I don't know about training. I just wanted to commend you on your continuing weight loss and fitness successes! go, Go, GO!

1. That's not far enough

2. That will make you tired and slow, because you can't stress yourself enough for good anaerobic adaptations and are going too hard to train your slow-twitch fibers and oxidative energy system.

Add 10% total riding time each week, except for an easy week out of every 3.

Do that until you're riding at least 100 miles a week. Most of your time should me spent below your aerobic threshold where breathing becomes rhythmic, conversation doesn't flow, and you start to feel your legs. One day a week you can ride 5-10 minute intervals as hard as possible resting 5 minutes between them.

Try a metric century first so you won't discover you have comfort problems on long rides halfway into your century.

Ride your century at your own pace below your aerobic threshold. Drink when thirsty. Eat small amounts of food (no more than an energy bar per hour). Don't stop longer than you need to relieve yourself and refill your water bottles, especially in cool weather.

Enjoy!

Ditto, adding one high intensity interval training session a week. Research shows it's most effective for burning fat. (See the NCBI/NIH -- National Center for Biotechnology Information/National Institutes of Health studies on the PubMed site for info. Basically it confirms the methodology emphasized by many sports trainers the past few years.)

I didn't need to lose weight but tackling HIIT over the summer, beginning in June, did wonders for my strength and stamina. My overall speed, hill climbing and recovery times improved.

I probably overdid it, however, tackling HIIT sessions 3-4 times a week for about an hour each. I felt burned out by late August and needed two or more rest days, so I've cut back to shorter HIIT once a week.

My longer rides are around 50 miles and I try to do those once or twice a month.

I've ridden metric centuries -- 60-65 miles -- a few the past year. It'd been harder to find time for a full century, but it's on the list for this autumn. I've ridden full centuries before but I was much younger. Now I need more frequent rest breaks and to watch my effort more carefully.

I follow a local rider on Strava who's ridden nearly 80 centuries this year alone, with a goal of 100 by the end of 2017. Looking at his flyby records, he rests for a few minutes at a time as needed, and a longer rest break somewhere between halfway to 3/4 way through. A few years ago he set several KOMs on tough local routes so while he's fast, he averages a moderate 15-16 mph on his century rides. We're about the same age so I'm patterning my training and routes to follow his. My average speed is the same as his, but that's misleading -- I'm needing longer and more frequent rest breaks after hill climbs, which is disguised by the auto-pause/resume of cycling apps. That's fine, I'll just take it at my own pace.

That's a good start for week 1 and maybe week 2. What do you plan to do for week 3?

Congrats on the weight loss! I've done a few centuries, tons of long rides. But I'm no expert, just have a few observations.

Sounds like you have good power. Now it's time to test endurance, you should pick a day that you can fully dedicate to biking and go as far as you can. Pick a route that you could potentially be able to be given a lift back home if you can't do it.

I find I hit a "wall" around 75 to 80 miles, you should find your wall. When I hit the wall, it's more of a mental thing and can vary. It goes away after a half hour of pedaling on.

Not sure what your nutrition is like but I try to eat a bag of frozen veggies before I go, and drink a cup of coffee along with a little carb loading. Complex carbs and protein are your friend! Then, I will eat a Snickers once an hour at least to keep my blood sugar up so I can keep burning fat.

From what I understand, you use sugars in your blood to start a long burn process using your body fat and protein. You'll be burning probably around 5k calories at least? That means eat! For the first hour and a half you should be fine, after that start snacking and listen to your body. If you start to feel a little "depressed" or slight ennui munch on half a candy bar. You really have to stay on top of eating, if you feel hungry that's a bad sign and you should immediately start eating. Also drink lots and lots of water. This is something I still need to work on as often I won't use a restroom the whole time, but I'm also a heavy sweater.

