- The better prepared you are, the more comfortable and enjoyable your training (and thus your event) will be. Mentally, be prepared for the unfortunate events: inclement weather, flats, etc.

- If you don't know how to change a flat, now is the perfect time to learn! Physically, your derriere needs to be used to long saddle time, your arms and back need to be conditioned, etc. About the only way to accomplish this is to "ride the bike".

- Your bike needs to be as ready as you are. Please don't wait until the week before the ride to make major position changes, or to take your bike in for repairs (unless you have a real problem). Make all your position changes well before the event so your body has time to acclimate. If you cannot do the required maintenance on your bike, be sure to take it to a reputable bike shop for a tune-up.

-Training miles are your friend, especially for the longer, back-to-back rides such as the MS-170. Use the same general rules as proposed earlier to increase your mileage by 10% per week, starting 8 to 10 weeks before your event. However, as an MS-170 rider, you'll be doing 2 days of riding, so it's critical that you experience some back-to-back training sessions. As an example of a reasonable training goal, your last long training session should be a 70-mile ride on the first day, followed by a 45-to-50-mile ride the next day (roughly 80% and 55% of each event day's mileage).

- As mentioned earlier, take the last week off from any difficult training (it's called "tapering"). You should have all the conditioning you need by this point, and you'll want to be completely rested before tackling the MS-170. Have confidence in yourself and your training, and stick to moderate rides.