Training & Nutrition - Century goal

I only started riding a little over a month ago after not riding for a couple of years. I have a 10ish year old Specialized Rockhopper that I used to ride all the time (20-30 miles a few days a week, and toodling all over town on the off days). I am now using it to commute to work (12 miles) and taking it on longer rides on weekends. I know I am supposed to only up my milage by about 10% each week, but I am pushing hard each weekend and ended up doing a little over 60 miles yesterday. I was wondering if a century ride by the end of October is a realistic goal, or if my milage will drop back and my muscles will start to rebel. Each Saturday for the past four weekends, I have done the following: 25, 30-ish, 45, 60 (Sunday this past weekend, not Saturday), with smaller rides on the other weekend day. Has anyone experienced a plateau as to how far they can go in one day? Am I pushing too hard all at once? It generally takes about 2-3 days of recovery after a big ride for me. Is that too long? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Another small problem, is that my friend that I bike with is the Uber biker and can just go forever, so I am sort of wishing I could go as far as he can each time we go out riding. Not that he toasts me, just wish I could get those miles up there.

If you can ride 60 now, you will be able to ride 100 by the end of October.

Do you have "slicks" on your RockHopper? If not, they would make a tremendous difference. Likely 1.5" x 26"

Generally, anyone who can complete about 75-80 miles in practice will be able to finish a century, given the excitement, environment, adrenalin, etc.

Yes, allow yourself to rest, especially after 60 mile rides.

Your body will be able to take it, as long as you rest, sleep, get proper nutrition and keep hydrated.

A road bike would make it easier. Is that out of the question now? However, I see lots of hybrids and mtn bikes doing centuries.

Sounds like your training schedule is good. Your motivation is good, Your body is reacting well. All systems seem to be "GO."

Have fun, you will do great. Maybe not the fastest, but that is OK - a Century is NOT a race, but an accomplishment. Be sure to set your OWN pace when you do the century, and don't play superman at the beginning.

Be sure to take things easy the last few days. Let your body rest and get prepared.

Good luck, and don't worry.

If you can ride 60 now, you will be able to ride 100 by the end of October.

Do you have "slicks" on your RockHopper? If not, they would make a tremendous difference. Likely 1.5" x 26"

>I am getting tires called "Comfort Kevlar" which are pretty much slicks with a thin line of knobbiness on the edge. These don't interfere with the slick part of the tire, but will grip when climbing over roots and branches if I go off trail.

Generally, anyone who can complete about 75-80 miles in practice will be able to finish a century, given the excitement, environment, adrenalin, etc.

>As for the century, I am not planning on doing an organized ride, just one on my own with my bike buddy. He knows he can do a century, and has done so before, and has promised to be my own personal cheering squad if we go it alone, so I think I will do that first, and then if I find an organized ride after that, I will join up there.

Yes, allow yourself to rest, especially after 60 mile rides.

>How long should I plan to rest in between big rides? Should there be days off completely, or is it still ok to do my 12 miles commute to work?

Your body will be able to take it, as long as you rest, sleep, get proper nutrition and keep hydrated.

>Am doing a lot of super nutritious eating lately. My appetite seems to about triple for the first two or three days after a big ride. Not quite sure what that is about. Building muscle? I'm not gaining pounds (thank god), so I am assuming that the calories are going towards recovery.

A road bike would make it easier. Is that out of the question now? However, I see lots of hybrids and mtn bikes doing centuries.

>As for a road bike, I am hoping to use the mtn bike for now and eventually get a cyclocross in order to do the longer road trips, and some light trail riding.

Sounds like your training schedule is good. Your motivation is good, Your body is reacting well. All systems seem to be "GO."

Have fun, you will do great. Maybe not the fastest, but that is OK - a Century is NOT a race, but an accomplishment. Be sure to set your OWN pace when you do the century, and don't play superman at the beginning.

Be sure to take things easy the last few days. Let your body rest and get prepared.

Good luck, and don't worry.

I am so excited to do it. I have never done anything that big before. I used to be a runner and have always wanted to train for a marathon, but I think this would almost be equivilant and a more doable goal for my body to undertake. Running ruined my arches in my feet, but so far with biking, the only problem is a bit of hand numbness which I am working on.

Thanks for the advice and the motivation! :D

I am so excited to do it. I have never done anything that big before. I used to be a runner and have always wanted to train for a marathon, but I think this would almost be equivilant and a more doable goal for my body to undertake. Running ruined my arches in my feet, but so far with biking, the only problem is a bit of hand numbness which I am working on.

Thanks for the advice and the motivation! :D

Do you have "bar ends" on your RH?

These give you at least one more hand position to help prevent numbness, a common problem, especially on mtn bikes going long distances. Road bikes have 3-4 hand positions built in.

Do you have "bar ends" on your RH?

These give you at least one more hand position to help prevent numbness, a common problem, especially on mtn bikes going long distances. Road bikes have 3-4 hand positions built in.

Yep. They are the sort of extra long ones, so they actually give me two more hand positions, although the topmost position is not all that comfortable. I can actually get into a fourth position that has the heel of my hands on my regular handle bars, with my fingers around the bar ends with the palms of my hands not really on anything. It gives relief for a few minutes until my thumb falls asleep. Very frustrating. I just got new gloves though, so I will have to wait until next weekends big ride to see how those work.