Training & Nutrition - Training for endurance.?

I have a really great road/race bike. I sometimes go fast, but not really a racer. My goal is long distance and endurance for the long haul. Since I do not really train for speed what would be the best plan to think possible to do major hills and distances as great as 140 miles a day.
Ocassionally sprint, but not routinely. I think my plan is to really hit the hills often -to build up muscle mass for carrying heavy loads long distances with lots of climbing.
Can't say my training is making me faster. Against a really strong racer, I fall behind. Yet, distances seem to not bother me.
If I don't sprint and build up those' twitch muscles," think I can be ready by fall to carry 60 pounds up to 115 miles with 8,000 feet of climbing?? I ride like 200 miles a week. Think that enough to plan an endurance tour.?

Well 115 miles with 8000 feet of climbing is a lot of miles. And loaded with 60 lbs of gear is a lot more. Even a fast flat century is 5 hours. And climbing 8000' is say another 3 hours. And then you get to add the 60 lbs for maybe another 2 hours. That means 10 hours on the bike and that is a pot load. It can be done and with 200 miles per week, you probably can do it. But do you want to? I am not saying don't do it, if you like long days in the saddle and challenges, this could be a blast, but if you don't, don't even think of it.

Also since you are thinking of doing self contained touring, I presume you are camping. Camping is different from motelling. In motelling, you walk into your room, take a shower and collapse. In camping, you get to lug your gear to your camp site, set up your tent, walk to the shower, well you know another 1-2 of activity per day.

Hey cycle
We are of the same rare breed, long days and long distances, how do we do it, how do we train for it, and why we do it.
I commute to work, those are my shortest rides, 19.5 miles each way. Every time i sit in the saddle, it's to train for the rides, the rides I take every time I get on the bike when not commuting. I very rarely go out for less than 100 miles, I ride mostly in the new england states where hills are more common than not. My saddle time is usually from 4.5 to 12 hours. When I'm riding less than 100 miles I carry weights in my panniers. I don't baby myself on hills, I keep my cadence up and my speed consistant on the down hills. I never ride without panniers and a trunk bag, I am self supported with tools food, gear and water. The only effective training I've found is to ride often and long, short fast rides do nothing for anything over 75 miles, it's saddle time that counts, and for hill climbing, you have to climb hills. I find weighting my bags to keep my total bike weight around 55 pounds to be very effective.
Why
Well, It's what I do, I love to do it, I do it alone, I see the world as it is, at the pace I want and for as long as I want. I experience the freedom of going anywhere I want, under my own power, It's a great feeling.
Just a little about me, I'm 47 years old, ride roughly 10,000 miles a year, have a non cycling wife, 2 daughters and 2 grandchildren, they all think I'm a few bricks short of a full load, but that's ok. Only a few of us truely know the majic cycling has to offer and for us, Well, it's great isn't it. Keep on crankin

Thanks Pat and Mrfix. yes, I love the long distance aspects of touring. Train all year for my tours.
Actually, this Nevada tour will be sag supported, so unlike last September, my load will proabably be no more than 40 pounds.
I worry about that approximate 115 mile day, with some load and two major climbs at the end. Do I just need saddle time (with big hills) for this difficult day, or aerobically, mabye I should be racing at my threshold to be fit for this kind of mileage. . Are two climbs after 100 miles pretty tough? have not really done anything this fatiguing.. I just intend to make it, those who wimp out and ride sag are wimps. They should camp on the far side of the park, away from we determined riders.

well, although i've done a few self-supported tours and a few weekend trips with camping gear (BOB trailer), i'm more of a racer, day tourer, and enjoy riding lots of vertical with only moderate loads (tools, jacket and lunch)... plus i do about 80-90% of my riding offroad and am a technical single-track junkie... i love lots of vertical up and then the technical ride down...

from what you describe, i think doing lots of miles is more important than race or speed training. you need to build endurance and strength, but high-speed or sprinting isn't so important for what you're wanting to do...

i regularly do long all-day rides with 4,000-8000ft vertical, but with almost no weight!

as Pat said, doing that much vertical (8000') and miles (115) with that much weight (60lbs) is tough... (when you say 60 lbs, you mean 60lbs of gear, not counting your bike, right?) ... i've ridden with 50-60lbs of gear on pretty flat tours and it's already a lot of weight. then i did a weekend trip in the Alps last fall with maybe 30-40lbs in my trailer and the hills, although doable, were killer (i rode about 40miles and 3000ft the first day and then 60miles and 1000ft the 2nd day) - you also need some major small gears to pull so much weight up big hills...

so other than the fact that your stated goal there seems pretty tough (although possible)... i think it sounds like you might be on the right track. i think the best would be to do as mrfix says he trains --- do lots of miles always with weight... the strength you need will develop from pulling the load up the hills over all the miles --- no real need for high-speed race training (it might bring some benefits, but you'd also have to take more recovery time off since such training breaks you down and is really hard on the body and might limit your endurance training)

I did carry about 60 pounds in last fall's tour. This next fall, since mostly sag supported, doubt I will carry no more than 40, if that. But still have some major climbs and long distances.
I do long distances. But the worst day, a finale of two major climbs at the end, that has me wondering. Do not do centuries enough. Usually once a week 60-80 miles.

Mornin Cycle
Seems to me, you worry way too much, don't sell yourself short, part of this whole cycling thing is the challenge of it all. Go out there and do it, you will be amazed at what you can do. But , if you fear the hills, they will get you. Go at em hard and triumph at the top. It sounds like you ride a lot, if that's correct, you are ready, go out there, look for the big hills, and conquer them. Be confident, cycling is about the hills, sun, rain, wind, cold, hot and whatever else Mother Nature decides we need. Have fun and keep on crankin

You are right mrFix... I have found a sale on energy gels and will have my jersey pockets loaded with them on the tough days. Six days in a row of 90 mile day averages- day two 113 miles with over 8,000 ft to climb loaded at the very end. I hear reports many on last years tour wimped out and did sag- not me.

Bananas man bananas, eat bananas not energy gel. That's mom natures energy gel.