yep.... not eating before an 80 mile ride definitelty coulda done it!

i'm assuming, since you are in socal.. that you are doing the tour de palm springs? you will have NO problems finishing that!

and like everyone else said... stop at the sags and eat... even grab some food to take along on the bike!

i don't ride the day before a big ride.... it's what works for me.... i do continue my daily morning workouts though... however i'm careful of what i shedule for later in the week (i.e. no heavy weights.. especially legs wednesday or after! mondays and tuesday i pretty much do the same intensity i always do... so this morning i did my hard kickbox/leg drills.... gives my legs plenty of time to recover before saturday!)

i take some gatorade with me when i leave on the ride.... not sure if it helps or not.. but i like the flavor of it!

the carb loading ahead of time is a myth for women (bikerchick may still have the link to the article about that!) so i don't change my eating habits before a big ride... just eat normal... i do eat oatmeal the morning of the ride (heck.. the morning of ANY ride... i just LOVE oatmeal!) we've even stopped at denny's on the way to a ride (nothing else is open that early usually) for pancakes, eggs, etc! a good meal before the ride is IMPORTANT! (as is snacking and lunch during the day!)

as far as a paceline... do what YOU feel is good for you! if you can't keep their pace.. then ride your own pace! don't burn out early in the day... pace it out so that you finish! (which you will! if you can do 80... you can do 100!) i've done every single one of my past centuries without drafting/pacelining... and i've finished each of them... it's more important to me that i finish.. than try to keep up with people that are faster than i am (i'm NOT fast at all!)

HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!