General Cycling Discussion - Bikeforums "Century-a-month" club

Alright so who's up for this? The challenge is to ride at least one imperial century in every calendar month of 2004.

I bombed out last year after illness meant that none of my 13 centuries for the year occurred in February, so I'm keen to atone for that this year. Does anyone want to join me?



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For those who have not yet broken the century barrier, perhaps this provides an opportunity to work for it. Perhaps gradually build up the training until you're ready to pull off your first - and keep us informed as to how it's all going.


So who's up for this?

Heck Chris I thought you'd just rahter do a cetury a day for the 365 day year ;).

36500 miles in one year! Imagine how much of a stud you'd be.

I'll watch from the safety of my couch.

So should we set up a training journal forum? Or post a personal journal in the Training/Nutrition forum?

Imperial is that what we call a metric (100k) century? that might be fun to try I have April, July and August covered already.
a training journal forum would be cool too!

Heck Chris I thought you'd just rahter do a cetury a day for the 365 day year ;).

36500 miles in one year! Imagine how much of a stud you'd be.


Unfortunately, I have to work sometimes, too.


So should we set up a training journal forum? Or post a personal journal in the Training/Nutrition forum?

There are a number of on-line training journals where one can document their daily progress (I use www.bikeprolog.com). However, I thought it might help the motivation if people had somewhere to post their major achievements as they go along. I suppose I could make this thread a sticky if need be.

Oh yeah, just for clarification purposes - the imperial is 100 miles, or 161km. Of course, those who want to run with the metric (100km) option can do so if they wish.

Sounds like a challenge. I haven't ridden a singe mile yet this year, but I need a little motivation. I'll give it some thought.

Sure, I'll give it a shot. I was pretty close last year, with two in February, so I didn't have January covered. Tried to get psyched up for one today, but I worked 16 hours last night, and was really ragged, so I did 26 and called it quits.

Dude, I'm in.

I was on track to do it late last year (for the first time) but this stupid shoulder surgery got in my way, and then I got lazy. Soooo laaaazzyyy. So this'll be the kick up the seatpost that will give me the quick energy I need to get back on the road.

What's the proposed schedule? Should it be a rain or shine thing? Lots to think about.

Ooh, and a jersey! yeah ...

-alex.

I shall do my best but I dunno.... at the moment I am working 8 hour days 7 days a week untill the end of jan in the corn feilds! I will be able to do at least a Metric century a month, easy. I have already got one out this month before I got the job. I am concentrating on TT speed right now.... I want to be the 2005 New Zealand Under19 road TT champ.....thats my goal!

Brendon

What's the proposed schedule? Should it be a rain or shine thing? Lots to think about.

If we're talking one century per month, I imagine there should be at least one day suitable for riding in terms of weather - unless, of course, you're in Queensland, where the humidity will continue to suck for another three months or so yet. I'd say there will be plenty of opportunities to get the miles in.

For those yet to do their first century, well, there's plenty of time to go until the end of the year for that one, too. Should be enough riding time to get the base miles in.

Actually, Queensland wouldn't be the good example of an exception to bad weather riding- it would be the winter months in places where the weather can get dangerously cold. I would hate to see someone fighting below zero temps in an inane attempt to keep the mileage up for something that's not really important.

If you're riding in the winter months, consider your health above anything else. With an especially bad flu season, you could end up doing more harm than good riding on a day where the temperatures are not safe for riding, especially on those days when the temperature is declining over the course of a day.

Also, if you live in a climate where monsoons abound in the winter months, do be careful- I've never been in a monsoon, but I do know the monsoon season does have plenty of days where it's nearly impossible to go outside, and not safe at all.

If you're living in a climate that's not temperate mostly year round, consider at the very least doing your mileage on a trainer rather than attempting what may be a less than safe ride outdoors in uncooperative weather.

Be safe more than anything else is what I'm looking for if you plan on participating in this. If you can't ride outdoors, by all means, do your ride on a trainer or stationary bike.

