Road Cycling - 1st Century in September?

Hey,

I would really like to do a century this year. Problem is I have not started training yet.

The century that I have in mind is the Surry Century in Surry Virginia. The date is September 13th.

The weather in Virginia this spring has totally sucked to say the least. I have only been on 2 or 3 rides this year. My last ride was 20 miles in 1 hr 17min. with my wife. I didn't do to bad.


So do you think it is possible for me to be ready for September?? I at least want to finish. 100 miles seems like a long way to me.

Definitely enough time for you to do it. Just try to get out atleast 2 a week and build up your milage. Good luck and have fun! :thumbup:

Just do it, it's nothing more than 10, 10 mile rides one after the other.

Another way to lok at it is that this weather is great to bike in. Nice and cool, with the occasional refreshing shower :). I bike commute to DC from MD every day, so you can definitely do it.

I don't know what the Surry Century is like, but you can always do the Seagull Century in Oct. on the eastern shore which is nice and flat.


Originally posted by msparks
Hey,

I would really like to do a century this year. Problem is I have not started training yet.

The century that I have in mind is the Surry Century in Surry Virginia. The date is September 13th.

The weather in Virginia this spring has totally sucked to say the least. I have only been on 2 or 3 rides this year. My last ride was 20 miles in 1 hr 17min. with my wife. I didn't do to bad.


So do you think it is possible for me to be ready for September?? I at least want to finish. 100 miles seems like a long way to me.

Just what we need, more folks driving across the Bay Bridge to cycle on the other side. Now there's a place we could use a bike lane. (I live near exit 29 on the Broadneck peninsula)

100 miles does seem a long way, but you never look at the actual ride that way.

The routes are normally broken into stages for validation, and the approach is to ride each stage at a time.

25 miles doesn't seem that bad, so on each stage you're thinking about the stage end, not the total miles left to complete the century.

Also, try and stick with a group, (a group that matches YOUR pace, not you trying to match theirs) because as you chat with others in the group the miles and minutes fly by.

Fitness isn't as much of an issue as mental toughness and bloody mindedness. You're looking at 6-8 hours in the saddle. You'll find, provided you eat and drink sensibly on the ride, that you'll have no problems with leg power. Sore butt on the other hand will be an issue, so you've got 3+ months to get some 2, 3 or 4 hour rides in.

Stew

Originally posted by farrenator
Another way to lok at it is that this weather is great to bike in. Nice and cool, with the occasional refreshing shower :). I bike commute to DC from MD every day, so you can definitely do it.

I don't know what the Surry Century is like, but you can always do the Seagull Century in Oct. on the eastern shore which is nice and flat.

Thats true, I should stop making excuses NOT to ride!

Anyhow the Surry Century, is also pretty flat. Surry is located across the river from Jamestown/williamsburg.

FYI if you down that way, it's a really nice area for biking.
http://www.hendersonzone.net/bill/routes/surry.html

http://www.rootsweb.com/~vaschsm/SurryToday.html

http://groups.hamptonroads.com/pages1.cfm?page_id=6423

I found this site to be helpful and encouraging in training for a century. Have fun!

http://www.adventurecorps.com/centtrain.html