Bring a pack of gum to chew, and a radio. I'd say your body right now could do it. To me it feels like a century is 50% mental, but I do solo's so there's a lot of inner thoughts that kind of develop since you have no one to talk to. Like I said earlier you hit the mental wall and all you can think of is sitting on the couch lol.

Just keep moving, always have forward motion. Walking is moving, so jump off the bike and spend 10 minutes walking a half mile or downshift to a really low gear and relax.

You can do it!
 

You can do it. I'm 60yo and bounce around 200lb. I started riding in Jan17 with a Century goal in May...the ride my buddy and I picked had 7900ft of ascent which proved a bridge too far at the decision point so we finished on the Metric Century route. We did another Metric in August. I just got my first century Sep 16th at Clarksville, thankfully a nice flat scenic course (about 2500ft) with excellent support.

Sorry, this is gonna get wordy and long.

When I started in Jan, I huffed and puffed to get 6 miles, now I alternate between a 20 mile and a 33 mile training route. My goal is 100 a week, but 70 is more the norm. I believe you have time to get ready if it is something you really want. Try to increase your training ride mileage and pick a Metric century or some supported ride to do at your training midpoint---knowing you can go 100km is peace of mind as you stretch for the 100mi mark.

If you've already picked the ride you want to do in Feb, begin to strategize it and drive the route if feasible so you have an idea of what you will encounter. We tend to want to fixate on our average speeds...I am not fast, so on a 100 miler I figure what time I must be at the decision point in order to be supported for the entirety of the course...in other words, if the ride starts at 7am and support ends at 4pm, I have 9 hours of support...I stop at rest stops which may burn an hour, so now I have 8 hours to ride...100 miles in 8 hours requires 12.5 avs requiring me to arrive at a typical 40 mile decision point in under 3hrs15min or before 10:15am. I know my average speed will begin to drop significantly after the 50-60 mile point, so if I don't make the decision point by 1015, I must decide whether to press to 100mi knowing I'll be unsupported or opt to the Metric course. Even if I were riding with someone, I doubt I would opt for the potential of being unsupported that distance in unfamiliar territory. Plan your ride, ride your plan.

Staying hydrated and eating along the way is key...practice a routine that works for you and stick with it. For example, I drink every twenty minutes...my intake may vary, but tipping that bottle up signals my brain to take whatever fluid is required at that point---it is too easy to find out too late that you've dehydrated and tough to catch up. I stop at every rest/sag stop, usually for ten minutes or less, top bottles, eat a little something, etc...that makes a century (depending on the number of stops offered) 4 25 mile rides, or 9 12ish mile rides in the case of the one at Clarksville. Gets you off the bike to stretch your legs a couple of minutes, think about something else, give/receive encouragement, and get news of anything unexpected ahead. Be objective about your condition and the time it took to get to the decision point---there is always another 100 miler you can get later if your speed or stamina are falling off AND a Metric is something to be proud of too. Have fun! ((Experience and opinions vary...this works for me.))

Late edit...I watch my heart rate and cadence--letting either get too high for too long drags me down quick, and I know it takes me 10 miles to warmup, so I have to consciously let the pack go and ride my own ride.

Large charity event with various distances, the longest being a century.

WOW! Thank you all so much for your advice and congrats to all of you who have made and achieved your goals. It is very hot here still (90+ with high humidity), so even though i leave before dawn on my long rides, it gets very hot before I'm done. Between the heat and extreme humidity, I've been putting Nuun tabs in my water. I generally carry 3 bottles, 2 with Nuun in them, one plain water. On the point of nutrition, I've struggled not knowing if I'm dealing with lack of fitness, heat exhaustion or actual nutrition on my longer rides as sometimes I am exhausted by the end. My current nutrition for long rides is Oatmeal and a banana with some coffee 45min before i ride. After an hour, I eat 3 Cliff shot blocks and continue to do so every 45min. I would appreciate your take on nutrition for 3+hr rides.

