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Best Training for El Tour De Tucson
June 25, 2020 3 min read
El Tour De Tucson century ride is just around the corner. Many riders preparing for the event are happy to "just finish" and want to enjoy the ride, without bonking or feeling sluggish. For any level of rider 100 miles is a long way and we all need pay attention to our preparation. Here are some pointers to help you prepare for El Tour De Tucson.
Dial-in your Equipment
I recently had a teammate who rode a very long ride/race from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, WY ( LOTOJA ) . It's USA Cycling's longest one-day event; 206 miles completed in one day! He was very meticulous in his preparation. He wore a heart rate monitor, did necessary training mileage, raced some through the season, and ensured his equipment was also ready. He also purchased and mounted new tubular tires, updated a few components, tried out different food and gel options, and purchased new cycling shoes. It appeared like he was dialed in and ready to roll. But, properly adjusting new shoes (which was also a different brand) required more trial and error than just a few days of riding. In the end, he had everything dialed in, except for his shoe and cleat position. My teammate ended up riding the whole 200 miles with knee pain, where a simple cleat adjustment would have made all the difference and eliminated the pain.
The point of this story is that dialing equipment, training, and nutrition is required, but avoid any drastic changes from here on out. Ensure your equipment is ready, with any adjustments made well in advance. Don't wait until the last minute.
Proper nutrition is pivotal for every endurance athlete. It's said that we only have enough carbohydrates in our system to last us about 90 minutes. That means we have to replenish our carbohydrate stores during our ride. If you haven't already found gels and bars that work for you, now is a good time to start. I've always been a proponent of real food. Check out The FeedZone Cookbook for some great food ideas. These days, I only ride with rice cakes in my back pocket and a couple of caffeinated gels during long rides. Here are my nutritional recommendations:
1. Practice in advance the food and gels to dial in your nutrition
2. During your century ride eat something every 20 minutes. That could be a gel or a couple of bites of food
3. Drink every 15-20 minutes
4. Keep a well-rounded diet, focus your daily meals with real food. Continue with your chosen vitamin and supplements . Endurance360 is recommended 2-3 weeks in advanced preparation of your event.
5. Beetroot Pro is recommended before your event begins.
rice, strawberries, blueberries, brown sugar, a bit of salt & lime juice
While 100 miles is a long way, most riders, even weekend warriors can adequately prepare and accomplish a century with enough training. The number one rule to training and getting into shape is consistency. That's the secret! Consistency! Sometimes life gets in the way and consistency is not always going to happen. When preparing for a century, I would recommend training 5-6 days a week for 4 weeks straight. Here are some training tips:
1. Be consistent with your training
2. If you can ride 65-75 miles during one ride, you can absolutely accomplish 100 miles. Go out for at least two to three 60+ mile rides three weeks before Tour de Tucson
3. Mixing your rides with mileage and intensity will enhance your preparation
4. Try to become proficient with drafting. Drafting offers around 30% of energy savings, which is a HUGE amount of energy savings over a 100-mile span.
-Cameron Hoffman
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41st El Tour de Tucson
Banner - university medicine 41st el tour de tucson november 23, 2024.
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Turn training for El Tour de Tucson into a part of your commute
A new year means new goals. What if you could take a few different goals and wrap them into one other goal, such as training to ride in El Tour de Tucson? The local bike racing event is less than a year away, and you can use your daily commute to help train for the race.
El Tour de Tucson is the largest perimeter bicycle race in America and draws riders from all over the world but is also a fantastic way for local cyclists to put their skills to the test. Whether you want to ride the full 102 miles or just partake in one of the short fun rides, incorporating cycling into your commute can be a terrific way to carve out time to train for the race.
How does one get started? Assuming you have your bike and have some experience riding in the community, here are some tips on ramping up your training while commuting.
Want to get started cycling but don’t know where to start? Check out PAG’s How To Start Commuting in a Bike Friendly Community guide.
Pima Association of Governments’ Senior Transportation Planner David Mitchell oversees the annual bicycle and pedestrian count. He has raced in El Tour three times and used his work commute as a part of his training.
Mitchell said using your commute time is a way to avoid the excuse of “I have no time to train.”
“I used my commute time, usually 30-plus minutes when you consider driving, parking and walking from the parking lot, and put it toward exercise time,” said Mitchell. “So, a two-way trip that would normally be an hour of commute time would become an hour of bike riding time.”
In deciding to use your commute to train, the first thing to do is pick the distance you want to ride. Working up to the El Tour fun ride distances of 1, 5 or 10 miles will not be much of a challenge even to inexperienced riders, but the 32-, 63- and 105-mile races are ones most newer riders will need to work their way up to.
Mitchell also suggests starting with at least one long ride a week “with the objective of extending my ride distance each time.”
“It is a technique to get started and over the hump of thinking there’s not enough time to train or ride a bike,” Mitchell said.
Incorporating long rides into training is key, and if your work commute is longer than 10 miles from home, it can be a perfect way to train without taking up too much time from your day. You already commute to work, and, in some cases, riding can be nearly the same amount of time as driving a car.
