Can I train short to ride long?

[Canardly]

Any feed back from Joe?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Huge over simplification there. Your definition of 'fitness' only looks at one aspect of physiology, as do your statements about training.

For example, one limiting aspect of fitness for ultra distance cyclists is the ability of the core body muscles and ligaments to cope with the sustained period in one position. Failure can cope can result in problems like Shermer's neck.
The durability of the muscles and ligaments is an aspect of fitness.

Sorry.

What you are describing is "Stamina".

You are correct however that stamina can only be improved by doing the time based duration of the work.  , usually in excess of the event itself.

No I'm not describing stamina. I'm describing something usually called 'core strength'.

Stamina is the ability to maintain output.

[Ningishzidda]

Huge over simplification there. Your definition of 'fitness' only looks at one aspect of physiology, as do your statements about training.

For example, one limiting aspect of fitness for ultra distance cyclists is the ability of the core body muscles and ligaments to cope with the sustained period in one position. Failure can cope can result in problems like Shermer's neck.
The durability of the muscles and ligaments is an aspect of fitness.

Sorry.

What you are describing is "Stamina".

You are correct however that stamina can only be improved by doing the time based duration of the work.  , usually in excess of the event itself.

No I'm not describing stamina. I'm describing something usually called 'core strength'.

Stamina is the ability to maintain output.

In my day, 'core strength' was called "Abs". Or 'Abdominal posture'. 

I thought a 'Six pack' was used to describe ripped abs because the abdominal muscles look like a six-pack of beer cans laid flat. It doesn't.
A 'Six-pack' is a trio of Holley twin choke carburetors on a 427 cu in V8. The air filter cans look like well developed abdominals on a bodybuilder athlete.

 

[mrcharly-YHT]

You can have ripped abs and poor core strength.

Core strength comes from structural muscles, ligaments and tendons. Hence the beer-bellied builders who can push wheelbarrows laden with 200kg of bricks all day, but couldn't do a situp. Great core strength, lousy abs.

[Ningishzidda]

That’s called an ‘Occupational disfigurement’.

The cyclist’s ‘Occupational disfigurement’ is an Enlarged Cakehole.

 

[triker131]

Back to OP, I'm in a similar position myself. I'm hoping to make a trip in August (WHPV 2015, Maasmechelen, http://www.hpv.be/wk/?q=en which will require riding about 330 miles in 5 days, so similar daily distance to the planned Audax (and then the same back after the event). I've clocked up over 3000 miles in the last year but not much in May and early June. My usual longest ride is a grocery run of just over 27 miles which I normally do in about 105 minutes. Yesterday I rode 42 miles at a similar pace and, I don't know if it was psychological or physical, but I felt a massive drop in energy levels at about 32 miles at a bit over 2 hours.

It was clear from yesterday's experience that other systems become stressed on longer rides. I don't have issues with bike fit as I'm riding a recumbent (velomobile). As advised above, I would really strongly advise doing some longer rides to find out what potential problems might occur for you - you'll be so much more confident and relaxed about doing the actual ride. I'm a similar age (59) and did manage a 70 miler last year and a 50 miler in April. However, I was pretty well keto adapted for both those rides and didn't get the energy slump I had yesterday - which raises a whole other topic ....

[Jakob]

There's plenty of examples of people doing more short and intensive training session in preparation for longer rides/runs.

Crossfit Endurance is a fairly organized program that requires access to a decent gym, but you may be able to find ideas and inspirtation here:
http://crossfitendurance.com/blog/

[Ningishzidda]

"Core strength" is what holds an apple together.


Seriously though. The English word “Core” derives from the old French “Coeur”, meaning ‘Heart’. That in turn is from the Latin ‘Cor’.

Whoever started using the word ‘Core’ to define the abdominals, was talking out of his ærs