1K start to 100K goal ~ hilly~ ???

[jayjay]

Hello Ladies ! I am crawling out of a 7 year slump, and am going to take the bull by the horns ! I turned 46 last January, and since turning 40 I have become : depressed, obese, and achy.... just plain old Frumpy! I use to ride most of my 20's and 30's and even successfully have ridden a century. The thing is, I'm feeling about a thousand years older now , than then, and more physical challenges in just aging only 10, as well as dealing with being 50 pounds above my lean weight of my prime. I have moved up into the mtns and am on top of a steep 2K climb... which is across the valley from another mtn ridge of the same elevation. about 5 years ago I had this fantasy (before I settled into a solid depression and weight gain) of making a nice cozy loop from my new cabin atop my West Mtn, around the other EastSideMtn and back up. That's at least 2K climb twice, with likely anywhere from 65 to 75 miles , which ever roads I play with. Now, let me just call this my personal "HillyHundredK" and the thing is, I'm going to attempt to train myself back into a new fitness where I can ride this. I am giving myself one year. I figure if I can barely ride even only 5 miles down on the more level part of the hip of the mtn, today, that's a good kick off... next time I'll do 1K...heh, heh. My goal for this month is to ride only a 10 miles (hilly, but no major grades) at the end of the month. Each month I shall add 5 miles to my previous month's goal. Somewhere along the line I'll start at my house, which is at the top of a 4 mile very steep top of the mtn (well over 1000 ft elevation gain in the last 4 miles). By March 2009 I shall have made the 65 mile mark, including all the climbing.

Now this is the deal : I have to say I've never trained very much, for anything , in my whole life, never had a goal that I stuck with. I think this should be very doable, but the >>obesity and MiddleAge<< which are both new to me, are going to be the hardest factor. I am not on a program diet, but eat very sensibly, my plan is to learn to hone portion sizes. I already hike every morning up in our woods , with the dog, for 30 to 60 minutes. The Hilly100K is my personal thing. I have no desire for timing or speed, or driving far to flats.... in fact, to take it really slow, with panniers packed, on my steep roads, on my '80's steel Specialized Sequoia touring bike, I will become the ~Matron of SlowRiding ~ (sung to the tune of LowRider... add your own words! :lol:

I know that I should do a training schedule more intricate for each month. For example : next month when I want to ride 15 at the end of the month, shall I build up, pare back, build up? Or just steadily build? No idea.

Much obliged for any tips and suggestions and basic cheerleading anybody can give me. I can do this !!!