Interesting thread. Ever since I hit my first half-century last month I made my new goal for the year to ride a century by October. At first I was psyched and set up a plan to increase my distance 10 miles every 3 weeks until I hit 100 in October.
Sadly, things aren't going as planned. I did 2 metrics within 6 days of each other. The first one was hilly, thought I was going to die. For the second one I decided to try some flats instead... still bonked like crazy after 50 miles.
Ok, so I cut my distance for last weekends ride to 51 miles... definitely felt the bonk rapidly coming at around mile 49, made it home just in time.
... This weekend I'm going to further cut my distance to 30 miles, and I'm feeling somewhat defeated. At this rate I don't think I'll make my goal, and I'm wondering if I was just too lofty.
I'm hoping the weather has something to do with it. 4 weeks ago I did a 45 mile hill ride, and I had so much energy left afterwards that I felt like I could have easily done another 20. But it was about 70 degrees that day. Lately it's been hitting 90 with mega-humidity every day, and it's just oppressive.