I was sick for 4 years, and saw my death coming. Then I saw Leigh Donovan on a MT bike at Moab on TV and she was having more fun than me so I fired those doctors and got a bike. Then I got well. Medication dependent but well.
My new docs are all jocks, we all get along better.
Are we whaling on you with too much info too soon? Feel free to ask for clarification. There's a book at Amazon on training for long distance and endurance touring that might be better organized and usefull. I'll have to go fetch the name and post later, it's in my wishlist. I totally understand about guys and having them tell you what to do, but you don't need a super rigid program, you just need to understand basic conditioning principles and know you need to work out most days, then later almost every day. Anybody can ride 60 miles; it's riding 60 miles day after day that demands hard training. Recovery. You can train your self to make faster better recovery. And after what you've been through pushing the body may be the best thing. Be as alive as possible. Look at Lance, his fitness is what pulled him through his illness.
Covert Bailey wrote a series of books called "Fit or Fat", and he did TV shows for PBS. His explanations of metabolism and training adaptation are excellent and reletively easy to understand. He actually did the research too, he's a PhD in biochemistry who wondered one day why he suddenly had a roll around his middle and went into the lab to find out. Your public library may have the shows on tape, look for the latest editions of the books. He kept revising as the research roared ahead. Easy read, super usefull info. for any training program.

missliz