Fifty Plus (50+) - My First Imperial Century

Rode the Tour de Tulsa Century Saturday. The route can be seen here (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=930041). 100.1 mi. by my computer, in 06:43:04 total time, 06:21:29 on the bike. 15-20 mph SSE winds, cloudy, temp about 70 starting out, low to mid 80's finishing.

Couldn't get on a good paceline this time. Rode most of the first 30 miles solo - into that @#$% wind. Caught up with another solo rider and we worked together for most of the rest of the course. We stopped at the rest stop at Slick, OK., topped off our bottles, scarfed down some fruit and were back on our way. Turned South at Beggs, OK, and got to catch some tailwind for a while.

I had some foot pain, starting around mile 50. By the time we hit the rest stop at Mounds, I needed to sit down for a few minutes and get my weight off my feet. My partner continued on without me. The rest helped a lot, and I headed out again. Climbed a short but steep hill at about mile 64. Barely made it over, only going about 5mph on the steep section (standing up).

My legs started cramping a bit at about mile 68., but I was on a nice long downhill, and I was able to stand up and stretch them out, without stopping.

I caught up with the guy I'd been riding with around mile 72, and we rode together the rest of the way in, stopping at the rest stop at Sand Springs. I learned that he was one of the people who marked the course. It's so nice to have someone along who knows the course, when you're riding it for the first time.

I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes with doing a century, but if I'm riding with a fast group, I can't spare enough attention to really enjoy the scenery, and if I ride solo, it takes too long.

FanTastic!!!!!!!!!

and if I ride solo, it takes too long.

Slower can be better, especially if you're doing it with someone else. Riding a century, I mean. ;)

Great job!! 100 miles is a long way both physically and mentally.

Welcome to the century club. That's quite an accomplishment.

Great ride! I can relate to those winds because they were nearly the same about an hour and a half east of Tulsa. A century is a great effort. Your report and those of others are great encouragements for those of us who haven't done the imperial century yet.

Good job. We got it done the same weekend; I rode my first century the next day, a 163k populaire with the Lone Star Randonneurs (http://www.lonestarrandon.org/).

Good job. We got it done the same weekend; I rode my first century the next day, a 163k populaire with the Lone Star Randonneurs (http://www.lonestarrandon.org/).
Congratulations! Are you going to try a brevet series? :)

Congratulations, I am green with envy.

Congratulations. You never forget your first. I, too, love that feeling of accomplishment. It doesn't matter how many you do. I take my time on mine, well, that's all I can do. If I hook up with a pace line, it has to be speed controlled.

Awesome! Your story reads like you were really determined to get this done. It's quite an achievement.

Congrats on your first century. Indeed quite an accomplishment.

You've entered and exclusive club. Go celebrate and start preparing for your next one!

Congratulations! Are you going to try a brevet series? :)

I'm probably going to tackle a 200k brevet. But longer brevets or a series, I'm not so sure about. I have serious misgivings about riding in the wee hours of the night, but that's a topic for another thread.

Congratulations !! Finishing that first century is quite an accomplishment.

Good job!.....and that is a very quick time for a first effort, especially when fighting a wind.
Tulsa area is hillier than most think also.

Takes some character to d your century in windy conditions. Congratulations! Now you know you can do it, are there more in the offing? Perhapes solo as training for brevets?

Good job!.....and that is a very quick time for a first effort, especially when fighting a wind.
Tulsa area is hillier than most think also.

They could easily have picked a hillier route. Sand Springs to Tulsa via Old North Road (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=931373), after 80-odd miles, would have been much worse than the nice rail trail they picked.

Congrats.. no small feat. Seems like it had it's share of hills no less.

Takes some character to d your century in windy conditions. Congratulations! Now you know you can do it, are there more in the offing? Perhapes solo as training for brevets?
I signed up today for the Tulsa Tough Sunday Ride (http://www.tulsatough.com/rides.php). Just the Sunday ride - I'm nowhere near ready to do back-to-back centuries. :eek: If you're fast enough to do back-to-back centuries in under 5 hrs each, they award a nice commemorative jersey.

I might do a 200k sometime. I don't have the right bike for the longer brevets.