Originally Posted by
teachme
And, am I wrong for feeling competitive and wanting to finish at least in the top 10%?
Of course not. Ride your rides the way that will give you the greatest enjoyment out of cycling. If you want to push it, then push it.
Each day is 75 miles. What do you think a respectable time is for this distance?
That is such an individual thing. I did a 70 mile event yesterday in 3:12, after hitting the wall 40 miles in and limping home (had been sick leading up to it), and that was a disappointing time, as I wanted to come in under 3 hours. Do you use a heart rate monitor? If you don't know what a good time is for you, I'd suggest using "perceived effort" to gauge your pace, and making it something that is sustainable. Pick it up as you go if you feel strong toward the end. Or find riders that seem to be about the same fitness, and hang with them.
Eat a lot, carb heavy, leading up to it. And especially with with a two day, pound down the nutrition during and after the ride.