Thanks,

Koffee

I am always up for a challenge.... But I`m afraid this one I wil have to forego as my winter cycling is restricted to my old Hybrid, outdoors, and it is just to heavy and slow to contemplate any where near a century ride, between 40/50 is about all I could manage at best.

Come the better weather and when the gritters are put to bed for the Spring/Summer/Autumn, that is a different scenario!.

I do 100 miles plus in a week,does that count?

Actually, Queensland wouldn't be the good example of an exception to bad weather riding- it would be the winter months in places where the weather can get dangerously cold. I would hate to see someone fighting below zero temps in an inane attempt to keep the mileage up for something that's not really important.

A century in a month essentially means one day in a month. It doesn't actually require anyone to go out everyday rain hail or shine (although, having not ridden in hail for a week or so, I personally am suffering from withdrawals). Alright, perhaps the training might require slightly more than one day a month, but there is nothing in this challenge to force people to go out every single day if they choose not to, or even force anyone to partcipate at all.

Incidentally, if we're talking about below zero celcuis -- do a quick search for "Strathgordon" on the forums. I was fighting those in "summer" last week. :D


If you're living in a climate that's not temperate mostly year round, consider at the very least doing your mileage on a trainer rather than attempting what may be a less than safe ride outdoors in uncooperative weather.

Whoa, hang on! Trainer miles haven't counted in any of the previous bikeforums challenges thus far. I'm not so sure they count in this one either. Given that there is no "daily distance" requirement here, it doesn't really seem necessary.


Be safe more than anything else is what I'm looking for if you plan on participating in this.

Of course, but I really don't see any way that participating in this would compromise one's safety.

Dood come on out to Chicago and do that century. You'll soon find what I mean by compromising safety. Tomorrow, the high is supposed to be 1 C, and that's before factoring in wind chill. By the way, the wind is supposed to get as high as 37 km/hr. This is what I would call a semi-good day for us. God help the Canadians, who get worse weather than us!

I know the century per month is one century per month, hence my caveat about being safe. If it were 100 miles in a month, I would feel a lot better about promoting it, as it would be more realistic for people in colder climes, but as it's an actual imperical (100 mi) ride, that changes the playing field a bit, I think.

Seriously, Chris. You are welcome to come on down here to Chicago and ride a month out here. If you plan for February, I'll put down my sleeper sofa, and you can see for yourself what I mean by unsafe conditions. It would do you some good to see how the other half lives every now and then.... ;)


Unless you can make consessions for those riding in the harsh winter climates, I think it's more than fair to say that if you've got bad weather, and you're feeling like your safety is compromised, you can be able to do your miles on the trainer. Besides, the way most people talk, it's like those 100 miles would be much harder on a trainer than riding outside anyway!

The welcome wagon is here for ya anytime, gorilla boy! :D You sound a bit soft anyways.... :D ;)

Koffee

hmmm. could this be the excuse I've been looking for to warrant a road bike purchase???

<snip>
Incidentally, if we're talking about below zero celcuis -- do a quick search for "Strathgordon" on the forums. I was fighting those in "summer" last week. :D
<snip>
Of course, but I really don't see any way that participating in this would compromise one's safety.

Tee hee. That's =fahrenheit=! Zero degrees fahrenheit is about -17 degrees c. Combine that with winds up to 60 kph and you can start to get an idea of what "cold" means in the upper midwest of the US where it's not unusual for temperatures to fall below -26 degrees c.

Count me in.

Dood come on out to Chicago and do that century. You'll soon find what I mean by compromising safety. Tomorrow, the high is supposed to be 1 C, and that's before factoring in wind chill. By the way, the wind is supposed to get as high as 37 km/hr.

Just last week I was riding in a Strathgordon summer, as I recall the temp was about the same, the wind 60km/h, and it was pouring rain. Oh yeah, that involved six mountain passes in two days.


I know the century per month is one century per month, hence my caveat about being safe. If it were 100 miles in a month, I would feel a lot better about promoting it, as it would be more realistic for people in colder climes, but as it's an actual imperical (100 mi) ride, that changes the playing field a bit, I think.

It's still only one day a month. I'm sure you lot can manage at least one decent day in 31.


