Fifty Plus (50+) - Have you done a 100 mile or longer Century ride?

We're seeing and hearing from more and more folks that have done their first 100 miler. I bet it would be interesting to try and capture some of that information here. Please share a few details with us:

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
How long had you been riding?
What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?


For yours truly:

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
2002

How long had you been riding?
About 18 months

What was the event?
A supported MS Ride to the Beach from Charlotte that wound up being 110+ miles that day.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
The Assault on Mt Mitchell in 2005 when they took the western route near Asheville due to the eastern part of the Parkway being closed-combination of wet/cool weather, 117 miles plus I severely bonked at about 105 miles......with 10+ miles of climbing to go.

I did my first 100 miler in 1978 in the Finger Lake region of New York. I had been riding two months. There was no event. I had recently started working part time in a bike shop and was simply talked into it by a group of riders who knew they had a green newbie to run through the paces. It was far and away the most difficult century I've ever done. Of course it didn't help that my new cycling buddies took me out for a night of drinking the day before the ride. Since then every other century has been easy by comparison. With age comes some wisdom!

First 100 miler was in 93 and it was the South Downs way- (100 miles- 10,000ft of climbing and Offroad)- Took two days with 66 on the first day and 34 on the second. So not a true 100 miler but I had only been riding for three years. Did it later in the year and got lost so finished up running out of light and 116 miles.

94 did the SDW again in 14 hours and the Salisbury 100 (On the road) on the MTB with slicks and7 hrs and 5 minutes.
95 to 98 did the SDW each year. 3 times in 97 as I failed on the first attempt due to not carbo-loading enough.

96 and did an Audax event of 200kms. That was the worst ride I never enjoyed as NO route marking and I found out that my eyesight is not good enough to read the route sheets. Had to slow for every junction and it was tiring.

99 Bypass so no hard rides for a couple of years. but in 2001 did a Metric that started 21 miles from home so I rode to and from it to make the 100

Then in 2003/2004/2005 did the South downs way in 1 day again- but on the tandem

And the most challenging was the SDW in 2006 again but I failed. At 65 miles we gave up but it was bit hard that year.

Since 2006 I have done a road ride that exceeded 100 miles each year but done solo. Easier routes than I would normally ride but still a marker that I like to keep up.

I'm going to answer twice, as my riding consists of what I did in my 20's and then what I've done since I returned to biking two years ago...

Early days answer: I did my first 100+ miler in 1980, after riding "seriously" about 6 months. I did it on my own. The challenging 100 milers from my 20's were done in Texas, in very hot weather. I remember that on long rides in Texas I was more concerned about exposure (how long I'd been out in the sun) than I was about actual physical exertion. I always felt like the sun/heat was taking more out of me than the actual riding. I then moved to California and found doing 100 miles in the mountains to be easier than 100 miles in the wind and sun.

Return to biking answer: Since returning to bike two years ago, I have done two organized centuries (both this year). The most challenging course I've done is the "High Pass Challenge" I rode last month - 113 miles, 7500 feet of climbing, climbing around in the Cascade Mountains. However, I was well prepared and it was actually not a hard ride for me. My *most* challenging ride this year was a metric century I did in March when I had pretty substantial neck/shoulder pain from mile 40 to the end...not fun. Further conditioning, fiddling with fit has cleared that up.

I realized in thinking about the "most challenging" question that the 100-mile rides weren't my most challenging rides, I think because I planned and prepped well for them. My most challenging rides have been shorter rides, where I was caught out by bad planning, bad conditioning, surprising weather, or mechanical problems. I think there is a lesson there...

My first was independent and self-supported in 2006 after being back to cycling for a few months. I've not done any challenging centuries or other long rides. Anything starting "Assault on Mount" slated for 100 miles would find me either opting for a short version or fleeing the scene.

I did my first century after two years of riding. The first year was developing bike legs. I'd not do a century then. It took a while into the second year, before I even had the inclination to do such.. Longest one day ride, 143 miles.

