How to Prepare for Your First Century Ride

Riding 100 miles in a single day—also known as a century ride—is a major milestone for many cyclists. It’s a challenging yet achievable goal that requires proper preparation, from training and nutrition to having the right gear. If you're planning to take on your first century ride this season, here's how to set yourself up to be ready for the big day.

Build Your Endurance Gradually

Century rides are all about endurance. To prepare, you’ll need to build up your stamina with long rides that gradually increase in distance. Start with shorter distances and add mileage each week until you’re comfortable riding 75-80 miles. By the time your hundy comes, you’ll be ready to push through the final 20 miles.

Tip: Include one long ride per week in your training plan, slowly increasing the distance over 8-12 weeks.

Focus on Nutrition and Hydration

Fueling your body properly is essential for long-distance rides. Make sure you’re eating enough carbohydrates and drinking plenty of water or electrolyte drinks to stay energized throughout the ride.

Tip: During your century, aim to consume 30-60 grams of carbs per hour through energy bars, gels, or snacks. This is another thing to prep your gut for, that can be a lot of carbs, so test this on your training rides to find the balance between bonking and sour stomach. 

Don’t forget to drink regularly!

Choose the Right Gear

Comfort is key. Make sure your bike is tuned up and fitted properly to avoid discomfort on long rides. Invest in quality cycling shorts, gloves, and a breathable jersey to stay comfortable for hours in the saddle.

Our recommendation: Quality chamois are worth the extra money when embarking on this amount of time in the saddle.

Selecting a route

We like to picture this ride as a triumphant battle through the Rocky Mountains, however if this is your first effort, find a route that is a combination of rides you're familiar with and can link together. The familiarity with the scenery help your mind know what you've accomplished and what you have yet to tackle. 

Tip: Use apps to help you build your optimal route like Strava or Ride with GPS. And take in to consideration minimizing elevation gain throughout or at least towards the last half of the ride—hint it might dictate if you ride a loop counter clockwise or not.

Pace Yourself on the Day

The excitement of your first century can make it tempting to start out fast, but it’s important to pace yourself. Stick to a comfortable, steady pace in the first half of the ride, and conserve some matches for the home stretch. If you're feeling good at mile 10, don't open it up. Check in with your body throughout the ride and mentally break the ride up into smaller achievable markers while riding.

Tip: Use a heart rate monitor or cycling computer to help maintain a consistent pace.

Completing your first century ride is an incredible achievement. With proper training, nutrition, and the right gear, you’ll be ready to conquer 100 miles with confidence. Always pushin'!