I’m in training now, preparing for Tour de Cure in November. As usual, working out a training schedule is quite a puzzle.

There are so many questions I want to ask. How quickly should I extend the time I spend pushing super hard? Am I advanced/strong enough to do such efforts on back-to-back days? Do I really need to do that? Do I spend sufficient time on recovery?

I’ve seen century training plans that are only a couple of months long. Maybe the riders who use them are already a lot stronger than I am? Am I too much of a sissy to push as hard as I ought to, as often as I should?

This morning I worked at riding at least 15 mph for six minutes at a time. With a breeze of 8-9 mph at my back, it was quite easy. With that same wind in my face, it was far harder. The effort made my quads ache, which shows how badly I need such drills. But — how much is enough to help me to improve, without my going overboard? I don’t need to develop an overuse injury!

If I can barely ride 15 mph against an 8 mph wind for sixty seconds, what will I do if TdC day sees me battling a 20 mph wind? And for mile after mile? The thought is sobering, and a bit scary.

One aspect of riding into a headwind is gear choice. Don’t feel that you must ride on the big ring even when doing so fries your leg muscles. As I saw today, using the small ring and pedaling faster can let you attain the desired pace.

All these unanswered questions! It makes being in training feel like I’m winging it.