Training for the MS 150 is not about climbing hills or riding fast.  It’s all about putting in seat time and getting your body used to riding long distances. If you follow the training plan below, you should be successful in completing the two day MS 150.

Week 1 (2/21/10) – Two 10 mile rides during the week; 15 miles on Saturday; Legacy ride on Sunday without doing Windhaven Hill.

Week 2 (2/28/10) – Two 10 mile rides during the week; 20 miler on Saturday; Legacy Sunday ride - up/down Windhaven but not the loop at the bottom.

Week 3 (3/7/10) – A fast paced 10 and an easier 15 during the week; 20 miler on Saturday; Legacy Sunday - up/down Windhaven but not the loop at the bottom.

Week 4 (3/14/10) – Two 15 mile rides during the week; 20 miler on Saturday (push your pace); Sunday Legacy ride with Windhaven and the loop at the bottom.

Week 5 (3/21/10) – A fast 15 and a more relaxed 20 mile ride during the week.  Time for your first White Rock Lake breakfast ride with the group (25 – break – 25); Sunday Legacy – full 25 mile route.  .

Week 6 (3/28/10) – Two 15 mile rides (one fast paced) during the week; Let’s do the Tour of Dallas (30 miles) on Saturday; Sunday Legacy ride with Windhaven and the loop at the bottom

Week 7 (4/04/10) – Two 20 milers during the week, you should be averaging 15-16 mph.  50 miler on Saturday and full 26 mile route on Sunday afternoon with double-climb of Windhaven.

Week 8 (4/11/10) – 20 and 25 miler during the week; Saturday the group will plan a 60 miler with only one 5-10 minute break at the mid-point (if you can do this, you’ll knock out the MS 150 without a problem). Sunday ride with full route and double-climb of Windhaven. 

Week 9 (4/18/10) – 20 and 25 miler during the week; White Rock Lake ride with some extra hills and miles added;  Sunday afternoon – easy pace doing the mileage you feel like doing (don’t take the day off – MS is a two day ride) 

Week 10 (4/25/10) – Average pace 20 miler on Monday or Tuesday; easy 15 miler on Wednesday or Thursday.  Don’t ride on Friday.  Have pasta for dinner on Thursday and Friday and eat a few bananas 

If you haven’t registered for the MS 150, go to www.ms150.org and go to the Frisco-Ft Worth ride.  When asked for team affiliation and team captain put Team Bike Mart and Sam Montag.  We ride as part of the much larger Bike Mart team to get the benefits and logistics support they provide.  It’s a great event and when you climb the last hill in to Ft.Worth and ride in to Sundance Square to the cheers of all the people (many of them MS sufferers) lining the course, you’ll really be glad you made the commitment to train and ride.

Jim