I set out on my first century (supported) in 2003, after about 9 months of riding. Six miles in, I broke six spokes. End of attempt. I still have the t-shirt. I crossed out "100" and put in "6".

I completed my first century the next summer, at about 18 months of riding, the Indian Valley Century, in Plumas County, CA. I have done it every year since. It's pretty easy. 35 flat miles. 11 mile climb. 11 miles of rollers around the lake. 11 miles back down. 35 flat miles home.

My most challenging wasn't necessarily because of the route. Two years later on the century upon which I broke the spokes, I just didn't have it. Near the end is a 6 mile climb. I was already feelling dead. My feet were burning up. I almost stopped to take off my shoes, but I NEVER quit on a hill. I made it. I have done that century 4 times.

My first 100-miler was in 1993.
My most challenging ride was the LA Wheelmen highland double century ride in 2007 which I rode with a fixed gear. I'm never doing that again fixed. The long descents were no fun at all. Next time I do that ride, I'm riding my single speed.

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
How long had you been riding?
What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?



I did my first century ride in 1985. It was on the 4th and final day of DALMAC, which was the first tour I'd ever done.

I'd ridden lots as a kid, but my total training for DALMAC that year had been 70 miles.

Yes it was supported in the sense that I didn't have to carry my baggage and if I'd broken down there would be SAG vehicles. There were no cookie stops though -- food along the route during the day was my problem.

My most challenging century was probably doing the Avita Water Black Bear. The route wasn't that hard, but racing for 100 miles was very tough!

Started riding seriously in 1982 and did my first century a couple years later, can't remember exactly what year. It was the Portage River Tour in NW Ohio.

The Circle Akron Ride was a century I did each July with my old club. My final CAR would turn out to be my most challenging century. It was around 100f/38c with record high humidity. The route was rolling with a number of significant hills. I finished the ride strong but was thoroughly tattered.

By comparison, the 71 miler that Beverly, her clubmates and I completed this past July on XOBA (I was taken to the hospital for dehydration after finishing) was far worse than the above century I described.

I've done my share of metric centuries and full centuries, but those two rides were brutal.

When did you do your first 100+ miler?

First organized century - Tour de Tucson about 8 years ago, First 100 mile ride, in 1984 when I rode across the US. I have done about 25 organized centuries since. No double centuries. Have no desire.

How long had you been riding?

Since I was little

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?

See above.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?

On my tour across the US, I was fully loaded and we rode almost 200 miles from Silverton CO up to Aspen . It was rainy and it snowed through the pass. The uphill was brutal but there was also scary fast downhill! I actually got off and started walking.

Back when I did the cross country ride, I routinely did 100 - 200 miles, not daily, but often. Didn't seem like much at all. You just get up early and ride all day. Especially up north, through the Dakotas and Wyoming with the really long summer days, it was easy to ride 10 - 12 hours.

How the mighty have fallen! Now a flat, easy 30 miler seems tough! :(

I rode my first century last October at 56 yrs. old. It had been
a typical cycling season for me, on and off, a few weeks of commuting
and taking recreational rides followed by several weeks of inactivity.
Cycling has been this way for my entire life although I've become
somewhat more passionate about the sport lately.

I had been off the bikes throughout all of July and most of August.
I then rode a 64 mile ride the day after Labor Day and around the
middle of September I purchased my first recumbent. A couple 30
to 40 mile rides on the new bike and off we went. When I brought
my bike into the shop for it's 30 day checkup it had 350 miles on it,
104 of those were from my solo century.

I tend to ride solo and have not participated in a group event since
the mid '80's, except one breakfast ride I participated in two months
ago. I expect my ability to ride distances with minimal training to
prepare for the ride is that as a solo rider I set my own pace (which
is slow).

Since I've only ridden the one century I guess that defaults as my
toughest, though in reality it was quite easy and very pleasant.

Happy Trails
Lenny

I did my first century in the first week of June 1982 after quitting smoking and taking up cycling in April of that same year. I try to do at least one a year and have done as many as 11.

