A Queen's Guide to Riding 100 Miles
The Santa Fe Century is May 21 and if you want to ride it this year, here's a handy training guide to help you get to Heartbreak Hill and back again. Remember, if you are starting from scratch, please consult your physician before starting an exercise program of any sort.

This 12-week program is broken up into two five-week training blocks and two-weeks of final preparation leading up to the Santa Fe Century. Each block includes four weeks of progressive training and ends with a rest week. The first block emphasizes building an aerobic endurance base and efficient pedaling. The second block continues to build aerobic endurance and adds in some long and short intervals for muscular endurance and aerobic capacity. The training program consists of 5-days of training per week. In order to lower the training days focus on the priority workouts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. The day of the week on which these workouts are preformed may be altered.

Training Tips

  • Listen to your body - don’t workout if you’re not feeling up to it, the rest will do you more good.
  • Don’t try to make-up workouts – it’s ok to miss a day, focus on the priority workouts.
  • Progress time and intensity on the bike slowly to avoid injury.
  • Any of these workouts can be done on the dirt though back-to-back mountain bike rides can take its toll on the body.
  • Include some core strength exercises or yoga on your rest/cross-training days to prepare your body for the long hours in the saddle.
  • Eat and drink well before, during and after workouts.
  • Warm-up before and stretch after each workout.

    Send those tips in, ladies...Tech tips or riding tips, I don't care. Email me at dominique@pedalqueens.com
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