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UNITED KINGDOM · SPORTIVE

RIDE LONDON 100
TRAINING PLAN.

Ride London-Essex 100 is the UK's largest mass-participation sportive — 160km (100 miles) from east London out through the Essex countryside and back on closed roads. Since 2022 the route has run through Essex rather than the Surrey Hills, making it flatter, faster, and pack-dominated. First-time 100-mile riders dominate the field.

160 km·900 m climbing·5-9 hours·May

PICK YOUR WINDOW

HOW LONG TILL YOUR RIDE LONDON?

Count back from your event date. Pick the weeks-out plan that matches your window. Each one is a week-by-week framework built around the demands of this specific course.

16 WEEKS OUT

BASE PHASE

Aerobic foundation. High volume, low intensity. Don't skip this.

12 WEEKS OUT

LATE BASE

Bridge phase. Volume still rules, but structure begins.

8 WEEKS OUT

BUILD PHASE

Structured intensity enters. Threshold + VO2 max work.

4 WEEKS OUT

PEAK PHASE

Event-specific sharpening. Volume drops, quality rises.

2 WEEKS OUT

TAPER

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue.

1 WEEK OUT

RACE WEEK

Don't do anything clever. Eat, sleep, show up.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE RIDE LONDON ACTUALLY DEMANDS

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • ✓Closed roads from central London out through Essex and back
  • ✓Rolling Essex countryside — few sustained climbs, lots of short rises
  • ✓Pack riding dominates — drafting saves 20-30% of your work
  • ✓Central London finish on The Mall with huge crowds
  • ✓Early start (often 06:30) — means late nights the week before ruin you

COMMON MISTAKES

  • ✗Surfing from group to group in the first 40km and burning matches
  • ✗Underhydrating because it 'doesn't feel hot' on closed roads
  • ✗Treating it like a climbing sportive — it's a pack-speed event, pick the right wheels

PACING

Sit in a pack at your sportive pace. Don't chase a faster pack if you can't comfortably hold a wheel for 10 minutes. The Essex route is rolling rather than climber's terrain — your target power should be close to tempo for long stretches, with brief spikes over the short rises. Save matches for the last 30km back into London, where gaps open up.

FUELLING

Gels every 30-45 min + bar every 90. Closed-road feed zones are plentiful but often packed — carry enough that you can skip one. Caffeine gel at 100km keeps the focus through the urban section.

KIT

Aero road bike with 52/36 + 11-30 cassette is plenty. No need for climbing gear. Bidon cage warming bottles (it often rains). Thin gloves — finish is in London, traffic after the line.

FAQ

RIDE LONDON TRAINING, ANSWERED.

How long should I train for the Ride London 100?

For the Ride London 100 (160km with 900m of climbing), most riders benefit from at least 12-16 weeks of structured preparation. If you've been riding consistently, 8 weeks of focused work can still be enough to shift your result. Pick the weeks-out plan that matches your window.

What's the typical finish time for the Ride London 100?

Most amateur finishers complete the Ride London 100 in 5-9 hours. The spread is driven by climbing fitness more than flat speed — the course has 900m of vertical, and pacing the climbs is what separates a strong finish from a suffering one.

When does the Ride London 100 take place?

The Ride London 100 typically runs in May. That sets the training window: count back from your event date and pick the weeks-out plan that matches.

What's the biggest mistake riders make at the Ride London 100?

Surfing from group to group in the first 40km and burning matches

How should I pace the Ride London 100?

Sit in a pack at your sportive pace. Don't chase a faster pack if you can't comfortably hold a wheel for 10 minutes. The Essex route is rolling rather than climber's terrain — your target power should be close to tempo for long stretches, with brief spikes over the short rises. Save matches for the last 30km back into London, where gaps open up.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

READY FOR A PLAN MADE FOR YOU?

The framework above gets you in the right territory. Roadman coaching builds it around your FTP, your life, and your weeks remaining.

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