I'm planning on riding an 80 mile group ride on the last weekend of June, which is a shock in it's own right as I always ride solo (except when riding with my bride).

I'll do the ride on the Tour Easy which is more than capable of handling the ride. To ensure that I can keep up with the group I've decided to do one solo training ride each week for the next three weeks on my heavier EZ Sport. The distance (mileage) of these training rides is anticipated to be equal to or greater than my age, I'll be 58 on the 19th. Of course between training rides I'll be commuting to the job on either my Volae or my Mtn Bike.

I rode 60.09 miles today. Wind sucks!!

So that's it! My big venture into goal setting. Three rides in three weekends....one down, two to go.
I feel the pressure already.

Let us know how it works out. If it's good for you I may have to try it sometime. Not anytime soon, but sometime.

Lenny,
Stay strong don't let the pressure get you. You can do it, keep telling yourself that you can. Remember the little train that was trying to climb the mt. he just kept telling himself I think I can, I think I can. Just vision yourself as that little train.
Boy I have really slipped off into the deep-end with the nursery rhyme here.

I set a goal in 2002 after I was getting over an op. Didn't want to chase up hills- didn't want to exert myself on the Flat- didn't even have to do the milage that I should have been doing. So I set a goal and that was to do the hardest ride I had ever done in my life. It is a killer- even for a fit younger person that I used to be.

Trained like mad- Down the gym- out on the bike ( Well Tandem as Stuart was co-erced into doing it with me) Eat all the right foods and really got myself fit. Or so I thought. That ride was as hard as I remenbered it being- but I did it and haven't stopped riding since. Now all I have to do is set another goal to motivate myself after a long winter that I still haven't recovered from.

New Goal Swim 10 laps in your pool everyday.

Can't get the water up to bath temperature over here- and The pool is the wifes domain. I don't get in her pool and she doesn't ride my bikes.

Not that bad- but I do not enjoy swimming. I can swim about 100 metres and that is it. and 10 laps round this pool would only just get that distance and I would get dizzy going round that continual tight corner.

Whoa! Wait a minute.

We have the same birthday? Different years, though. I'll be 52 on the 19th.

We'll have to get together for a birthday ride and pie. (Or maybe just an Abbott's. Mmmmm, Abbott's... Or maybe pie AND Abbott's.)

Yep! We had our birthdays on the same day last year too. Chuckle chuckle.
You, me and I believe there are two other 50+ posters on the same day.

Are you implying we had this conversation before? I plead coming-of-age in the 70s.

So, what about that Abbott's? I work Thursday afternoon 'til 6, all day Friday, and Saturday 'til 2.

Yes, about a year ago, as I recall.

Great suggestion about Birthday Custard.
See PM....

In regards to my original post....my legs were a bit tight (I hesitate to say sore) on the ride in to work this morning so yesterdays 60 miles on the heavy LWB EZ Sport must have done me some good.

This ride at the end of the month will be kinda interesting. Like I mentioned, I'm a loner so not only do I lack group riding skills and technique but I'm used to just rolling along at my own casual pace. I'm not at all concerned about the distance of the ride, I'm just concerned about the pace. I don't want to be the guy off the back that everyone is concerned about loosing (though the ride is right through my normal ride area). Oh well! I'll do a couple more good rides on that heavy Sun and we'll just see what happens on ride day.

Goal SETTING is the easy part. Heck, I do that several times per day.

2nd weekend, second 60 miler. I did not want to ride today but I forced myself. Though I really didn't enjoy the ride, I'm glad now that I did it. Again I used my heavy EZ Sport. There's one training weekend left before group ride.

Co-incidently, this happens to be my birth month and so far all of my non-commuting rides have been in access of my age (58 next week).

Most of us have days when the bike ride can be put off. I used to ride with a group of mountain bikers and when I had my "Can't be bothered" period- I set it that the rides started from my house. I was shamed into doing the rides- and have to admit that within 10 minutes of starting- I was enjoying the ride.