Crazy about numbers? Yes, it matters! We all want to see progress in our lives; therefore, it’s not new to cycling. Setting goals and measuring your performance can enhance your ride quality, stamina, endurance, and confidence. These goals help us not in cycling but also life in general. Cycling can make you goal-oriented if you follow the ritual on a rigorous basis.
You might be a beginner starting with your first 10KM ride but seeing others on Strava will attract you to achieve the score of 100 Km as faster possible. This excitement and peer pressure may put a lot of stress on your physical and mental body. But it is achievable in a short period. Let’s analyze what does it take to be a centurion.
Don’t Compete with Pro & Understand your body
First and foremost, don’t compete with pros or regular riders. Your body needs proper training and time to evolve to reach new heights. It does not mean everyone has to follow a similar training program. If you are a fitness enthusiast and have been following some other format of exercises, you will find it easy than others. You could take your sweet time and achieve this milestone gradually.
Progress is the Key
Due to desperation, you might want to go further faster but the toll it might take on your body will demand more rest and recovery time. Gradual improvement is always better. If you are riding 10km a day, you could go to 20-30 but don’t try to go directly to 50 Km. It does not mean you can’t do 50 Km but you will need more time to recover.
From 10 Km to 50 Km, it might take 1-2 weeks or more, depends on your level of endurance. and similarly, from 50 km to 100 km, you might want some more time.
Push your limits
When we say gradual improvements, we don’t want you to stuck in a fixed place. You have to push your limits daily. Gradual improvement and pushing your limits are a complement to each other, you can’t achieve one without the other. The limit can be pushed in terms of the distance or speed of the ride. But for your initial endurance ride of 100 Km or more, you should avoid speed for the sake of completing the task.
Stop to Non-stop
In my experience, if you try to go from 10 km to 20 and finally to 50 km, you should avoid reducing the number of breaks in between in a systematic manner. When I say systematic manner is that every week, you can reduce the number of stoppage in a longer ride. This helps us to build that necessary endurance and mental capacity that we could finish without feeling tired. Pls remember water/hydration is necessary therefore whenever required, short breaks may not be bad for you.
Train body & mind
When we try to outdo things that we initially feel are difficult and insurmountable, we should get more training. Each task would need mental and physical strength. To be precise, the mind is the leading factor in this game. The mental training comes in form of the confidence generated through practice. One can have an indoor trainer to go further without being scared to go these milestones.
Have an experienced cycling buddy and ask for advice.
If you are jumping from 50 km to 100 km in few weeks, it is advisable to be with an experienced rider or group of riders for the support you might need on the way. The midway puncture, food, water supplies, or even mental support matter a lot when you feel exhausted.
Last but not the least, prepare for it.
Yes, training is different than preparation, Training might help you to have the necessary endurance and mental power but preparation gives you the edge over unseen difficulties. For example- Good sleep before the ride way will make you feel better on the saddle. The meals are taken on the night before and even pas few days will give your extra boost. And, knowing the route, pit-stops, and weather conditions will get you to carry or offload unnecessary loads from your back. This might not sound enough for you but preparation becomes a more vital part of it when you go beyond 100 km. but So know everything in detail before you go for it.
Now you have got a bike, routine, training, and tools with you to ride that extra mile, you start implementing it into your daily cycling life. It will surely have more impact on your personal life as well.
Happy Riding!
