Training

You have to ride your bike and you have to ride it a lot.  And you should probably do some other kinds of workouts too.  You'll also need to rest a lot, because you're putting a lot of stress on your body.

Progress, not perfection.  You won't be able to do every ride you planned.  You won't do every trainer session.  You won't get to the gym as often as you hoped.

That's okay, because you'll still get enough training in.  You'll be nervous, but you'll be okay.

What should the end of your preparation look like: I know it's weird to start at the end, but this is the goal you should have in mind for the end of your training.  I highly recommend that you do a ride that's at least 120 miles long 2-3 weeks before Unbound.  You need to see how your body will do at that distance and length of time.  You need to make sure your pacing is realistic.  And you need to test your nutrition for well over 100 miles.  If your stomach can't handle caffeinated drinks for more that long, or you need extra salty snacks, or you need to eat twice as many calories between mile 25 and 75 to stay fueled after mile 100, you'll want to learn that before the day of Unbound.

How do you get to that last 120+ mile ride?

Think about how you train/learn best.  Do you need a lot of structure, with every step laid out for you?  Or are you comfortable with a little more flexibility and intuition?  Both of these are valid and effective ways to train, and figuring out which one will be least stressful for you is important.

If you're a person who needs a lot of structure, Unbound provides a training plan!  If you want to mix it up with some endurance/intensity off-bike training you can follow at home, I highly recommend the P21E training plan from Pivot!  It will improve your cardio and help build endurance.

Here are some other ideas that can also work well:

Overall, use a polarized approach.  Which is, basically, spend 80% of your training going easy and 20% of your training going really hard.  This paper suggests that it's very effective for building endurance.  Why polarized?  Because most of your time at Unbound will be spent in zone 2 (of perceived exertion, heart rate, watts) and a lot less of it will be in zones 4+ or 5, and almost none of it will be in zone 3 (otherwise you'll blow up).

Fortunately, going easy is easy on the bike!  If you're riding inside, you can ride steadily while watching a movie.  If you're outside, you don't have to push for most of the ride.

Training tip: You don't have to do all of your training on the bike.  You can if you want to, but I think it's worthwhile to have some variety!

Sure, use your trainer, ride Zwift or Peloton or Apple Fitness+.  If you feel comfortable doing it, take some spin classes at your local rec center.  

But there's so many more options!  Start going to Crossfit or another similar gym.  Use that Pivot plan.  Check out some of the other classes at your local rec center.

These activities can't entirely replace riding your bike, but they're a good way to train when you can't get out for a long ride.  

Training tip:  If you can't do a long ride for some reason, do a high intensity spin class or trainer ride (or other workout) that's 45 minutes to an hour, and then do another one right away.  The high intensity will help put a training load in your legs and you'll stay on track for getting ready.  Make sure you rest the following day.

I also encourage you to start lifting weights.  But don't take it from me!  Take it from the guy who gets paid to train cyclists:

One note on that video: There's no need to start with an amount of weight that makes you extremely sore.  

And if you haven't been lifting weights, or aren't sure where to start, then you should read Casey Johnston's explanation for how to do it and why strength training is great for *everyone*.   Lifting weights will make a difference in all areas of your life, not just cycling (or sports generally).  And it has the added benefits of maintaining muscle as you age, protecting your bone density, and making your body less fragile overall.  Casey has a Couch to Barbell guide that you can start in your very own home and will also help you find a gym.  If I sound like an evangelist for lifting weights, I am!  Seriously, it will make your life better.

How do I train?  I never do intervals on my bike, and I generally avoid structured training on my bike.  I want to have fun, and a training plan/intervals on the bike aren't fun for me.  I can't stand riding a trainer inside.  So, I've done high intensity group fitness classes.  I've done Crossfit.  And now I'm on a regular weightlifting program that has me feeling good when I don't ride my bike because of the weather, and strong and fast when I do.  I'm doing exercise bike interval workouts using Apple Fitness+.  I'll have to adjust my this schedule when I'm riding outside more regularly.

There are some very experienced people who are able to knock out 200 miles in 15 hours with very little preparation.  Most of us are not like this.  Please do not try to do it this way.