Training to Century Ride Day ?Mileage Span?

[7rider]

1. If you have completed a century ride (US, not metric) what was your longest ride prior to the century?

2. Who has the largest gap or a very large gap of miles between a training ride and a century? How did the ride go for you?

Also, what training programs do you like? I am using one from last year that I tweaked because it had me on the bike 6/7 days a week which just doesn't work for my schedule.

Also, what advice or words of wisdom keep you riding mile upon mile upon mile?

I always think.."I can do 5 more miles."

Well, I'm probably the poster child for how NOT to prepare for a century!
Last year, I did a century (actually 103 miles) with over 7,500 feet of climbing after being sick with a nasty head cold for about 2 weeks. I managed to eke out 2 commutes the week prior to it (14 miles each), but other than that...no riding AT ALL for those 2 weeks. Ugh.
Prior to that, my longest ride had been a metric century....3 months prior to it.
I had only intended to DO the metric that day, but peer pressure got the better of me, and off I went with the group...who promptly dropped me within the first 3 miles of climbing.
Oh...it was also about 95 degrees out! Blazin' hot!
I survived it and will likely do it again, but I was never so glad to see the end of a ride.

What kept me going was this:
1. Don't think of it as 100 miles. Think of it as 4 25-miles rides (the approximate distance b/t rest stops). It's easier on the psyche that way...I think, anyway.
2. If you're doing it solo...find someone to ride with. Even if you hop from group to group with complete strangers....find someone moving at your pace, say "hi" and ask to hang on for a bit. Having someone to ride with and chat with makes the miles go by quicker. Otherwise, it's boring as h###.