Training Advice and My Training Plan to Get Ready For Fast America South

Training advice/requirements from Americabybicycle.com:

“Experienced cyclists should begin their program 6-8 months prior to the start of the event. Ultimately beginning around 100-150 miles per week and setting reasonable cycling goals (century mark, back to back distance days, etc.). You should be increasing your monthly totals by 10% and remember the training "watch words" are consistency and endurance, get out and ride 4-6 days a week and make sure at least 2 days a week you are riding longer distance mileage. The last two months before the ride your weekly total mileage should be up to 300+ per week and you should be able to complete back to back centuries comfortably averaging at least 16.5+ miles per hour. Your training schedule should total 3,000-4,000 miles before you arrive at the ride start. All participants must be able to complete a century in 6 hours riding time.”

I will ride between 80-100 miles each week Monday – Thursday, plus whatever I can do on weekends through December (or until fat biking starts). I will count fat bike miles as 1.5 times the bike computer reads. Miles on the Keiser will count toward the weekly total, despite it recording somewhere between kilometers and miles, for simplicity sake. Initially just putting on the miles will contribute towards losing weight and gaining strength and endurance – improving my strength to weight ratio. Consistency and patience will achieve the results.

Riding some gravel grinders will be thrown in to try to build in a bit of variety. I will need to pick up the pace through some greater intensity rides from time to time as well, and especially on the trainer during the winter months. Some high resistance riding on the Keiser will be needed after January to increase strength for the many hills to be encountered on the tour. From mid-February – mid-April, I will follow their advice to increase the weekly mileage to 300+ . (Sounds like a lot of movies to watch while on my Keiser trainer.)

Simultaneously, I will be doing my daily yoga in the night and the push ups, sit ups and Complete gym routine to increase my overall flexibility, strength and fitness.

Specific Major Rides and Interim Goals Known Now (with the rides bolded)

June 6 – Tour de Pepin, 100 miles

June 27 – 28 – Crow Wing State Part to Bemidji via Paul Bunyon Trail on Saturday and return on Sunday. 123 each direction. Stay at Super 8 overnight. Goal: be able to ride two centuries back to back.

July 4 – Great Scott 50 Miler. Goal: Just enjoy local roads with my weekend riding friends.

Be able run a 5k by August 8 to lose weight and improve aerobic capacity.

August 8 – One Day Ride Across Michigan, 147 miles Goal: ride an ultra-long day ride.

September 2 - 6 – DALMAC, Lansing to Mackinac City 5 East. 295 Total miles. 58 to Ithaca HS, 67 to Harrison HS, 67 to Grayling HS, 76 to Cheboygan HS, 27 miles to St. Ignace/Lasalle MS. Will add miles to do the first four days as centuries. Goal: Demonstrate ability to ride four centuries back to back to back to back.

October – December – P90X training. Change the training somewhat to relieve monotony and increase strength and overall fitness.

December – March – Fat bike, XC ski, Keiser Trainer Exercise Bike

Saturday April 16th to Friday May 13, 2016 – Fast America South. Costa Mesa, California (between LA and San Diego) to Savannah, Georgia riding 2904 miles in 27 days.