Trek--

Thanks for the encouragement and the nitty gritty advice! I just moved from San Diego, so I haven't quite got my routines in place here, but back there I typically rode 3 or 4 days a week, with the longer rides in the 30-35 mile range. The most I've ever done was 45 miles, and that was unintentional! (New bike, no cyclocomputer, and a wrong turn in La Jolla.) But after a month of moving (some riding, but nothing too strenuous), I would need to really kick it in gear to be able to do a metric century. The terrain seems not quite as brutal as some of the canyons around San Diego, but I haven't ventured too far from Clinton yet, and I can imagine that Ithaca is pretty hilly.

I read something on Bicycling online about a quick and dirty training schedule for a century and it echoed the high-intensity approach you've recommended. Maybe it's doable...

Thanks again. I definitely want to do a century at some point. It's just that September seems awfully close.

--YZ