Sore quads, normal?

Having a bit of a problem of late with sore quads.
I'm 42, 10.5 stone and have been slowly building my cycling up of late, I managed 160 miles last week including a 60 mile trip over Drumochter at average of 17mph on my fairly heavy tourer. On hilly 20-30 mile rides I do near to 20mph average, sometimes better. I try and go out 2 out of every 3 days to get a rest day and I eat a really good diet.
Anyway, on all three of my bikes (road, tourer, mtb) I'm suffering from sore quads after a while. I just run out of steam and end up going a bit slower. I don't think it's bike position unless all three are wrong (not at all impossible!). I don't suffer from much post ride pain but even after three days off this week (weather / work / family) I got it again today half way round a 30 mile fast loop. Normally starts on steep hills or after a long hard slog into a headwind.
I tend to have a cadence of at least 70, normally 75 or a little more. Could be better but it's taken me years to build up to even that. I find spinning up hills is ok to begin with then the same pain sets in.
I'm hoping to do my first century this year and I think this will be the sticking point as everything else is fine.
I'm guessing I just need to train harder and work through it, unless anyone has any bright ideas? Maybe I'm expecting to much.
I'm 42, 10.5 stone and have been slowly building my cycling up of late, I managed 160 miles last week including a 60 mile trip over Drumochter at average of 17mph on my fairly heavy tourer. On hilly 20-30 mile rides I do near to 20mph average, sometimes better. I try and go out 2 out of every 3 days to get a rest day and I eat a really good diet.
Anyway, on all three of my bikes (road, tourer, mtb) I'm suffering from sore quads after a while. I just run out of steam and end up going a bit slower. I don't think it's bike position unless all three are wrong (not at all impossible!). I don't suffer from much post ride pain but even after three days off this week (weather / work / family) I got it again today half way round a 30 mile fast loop. Normally starts on steep hills or after a long hard slog into a headwind.
I tend to have a cadence of at least 70, normally 75 or a little more. Could be better but it's taken me years to build up to even that. I find spinning up hills is ok to begin with then the same pain sets in.
I'm hoping to do my first century this year and I think this will be the sticking point as everything else is fine.
I'm guessing I just need to train harder and work through it, unless anyone has any bright ideas? Maybe I'm expecting to much.
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Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
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But it could be a bike fit issue too - saddle height is a likely culprit but if its too high or too low - dunno! Hope you get some better answers
P.s also try a few protein shakes, or l glutamine, works wonders for me!
Can't thank you enough :-) I've had them in the wrong position since I started using SPDs 5 or 6 years ago!
In answer to the other poster, yes I'd love a proper bike fitting. But I can't find anyone in Scotland who does them.
Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
Summer Bike: Colnago C60
Winter Bike: Vitus Alios
MTB: 1997 GT Karakorum
Also from the http://www.bikefitting.com website:
AURACYCLES 27 OSBORNE PLACE AB252BX ABERDEEN 07799568634 WWW.AURACYCLES.COM
TBC ADVENTURE LTD 30 RODNEY STREET EH74EA EDINBURGH 01315572801
I mostly ride XC MTB, and have been having major soreness in my right qaud. after thinkin about it, i realized that when I'm up off the seat( which is a lot of the time), my right leg, which is dominant, is always the one forward, and as such is holding my weight up. does anyone else have this kind of issue? i feel some soreness in my left qaud but not nearly as much as my "leading" leg.
hope someone can help....