TAPER · 2 WEEKS OUT

RIDE LONDON 100 — 2 WEEKS OUT

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue. 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

SHED FATIGUE.

Two weeks out you're in taper territory. Fitness plateaus or nudges up — you don't lose meaningful fitness in two weeks, but fatigue disappears fast. Short sharp efforts to keep legs awake. Everything else is volume reduction.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE-PACE OPENERS

60min ride with 3x3min at race pace + 3x1min at VO2. Not training — priming. The efforts remind your legs what fast feels like. Nothing more.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 2 WEEKS OUT

Monday

REST

Rest is the session.

Tuesday

OPENERS (60MIN)

Short sharp race-pace primers.

Wednesday

45MIN Z1

Coffee spin.

Thursday

60MIN Z2 WITH 2X5MIN AT THRESHOLD

Final sharpening effort.

Friday

REST

Full rest.

Saturday

90MIN Z2 WITH OPENERS

Short, easy, prep the pre-event day.

Sunday

60MIN Z1 OR REST

Total reset.

DON'T DO THIS

The taper-anxiety mistake: riding harder in taper because your legs feel fresh. Fresh legs aren't a problem — they're the whole point. Hold the line.

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?

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 2 WEEKS OUT

Is 2 weeks enough to train for the Ride London 100?+

2 weeks out your training can't meaningfully change your fitness — you're in taper. Focus on recovery, hydration, familiarisation with your kit + fuelling, and event-day logistics. Don't try to add fitness this close to the event.

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 2 weeks out from the Ride London 100?+

Drop to 6-8 hours with minimal intensity. The taper protects the fitness you've built rather than growing more. Short, sharp openers to keep legs awake. Nothing aerobically challenging.

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

Earlier phase ← 4 weeks out

PEAK PHASE

Later phase → 1 weeks out

RACE WEEK

Read the full Ride Londonguide →