Unless you can make consessions for those riding in the harsh winter climates, I think it's more than fair to say that if you've got bad weather, and you're feeling like your safety is compromised, you can be able to do your miles on the trainer.

If you feel your safety is compromised on a particular day, ride the century on another day instead. Incidentally, I see we already have a few entrants from the Northern Hemisphere - couldn't just be a case of one particular member wanting an excuse to wuss out, could it? ;)


Besides, the way most people talk, it's like those 100 miles would be much harder on a trainer than riding outside anyway!

Not out here in this humidity it aint, and not the centuries I generally ride.


The welcome wagon is here for ya anytime, gorilla boy! :D You sound a bit soft anyways....

As I recall I'm still waiting for you to pay for the ticket! :p

Incidentally, I'm about to go for a ride in a thunderstorm -- and it won't even count as a century!

Well, Chris... you certainly are the most determined rider?

Call me wussy, or call me careful.... I'm not planning on participating in it regardless, since I'm on a periodization schedule for training. I can't let a club dictate what my training schedule is to be. You know I'm always about training schedules!

However, as you never know in the winter months what the bad days are when you've got your time off, it's not as simple as just finding a good day sometimes. You should know better.

It's nice to know that one remote day in your lifetime, you think you came close to what we experience here on a daily basis- sometimes as much as 5 months out of our year here. :p That's cute!

Anyway, I still say be safe... if you're aiming for the mileage, and you're just in crappy weather that's NOT safe, AND (since Chris insists that you can simply ride another day) you can't find another day off where you could ride safely, I still think you should be able to do those miles on a trainer. Whatsamatta, Chris? You too much of a wuss to ride a trainer or what? :p ;) :D

All I ask is that you be safe when doing your mileage. There may be some riders that throw caution to the wind and ride in the thunderstorms, blizzards, extreme cold with wind chill factors, earthquakes, apocolypse-type events ;) , but for those riding more realistically, practice some caution, that's all.

Koffee

Incidentally, I'm about to go for a ride in a thunderstorm -- and it won't even count as a century!

Dood, you got me- I'm going to pay for your ticket, seriously. Shoot me a PM with your nearest airport, when you're off work and can make it over, and I will get you here by April.

No joke. It's about time you got over to the real world for a visit! Bring your bike!

Koffee

Bring it. :D At least two weeks, dood. And your butt needs to be gone in a month! That's about all I think I could take of you! :D

How about a half century club,i can do that.A lot of you riders must have a lot of down time.A house,kids wife as hard to belive as it may be and a mom going nuts,i'm lucky to get in 100 a week.

.A lot of you riders must have a lot of down time.A house,kids wife as hard to belive as it may be and a mom going nuts,i'm lucky to get in 100 a week.

Ditto. :)

Put me down for a metric a month. That I can handle. It will be March or April before I'm doing 100 milers.

Put me down for an metric century a month. That's what 62 miles? (I would do the conversion but I'm saving my energy for riding :) )

There's a conversion program on my computer. 100 kilometers equals 62.14 US miles.

Good idea.I can squeeze another 12,i think.

Just last week I was riding in a Strathgordon summer, as I recall the temp was about the same, the wind 60km/h, and it was pouring rain. Oh yeah, that involved six mountain passes in two days.




I have to question this statement. She stated 1C in her post (and that was the daily high, so for the most part it was probably under 0 C for most of the day) and you say the temps were the same. At those temps, how do you get rain? Aren't you worried about ice? Or worse, black ice? I can understand that at around 0C sometimes you get rain, sometimes snow, and sometimes a mix. So it is possible you had pouring rain. But then you stated 6 mountain passes. The temps in the mountains are always lower. So it must have been snowing up there, or at least there was ice on the road. You seriously go up and down mountains with snow or ice on the road?

I can't help but think the temps in your situation were a good 5 or more C degrees higher.

I think Koffee makes a very valid point about riding in sub zero C temps. Unless you are a very experienced rider who knows what they are doing, you need to be very careful. Not to mention, you need to have the right clothing, cycle, and tires. Personally, when I cycle in sub zero temps, my average speed drops 3 to 5 mph, which can add as much as 3 hours onto my century time. Being out in sub zero temps longer than 2 or 3 hours in very difficult.

