I have a few 100 miles sportives, but this year i have decide to take on the 310 mile challange. i am struggling to find any training plan, i hope someone with more experienc would be able to advise, people keep on saying i must get upto 220 miles prior to the event, but how do i get there, is it a case of a long ride every weekend and each one growing by 10% each week or ? would really welcome some good advice.
I'd start by working out what speed you need to average to finish in time. Note that you may end up stopping for longer than you intend if there are any queues etc at the stops. It says there are stops every 40-50 miles, so that's about 6 stops overall, so 2 for meals +4 others So, if you allow 45 minutes for lunch and dinner each (eat, bathroom break, clean shorts maybe etc etc), 10 minutes for other stops, 1/2 hour for a puncture repair (for example) - so that's about 2 hours not moving. That's 22 hours moving at about 14mph. Up that to 16mph, and that's just over 19 hours cycling, allowing time in hand for emergencies, slowing down towards the end, even a nap under a tree if needed.
If you are happy with 16mph as your goal speed, then start doing 40/50 miles at that speed. Once you can do that, then do 100 with only a 10 minute (or whatever you allow yourself) break at the 50 mile mark. If you can do 100miles in 6 1/2 hours, and feel fresh enough to do it again, you are most of the way there. I imagine the lunch and dinner stops will be close to the 100 and 200 mile points.
Include Audaxes (
@Ajax Bay 
) in your training. They will help you get a real feel for how your training is going, practice your breaks (when you are so tired, it's easy to get inside then realise you left your wallet on the bike - go get that - then realise you need to fill your bottles - go get them - and then you have spent your entire rest time going back and forth to the bike). These are some suitable rides for you -
http://www.aukweb.net/events/?From=01/06/2016&To=2&Days=&Category=&Dist_min=200&Dist_max=400&Aaa=&Region=southeast I'd recommend the ditchling devil if you can get to and from Richmond. Audaxes have a much slower time requirement (Average 13mph for your 24hour ride vs 9.4mph for an audax) so you can start doing them when you are not nearly ready for your big challenge.
HTH.
than the £240 for Ride24 entry , but navigate yourself (to a routecard or gpx file) and no support and all that stuff. You'll be riding through the night (Sunset:20:12 BST Sunrise:05:58 BST ish) so well worth getting some time riding in the dark eg go out at 7pm and do 7 hours.
