Hi everybody.

Thanks all for the great input. I suspected that after my thread grew a bit I would need to fill in some of the blanks. So here is some additional info. As you already know I'm 53, over weight and hadn't ridden a bike in 38 years. I'm serious and intense but also realistic. I don't ever plan to "race" for time but I have always been very good at everything I get involved in for sports and hobbies. I don't need to be killer per say. I just need to be killer for an old fat man LOL. The fat part has to change!!! I know the rest will come around. I already surprise lots of people and hear things such as" I couldn't have expected that from you" in regards to my abilities based on my size. I will always be a big dude. I weighed almost 200 lbs in high school even when I was a skinny rail. I bulked up lifting and my genes give me size naturally. I'm shooting for 225-220 by June 1. I am also training to peak the first weekend in June as I am riding in the most difficult tour I could imagine riding in. (at least in regards to my newness to biking). It's a 3 day event called The Death Tour. http://www.deathridetour.com/course.php

I doubt I will ever be a good climber.I'm strong as hell but even still will never be able to get my power to weight ratio close to where good climbers are, and tha'ts ok. I'm only wanting to do the Death Ride well enough that it will be fun instead of sucking because of the climbing at altitude and the distance. Rarely do I just go ride without having an intention. Meaning I ride witha said training purpose, but still so that it is fun. I have read many books, read web sources and watched everything I can find on youtube. I probably know too much at this point and need to pare down some as I have questions that should be clear in my mind and are not. Thus my original post here.

I do ride intevals, overunder, steady state, hill climb repeats ect. And for the most part I think I pretty much understand what they are supposed to do for me. Some of the way I have filed things away seem to contradict. So maybe I should just write down my questions here and you can clearify for me.

I believe I have read these things.

I need to ride no more than in HR zone 2 on endurance rides to burn fat and to train my body to use fat as my fuel source better.
My conflict is this. Riding in higher zones burn more calories per hour and force lactic acid adaptations. Thus increasing my power at lactate threshold. Thus making me faster and able to ride longer as well. Soooo, if I can ride 50 miles in 2.5 hours why ride it in 4?

Also if I hammer 2 days back to back it forces my body to adapt. Where as it might not take me as seriously as a one day/skip day rider. The climbing on the new weekend rides are not like the steep climbing I do on my climb/repeat days. I do intervals, and over/unders on the steeper grade (8%). And sometimes endurance rides on the steeper things. I have a 13 mile ride in the steeps I do.

Can someone tell me about changing slow twitch to fast twitch muscle fiber through works outs. or maybe the other way around. I thought they we different from inception. Somewhere I thought I caught wind that through training we force them to adapt to our style of training.

How about creating more mitochondria density, or, better quality mito. I guess we can create less efficient?

DO I need to mash some on my climbs to build leg strength? I think my legs are plenty strong if I didn't have to hump so much weight up the hill. Jezzzz I can fill the leg press machines totally full at the gym so as to not be able to put another plate on them.

I have planned on doing Chris Carmichaels beginner century workout plan to coinside with my Death Tour ride. ANy thoughts??

I know I can ride my best on Sunday if I come fresh. I don't care if my one day performance is less on Sunday due to riding hard on Saturday. I want best results in the long run to be able to ride my best century ride

Lots here I know. Thanks for the replies