I would like to do a 1/2 century this fall. I should be able to get there just by riding regularly, and not wussing out at the 40 mile mark. But what about the full century?

Here is a little info on me.

I am 29. Weigh in at 230lbs. I just got my first road bike and love it. I have done a 26 mile ride with a couple stops to streach and relax. I was by myself, and it was flat. No problems at all then, but after the ride, I really didn't feel like I could've gone too much further.

So I am looking for advice on how to work up to that 100mile mark. Is it as simple as ride a 30 miler, then move up to 35, then 40 and so on?

Sorry for the rambling, and thanks in advance.
-Kurt

Have a look over the little article I wrote about riding a century: https://www.machka.net/century.htm

Got it. Ride as much as possible, and once I hit the 70 mile mark, I may be able to do it. Thanks!

The 50-60 mile mark is the transition to where you really need to learn hydration and nutrition schedules. Up to there, you can get by on stored glycogen and a bottle of water or two. To make it past that mark, you have to learn to keep hydrated at 500-750ml water/hr, eat 200-300 cal/hr of carbs and about 300-500mg sodium/hr. If you can learn to keep to that schedule from the start, a century will be a piece of cake.