If you don’t think you are ready for the full commute to work on your bicycle, you could drive part of the way and ride the rest of the way. Mitchell suggested trying one of the many parking options near the Loop and fitting in a bike ride for as much distance as possible.
As you build up endurance, increase the distance you ride and then increase the frequency of your rides as part of the commute.
Share your journey with us if you use your work commute to train for El Tour de Tucson and compete in November. You can reach out to us through your transportation coordinator or [email protected] .
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El Tour de Tucson
This bucket-list-worthy ride is a tucson tradition, el tour de tucson: ride for wellness or challenge, returns november 2025.
El Tour de Tucson continues to monitor and adhere to all authoritative mandates issued by the CDC and local health officials. To stay informed of changes related to this event, check out the El Tour de Tucson website or register for their newsletter .
Tucson's must-ride cycling event
El Tour de Tucson is a premier fundraising ride in the United States and the longest-running event of its kind in Arizona has been a Tucson tradition since 1983. Participants range from novices to professionals who enjoy the ride and festivities out of a passion for cycling, as a benchmark for a wellness program, as a symbol of surviving a major illness or other life challenge or to honor another person. All while helping nonprofit, and charitable agencies raise funds for their organizations.
Three Routes Under 100 Miles
The main event distances are 100, 57, and 28 miles. Fun Ride distances are 10, 5, and 1 mile. Main event routes feature scenic landscapes and the crisp, cool air of a Tucson morning. Mountain ranges and saguaro cacti will surround you. Course profiles range from flat to rolling or moderately hilly. The 28-mile route is mostly flat, which is great for families and ideal for first-time participants and beginning bicyclists. In 2021, the 28-mile route will be open to Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes (no throttles) for the first time.
The Start/Finish
The finish line for all events and the start line for the 100-mile, 57-mile and Fun Rides is on South Sixth Avenue between Armory Park and the Children’s Museum Tucson, near downtown Tucson’s renowned dining and entertainment district. The 28-mile route starts at Marana Heritage River Park and ends at Armory Park-Children’s Museum Tucson.
Parking & Lodging
If you drive here for El Tour de Tucson, you’ll find plenty of parking garages downtown near the start/finish line around Armory Park and the Children’s Museum Tucson. The area is easily accessible to the Tucson Sun Link Streetcar, a four-mile line that connects lodging, dining and entertainment districts in the downtown and university areas.
Staying for the weekend? Explore things to do in the Downtown Tucson District . Check out lodging options and official event host hotels in metro Tucson.
Featured Cycling Events
El tour loop de loop.
- September 21, 2024
- Rillito Regional Park
4th Annual Texas Canyon Mountain Bike Fun Ride
- September 28, 2024
- Amerind Museum
El Tour de Tucson 5k Run/Walk
- November 21, 2024 - November 23, 2024
- Tucson Convention Center
- November 23, 2024
Road Biking
Mountain biking, more things to do.
EL TOUR DE TUCSON SCHEDULE (Subject to Change)
El Tour de Tucson Expo & Fiesta 3-Day Schedule
Thursday – November 21, 2024
Friday – November 22, 2024
Saturday – November 23, 2024 – RIDE DAY! RACE DAY!
2024 El Tour Countdown!
What people are saying.
EL TOUR DE TUCSON is checked off my bucket list!!!! What a great experience and I placed in the top 800!!! It’s not about winning it, it’s about finishing it!
Tucson is an incredible city and beautiful location for a large cycling event. El Tour brings together cyclists from all over the world and promotes cycling, personal fitness, and community engagement.
El Tour de Tucson is becoming an annual family tradition. So much fun!
Amazing! We were able to raise community awareness, serve our charity and have our multi-generational family get addicted to a new sport- cycling!!
El Tour is a fantastic experience and celebration of Tucson’s cycling community.
Loved the ride. This is the 18th time I’ve done the ride and hope it comes back next year bigger and better.
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TRAINING. In order to properly prepare for the challenges of El Tour de Tucson, you need to properly train for the event. You will find below a training plan for both the 100KM/62 mile event and the 102 mile event. We also suggest that you ride some group rides or other large events to be prepared to ride with others.
El Tour de Tucson is now preparing to host the 41st year for what we think is one of the premier bicycling events in the country. We hope you participate in this year's event on November 23, 2024. You won't be alone given that annually over 9,000 cyclists participate in the renowned and popular event.
El Tour de Tucson is becoming an annual family tradition. So much fun! Amazing! We were able to raise community awareness, serve our charity and have our multi-generational family get addicted to a new sport- cycling!! El Tour is a fantastic experience and celebration of Tucson's cycling community. Loved the ride.
1. Be consistent with your training. 2. If you can ride 65-75 miles during one ride, you can absolutely accomplish 100 miles. Go out for at least two to three 60+ mile rides three weeks before Tour de Tucson. 3. Mixing your rides with mileage and intensity will enhance your preparation. 4.
Perimeter Bicycling and El Tour de Tucson are thrilled to offer great routes in 2023 including the 102 mile (Century), 63 mile/100 KM (Metric Century) and 32 mile/50 KM (Half Metric Century) All Rides/Routes start and finish at the Tucson Convention Center and the surrounding area. The El Tour Expo & Fiesta will be at the newly renovated Tucson ...
