Towards the end of our ride, in northern Michigan.
Per request (ahem Mizfit), I've put together a little how to guide for event training. I think the fact that the hills on my ride last weekend beat me up good gives me some qualification to write an 'damn, I wish I had done this before hand!' However as a helpful reminder, I'm not a certified trainer nor nutritionist, so if you are serious about preparing for a race or athletic event, you might want to double up on where you're getting your advice.
I also have to preface with a little two cents about training in general. Working ahead for an event is a great goal/motivator towards working out. Even if you don't have something in the future you're concerned about getting in shape for, incorporating training programs into your workout keeps days at the gym unique and works your body hard. I split training into two basic principals- endurance and strength.
Your intensity and dedication to your training program is all dependent on the time you have before your race and your goals for your race as well. Meaning, the training for a first timer who is just looking to make it through varies from a racing veteran.
Endurance:
You want to finish, don't you? Starting weeks in advance, you should be practicing regularly pushing yourself each week to do more than the week before. Serious athletes record and plan out their training ahead of time to keep on track, and this may be a good idea for beginners.
For me, this was about getting comfortable with being on a bike for an extended period of time. I took off on weekends at school to go riding for a few hours, and even if I didn't think I'd have time that week, I would at least ride to my classes. I went on a few long weekend rides with my dad when I was home as well. I knew I would be ok on the race when I did 30 miles with my dad about two-three weeks before. That ride was hard, but it was over half of the 51 race miles, and we did the 30 with no lunch break.
I have a sixth sense for where my endurance level is after years of competitive swimming. If this is your first event in awhile (or ever), I would recommend being able to do 75-80 percent of your race millage comfortably up to at least a week before your race. The training you've completed to get there plus excitement and nerves will get you through the rest without a problem.
Strength:
When I heard there would be hills on my ride last weekend, it didn't register that they would sometimes be back to back or tough long and steady climbs. Color me unprepared as I huffed and puffed through the first 10 miles of the ride wondering how I was ever going to finish. The trails I had been practicing on at home were flat like paper and I had only gotten a very mild amount of hill riding in at school a good month ago.
It might not always be possible to know your course ahead of time, but use your resources. If you can get to the course in advance, scope it out and incorporate some of the climbs and challenging parts into your training routine. If not, talk to your race coordinator ahead of time for some advice.
For any kind of race, strength training is important. It'll help you get through those rough patches and push you to go faster all together. If you live in a flat part of town, head to the gym and work with the incline on machines. Not only should you be able to climb the hill setting with confidence, but practice some back to back inclines as well. You can also use free weights in your training program. Build up your muscles by increasing your weight slowly in weeks ahead.
Training in general all depends on the type of event you're preparing for. Working in advance is good, but talking to people who know the route and getting workout advice is even better.
