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Training for the Tour de Wyoming

or your first Century Ride

Proper training before a multi-day tour or a Century ride can make your day or days much more enjoyable. If you're riding in Wyoming, train for wind and hilly terrain.

The best way to prepare is to train in the wind and on hills. Train at elevation if your riding event will be at elevation - as most Wyoming rides are.

The basic approach to training is to have at least one long ride a week and to continually increase the distance of the ride.

Interval training as well has hill training on other days can help improve your speed.

To meet your Tour de Wyoming or Century goal, follow either of the training schedules below.

The first is geared towards beginners who wish to complete 100 miles in one day for the first time.
The second is more strenuous and is geared toward veteran riders wishing to improve their Century ride time.
Monday rides are done at an easy riding pace; Thursday rides are done at a brisk pace or with intervals; the remaining rides are done at your long-distance riding pace. Increase distance and intensity to improve your Century ride time.

TRAINING TIPS

• Do some weight training for upper body strength. You'll need arm and shoulder strength to fend off fatigue.

• Play games to make the cycling more interesting. Try pedaling with only one foot and then the other. This helps teach smooth cycling technique.

• The up-stroke on the pedal is important. Wear toe clips or clipless pedals to optimize each rotation of the crank.

• When training, tackle wind and hills. You'll likely encounter both on your Century ride, so be prepared.

• Take the Century ride in segments. Don't think of it as a 100-mile ride. Just do the distance from one rest stop to the next. Before you know it, you've done 100 miles.

• Take a break if you get tired. Even a short break of five minutes will revitalize you.

• Use a mirror to see behind. Not all cyclists like using mirrors attached to the helmet or bike handlebars but they are helpful for looking for traffic and other cyclists.

• Be sure your bike is the correct size. This includes the correct leg extension and posture. Keep your back straight and at a 45-degree angle. It's easy to ride a bike for an hour but you need one that fits to ride 100 miles.

• Use a bicycle computer. Develop a better understanding of what you can do and keep track of your improvement and enter your training accomplishments in a log.

• There's no alternative to training. You must have experience the wind, heat, cold, rain, steep grades and thirst. You need to get to a "bonk," which is that condition where you run out of energy and feel you can't go on - but do. Then you're ready to manage the challenge of a long ride.