Should I alter the 100 mile PR plan?

[Coep]

Hello there!

I've purchased the 100mile PR plan.  I see that one of the assumptions in the description is that most 100 mile MTB races have a cutoff time of 12 hours.

 

However, I'm planning to do the Breck100 this year, and some of the top women (I'm a woman) finish in ~12 hours. Others were coming in at 13 or 14 hours.

 

Based on this/knowing that the time on the bike in this race is a bit higher than an average (is there an average?) 100miler, should I be adding more time to the training plan or altering it in any manner?  

 

Thanks Lynda!

[Lynda]

The 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race – Personal Record Plan takes into account the harder races like Breck 100. I recommend sticking to the plan as-is.

Lynda

[Coep]

Hi Lynda! 

Thanks for your response a while back. I just wanted to check back in because this seems so odd to me as I'm doing this plan…

The biggest day on the bike in the plan is 7 hours, so I just want to 100% confirm that I understand you correctly…

You're saying that even if I'm expecting my 100mile ride to take nearly double that amount of time, I shouldn't alter the plan?  That doing 7 hour rides will prepare me for a 12 or 13+ hour ride?

[Lynda]

Don't alter the plan.

Training rides over 6 hours in duration spend fitness not build it. In training you should stay in fitness building mode. To do a ride longer than 7 hours will make you less fit and less prepared to compete on your race day.

Training at altitude will buy you a lot more than training longer. Spend your extra time finding rides that go over 10,000 feet in elevation to train on.

Lynda

[Coep]

Thank you for the excellent advice, this now makes good sense.

Since I live near 10,000 feet, it won't be an issue, too.  🙂

[Author]

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