Originally Posted by
horatio
I'm not young enough, nor do I have the time, to just "ride lots," like Eddy recommended. I need to ride smart, but I need to keep it fun. No riding buddies at the moment. It's just me. I figure I'll do specific work-out rides during the week (i.e. alternating interval and hill repeat sessions) with a fun/endurance ride on the weekends. I'm going to use a wattage calculator and the HRM initially to monitor progress. I've picked out some quiet roads nearby for those sessions.
Any tips from you 60+ iron-men?
It sounds like you already know much of what you need to know and that you have a realistic plan.
The only thing I'd add is that keeping it fun means variety. Doing the same specific work outs each week can get stale. Riding with friends helps let the miles go by, even if the ride isn't a disciplined work-out.
So my limited advice is vary your routes, vary your weekly routine, vary your goals, and at least occasionally, ride with some friends.
You already said it, but keep reminding yourself- it's supposed to be fun. If it's not, change something.