But you are right, we can all watch for a good day and take advantage of it if it comes along. Course, that would mean just hoping on the bike and going at a moments notice. I usually like to plan my centuries.



A funny story: I was visiting family in Wisconsin (which is just north of where Koffee is) and someone there asked me how cold it gets in the DC area. I said, "Well we were in the low 30's for about a month last winter". They all busted out laughing. He said "Hell, we were at 30 below for about 3 months straight". They were talking about F of course.

P.B., you make some valid points about the temperature. However, the temperature may well have been just as low as Chris has stated. Given this is Tasmania, any "mountains" are really just hills compared to the stuff in North America, so temperature change is likely not as high as you'd expect. Also the temperature on that day is not the norm, and likely ground temperatures are well and truly high enough to prevent formation of ice.

All of that aside, Chris is suggesting a club challenge, not a politically correct competition. His club is open to people who want to complete a non-trainer, outdoors century ride every month of the year. He wants something to motivate him to do this, and is inviting others to join him. Those in the far north may not be able to do this - if so, they just stay out of this club and propose their own.

I'd hazard a guess that almost any cyclist contemplating a century (let alone one per month) has enough experience and common sense to know to only attempt this when conditions are within their abilities.

Good luck with the club, Chris. I won't be joining this year, but might be up for it in 2005!

I like how you put that, booyah. I felt kinda bad, watching where this thread was going. kinda surprised, too, to tell ya the truth. just like you said, people who've spent enough time in the saddle to do centuries ought to recognise when it's just dumb to dare the elements. but then, you never know ...

so, how about it, for those people who're in a good position to do this?

Don't feel bad... Chris just earned himself a free trip to Chicago. He'll be all saddled up to ride in our good weather in February. I think he done reeeeeeal good... :D

Koffee

Alright so who's up for this? The challenge is to ride at least one imperial century in every calendar month of 2004.


Well, this is a great challenge. I was keen to note that you live at the Gold Coast - I live near Beenleigh myself and ride with a Brisbane Club (the BBTA).

I have only done 2 imperial centuries, but countless metric ones. I really want to get my miles up this year - I am trying to lose weight, and I simply need to get the miles in.

Do you have a set club ride? Or do you simply do ad-hoc rides when you feel like it?

Don't feel bad... Chris just earned himself a free trip to Chicago. He'll be all saddled up to ride in our good weather in February. I think he done reeeeeeal good... :D

I'm hanging out for next Christmas instead. February is normally one of our wettest months, and I don't want to miss out on those tropical downpours - nor do I have any desire to miss out on the passionfruit season, which is just getting underway.

Incidentally, can I just ask one or two members in this thread exactly what gives? I really don't see any difference between this challenge or any of the others I posted last year. However, this one seems to be attracting posts about how "dangerous" this might be, or about "questioning one's claims" and all sorts of other rubbish. Honestly, does nobody have enough respect for their fellow forum members to allow them to make a judgement of whether the conditions post a threat to their health? I didn't realise these challenges needed a standard disclaimer.

Those who do not feel as though conditions in their part of the world will allow them to attempt this are under no obligation to do so.

Do you have a set club ride? Or do you simply do ad-hoc rides when you feel like it?

I've managed to squeeze a couple of centuries into the Bicycle Gold Coast calendar in the first few months of the year -- beyond that, I'll simply decide when the time gets close. I'm looking at pulling out one in the closing weeks of January this year, but it won't be this weekend.

Incidentally, if you can make it to Mudgeeraba at 6am Sunday Morning (Firth Park), I'm heading for Springbrook.

nor do I have any desire to miss out on the passionfruit season, which is just getting underway.

Mmmmmmm...... passionfruit on top of a pavlova.... man I miss that!

Ok, Chris... you had your chance. Enjoy your wetlands thingie out there, but don't say I didn't offer!

Koff

Incidentally, if you can make it to Mudgeeraba at 6am Sunday Morning (Firth Park), I'm heading for Springbrook.

