66mi in 3.5 weeks... help get me ready!

[cuda2k]

Here's the deal, I'd really like to start out my season with a full Metric Century. This is probably one of the easier metrics in the area with a fairly flat route. Problem is I've been off the bike for the most part for the better part of the last couple of months, and while I have been hitting the trainer some when I can my schedule is tight to get on the trainer let alone get on the bike outside.

Bare minimum I plan on doing the 44mi route, which I don't think I'll have much problem with, but I would really like to get that 66mi route done, which would match my longest ride to date.

So, what training schedule should I be looking at to be ready by the 24th to have the endurance to ride the Metric? What's the best plan for my time on the trainer to increase endurance, not so much speed.

[Machka]

Where are you at right now? Are you comfortable with an hour or two on the trainer or outside? If so, do an hour a day, 4 days a week ... plus a couple hours each day, 2 days a week. If you can get outside, all the better.

A 2 hour ride will probably put you around the 50 km point or so (30 miles), and you're half way to the ride you want to do. If you keep that up for 3 weeks, you should be able to do your ride.

If you've got the time, you might want to go for a 3 hour ride next weekend, or the one after.

[CdCf]

To be honest, riding 100 km can probably be done at almost any fitness level if speed is no issue. My best time (hilly route) was 3:45 and that took a lot of effort, but if done at a much slower pace, it would be mostly a matter of saddle comfort and possibly fighting boredom.

[cuda2k]

Thanks for the responses so far. Little more info to go on:

1) I've only logged an embarassingly low 113mi so far this year, not counting trainer time

2) Longest ride of the year so far has been 24mi. :o

3) Current schedule is going to allow for trainer time 3x a week during the work week (bout an hour time limit), and hopefully a ride of 2+ hours at least once during the weekends.

While I agree with CdCf as I did my first Metric only a few months after starting to ride seriously again after several years of relative inactivity, there's a base endurance level that makes a metric more than just survivable. My last metric was in 3:26, and while I don't think I could match that right now, I'd like to stay under the 4:00 mark.