Originally Posted by
HardyWeinberg
My basic commute is 65 miles a week (13 miles/day, 7 miles in, 6 miles home). As spring began I started taking a 12 mile route home when it was nice. Then I started doing 12 mile route going in as well some days.
Two weeks ago I committed to 24 mile days every day regardless of weather. I have been tiring at the end of the week but have been fired up by Mondays. Don't know if I should pace myself slower on Mondays and Tuesdays to have a bit more energy on Fridays.
This past week, I hoped to do a century on Saturday (day before yesterday) but did not taper during the week, kept that 120 mile schedule, and did just 50 Saturday, was exhausted through the evening. Took Sunday off (except for yardwork), felt great again today.
Anyway, I hope at some point that my 120 week will be the new normal and can get long rides in on the occasional Saturdays. I have a hard time picturing being able to maintain those 120 mile weeks through the winter though, least of all the days of 8 hrs sunlight or less.
If you want to do long weekend rides, start by commuting mostly in zone 2 on three days and adding a long ride on the weekend. 50 would be a good start. Ride the weekend ride hard, hard as you can. Gradually increase the distance until you get to 70. To ride that century, take at least 2 days off before it. Maybe commute Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday off, long ride Saturday. Century week, commute Monday, Tuesday, and maybe Wednesday.
For weekend rides, Cascade posts free group rides every day. Sign up and go. Misery loves company. That's how I've done it for the past 20 years or so, riding year-round in the PNW. On bad weather weekdays, I hit my resistance rollers for an hour instead of going out. Works great.
To give yourself more weather windows in winter, maintain a 40-50 mile weekend ride and commute enough to make 100 mile weeks. It's not necessary to do more over the winter.