Not a hope - much too hilly for my liking.

I have spent a few hours thinking about this challenge, and think it is a great idea. I have mentioned it with my Club (the BBTA) rides co-ordinator, and it seems like a good idea to him as well.

Our club has already planned a few 160km rides for the next few months, plus a 300km ride in May. I intend to take up your challenge and to this end I have planned my first ride on 31 Jan 04

7.30am GATTON GALLOP (IMPERIAL CENTURY) – 160km
Start Location : Dinmore RWS, Mason Street
Here is a fast, flat Imperial Century out through scenic Fernvale and Lowood to
Gatton. This is VERY flat – barely any hills at all, so it will be fairly fast. A good ride to achieve your best time yet (expect well under 7 hours with speedo average over 25kph).
http://rides.simcomcity.com

Currently this ride is planned for
Saturday 31 Jan 04
Sunday 22 Feb 04
Sunday 21 Mar 04

While these are organised BBTA rides, they are completely free and open to all comers. Route maps will be provided. Simply show up on the day, or email me to let me know if you like. For the other rides (ie in April and May), you will need to look at the BBTA rides calendar. The BBTA website is at http://www.bbta-au.org for those that might be interested.

I would certainly love to see any Brisbane/Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast riders who want to do these rides as well..the more the better!

I'll give those some thought in the coming months, although personally I like my rides a little more hilly than that -- we'll just have to see how it pans out.

If it was not for record low temps here in the northeast and if I had a bike that is trail/road ready I'd go for it.

Anyway, I still say be safe... if you're aiming for the mileage, and you're just in crappy weather that's NOT safe, ll I ask is that you be safe when doing your mileage. There may be some riders that throw caution to the wind and ride in the thunderstorms, blizzards, extreme cold with wind chill factors, earthquakes, apocolypse-type events ;) , but for those riding more realistically, practice some caution, that's all.

Koffee

I totally concur C B. Think "Hypothermia" a dangerous condition that can strike without you being aware of. Exposure to low temps for many hours if you are riding solo in remote areas and you may not return to record you exploit...

Beware!!!!!

I think this is a great challenge and I wish I could join in it. I normally do 3 or 4 centuries per year, but those are all organized events. I'm sure I could try doing a few solo centuries during those months when nothing is organized. However, the weather doesn't cooperate for 2 or 3 months where I live. In temps over 40 F, I normally do 20 to 80 miles per ride. This past month, I'm fighting just to do 20 miles. I'm putting everything I own on (clothes-wise) and by the end of these rides (which are less than 2 hours), I can barely feel my hands or feet. And I've got some halfway decent cold weather gear.

I think, at least for me, it just feels like many parts of the world are excluded from being able to do this challenge due to the weather. That's just my personal take on it. If I lived down in Florida, I'd be all over this challenge.

Just my two cents, and sorry to come off as disrespectful to the thread starter. That wasn't my intention at all.

Alright so who's up for this?

I'm in, if someone in the Chicagoland area cares to join me for a few. I've never done a century, but I'm sure I could. 50 US miles is a chore, but a regular ride for me.

I have scheduled 2 cents in a row, a friday and a saturday in march, so i could use the miles.

Contrary to what Koffee says, although I agree with the safety concern, it can be done in Chicago. I know many bike messengers who ride all day every day. Albeit, they stop and go inside for deliveries, pick ups.

I also know hunters who sit outside for 8 hours without moving one bit.

Also, http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ will log your time/miles for free. And for US citizens, give out free medals from the gubmint at certain milestones.


So anyone interested in meeting me in the greater Chicago area for a century, drop me a note!

Cheers
Lar
ps I work roughly 9-5 M-F, but need very little sleep, so a 6 pm start may work if you give me enough notice to get in the right mindset, and prep the bike equip for such an endeavour. Natch weekends are a go!

Well guys, I'm now on the board. 225km yesterday in sweltering heat, battling a mild case of heat-stroke and a bee/wasp sting right at the end. Incidentally, I backed it up with 103 more this morning, and felt strangely good toward the end of it for some reason.

uh ... damn! that's pretty great! congrats!

it's 31 dgF (-1 dgC) and freezing rain right now, so I've got a fire going and the family's coming over for lunch. and now I feel like a slacker, thanks very much! ha!

