G-Tour 23 Training Guide
75 Miles
TOP TIP: Rides of this distance are best attempted on a road bike. A hybrid will work but if you only have a mountain bike swap your knobbly tyres for road tyres as a bare minimum! Trust us, this may be the difference between finishing and not!
If you’re signing up for the 75 mile ride as an inexperienced or new cyclist well done you. This will be some challenge and follow the training plan below as closely as possible. If you’re already an experienced cyclist, perhaps riding with friends or in a club you may only pick various sections of the program to fit in with your existing cycling habits!
This is a 16 week program, suitable for those that are riding regularly but less experienced, but not really for those brand new to cycling. We’d suggest following it closely to give you the best chance of finishing within the allotted times if you’re not used to this distance already.
Weeks 1-4
Base miles in this initial period. Looking for riding 2-3 per week and totaling about 35-40 miles minimum across the two rides. Learn how to pace yourself in this period so you finish the ride at the same speed as you started. Try to maintain this through the program expect where we suggest some harder efforts. In week 4 make a longer ride 35-40 miles.
Weeks 5-8
In these weeks make one of the two rides significantly longer than the other. The rides should perhaps be a 35 miler and a 15 miler. 50 miles between the two is sensible. Make sure your effort level goes up for these last two miles. The fitness gains will be significant of stressing an already fatigued system like this.
Weeks 9-12
Push the longer ride to 40 miles keeping the other the same, so 55-60 miles total. Week 11-12 keep the long ride the same but try a third small tempo ride. In these weeks get your total distance up to about 70 miles. If you can’t add a third ride don’t worry, but you need to make the other two rides longer to hit the overall distance.
If you’re really struggling at this point you can keep pushing yourself or consider the 50 mile option as the next stage of training.
TOP TIP: As the distance increase on the individual rides make sure you are eating and drinking while riding. Your body will be burning about 500 calories an hour, you need to replace these as you ride on longer rides to be able to finish.
Weeks 13-16
You’ve got some good base training in you by now, so this is the last big jump in distances. In week 11-12 if you kept the shorter ride at 20 miles with an added shorter tempo ride, the longer ride now can be pushed to 50 miles, and if you can do this and maintain the 20 miles on the shorter ride you’re well set for the day!
Keep week 16, the last week before the main day easy. We’d suggest one ride mid-week of no longer than 20 miles and a short 30-45 minutes 48 hours before the main event, make sure it’s a very gentle ride just to keep you loose.
50 Miles
TOP TIP: Rides of this distance are best attempted on a road bike. A hybrid will work but if you only have a mountain bike swap your knobbly tyres for road tyres as a bare minimum! Trust us, this may be the difference between finishing and not!
If you’re signing up for the 50 mile ride as an inexperienced or new cyclist well done you. This will be some challenge and follow the training plan below as closely as possible. If you’re already an experienced cyclist, perhaps riding with friends or in a club you may only pick various sections of the program to fit in with your existing cycling habits!
This is a four month program, suitable for those less experienced. We’d suggest following it fairly closely to give you the best chance of finishing within the allotted times.
Weeks 1-4
In the first couple of weeks it’s just about being comfortable riding your bike, making sure it’s in good order and getting you used to cycling it for perhaps slightly longer than you’re used to. We’d suggest at this time you should be riding twice per week, and totalling about 30 miles across the two rides. If you spot anything wrong with your bike, saddle sores, brakes not quite right etc get them sorted straight away.
Weeks 5-8
In these weeks make one of the two rides significantly longer than the other. The rides should perhaps be a 25 miler and a 10-15 miler. 40 miles between the two is sensible. In week 8 push the longer ride to 30 miles keeping the other the same. If you’re really struggling at this point you can keep pushing yourself or consider the 25 mile option as the next stage of training is tougher.
TOP TIP: As the distance increases on the individual rides make sure you are eating and drinking while riding. Your body will be burning about 500 calories an hour, you need to replace these on longer rides to be able to finish.
Weeks 9-12
Week 9 should be the same as week 8, two rides, totalling about 45 miles. You’re progressing well this is to consolidate the improvement already made. Weeks 10 -12 keep the longer ride the same but try to add a third ride. In these weeks get your total distance up to about 50 miles.
Weeks 13-16
Week 13 let’s see where you are. Only two rides this week. One a 10-15 mile ride (mid-week hopefully) and on the weekend see how you get on with a 45 mile ride. This is your longest yet so make sure you take enough to eat and drink. In week 14 let your legs recover a little, just a couple of shorter rides of 15 miles each. Week 15 back to three rides a week if possible. Two shorter and one 40 miles long. In week 16, the last week before the G-Tour 23 relax and ride once, a couple of days before the big ride. Keep this ride slow and easy. Just “spin the legs.’
Now relax and get ready for the ride.
25 miles
This plan is for riders completing the G-Tour 23, targeting the 25 miles distance and are new to cycling or less experienced. This plan is for 8 weeks, enough to get you used to cycling the distance you’ll need to complete the ride. If you’re already regularly cycling more than 10 miles a ride jump in at week 4 on this plan.
Weeks 1-2
It may seem a long way a way but if you’re not used to riding more than 10 miles on a bike you need to get some groundwork in now! At this stage the plan is very simple. Use your bike for short journeys, 5-10 miles ideally once or twice a week. This may be a ride to a friends or a pub for example but make sure you are doing at least 10 miles per week.
At this early stage now is also the time to be thinking about comfort. Get some padded shorts ideally, and if your saddle is uncomfortable on these short rides a visit to your local bike shop to see if there is a better option may be a good idea. Often a good idea to get the bike serviced as well if it hasn’t had any TLC for a while!
Weeks 3-4
Keep doing the same as the first two weeks but now make sure you’re riding one ride at least per week that is 10-15 miles. If you’re new to cycling may be a good idea to find a training buddy for this longer ride.
Weeks 5-6
Last chance for longer distance rides in this fortnight. Up your longer ride to about 20 miles. If you manage 25 miles in week 6 all the better. This is also the last opportunity to get things looked at on your bike by a bike mechanic. Remember parts often take time to come in so don’t leave repairs and squeaks any longer.
Weeks 7-8
You’re almost ready. In week 7 a couple of short rides up to 10 miles each is perfect, and if you’re feeling good get a 25 miler in. In Week 8, the last seven days before the event itself relax, you’ve done the training, you’ll be fine. Spin on the bike a couple of days before the ride itself, no longer than 30 mins and no hard efforts. Relax and get ready for the satisfaction of finishing!
