Hi Jason,

I'm wondering why you think you need a coach, and specifically, one to meet with you. If all you're preparing for is a ride of a certain length (you didn't say whether you want to do the ride in a certain time), then you need to do is only get out there and get the miles in. If you're looking for somebody to give you some motivation to actually do the rides, then you probably need a training partner, not a coach. Coaches don't have a monopoly on training advice.

As for the question of how to structure your riding, for starters I know that Bicycling magazine regularly publishes a timetable on how to increase your mileage in time for a particular event. I'm sure that there are other resources in print and online.

You have just under three months, so that is a decent window of time, assuming you have some sort of baseline cardiovascular fitness. If you were a couch potato up to now, it will be more of a challenge. But it can be done! Good luck!

Jon Cane is a coach in the Brooklyn/Prospect Park area. He coaches individuals and also coaches groups through the sports store, Jack Rabbit Sports, in Brooklyn. You can get his contact information at www.citycoach.org.

Samantha