Originally Posted by
diggy488
I guess I'm making this a big deal because I've never prepped for an event before. I've always ridden when it has been convenient. My rides are so far apart that I never improve and my body doesn't get conditioned. It's as if I'm a new rider every time I'm on the bike. Since last weekend I've covered over 100 miles. So I'm off to a great start and I want to continue the momentum until October. I'm tracking my HR, Avg spd, etc in hopes to see improvements and keep me motivated. I want to make this a big deal so I can push myself more than I've ever had. Thanks for the comment!
I agree with qualia8 on his observation. I think you're doing better than you think you are. This has been surprising to me too and I can't really explain it, but even with my reduced riding this year, I'm still hitting PRs on Strava for segments I've been doing for years. All I can chalk this up to is going out there when I can and doing the best I can at the time because it's all I can do right now.
In your case if you're covering 100 miles in a weekend, you're doing pretty darn good. I've never subscribed to this "ride a century to train for a century" stuff. Success in a century (or any organized ride) is about the ability to properly fuel and stay mentally focused. Seems to me, you're already well on your way.