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Century Ready: 100km Cycling Plan

A 10-week structured plan to build from comfortable 25km rides to completing your first 100km century ride.

Intermediate

Overview

So you've been riding regularly and 25–30km feels comfortable. Now it's time to step up. This 10-week plan will prepare you to ride 100km in a single outing — a landmark achievement in any cyclist's journey.

The plan focuses on progressive distance, pacing strategy, and fuelling on the bike. You'll ride 3–4 times per week, mixing shorter efforts with a longer weekend ride that grows each week.

Golden Rule: The long ride should always feel controlled. If you're gasping at the end, you went too hard — slow down and save your legs for the final quarter.

What You'll Need

  • A well-maintained road or hybrid bike (a bike fit is well worth the investment at this stage)
  • Cycling shorts with a quality chamois pad
  • Two water bottles or a bottle plus hydration pack
  • Energy gels, bars, or flapjacks for on-the-bike fuelling
  • A saddle bag with spare tube, levers, multi-tool, and a mini pump
  • A cycling computer or phone mount to track distance and pace

Nutrition on the Bike

Getting your fuelling right is the difference between finishing strong and bonking (running out of energy completely — your legs feel like concrete and your brain goes foggy) at 70km.

Ride Duration Hydration Food
Under 1 hour 500ml water or electrolyte drink Nothing needed
1–2 hours 500–750ml per hour 1 gel or half a banana every 45 min
2–4 hours 500–750ml per hour, alternate water and electrolyte 1 gel or bar every 30–40 min (aim for 40–60g carbs per hour)
4+ hours As above, refill at a café stop if needed As above, plus real food — a sandwich or rice cakes at your mid-ride stop

Top Tip: Eat and drink before you feel hungry or thirsty. By the time you notice, you're already behind.

Pacing Strategy

Zone Effort Description When to Use
Zone 1 Very easy Barely feels like exercise Warm-up, cool-down, recovery rides
Zone 2 Easy-moderate Comfortable, could chat all day Long rides — this is your century pace
Zone 3 Moderate Breathing harder, short sentences only Tempo mid-week rides
Zone 4 Hard Can only manage a few words Hill efforts and intervals

The 10-Week Plan

Weeks 1–3: Building the Base

Establish a consistent weekly rhythm. The long ride grows gently each weekend.

Week Mon Tue/Wed Thu/Fri Weekend Long Ride
1 Rest Easy spin 20km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 25km (Zone 3) Long ride 35km (Zone 2)
2 Rest Easy spin 20km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 25km (Zone 3) Long ride 40km (Zone 2)
3 Rest Easy spin 22km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 28km with 3 hill efforts (Zone 3–4) Long ride 45km (Zone 2)

Weeks 4–6: Building Endurance

Your long rides are now serious outings. Practise eating and drinking on the bike.

Week Mon Tue/Wed Thu/Fri Weekend Long Ride
4 Rest Easy spin 22km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 30km (Zone 3) Long ride 55km (Zone 2). Practise fuelling strategy
5 Rest Easy spin 25km (Zone 2) Hill repeats: 5 × 3 min climbs with easy descents (Zone 4) Long ride 60km (Zone 2)
6 Rest Easy spin 25km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 30km (Zone 3) Long ride 70km (Zone 2) with a café stop

Weeks 7–9: Century Preparation

These are the key weeks. You'll get close to 100km in training so the real thing feels achievable.

Week Mon Tue/Wed Thu/Fri Weekend Long Ride
7 Rest Easy spin 25km (Zone 2) Hill repeats: 6 × 3 min climbs (Zone 4) Long ride 75km (Zone 2)
8 Rest Easy spin 25km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 30km (Zone 3) Long ride 85km (Zone 2). Full dress rehearsal — same kit, same food
9 Rest Easy spin 20km (Zone 2) Tempo ride 25km (Zone 3) Long ride 70km (Zone 2). Slight taper — don't overdo it

Week 10: Century Week

Trust your training. You've done the work — now enjoy the ride.

Week Mon Tue/Wed Thu/Fri Weekend
10 Rest Easy spin 15km (Zone 1–2) Rest — light stretching and bike check Century day! 100km at Zone 2 pace. Fuel early. Smile often

Hill Training Tips

  • Stay seated on moderate climbs — it's more efficient than standing
  • Shift early — drop into an easier gear before the gradient bites
  • Keep your upper body relaxed — tension in your shoulders wastes energy
  • Use descents to recover — soft-pedal, take a drink, and regroup
  • Pick a rhythm on long climbs: find a cadence you can sustain and stick with it

Tips for Success

  • Build up the long ride gradually — never increase by more than 10–15% per week
  • Rest days matter — your body adapts and gets stronger during recovery, not during the ride
  • Ride with others when you can — group rides make the long distances fly by
  • Check your bike weekly — a 100km ride is not the time to discover a dodgy brake pad
  • Enjoy the journey — the century is a milestone, not the finish line

What's Next?

You've ridden 100km — that's a massive achievement. Where to from here?