Back to the commuting issue.... there are some easy work arounds that could get you to your mileage. I commute 1-2 days per week. On the day before, I bring the clothes I'll need so they are there. I keep some deodorant and a pack of sports wipes in my office. Here's a link:

https://www.amazon.com/HyperGo-Hypoa...s%2Bwipes&th=1

They do a great job and are odor free.... get to work, grab your clothes, wipe down, get dressed and you're good to go. Then the following day when you're driving again you can take your yesterday's clothes home. Lather rinse repeat. At ten miles if you don't push ... you should be good to go, and it adds to your weekly miles. Plus gives you energy for the day :)

YMMV

A lot of cyclists, myself included, eat oatmeal before a long ride. Others are going to say you need more protein and fat. The main thing is that you eat well the night before. I use my mom's old rule: some protein, some starch, some veggies.

First off, congrats on every achievement you've made so far!
Ditto on the oatmeal. Peanut butter is my go to for protein. You may want to diversify your fuel intake, 3 clif shots an hour is a lot of goop. I like pbnjs, fig bars, and definitely cookies. If you're doing NUUN tabs you've probably got your electrolytes taken care of.

Regarding commuting. Have you thought about driving halfway and riding the rest? Personally I would sub those commute days for some of your intense 10.5 mile rides, get some intervals in on the way home, and then get your long ride in on the weekend. As has been stated, you have plenty of time, just be sure you're gradual increasing your mileage and you should be fine.

One thing I've discovered recently is adding a tablespoon or two of raw honey to the water/Nuun mix. Seems to be an energy boost to me.
re. exhaustion. You COULD be bonking, aka hitting the wall. Meaning you've used up all your fuel stores. Some oatmeal and a banana with coffee 45 minutes before is okay with me up to about 20+ miles. If I'm going 30+ miles, that won't get me there. On my 30-40-50 mile rides, I may eat that oatmeal and banana & coffee but would add maybe a bagel or toast with peanut butter, or Clif bar, or apple.
I have bonked a few times on rides and it's like running out of gas in a car. Just can't hardly go an further.

Bonking is one thing, heat exhaustion is something else and dangerous. Some warning signs: feeling chills even as you are sweating, weak/trembling, rapid pulse (yes I know your pulse is already elevated by cycling), clammy skin, feeling faint/lightheaded, nauseated. Some of these are difficult to isolate when you are exercising and sweating anyway. Learn the warning signs of heat exhaustion because the next step is heat stroke which can be life threatening.


I agree. Clif shots are great for a quick boost of energy but my experience has been the boost is short lived and doesn't take the place of taking food into the body. I've noticed if I get hungry it's already too late. (See bonking note above) I always have a Clif bar, PBJ, Honey Stinger Waffle...something, if I'm going more than 30 miles. You don't have to pack a picnic, but if you're going distance you should have something with which to resupply energy. Some days I return home with the snack, other days with the same mileage I eat it and wish I had more. Go figure. Listen to your body.

I'd also suggest doing some fat adaptation rides. This means going out for a long ride at moderate pace while fasted. Long ride means at least an hour. Moderate pace means an "all-day" pace. Something you can maintain without breathing hard. Fasted means a cup of black coffee if that's your thing.

This is to increase your body's ability to burn fat, rather than glycogen, as its primary energy source.

Take some food with you but try not to eat it for at least an hour. Your stomach may grumble as you do this, but it doesn't mean you're bonking.

I've heard this before and will definitely try it. Maybe if I can commute a couple of days, I could do this and just eat breakfast at work.

I have a gym across from my office, so I can shower there. I just don't know if it would be easier to ride at home in the morning and shower, then drive to work. I will try both. Either way, I'm going to be adding some additional rides to my weekly schedule.

This is what I do every day. Oatmeal mid-morning a couple hours after riding in to the office.

It works well to train your body to use its stores.

Don't ride hard, though, if fasting. That's counterproductive.

Sounds like you have time to do both, possibly.

