How long between longer rides???

[RoadRaven]

I think Nanci hit the nail on the head... its about your base... as well as how quickly your body recovers.

If I did a metric century - I'd probably be up for another in a couple of weeks... thats because I have not ridden many long rides, my longest being a fortnight ago when I rode 83km.
A imperial century... a few more weeks again I am guessing... either way, my centuries would not be at my race-pace... I just don't have the endurance for that.

However, my son (17) and my partner (44) train 3-4 days on week days (50-90km), then ride a race on Saturday(30-45km), and then on Sunday they join a group of other likely lads (there are two females that join them occasionally) and they set off for a recovery/training ride. By the time they get back to the house Sunday lunch time, they have clocked up anywhere between 90km and 140km. Occasionally my partner has left my son at home and ridden extra on the Sunday to get in 160-190km...

So they would be fine to do one every week... as long as it wasn't at race pace. If it was race pace I think it would be every 2-3 weeks (by race pace I mean my partner would average somewhere between 38-42km at least, depending on hills and wind).

You really need to be aware of what your body has done, and ask it to perform accordingly.

Ah... Velo posted as I was... good advice too, Velo