Time or mileage?

[Catrin]

Listen to Indy about the warm up. Even when I started riding (and I was about ten years younger) I noticed that I never feel good until I have been riding for about 7-10 miles.......

I had not thought about this - and it is certainly something to remember. Now that it has been mentioned it makes perfect sense, I've 50 year old bones and joints that are still in the process of learning something very new - and even if it wasn't NEW, I still have 50 year old bones and joints

And what Marni said is true. If you can ride 40 miles, you can probably ride 50 or 60, albeit, at a slower speed. I did a century with no training, other than my regular riding. I had not done any rides longer than 60-70 miles. I knew miles 80-100 would be tough, but I set a very moderate speed goal and ended up finishing in 6.5 hours.

This is what my trainer told me this past week when we met. If I have a 30 mile ride coming up, then I need to be riding at least 24-25 miles.

Thankfully it is only March - though April starts next week! I have just under 3 months for the Tour de Cure, and frankly, I am more nervous about the whole "riding in a big group of people" than I am the mileage... It won't be a regular road group though as it will all be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Track The N.I.T.E. ride two weeks later WILL be on the roads...but they will all be blocked off and there will be about 2,500 of us.