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05-20-07, 07:32 PM
Well, finished my first 300k! *gives himself a big pat on the back*
Went better than my 200k, but things could have gone a lot smoother.
I took it much easier at the start, and made sure I drank plenty, but my problems started more than an hour before the ride.
Waiting for the light rail down to the ride start I was across the street from a McDonald's... figured I'd go grab breakfast. The dining area was closed, so I went through the drive through on my bike, and ordered a #3 combo. Got up to the window, and she tells me that's $6 and something! Wha??? for the bacon egg and cheese biscuit combo? "No, that's the double quarter-pounder w/ cheese meal" ... No, no... I wanted the BREAKFAST. "Sorry, we don't serve breakfast till 5"
Well, at this point they've already made the meal, so I just take it. Let me tell you, a double quarter pounder with cheese is a bit much to be eating for breakfast at 3:45 in the morning!
Well, I ate it all, anyway, I had over an hour before the ride started, so I figured it'd be ok.
Start of the ride went fine... remembering last week I took it easy at the start and did pretty good to the half way point. With the big breakfast I wasn't able to eat very much, though. Ate 1 Larabar, a tiny bit of beef jerky and a couple bags of peanuts.
On the return trip I found three riders I could hang with and we stayed together for a while, till one of them started having troubles with the hills. I hung back and rode with him to keep him company. We were doing pretty good till we got caught in the rain... it was COLD... so cold it made me ache everywhere. Trying to stay with him I waited too long before I stopped and put on my rain gear. That was a decision I'd really end up paying for.
While putting on my windbreaker a very nice lady stopped and offered me a ride back to my car so I wouldn't have to ride in the rain. :) I thanked her for the offer and explained that I was about 160 miles into a 187 mile ride, and the weather was just one more challenge to be overcome. She just shook her head at my craziness and said to enjoy the rest of the ride.
I was pretty comfortable riding in the rain after that, but my body ached all over from the cold earlier.
Another 15 miles and I was really paying for my lack of appetite, as it just got harder and harder to turn the pedals. About this point my riding partner rode on ahead with another rider, so I finished by myself.
Total ride distance: 191.7 miles (Including two missed turns and back-tracks) with over 12,300 feet of climbing in 15 hrs, 25 minutes
Add in the 10 miles to the start, and a mile from the bus back home, and I posted 202.7 miles for the day. :) My first double century!
I did get a little dehydrated towards the end, so I still need to work on the nutrition (Though I think a lighter breakfast would have been a huge help!) Overall I finished in much better shape than on the 200k.
Still debating whether I'm gonna do another 300k next weekend. I think I'd enjoy the ride (looks to be a great area with great scenery), but the 400k is only a week after that. I'll have to see how well my body recovers over this week before I make that decision.
Went better than my 200k, but things could have gone a lot smoother.
I took it much easier at the start, and made sure I drank plenty, but my problems started more than an hour before the ride.
Waiting for the light rail down to the ride start I was across the street from a McDonald's... figured I'd go grab breakfast. The dining area was closed, so I went through the drive through on my bike, and ordered a #3 combo. Got up to the window, and she tells me that's $6 and something! Wha??? for the bacon egg and cheese biscuit combo? "No, that's the double quarter-pounder w/ cheese meal" ... No, no... I wanted the BREAKFAST. "Sorry, we don't serve breakfast till 5"
Well, at this point they've already made the meal, so I just take it. Let me tell you, a double quarter pounder with cheese is a bit much to be eating for breakfast at 3:45 in the morning!
Well, I ate it all, anyway, I had over an hour before the ride started, so I figured it'd be ok.
Start of the ride went fine... remembering last week I took it easy at the start and did pretty good to the half way point. With the big breakfast I wasn't able to eat very much, though. Ate 1 Larabar, a tiny bit of beef jerky and a couple bags of peanuts.
On the return trip I found three riders I could hang with and we stayed together for a while, till one of them started having troubles with the hills. I hung back and rode with him to keep him company. We were doing pretty good till we got caught in the rain... it was COLD... so cold it made me ache everywhere. Trying to stay with him I waited too long before I stopped and put on my rain gear. That was a decision I'd really end up paying for.
While putting on my windbreaker a very nice lady stopped and offered me a ride back to my car so I wouldn't have to ride in the rain. :) I thanked her for the offer and explained that I was about 160 miles into a 187 mile ride, and the weather was just one more challenge to be overcome. She just shook her head at my craziness and said to enjoy the rest of the ride.
I was pretty comfortable riding in the rain after that, but my body ached all over from the cold earlier.
Another 15 miles and I was really paying for my lack of appetite, as it just got harder and harder to turn the pedals. About this point my riding partner rode on ahead with another rider, so I finished by myself.
Total ride distance: 191.7 miles (Including two missed turns and back-tracks) with over 12,300 feet of climbing in 15 hrs, 25 minutes
Add in the 10 miles to the start, and a mile from the bus back home, and I posted 202.7 miles for the day. :) My first double century!
I did get a little dehydrated towards the end, so I still need to work on the nutrition (Though I think a lighter breakfast would have been a huge help!) Overall I finished in much better shape than on the 200k.
Still debating whether I'm gonna do another 300k next weekend. I think I'd enjoy the ride (looks to be a great area with great scenery), but the 400k is only a week after that. I'll have to see how well my body recovers over this week before I make that decision.