Prudential Ride 100 Training - How Far should I ride

I tend to do over 100 miles per ride, at the weekends, if I can. One little (often overlooked) thing about the P100, is that you have to achieve a minimum average speed of about 11 mph, over the 100 miles, or you'll be asked to take the short cuts (you won't make the checkpoints in time). Personally, I wouldn't want to go into the event not knowing whether I could ride at the required pace over the event distance or not. 11 mph is not exactly blistering pace, but I do know quite a few people who would not find it comfortable for 100 miles. If you do miss a checkpoint, it's not the end of the world ( it is a Sportive and not a race) and the organisers will help you, by providing shortcut routes if you need them, but I would feel cheated if I had to do that.

Start out more slowly than you'd usually ride. If you got off at even your standard pace you'll be knackered by the end, let alone if you set off at speed.

Go ride 100 miles next week; you'll be fine and will get the mental strength from knowing it's just a long bike ride rather than any major epic event.

The best way is to get the train to somewhere 100 miles away and ride home; as you get tired, you end up on familiar roads and keep plodding on to get home.

Aim to take all day, factor in a few brief stops but above all crack on and do it!

You will learn far more from a 100 mile ride about comfort and what you need to do to finish than from tentative little increases; it will expose your problems far more succinctly, from chafing around the wizard to cramp between the shoulders. It also allows you to test out your clothing and fuelling so you get it right on the day.

Don't be scared of bigger distances; it's only riding a bike.

When I did my first 100 miler, I built upto 90 miles several weeks before the event, just so I knew I would cope. My ride london last year, due to an injury the most I did was a hilly 75 miles. With 2 weeks before the event half your training miles but ride often. The final week, go out daily but just do easy pace 20 miles, then 10miles a couple of days before. Have a nice meal the night before, preferably little to no alcohol. A good breakfast with plenty to drink. (dont eat anything really different from your usual breakfast). On the Ride, fuel and drink every half hour with simple foods like oat flapjacks, jam sandwiches and bananas, energy drink. Save the gels for later in the event as emergency fuel.

Pace yourself, I mentally break down the ride into 3. I know I can easily do 35 miles, then once I have done 65 miles, I know I could ride at a steady pace to do another 35 miles to finish( well that is how I cope mentally with it.)

Dont get carried away drafting or following a group which is too fast for you. There will be loads of people going faster but also at your pace aswell. Tag along and have chat, the time and miles pass much faster.

Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn but have you ridden in a group before ? The ride London is a great but pretty full on event and if you haven't done so, I would urge you to go out with your local club just to gain experience with close quarters handling/drafting. The ride will be far easier and more enjoyable if you understand what is expected of you in a group and what is going on.
Provided you are comfortable drafting, I would say 60-70 miles in training will get you through

You definitely need to try a longer ride, if only to see how it feels. One thing you need to be aware of is the bonk - you won't have experienced this on your short rides so far but it's quite likely you will do over 100 miles. The important thing to remember is that you will get through it, though if you are unlucky not before the end of the event. I generally do longer rides and I find it usually starts around 80 miles and continues to about 100 - which I'm generally quite glad about because if I don't bonk then, I am going to bonk really badly later. So it is possible to avoid bonking over 100 miles, and there is another thread on here with advice. But be prepared for it to happen.

One thing to make sure of is that your bike is comfortable: if you are bonking every minor niggle is amplified.

I shall echo the comment about tapering, though. It's a good idea to do your maximum mileage 2-3 weeks before the event. Don't stop riding completely before the event, though, just keep up the sort of mileage you are comfortable with.

Sounds like you are on the right track and tapering before the event is a good idea.
There are some good plans here and a few hills are a good idea as there's 3 reasonable ones on the ride
https://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/training-zone/cycling-trainin...

Good luck

I reckon if you can do 60-70 you'll be fine, but I'd back off the volume about 3 weeks before. Defo don't do 90 the week prior.

I did 80 a fortnight before riding 205 miles in a weekend, and was fine. The challenge was taking regular breaks to stretch my neck and eating regularly.