In 1992, I did a double century in 11h55m (total time).

My fastest solo century was in 2006 on an Optima Baron in 5h11m for 102 miles. (total time)

I've only done one so far this year, but I generally do at least one more in November.

I did my first century in 1988 after riding for about 3 years. It was an organized event and I struggled and whined.
I, too, rode across the U.S. in 1990 and did about 50 centuries that year and 12,000 miles.
I'm not a fast as the people I ride with so I end up chasing a lot, and any century can be hard if you are at your max for hours.
I think the hardest one I did was Breathless Agony in 2006. It features 12,000 feet of climbing, most of it in the middle 50 miles, or so, and I was sick to my stomach for a good part of the last climb.

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
In 2003 right after doing the Assault on Marion which at that time was my longest ride.

How long had you been riding?
I started riding again in 1999. I did a full tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway that Fall.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
My first century was a self-supported ride 2 weeks after the Assault on Marion. A friend and I started in Sylva, NC and rode up to the BRP then towards Asheville, made a loop down 276 up 215 back to the BRP and then home. 108 miles/10,000' climbing in 8 hours total time.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
Also the 2005 Assault on Mt Mitchell. Bonked at mile 96 and had 22 miles of climbing to go. Elvis left the building and the lights went out. It was one pedal in front of another forever. This years Assault on Mt Mitchell was hard for me too with the extreme heat.

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
October 2007

How long had you been riding?
18 months

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
Unsupported, with two other guys. It was also accidental. I didn't know we'd ride that far. I figured on maybe 75 miles.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
The Epic Century at the 2008 BikeJournal.com Reunion in Colorado.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u171/HowardLaughed/EpicCenturyElev.jpg
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u171/HowardLaughed/EpicCenturyMap.jpg

By comparison, the 71 miler that Beverly, her clubmates and I completed this past July on XOBA (I was taken to the hospital for dehydration after finishing) was far worse than the above century I described.



That day on XOBA was the most brutal day I've ever put in on a bike:(

I did my first century in 2006. I really didn't set out to do a century that day....it just happened. It was on local trails and was a out & back route. I was a volunteer on the Greene County Cycling Classic and it was century day. I had only planned to ride around 35 miles and turn around but I got to talking with other riders and ended up at the turnaround point for the century. I had no choice but to ride the return route. I was on the bike for 9 hours but spent a lot of time talking, stopping at rest stops and eating.

I did 110 miles in September. But It took two days so I don't guess that counts.

Longest to date is 62 miles. I'm confident I can do the distance, but family obligations prevent such a big block of time to train and do it.

Dream: if you're going to do 100 miles, do it in the dirt: Leadville 100. I'd probably only make about 30 or so. But it would be cool to give it a whirl someday.....

First century, August, 2007.
Had been riding approximately 14 months.
It was the first day of the Pan Mass Challenge, 112 miles. The next day, we did another 80. This ride is fully supported, in fact, I can't even imagine how they could make it better.
Acutally, my most challenging ride wasn't a century...it was the second day of the PMC this year. After doing the first day, 112 miles, I started out to Provincetown, 80 miles away. The cape is definitely not flat, with some really nasty hill both at the beginning and the end of the day. I ran into a problem about 30 miles in. Had severe pain in the left achilles tendon and left knee. Thought about quitting twice. Managed to hang in there and complete the ride. Took about five weeks for me to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without pain. Toughest 80 miles I have yet ridden.

