{"id":30,"date":"2007-08-04T02:41:47","date_gmt":"2007-08-04T06:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cycling4fun.com\/beta\/cycling-reference-chart\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T19:37:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T19:37:30","slug":"cycling-reference-chart","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/?page_id=30","title":{"rendered":"Cycling Training Principles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pf-content\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<p>How much riding preparation is required to have a pleasurable time on a <strong>Century ride<\/strong> or the <strong>Amgen California Coast Classic<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>Preparing for a 100km (62-mile) ride from zero requires\u00a0<mark class=\"HxTRcb\" data-processed=\"true\">8\u201312 weeks of consistent training<\/mark>, focusing on gradually increasing weekly distance, building endurance with 3-4 rides per week, and prioritizing comfort in the saddle. Key elements include long weekend rides, incorporating hills, proper nutrition, and using essential gear.<span class=\"uJ19be notranslate\" data-wiz-uids=\"tfdl2_c,tfdl2_d\" data-processed=\"true\"><span class=\"vKEkVd\" data-animation-atomic=\"\" data-wiz-attrbind=\"class=tfdl2_b\/TKHnVd\" data-processed=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"Y3BBE\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-hveid=\"CAMQAA\" data-processed=\"true\"><strong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-processed=\"true\">Training Principles<\/strong><button class=\"rBl3me\" tabindex=\"0\" data-amic=\"true\" data-icl-uuid=\"bbcb2fce-daf0-4ede-b4ad-c808e9cf5ba0\" aria-label=\"View related links\" data-wiz-attrbind=\"disabled=tfdl2_y\/C5gNJc;aria-label=tfdl2_y\/bOjMyf;class=tfdl2_y\/UpSNec\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjrz7-Cg7KSAxW5OTQIHb1bAR0Qye0OegQIAxAB\" data-processed=\"true\"><\/button><\/div>\n<ul class=\"KsbFXc U6u95\" data-processed=\"true\">\n<li data-hveid=\"CAQQAA\" data-processed=\"true\"><span class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-processed=\"true\"><strong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-processed=\"true\">Progressive Overload:<\/strong>\u00a0Increase your longest ride by 10-15% each week to build stamina without injury.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-hveid=\"CAQQAQ\" data-processed=\"true\"><span class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-processed=\"true\"><strong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-processed=\"true\">Consistency:<\/strong>\u00a0Aim for 3-4 sessions per week (e.g., 2 short, 1-2 long).<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-hveid=\"CAQQAg\" data-processed=\"true\"><span class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-processed=\"true\"><strong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-processed=\"true\">Build Volume:<\/strong> Start with 30-60 minute rides and work up to a 70-80km (45 miles) training ride before the event.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-hveid=\"CAQQAw\" data-processed=\"true\"><span class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-processed=\"true\"><strong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-processed=\"true\">Intensity:<\/strong> Most training should be at a conversational, &#8220;Zone 2&#8221; pace, with occasional faster, and more intense shorter rides.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What is the 75 rule in cycling training (AKA 60%, 80% etc)? The 75% rule suggests that <b>at least 75% of your weekly training volume (time or distance) should be done at a low intensity \u2014 typically in Zones 1\u20132 (easy aerobic effort &#8211; can maintain conversation without effort)<\/b>. This helps build endurance, improves fat-burning efficiency, and prevents over training.<\/p>\n<p>You will find that cross training in Yoga, weights, swimming etc will help enjoy the training process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sample schedule:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Weeks 1, 2, 3 &#8212; Get Comfortable<\/p>\n<p><em>Number of rides: 6<\/em><br \/><em>Longest ride: 28 miles<\/em><br \/><em>Total mileage: ~100<\/em><br \/><em>Total time in the saddle: ~7 hours of genital miles<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Weeks 4, 5, 6 &#8212; Build a Base<\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Number of rides: 9<\/em><br><em>Longest ride: 47 miles<\/em><br><em>Total mileage: ~ 205 miles<\/em><br><em>Total time in the saddle: ~15+ hours<\/em>  &#8212; Increasing distance<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Weeks 7, 8, 9  &#8212; Increasing Intensity using Intervals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three excellent interval workouts are (invest about the same time as above):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3\u00d73\u2019s<\/strong><br>Ride at 75-85% of your max perceived physical limit for three minutes. Recover at an easy pace for three minutes. Do up to three sets. (Intensity level: Strenuous activity \u2013 heavy sweating, short of breath, difficult to speak).<br><br><strong>Hill Repeats<\/strong><br>This workout should be performed on a road with a long steady climb. Ride at 75-85% of your max perceived physical limit up a hill that takes at least 3-5 minutes to summit, descend and repeat up to three times. (Intensity level: Strenuous activity \u2013 heavy sweating, short of breath, difficult to speak)<br><br><strong>Endurance Intervals<\/strong><br>Go for one or two 15-minute intervals riding at 60-70% your max perceived effort broken by seven minutes of easy spinning recovery. (Intensity level: Moderately hard activity \u2013 moderate sweating, labored breathing, but able to speak.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Weeks 10, 11, 12<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Number of rides: 9 (does not include event day)<\/em><br><em>Longest ride: 83 miles<\/em><br><em>Total mileage: ~ 250 miles<\/em><br><em>Total time in the saddle: ~16 hours<\/em> &#8212; a mix of easy riding and intervals but not to ex-stream<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How much riding preparation is required to have a pleasurable time on a Century ride or the Amgen California Coast Classic? Preparing for a 100km (62-mile) ride from zero requires\u00a08\u201312 weeks of consistent training, focusing on gradually increasing weekly distance,&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3159,"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30\/revisions\/3159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/Cycling4Fun.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}