutes of moderate riding if you do not replace it.
The training approach is straightforward: build your longest ride by 10-15 km per week until you reach 120-130 km approximately two weeks before the event, then taper. You do not need to ride the full 100 miles in training — the event-day adrenaline, the support, and the group dynamics carry you through the final 20 miles. What you do need is time in the saddle at the intensity you plan to ride. That means most of your training should be at Zone 2, the pace you can sustain while talking. If you are gasping after 30 minutes, you are going too hard for century preparation. The long rides build metabolic efficiency, saddle comfort, and the mental resilience to keep pedalling when you would rather stop.
On event day, pacing is everything. The riders who blow up at mile 70 are almost always the ones who went out too fast at mile 10, seduced by fresh legs and group energy. Start at 65-70% of FTP, eat from the first 20 minutes (a gel every 20-30 minutes or a bottle of energy drink per hour), drink to thirst, and treat the first 50 miles as a setup for the second 50. The riders who have the best century experiences are the ones who feel slightly bored in the first half because they are riding so comfortably. That boredom is the investment that pays off when the road tilts up at mile 80.
EXPERT EVIDENCE
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
- Joe FrielAuthor of The Cyclist's Training Bible; co-founder of TrainingPeaks
The biggest limiter for first-time century riders is not fitness — it is pacing and nutrition. Most riders can physically complete the distance if they ride at the right intensity and fuel properly. The preparation should focus on building endurance at a sustainable pace and practising the nutrition strategy that will carry you through race day.
Hear it: Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling - Roadman CyclingRoadman Cycling event preparation coverage
We have spoken to hundreds of riders about their first century, and the pattern is clear: those who fuel early and pace conservatively finish strong, and those who start fast and eat late finish in pieces. A century is not a race — it is a fuel management exercise. Treat it as such and the finish line takes care of itself.
Hear it: How to Survive Your First Century Ride | Roadman Cycling Podcast
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
DO THIS WEEK
Build your long ride progressively over 10-14 weeks
Start from your current longest comfortable ride and add 10-15 km per week to the weekend long ride. If you can ride 60 km now, your progression might be: 60, 70, 80, 95, 105, 120, 130, deload to 80, then event day. Do not increase total weekly volume by more than 10% per week. The longest ride should reach 120-130 km two weeks before the event.
Practise your fuelling strategy on every long ride
Start eating in the first 20 minutes — a gel, an energy bar, or a banana — and continue at 60-90g of carbohydrate per hour throughout the ride. Test different products to find what your stomach tolerates. Aim for 500-750 ml of fluid per hour. Practise this on every training ride over 90 minutes so it becomes automatic on event day.
Pace the first half like you have a ride to finish
Ride the first 50 miles at 65-70% of FTP — a pace where you can talk in full sentences. Resist the urge to go with faster groups early on. After the halfway point, assess how you feel. If you are comfortable, maintain pace. If you feel strong, gently increase by 5%. The goal is to arrive at mile 80 feeling like you could ride another 30, not like you are surviving the last 20.
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG
MISTAKEGoing out too fast in the first 20 miles, carried away by group pace and adrenaline.
FIXSet a heart rate or power ceiling for the first hour and stick to it regardless of what others are doing. The riders who pass you at mile 10 will be walking at mile 80. Discipline in the first half is the single most important skill for century completion.
MISTAKEWaiting until you feel hungry to start eating.
FIXBy the time you feel hungry on a long ride, glycogen depletion is already underway. Start eating within the first 20 minutes and set a timer for every 20-30 minutes as a reminder. Fuelling is proactive, not reactive — the bonk is preventable but not reversible mid-ride.
MISTAKETrying a new saddle, shoes, or nutrition product on event day.
FIXEverything you use on event day should have been tested on at least two training rides. New equipment causes chafing, blisters, and stomach problems that make the final 30 miles miserable. The event is not the time for experiments.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How fit do I need to be to ride a century?
What should I eat during a 100-mile ride?
How long does a century take?
Do I need to ride 100 miles in training before the event?
What gear ratio do I need for a century?
Should I take rest stops during a century?
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