BASE PHASE · 16 WEEKS OUT

RIDE LONDON 100 — 16 WEEKS OUT

Aerobic foundation. High volume, low intensity. Don't skip this. Built around the 160km / 1,200m profile of the Ride London in United Kingdom.

160 km·1,200 m climbing·5-9 hours·May

THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW

BUILD THE ENGINE.

Sixteen weeks out, your job is volume. Forget intervals. Forget Strava. Build the aerobic engine that every later phase sits on top of. 80% of your time should be in Zone 2 — conversational pace, nose-breathing territory. If your base phase feels easy, you're doing it right.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

THE LONG Z2 RIDE

One 3-4 hour steady Zone 2 ride per week. Flat to rolling route. Cadence 85-95rpm. Heart rate below first ventilatory threshold the whole way. This is where your mitochondrial density grows.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 16 WEEKS OUT

Monday

REST OR 45MIN Z1

Recovery day — coffee spin only if you want to.

Tuesday

90MIN Z2 ENDURANCE

Steady, controlled, aerobic.

Wednesday

1H STRENGTH + 30MIN EASY SPIN

Squats, deadlifts, core. Builds what the bike can't.

Thursday

90MIN Z2 WITH 3X5MIN TEMPO

Intro to structured effort — don't race it.

Friday

REST

Genuine rest. The adaptations happen now.

Saturday

3-4H LONG Z2 RIDE

Anchor session. Fueled from minute 30.

Sunday

90MIN GROUP RIDE OR SOLO Z2

Social pace. No heroes allowed.

DON'T DO THIS

The #1 base-phase mistake: riding too hard on easy days. If you arrive at Saturday already tired, you'll never build the aerobic depth you need. Discipline the volume, discipline the intensity.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE RIDE LONDON ACTUALLY DEMANDS

Ride London 100 is the UK's largest mass-participation sportive — 160km (100 miles) from Surrey into central London on closed roads. Rolling with two named climbs (Leith Hill, Box Hill). First-time 100-mile riders dominate the field.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

✓Closed roads on the outbound and return legs
✓Leith Hill — the psychological midpoint; Box Hill — the fun one
✓Pack riding dominates — drafting saves 20-30% of your work
✓Central London finish 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
✕Descending Leith Hill too cautiously and losing the pack behind you

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. Leith Hill is at 77km — keep your power 10% below threshold. Box Hill is a 3-minute effort, go for a Strava time if you have legs, otherwise spin.

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.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

COACHED FOR YOUR EVENT.

Not Done Yet is the coached five-pillar system built around your actual event date. Personalised TrainingPeaks plan, weekly calls, expert masterclasses. 7-day free trial.

Apply for Not Done Yet How Coaching Works

$195/month · 7-day free trial · Cancel anytime

FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 16 WEEKS OUT

Is 16 weeks enough to train for the Ride London 100?+

Yes, 16 weeks is a strong window. That's enough time for a full base phase, build, peak, and taper — the classical periodisation structure. 1,200m of climbing over 160km is built with sustained Z2 volume (base) + threshold work (build) in that order.

What's the hardest part of the Ride London 100?+

Closed roads on the outbound and return legs. surfing from group to group in the first 40km and burning matches — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Sit in a pack at your sportive pace.

How many hours a week should I train at 16 weeks out from the Ride London 100?+

Aim for 8-12 hours/week if you're targeting a strong finish. The long weekend ride is the anchor (3-4 hours at late base intensities) plus 3-4 structured weekday sessions. Volume matters more than intensity at this phase.

Do I need a coach to train for the Ride London 100?+

You don't need a coach to finish. You do need structure. If you're new to sportives, have a target finish time, have a plateau you can't break, or have a history of peaking wrong, a coached plan pays for itself. Inside Not Done Yet the plan is built backwards from your event date — base, build, peak, taper timed to the week the Ride London 100 runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Ride London 100?+

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.

OTHER PHASES FOR THE RIDE LONDON

Later phase → 12 weeks out

LATE BASE

Read the full Ride Londonguide →