-alex.

Imperial is that what we call a metric (100k) century?

Um . . . NO! An Imperial century is 100 miles.

Alright so who's up for this? The challenge is to ride at least one imperial century in every calendar month of 2004.

Well, I did it last year, including a February century which was done in temperatures WAY below freezing.

This year, however, it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to do it. Unfortunately, not only are the temperatures bitterly cold, but there's A LOT more snow, and the roads are extremely icy. I wouldn't mind so much doing a century in bitterly cold temps, it's those icy streets that worry me. I don't have studded tires, and even if I did, I would be very worried about the drivers of those motorized vehicles . . . I see them sliding all over the place out there.

I'm quite disappointed that this won't likely work out for me this year, :( but on the other hand, I do have to think about safety. I have many more goals I want to accomplish this year, and being run over by a motorized vehicle won't get me any closer to them.

But . . . I'm still sorta hoping for a miraculously warm weather front to come through next week so I can ride next weekend . . . it would be a miracle.

I think, at least for me, it just feels like many parts of the world are excluded from being able to do this challenge due to the weather. That's just my personal take on it. If I lived down in Florida, I'd be all over this challenge.

Well, I did it here in Manitoba, Canada last year, including a VERY cold February century (highs of -22C)! I don't think that many parts of the world are necessarily excluded all together, nor are they excluded every year. It depends on the determination of the rider to ride in those conditions. Ever heard of ice bike events, or the Iditabike?

This year, however, as I said in a previous post, it doesn't look like I'll be able to participate simply because of the quantity of ice on the roads. If the roads were clearer, I'd be out there in a flash!!

Dood come on out to Chicago and do that century. You'll soon find what I mean by compromising safety. Tomorrow, the high is supposed to be 1 C, and that's before factoring in wind chill. By the way, the wind is supposed to get as high as 37 km/hr. This is what I would call a semi-good day for us. God help the Canadians, who get worse weather than us!

Unless you can make consessions for those riding in the harsh winter climates, I think it's more than fair to say that if you've got bad weather, and you're feeling like your safety is compromised, you can be able to do your miles on the trainer. Besides, the way most people talk, it's like those 100 miles would be much harder on a trainer than riding outside anyway!

Koffee

If we had any days this month where the high was 1C, I'd have been out there doing my century this month!! That would be like spring!!

As a Canadian who lives in much worse conditions than that during the winter, I have to disagree with you. The century a month should be a real century (100 miles), outside, on a bicycle riding on the road, or trails or whatever . . . not a trainer. Anyone can ride a trainer for a century distance! It's called a century-a-month challenge because it has to be a challenge!!

I did at least one century each month of 2003. Even in bitterly cold, and miserable conditions. If I can do that, then others can do their centuries at +1C.

This year it doesn't look like I'll be able to get my January century in because the road conditions are too icy for the cars, let alone my bicycle. While I'd love for someone to tell me that it would be OK for me to do my century on my trainer, I realize that would be "cheating" and so I'm reluctantly and disappointedly willing to pass on the century-a-month challenge for 2004 (but if something happens to allow me to ride next Saturday, I'll be out there!! :D)

I don't have studded tires, and even if I did, I would be very worried about the drivers of those motorized vehicles . . . I see them sliding all over the place out there.

They do the same thing here, too. Without the snow.

Invite to all BF Century Riders: I will be driving to Covington, KY on Wednesday (5 hours from Detroit) to ride a century on Thursday with about 3-4 other people. Any snowbirds who need an excuse to "call-in" work can always say they caught the "bug" that is going around. E-mail me if you want directions. The weather is supposed to be in the low 40's or high 30's---much better than the minus temperatures with ice that we have around here. I don't have enough daylight hours to stop and warm up every 30-40 miles along with the slower riding speed during winter.

I'm in. Beautiful weather here yesterday, so I knocked out my first century of the year and got probably my first January sunburn ever.