Robert C Wells
09-09-07, 09:34 PM
I just did my first century ride this past Saturday with the Birmingham Bicycle Club on their 34th Annual Century/Double Century! It was tough, very hilly, very hot, and of course very long, but I/we made it. I met Scott here on the forums and we met up before the ride, along with his friend Bo. We had a blast riding together, suffering together, and finishing together. There were times I did want to quit, but even still I'm already looking forward to doing another one, and looking forward to next year's BBC century too.
It really was a great ride, very well organized, very well supported, and overall, I loved it. I did find the mental aspect of the ride far less challenging than I had expected (riding with buddies is much better than riding solo), but the physical was much worse than I had expected based on the information posted on the ride beforehand. The BBC said there were no big hills, but that is without a doubt a terribly subjective statement!!
My stats are:
Dist: 104.3
Avg speed: 17.8mph
Max speed: 46.8mph (never pedaled a lick - I TOLD you they were big hills!)
Ride time: 05:50:25 (not sure of total time, but maybe somewhere around 7hrs total?)
Est. calories burned: 5838
Anyway, here's a few pics from the ride:
Feelin' fresh and ready for my first century:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/742/img0224largeyy3.jpg
Giving the wife a wink as we started off:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6060/img0228largeqv7.jpg
Scott and me (post-ride):
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5255/img0242largebi2.jpg
At mile 80 rest stop:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/450/img0230largerj3.jpg
Bo, me, and Scott:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8521/img0236largeqg4.jpg
Post-ride hydration, ahhh:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1761/img0243largebp3.jpg
Not a flattering pic, but it's how I REALLY felt at mile 80:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5130/img0235largeer7.jpg
Mile 90 rest stop with a cold, wet absorber on my head (OR, "I have no idea what you're saying so here's a pic of me with an absorber on my head"):
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/4774/img0238largeqe7.jpg
It really was a great ride, very well organized, very well supported, and overall, I loved it. I did find the mental aspect of the ride far less challenging than I had expected (riding with buddies is much better than riding solo), but the physical was much worse than I had expected based on the information posted on the ride beforehand. The BBC said there were no big hills, but that is without a doubt a terribly subjective statement!!
My stats are:
Dist: 104.3
Avg speed: 17.8mph
Max speed: 46.8mph (never pedaled a lick - I TOLD you they were big hills!)
Ride time: 05:50:25 (not sure of total time, but maybe somewhere around 7hrs total?)
Est. calories burned: 5838
Anyway, here's a few pics from the ride:
Feelin' fresh and ready for my first century:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/742/img0224largeyy3.jpg
Giving the wife a wink as we started off:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6060/img0228largeqv7.jpg
Scott and me (post-ride):
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5255/img0242largebi2.jpg
At mile 80 rest stop:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/450/img0230largerj3.jpg
Bo, me, and Scott:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8521/img0236largeqg4.jpg
Post-ride hydration, ahhh:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1761/img0243largebp3.jpg
Not a flattering pic, but it's how I REALLY felt at mile 80:
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5130/img0235largeer7.jpg
Mile 90 rest stop with a cold, wet absorber on my head (OR, "I have no idea what you're saying so here's a pic of me with an absorber on my head"):
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/4774/img0238largeqe7.jpg