5 Tips to Nail Your First Century Ride

If you've never ridden 100 miles before, it can be overwhelming as you attempt to prepare for the unknown.

With the right training and pre-ride preparation plan, you can push that anxiety aside and just enjoy the ride. From how to use sag stops to what to pack in your saddlebag, these tips will help you to avoid common rookie mistakes so you can tackle your first century without any major hiccups.

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Build Your Mileage Slowly

The truth is you can do a century ride with only moderate amounts of training if your only goal is to finish. If you haven't been riding at all, you'll need 4 to 6 months of training in order to slowly build up your base. If you're using a century ride as a base for the rest of your training season, you can probably toe the line after only two months riding.

Begin by building your mileage at 10 and 20 miles per week for your long ride. If you are new to cycling, start by upping weekly mileage by no more than 10 miles a week, or tack on an extra half an hour to each long ride.

Plan to complete one long ride per week. Schedule out your weekend mornings so that the spouse and the kids can expect you to be missing in action for most of one weekend morning. Your long ride should be, at a minimum, two hours long and build up to at least five hours 2 to 3 weekends before your century ride.

Pack the Right Toolbox

Century rides are usually fully supported with sag stops—cycling lingo for aid station—every 20 or 30 miles. There's often support vehicles on the route to help if you have a mechanical issue with your bike.

Don't use these amenities as a crutch. If you expect a magical sag wagon to pull up the second you get a blowout, you might be the one rider who gets stranded. Even though support is there, you should be prepared to fix mechanical issues on your own.

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Here are the basic items you should always carry with you on long rides—even on those that are fully supported:

1. Two spare tubes
2. Two C02 cartridges and a manual pump
3. A patch kit
4. A multi-tool
5. Enough liquid to keep you hydrated for at least two hours
6. Enough food to keep you satiated for at least two hours (around 400 calories).
7. Sunscreen
8. A map of the route (either a paper map or the route downloaded onto your phone)
9. A mobile phone
10. A credit card, cash and your driver's license and medical i.d. card

Use—But Don't Abuse—The Sag Stops

Sag stops offer the opportunity to be social and have a little fun while you take a break from the action. Depending on the event, the race might offer up anything from water and bananas to a sandwich-making station. It's important to enjoy these treats, but be careful.

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If you overindulge, you'll suffer the consequences when you get back in the saddle. There's nothing like a stomach full of brownie ice cream and homemade tamales to make the last hilly 50 miles of a century ride a total GI disaster.

Find out how many stops are on the course and pick one or two to stop at. Plan only to eat one snack and taste one or two other items. Make sure you're eating similar food that you fueled with during your training rides. Use the other rest areas as a place to use the bathroom, take a stretch and top off your fluids.

Bring a Buddy

There's something to be said for solitude. Long, solo rides are some of the best ways to build up the mental fortitude you'll need to make it through a century or other long distance race.

But to make the miles pass by a little faster on your first century ride, convince a buddy to ride with you. It'll also let you chat your way through the boring flat sections of the ride, and give you more motivation to push one another up steep climbs. Another bonus of bringing a buddy is that even though you listened to tip #2 and are packing plenty of spare tubes, if you do get a flat you'll have twice the help changing it.

If you can, choose a buddy that's slightly faster. It might help you cross the finish line in less time than you originally planned.

Set Realistic Goals

Even if your only goal is to finish, write it down. Think hard about what it is you're looking to accomplish. Consider your fitness level, your cycling ability and the course.

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Decide on a finish time that makes sense for you, and then start working toward that goal. Be careful not to give yourself a goal that brings you anxiety or unhappiness. Find a goal that makes you excited about the adventure and the journey of training for such a challenging, but rewarding event.

Maybe your goal isn't time focused at all. Perhaps you'd rather have your kids see you finish with a smile, or you'd like to climb those gnarly hills you typically avoid with ease.

Whatever it is, just make it yours, stick to your training plan, pack the essential items, bring a friend—and have a great time on two wheels.

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