Training for 7 Days of Bicycle Touring at 70 (My Double-Day Method)
For this post, stacking means two rides in one day—morning and evening—so I practice riding when I’m not perfectly fresh. It prepares me for 7 straight days of touring without destroying myself in training.
I’m 70. My base is solid. Now I’m preparing for the reality of long rides seven days in a row.
The best method I’ve found is splitting one “tour day” into two separate rides—half in the morning and half in the evening.
If you want the backstory behind this ride, read I Thought I Was Done With Solo Adventures. I Was Wrong. That post explains why I chose this Mississippi River tour and why it matters to me.
What Stacking Means Here
- Ride 1 (morning): Controlled effort. Touring pace.
- Ride 2 (evening): Go again with some fatigue already in the system.
Touring forces you to keep moving when you’re not fresh. Stacking trains that reality in a safer way.
Important: I train the way I tour. A tour is a ride, not a race. I don’t attack hills. I keep the pedals turning and ride to the next town.
How I’m Progressing This
Week 2: Normal training week - My normal training weeks are about 140 miles with a rest day.
Week 3: Stack days 1–3 again (no ego increase) (Stack Day Miles Stay at 20/20)
Week 4: Normal week
Week 5: Stack days 1–3, rest day, Normal training on days 6-7 (Up your Stack Day Miles to 25/25)
Week 6: Normal week
Week 7: Stack days 1–4, rest day, Normal training on days 6-7 (Up your Stack Day Miles to 25/30)
Week 8: Normal week
Week 9: Stack days 1–4, rest day, Normal training on days 6-7 (Up your Stack Day Miles to 30/35)
Week 10: No more stack days. Just train normally but do at least 2 rides back to back at 60 to 65 miles. This is the rides that tell me just how prepared I am.
Week 11: Back to normal training with no ride over 30 to 35 miles. Most at 20 miles.
Week 12: Taper off. This is the week before the tour and also the week I will be traveling to my start destination. I will ride around 20 miles a day on these days and will not ride on the 2 day trip to La Crescent.
I’m not rushing this. At 70, durability matters more than bravado.
Full 12-Week Structure Notes:
This is the plan. I’ll update it as reality unfolds.
- Weeks 1–4: Build pattern, alternate stack and normal weeks. The body is slowly adapting to tour stress. No need to rush it and burn out later.
- REALITY - Reality hit kind of hard in these early weeks but I was able to adjust and keep the general idea alive. In Lubbock, Texas, extreme winds are common this time of year and this year was no different. My first week started out just as I planned with 3 straight days of 40 mile stacked rides. I could see the next week was forecasted some of those extreme winds so I immediately adjusted. I went ahead and put another 40 mile stacked day in the first week and actually ended up with 225 miles for the week. I had planned on about 180. Since the winds hit hard in week 2 and I did not ride for 2 straight days due to 50 mph winds. Week 2 was supposed to be a normal week which would end up around 140 miles, but once the winds returned to normal, I decided to go ahead and hit some more stacked days and ended up with 175 miles for week 2. That is 400 miles in the first 2 weeks when it should have been around 340. Once again, I was forced to up my mileage and do some stacked rides on week 2 because of the forecast on week 3. Week 3 was originally planned to be my second week of stacked rides but because of the way things unfolded, I went ahead and made week 3 a normal training week and ended up with 130 miles. Week 4 is looking like a great week and I will return to the stacked rides. My plan was to have about 500 to 525 miles under my belt in the first 3 weeks and reality is that I actually have 530 miles. All of this just illustrates the need to adjust on the fly and make sure you still get ready for the upcoming tour. I will post after the next few weeks to let you see how training is unfolding.
- Weeks 5–9: Increase gradually never exceeding planned tour daily average.
- Week 10: Back-to-back 60–65 mile rides at touring pace.
- Week 11: Backing off here will help you be fresher on day 1.
- Week 12: Taper. Keep rides short. Start fresh.
- Week 1 begins March 8th. I’ll update this post at the end of each week with real results.
Follow This Plan as It Unfolds
This is the plan on paper. But training never unfolds perfectly. I do not like rigid schedules and so I can guarantee you that the plan will change as I get into it.
I’ll be updating this post as each week passes so you can see what actually worked, what I adjusted, and how my legs responded.
Bookmark this page and check back. You’ll be able to follow the real-world version—not just the theory.
Watching the plan evolve may be more valuable than the plan itself.
When Life Gets in the Way
Life happens.
- Don’t try to make it up.
- Don’t feel guilty.
- Even part of the plan is better than none of it.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s consistency.
Medical Clearance (Especially for Seniors)
Before starting this plan, I saw my doctor. Full checkup. Blood work. Cleared to go.
Seniors—and honestly anyone attempting higher mileage—should do the same.
Being 70 doesn’t scare me. Being careless would.
Recovery Rules
- Control ride #1 so ride #2 is productive.
- Eat between rides.
- Hydrate aggressively.
- Sleep like it matters—because it does.
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Giro Fixture Helmet - I love this helmet. It has a visor which is important on my long sunny rides.
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Cateye Headlight - My Cateye is 15 years old and has been very reliable.
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Garmin Varia Radar (non-negotiable for me) - This is the best purchase I have made in years. It is the best new invention for cyclist safety in this era of distracted drivers.
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Varia with Camera - I do not own this one but some people might like the camera option.
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Przewalski Bib Shorts (thin pad) - I prefer a thinner pad. The options below have thicker pads.
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Thicker Pad Options
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Elete Hydration Drops - This is the only product I have found to stop my cramps after long days on a bike. Multiple sizes available. I buy the 18.6 oz option and it lasts about a year.
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Wahoo ELEMNT V3 - This is a great GPS computer. The Varia works with it. Some people prefer Garmin or others and those options are below.
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Other GPS Computers
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Bottom Line
This double-day method trains me to ride again when I’m not fresh. That’s what touring really demands.
Seven days. 470 miles. Age 70.
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