I got a new cateye micro wireless cycling computer last week and decided to celebrate by attempting a metric century.

I thought I had been doing a big ~78km training ride twice a week until I got this computer and so thought that It would be a breeze and I would manage it in just over 3 1/2 hrs
I have been imformed by the new technology however that my big ride is only 70km and I have been overestimating it from road signs.

The missus was driving to a town ~130km away for shopping and I had her drop me off at the 103km mark in a secluded layby for the ride. She informed me I was a halfwit for attempting it and then drove off to go shopping - so much for being supportive eh?

I shrugged off her scorn and cycled excited ly out of the secluded layby and onto the highway into the strongest headwing I have ever experienced on a bike, felt like I was dragging a tire and had to pedal even on mild downhills.

Have not had to suffer a strong headwind before and it just killed me, the roads are quite hilly where I live (I got 74km downhill into the headwind for example) and I was red faced and panting like a St Bernard in Sauna by the 40km mark.

At the 50km mark I thought I had hit the wall, as I began to gasp alarmingly and was struggling to keep up and decent speed.
By the 85km mark I realised I definitely hit the wall and felt like I was cycling though molasses, I wasnt aware that you could hit the wall twice, but I did, or maybe I hit it and bounced.

After 4 1/4 painfull and huniliating hours I rolled into the carport only to find the computer reading 97.8km, I was gutted, and too hacked off to ride up and down the street in this state to push it over 100

Too dehydrated to summon tears I slumped on the couch an whinged waiting for the missus to come home and make my tea.
Worse was to come however, she had already eaten and was completly unsympatheic to my plight, she said and I quote "make it yourself you useless fat b***** and empty the dishwasher when you have finished" before buggering off out with her mates to sit around and cackle over a coffee.

My ultimate goal on the bike is to ride a true century by the end of the year, but I realise I have a lot of work to do.

100 miles seemed so easy when I was in my early 20's, but it now seems like a colossal undertaking.

Any tips for building back up to it?

Any tips for pacing yourself on longer rides when you are not that fit?

Is there any technique to riding into a headwind? I realise getting down in the drops helps reduce wind resistance but I cannot cycle like that for very long


Have just read back over the above and realise that it is an overly long pile of rambling ****, and I apologise for this but an going to post it anyway.

Fat Tony