El Tour Bikes for Change has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs Tucson, Serve Our City and other non-profit entities to deliver new bicycles, helmets, locks and lights to underserved youth. In 2022, we distributed 560 bikes to disadvantaged kids and in 2023 we gave away 3,000 bikes! This year, the sky in the limit!
The 41st El Tour de Tucson is on Saturday November 23, 2024. It includes the following events: Individual - 102 Mile/160 Km, Platinum Individual - 102 Mile/160 Km (Platinum or Cat 1/2), Individual - Metric Century/62 Mile, Platinum Individual - Metric Century/62 Mile (Platinum or Cat 1/2), Individual - Half Metric Century/32 Mile, Family Fun Ride, Military or First Responder - 102 Mile/160 Km ...
Our Tour de Tucson training and prep camp is the ultimate experience for anyone looking to conquer this legendary race and have an upper hand in race strategy and setup leading up to and during the race. View fullsize. We offer daily guided rides through the stunning Arizona landscape, giving you the chance to build endurance and challenge ...
El Tour de Tucson is now preparing to host the 41st year for what we think is one of the premier bicycling events in the country. We hope you participate in this year's event on November 23, 2024. You won't be alone given that annually over 9,000 cyclists participate in the renowned and popular event with distances from 102 miles to family fun rides of 1 mile!
2019 Banner-University Medicine El Tour de Tucson MANUAL 5 CYCLING TIPS YOU Make sure you are physically and mentally prepared for the challenge ahead. Events like El Tour are a great place to push yourself to the next level, but you must have the training and physical condition to go the distance.
The El Tour de Tucson is on Saturday November 18, 2023. It includes the following events: 102 Mile, 102 Mile MTB, 102 Mile Recumbent, 102 Mile Handcycle, 102 Mile Tandem, 63 Mile, 63 Mile MTB, 63 Mile Recumbent, 63 Mile Handcycle, 63 Mile Tandem, 32 Mile, 32 Mile MTB, 32 Mile Recumbent, 32 Mile Handcycle, 32 Mile Tandem, 32 Mile E-Bike, Unknown Participants, and 102 Mile Platinum.
El Tour de Tucson is the largest perimeter bicycle race in America and draws riders from all over the world but is also a fantastic way for local cyclists to put their skills to the test. Whether you want to ride the full 102 miles or just partake in one of the short fun rides, incorporating cycling into your commute can be a terrific way to ...
Tucson's must-ride cycling event. El Tour de Tucson is a premier fundraising ride in the United States and the longest-running event of its kind in Arizona has been a Tucson tradition since 1983. Participants range from novices to professionals who enjoy the ride and festivities out of a passion for cycling, as a benchmark for a wellness ...
El Tour de Tucson is the largest bicycling event in Tucson and one of the largest biking events in the USA. In fact, people travel from coast-to-coast to Tucson every November to participate in this annual bicycling competition! First held in 1983, El Tour de Tucson is truly a signature Tucson event. Put on by Perimeter Bicycles (a nonprofit that produces bicycling events for community ...
That was 14 years ago — before pregnancies, before birth, before death, before she half-cried and half-panted up Swan Road, heading toward the Foothills in training for her first El Tour de ...
102-Mile (Century) El Tour de Tucson Ride Start: 7:15 am 8:00 am: 5K Run/Walk (3.1 Mile Run/Walk) Fun Rides Start (3 & 1 Mile Rides) 8:00am: Dragoon Brewing Finish Line Beer Garden Opens: 9:00 am: 62-Mile/100 Kilometer (Metric Century) El Tour de Tucson Ride Start32-Mile/50 Kilometer (Metric Half Century) El Tour de Tucson Ride Start: 10:00 am
Tucson's Sean Christian, California's Anna Hicks win Saturday's El Tour de Tucson Sean Christian, a Tucsonan, finished the 102-mile route with a "gun time" of 3 hours, 49 minutes, 5.9 seconds.
The lead pack makes the turn on the Pistol Hill Road leg of the 40th El Tour de Tucson on Saturday. Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star. Cyclists make their way down Cushing Street at the start of ...
Tom Swanson, who had never ridden his bike more than 50 miles, is shown arriving at his Michigan destination on July 12, 2006, after pedaling 2,100 miles from Tucson. On Saturday at age 82, he ...
56.7 mi, +977 ft. Bike ride in Tucson, AZ
Bikes for a giveaway are lined up at Armory Park as part of the 38th Banner-University Medicine El Tour de Tucson festivities. Pace Ranch, a bicycle training center, donated 50 bikes for kids to ...
Cycling Group Ride | June 23 Hosted By Radiant Change Collective. Event starts on Sunday, 23 June 2024 and happening at St. Philips Plaza, Tucson, AZ. Register or Buy Tickets, Price information.
Find A Training Center; Find A Course; CPR Purchase Options; Healthy Living ... La Iniciativa Nacional de Control de la Hipertensión; ... to go into a food coma that is going to make me want to go back to my room midday to take a nap rather than making my tour to go see the Colosseum. I want to be able to keep going and have the energy to do so."