Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - My first century - unassisted and on my commuter!

Well, today I finally did it. It wasn't really planned; I just decided to do it on Wednesday of last week and went for it today.

The stats:

The Bike (my daily commuter -- the only bike I own):

2006 Giant Sedona
3 front gears, 8 rear (I think I used ALL of them)
Specialized armadillo tires (26 x 1.75)
Tire liners
Heavy duty puncture-resistant slime tubes
Brooks Flyer saddle (I covered it with a gel cover for this ride)
Panniers filled to the hilt with water, Gatorade, and food
My co-workers who also ride call it "The Tank"
The Ride:
102.86 Miles
Riding Time 9:10:39 (from the bikeputer)
Total time 10:49:16 (from the HRM)
Max Speed 39 MPH (Really flying for that bike!)
Average Speed: 11.2 MPH
Max RPM: 94
Average RPM: 64
Max HR: 148
Average HR 128
Time in zone (126 - 143) 7:46:04
The Route:
Started in Burien, WA
Rode up Des Moines Way and then Airport Way to Royal Brougham and then back to South Park
Followed the Interurban trail to the Tukwila community center
Followed this route (http://www.seattlebiketours.org/members/maps/tukwila_blackdiamond.pdf) through Tukwila, Auburn, Black Diamond, Flaming Geyser State Park, then back through Auburn and Kent to the community center
Up the South Center hill back home
This route is listed as gentle rolling hills. That's pretty much correct, but there are a couple of kick-me hills. I was down in 1/1 doing 4-5 MPH on the way up, and in 3/8 doing 35+ on the way down.
The Rider:
48 years old
Male
Weighed 212 just before bed last night. 207 after the ride :rolleyes:
Regular commuter; 14 miles each way 5 days a week
Gym for upper body workout 3 days a week for about an hour each time
Diabetic, but the doctor has taken me off all meds because my exercise and attention to diet have reduced my numbers back to normal
When a team I was on was picking super-hero names, I picked The Hulk. Approval was unanimous.


This really was a kind of a spur-of-the moment thing. I know that you're supposed to train and do sprints and different length runs and all that, but I just decided to see if I could do it. I've spent the last couple of weekends working on the bike to get it ready for winter riding and I think I've done a pretty good job. Better than any I've gotten from the LBS anyway.

My only training for this was my usual commute back and forth to work. 14 miles each way. Since I've been working on the bike, my rides have gotten smoother and faster. Last week I set personal best times twice, so I decided to just go for it. If I couldn't do it, no regrets. If I could, then cool on me.

Well, I did it. Now, who's going to teach me the secret handshake?? :D

See attachment for obligatory photo.

Congratulations and a Hearty WELL DONE! :beer:

What did you have for hydration, and food along the way? And of course...where are the pictures?

I have ridden up that hill at SouthCenter, that is a thigh buster for sure.

What did you have for hydration, and food along the way? And of course...where are the pictures?

I started the morning with a couple of cups of coffee and 2 really big glasses of water. During the ride I consumed 4 20 oz. bottles of Gatorade, 2 Liters of water, and another liter of water mixed with some protein powder (that was during the last few miles when I was cooling down).

For breakfast I had a banana, a Cutie (I think they're Mandarin Oranges), and a South Beach Diet High Protein cereal bar. For lunch I had a PB&J sandwich, another banana, and another Cutie. I had another sandwich, a couple more bananas, some more Cuties, and some of the protein bars with me, but I really wasn't hungry; just thirsty. Once I got home I made pitcher of Kool-Aid and drank the whole thing.

The only picture I have is the one attached. I didn't take a camera with me, although I should have (it was a beautiful ride). The wife agreed to take the picture of me with the bike and the one of my bikeputer after I got home, but then said something like "get in the shower BEFORE you sit on anything that can absorb moisture or odors, like that couch, stinky boy!"

I am doing a century in a few weeks. If I am doing them solo I will try not to get off the bike. I will stop for bottles, but thats it. I normally consume 3 hammer gels, 1 every 30. I am going to try and really kill myself on the one at the end of the month. Hopefully (hopefully!!) doing it sub 4:30, I did a 7 hour one when I first started biking and then got progressively faster as I keep riding. I did a 4:53 in May. I think if I can get 3 buds to do it with me we can pace the whole way and just take turns breaking.

Congratulations. If you enjoyed yourself, then it was successful. Thats all biking is, fun.

That is an unbelievable story!!! What a thing to do, and you did* it! I am so impressed.

You mean you didn't really do a 50 mile ride, and then a 70 mile ride first? What was your longest previous ride? How did you feel when you were the furthest from home? How did you feel when you were done? Did the gel cover work, and if so, why don't people use them all the time?

Good job Man!:D

Congrats on your first century! That's really inspirational to hear you accomplish this without more training than your commuting rides. I love "the tank" too! :)

UnixPro, eh? I'm a Linux geek myself - currently doing work as an embedded systems developer, but worked my way through college as a Unix sysadmin for various research groups on campus.

Scott

How long did it take you to build up to commuting 28 miles a day 5 days a week? That seems to me to be the harder part. Once you can master that, doing a century does not surprise me.

That's kind of how I did my first century. Spur of the moment. In fact, I didn't even know what the mileage was til I plotted it on G-Maps the next day. Then I collapsed.

Nice job. Training is good, but not neccessarily crucial. Food and a comfortable pace is most effective.

My first century was from Bellingham to Seattle, in about 1976, with an old Raleigh Gran Prix, with a rock-hard leather seat that turned my butt numb after 30 miles. I was carrying a tent and sleeping bag, intending to camp along the way. I rode down Highway 9 most of the way. I was having such a great time I didn't want to stop. After I got far enough, there were no longer any places to camp - at least, not that I was aware of. I finally decided to just keep going. I had left Bellingham in the early afternoon. I got to my friend's house in the U District around 11:00 at night. My butt had long since gone completely numb, but I was very proud of myself. I didn't have a computer (they cost mega bucks in those days and I was a poor college student/musician) but I figured it had to be 100 miles, or close to it.

Has anyone else done an impromptu century?

Thanks, guys. Yeah, it really was unplanned. I tend to think of these kind of things as more mind issues than physical ones and figure that as long as I can get past the psychological barriers, I'll be successful. It was the same way when I popped my chest press up 40 pounds in one shot to go over my own weight. Before this the longest I'd gone at one time was about 30 miles.

I only started doing the 28-mile commute about 4 months ago. Before that I was doing a 14-mile commute, but I was working at another company. When I accepted the job with the company downtown, I decided to continue the commute because (1) it would take the same amount of time as the bus does and (2) it's better for me.

The numb butt problem is why I put the gel seat on. It worked pretty well, although by the end I was doing a fair amount of riding with my butt off the seat.

I'm like you, BigBlue. I'm not out to set any speed records (I don't think I could on that bike!); I'm not out to do anything but push myself to bigger and better goals. I figure that any 48-year old who can drop 100 miles, even if it did take all day long, isn't doing too badly.

Still nobody to show me the secret handshake??

Good on you unixpro!

Now make sure you don't go into a post century "funk" and just "think" about the bike but don't get on it....happens to people all the time....but I believe you'll continue your commute?

Congrats on your first of many centuries!

Out-Friggin'-Standing!!!

Impressive. Nice job.

Didn't give in to temptation. Back in the saddle for my regular commute this morning. It was actually a very relaxing ride.

Good job sir. Very good.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Spinner%20and%20Clydesdale%20charts/unixpro.gif