Training & Nutrition - How should I train?

Hey all. I appreciate any advice people might have on this. I started cycling last spring and logged a lot of miles on a cross country trip. I'm comfortable with long rides (for me, that means over 3 hours and anywhere up to 50-60 miles). I haven't been on my bike for the past 2 months or so because of the weather - I'm near Boston and don't have appropriate clothes / will power :). I just bought a trainer and am looking to get more fit before spring time and hopefully get myself into shape enough that I dip my feet in racing. My goals are:

1 - Build leg strength
2 - Increase endurance at faster speeds
3 - Be able to ride non stop for longer periods of time. I tend to stop to stretch and relax every 45-60 minutes when riding.

So my questions are:

1 - Should I be aiming for a certain heart rate for a particular amount of time or aim to log as much time on the bike as possible?
2 - I have a gym membership. Should I do a standard leg weight lifting routine in addition to time on the trainer or should I put all of my leg energy simply toward time on the bike?
3 - Any other advice to get me race ready?

Any advice is greatly appreciated - thanks!

do you want to race? you didn't mention that in your 3 goals?

maybe get entered onto a sportive (as they are known in Europe) - something like a century. having a goal and date in the diary will hopefully give you the will power to get out there and brave the cold. it works for me.

as for the gym - stationary bikes are great for doing interval workouts as the variable remain the same so you can accurately measure your performance. also do the odd spin class if they have them. i've never really thought weights are necessary for long distance riding - unless you want to be a sprinter.

Sorry should've been more specific. I'm definitely hoping to race. I'm more interested in doing shorter races, maybe 25-40 miles. Is that considered a sprint distance?

Thanks for your response!

Sorry should've been more specific. I'm definitely hoping to race. I'm more interested in doing shorter races, maybe 25-40 miles. Is that considered a sprint distance?

No, the "sprint" is at the end of the race, only a few hundred meters at most...

Stretching is best after your ride is over. Stretching during a ride can cause injury.
In order to train properly you need to focus on lots of different aspects of body and Mind. You must do lots of Core-work, intervals, perfect your pedal stroke, work out in all HR zones, improve your bike handling skills, learn and utilize strategy in every race. You also need to get lots of rest and fuel up properly.

Stretching is best after your ride is over. Stretching during a ride can cause injury.

wut

I put together what I think is a decent program. I start a new job on Feb 9th, so hopefully I'll still be able to fit all workouts in. If anyone wants to check out the workout and make specific suggestions, I've blogged it at http://densspot-training.blogspot.com.

Also, with regards to stretching, I've found that stretching after the first 30-40 minutes of long rides (for me 50-60 miles) and numerous times during really long rides (60+ miles) helps me stay loose and get rid of built up lactic acid.