OK ... speaking as someone who has ridden 184 centuries or longer rides ... :)


Machka's General Advice Regarding Nutrition

Regarding Food:

If your ride is less than 2 hours, you probably don't need any extra food ... but bring a granola bar, just in case.
If your ride is 2-4 hours, you might want to aim to eat about 100 calories per hour ... and bring an extra granola bar, just in case.
If your ride is longer than 4 hours, you might want to have something extra to eat before the ride (like a good breakfast) and aim to eat about 200 calories per hour ... and bring an extra granola bar, just in case.
If you ride gets up toward the 8 hour point, you might want to considering including a meal stop at about the 6 hour point where you'll eat something in the neighbourhood of 500-700 calories.

As for what to eat ... oatmeal raisin cookies are a good choice, as are the current granola bars on the market. Back when I started granola bars tended to be pretty lightweight, but now they've got some which are reasonably substantial and there's a decent variety. Bananas are nice for a bit of variety too. If you're looking for electrolytes, bring salted almonds (a very good food source for electrolytes) and dried apricots. In the last year or so, we've taken to bringing a small bag of lollies (candies).
And I've been known to pick up Subway cookies or lemon bars (you can find those in just about any bakery in Australia) or packaged pastries (found in convenience stores in North America) and nibble at them while riding.


Regarding Beverages:

Aim to drink one 750 ml bottle every 1 to 1.5 hours ... depending on heat, wind and exertion.

I used to do one bottle of water and one of sports drink ... now I go with water about 90% of the time. Then I'll stop along the way and have coke or fruit juice. Fruit juice (pure, not the sugar water stuff) can be a good source of Vit C and potassium.


Regarding Electrolytes:

There are the salted almonds I mentioned above, and along with the fruit juice or coke, we'll often pick up a packet of potato chips at stops which are another good source of electrolytes. Beef jerky and orange juice is another good electrolyte combination for long, long rides.

We also use electrolyte pills (Hammer Nutrition or other).


As you increase your distance, experiment with different food and beverage choices.

Where would I find a coach? I've seen some that cost ~$250/mo and seem to be geared toward racing. I'm not looking to win any races or pay that much per month. It seems between Strava data and MyFitnessPal, it could easily be done remotely.

So, I've been trying this doing an hour ride early in the morning. I think I like it and after a few weeks we'll see by my weight if it is working for me. As for an "all-day" pace I find that difficult. What I've been doing is keeping my cadence to about 85 and gearing down so my heart rate stays at at steady 115 (which puts me at about 12.5mph). Does that seem right? During my faster rides, my heart rate is typically between 130-140.

I don't blame you. Ask under the Training and Nutrition subforum or the Long Distance subforum. I bet you'll get more answers.

I meant just that: the pace you could keep up all day if you had that long to ride. I don't have enough information to answer whether your heart rate is too high or to low. How did you arrive at the 115bpm target? Have you tested to find your lactate threshold HR? This is what most riders who train by HR base their workouts on.

I'm a newbie. I've read to always try to keep your cadence up, so I just hit a HR that felt sustainable and went with it. Hopefully there will be more trial than error in my process.

Then that's probably good enough for the purposes of fat adaptation. Those are meant to be done at sub-LT efforts, which is where the fat burning occurs. As you get fitter, you'll be able to go harder and longer with fat as your main fuel.

Congratulations on the weight loss I was almost like u 3 years ago was 320 pounds lost 75 pounds and took up biking to lose another 50 pounds.i started out just like u the first month or so 3 or 4 rides about 50 miles total for the week then a 40 or 50 mile ride on the weekend.in about 2or so months did my first century to bear mountain in n.y seemed like a big feat when doing my first couple mile ride but the body adapts really quickly to the increase in miles now almost all my rides are at least 50 miles or more and about 300 miles a week one century ride a weekend.so keep up the good work and in time u will be doing 50 mile rides on the common if u keep at it good luck