Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
+1 - with all the reading you've been doing, have you been periodizing your training at all? If you haven't had a week or two to back off, you're well overdue for it.
Periodizing? I must have missed this one. Last weekend the wind forced me to back my rides down to 35 and 45 miles respectively rather than the two 70 mile rides I had planned - but that is the closest I've come to taking a weekend off since the end of June/first of July...

There IS a charity ride next weekend in southern Indiana that sounds like a great deal of fun - and it does have a century option. They apparently will also have bands playing at each of the rest stops I may not be able to afford it since I haven't planned for it - somehow I didn't hear about it until the other day. They do have the three distance options, including the century. Depending on how I am feeling & finances I will try it (and take the next week off), or just take this coming weekend off.

Thanks for all of the comments, I appreciate it! I do tend to just keep going even when I shouldn't - but am trying to avoid over-use injuries. This was the only reason that I stopped yesterday 9.5 miles short of my goal...so am proud of myself that I actually DID stop