1st century: 1973; organized by the Cycling Saddlemen, Dearborn MI; actually 200 mile loop, Tour of Lake St. Clair (Michigan/Ontario, Canada). 120 miles the first day, only 80 miles the second day.
Been riding for almost 40 years.
Most challenging: 3 days, 325 miles with 22,000+ feet of climbing in Arizona in the mid-80s. Finished in Phoenix at only 103 degrees.
Have ridden well over one hundred centuries; back-to-back centuries; double metrics and half-dozen double centuries.
Quit doing double centuries when I achieved my goal of riding 200 miles in 12 hours even when I was in my late 50s.i
Still riding 125 miles a week at age 75.
Riding a century is an achievement; after that it becomes rather routine and you look for something more challenging.
My wife, at age 73 now, has skipped the double centuries; but has ridden over 100 centuries with me on our tandem(s) and several on her single (decades ago). She rode her first 100 miler in the mid-70s on a Huffy (!) 10 speed with upright bars. Got her a full racing mixte single bike after that one!
Peda lon TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

1978 was my fiirst century from Simi valley Ca. to Lake Casitas in Ojai and back through PCH ,ventura,oxnard up mohalland hwy back into 1000 oaks and into Simi probably more like 130 miles

last century was HNH100 2 yrs ago.
now the farthest I have gone is about 65.
most of my rides are from 30-50 miles 3-4 times a week

1st Century March of this year, 2nd April of this year. Solo the first time, supported on the second for the Tour de Cure 104 miles.
Been riding religiously since September 06 (MTB) then went roadie December 07.
The solo was the toughest mentally & physically. I busted my ass building up my mileage but mentally had self doubt as I drew closer to "going for it".
I had ridden 68 miles and thought that's it for the day but my wife said "What's another 32 miles"?
She was tired of my being gone on Sundays due to my training and said it was her birthday next Sunday so geterdone........I did!

1st 100 mile + ride was in 1973 on a tour (8 days of 100+ per day self supported).

Had been ridfing for about 6 months (serious riding anyway, most of my life before that, since about 1963 I would guess.

Most challanging hard to say, but I have done a lot of 100 mile rides into wind and in cold, even snowy weather. When its cold and windy they are all hard.

We're seeing and hearing from more and more folks that have done their first 100 miler. I bet it would be interesting to try and capture some of that information here. Please share a few details with us:

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
How long had you been riding?
What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?

1997- Training ride for my first Ride Across INdiana, I had been riding off & on for 10 years since school. The first organized ride of 100+mi was that year's RAIN- 160mi.
This year's AOMM was most challenging, as it was my first, and with temperatures of 90+deg. on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a definite struggle with weather conditions!

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
June 1992 on century day of BRAG. Ribby was 3 months old. :)

How long had you been riding?
About 2 years after restarting riding.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
Very well supported. I was not planning to do a century that day as I had been up late partying the night before in our overnight stop location, Athens, GA - many beers and little sleep.:eek: I had ridden pretty hard the first 30 miles or so, trying to impress a girl by letting her draft behind me. When I faded, she hopped on another guys wheel and left me in the dust.:( At a rest stop a qtr mile before the turnoff for the optional century route, I was talking to 2 really cute ladies who asked the near fatal question in their cutey pie little voices, "Are you doing the century ride, Benny? We are.":twitchy: "Yep" I foolishly replied.:o
I soon got bored with their too slow pace and pulled ahead to ride at a more comfortable clip. I was pretty sturdy back then and was used to doing 50 to 60 mile rides at a decent pace with the worst of preparation. Such antics would kill me now (and nearly did that day). At about 80 miles, I hit the wall HARD. Total bonk city. After a rest in the shade (it was 90+ degrees) and lots of water and snacks at a rest stop, I decided to press on. A guy I had met on the road the day before told me to grab his wheel and he would pull me the rest of the way in. I think he probably saved my life. I survived it, but it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I soon started rethinking my unconventional ride preparation methods. :rolleyes:

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
I should probably say the above ride, but I'll go with the 2002 BRAG century out of Ellijay, GA. We climbed 4 mountains and many other hills on a beautiful route that included many sections used every year in the Tour de Georgia. It was very hard, but also about the most rewarding and satisfying ride I've ever done.

When did you do your first 100+ miler?

Probably back in 92-93.

How long had you been riding?

Only 3-4 years since becoming infatuated once again with riding bikes and riding regularly, the second childhood thing and all that. Continues still...

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?

MS Waves to Wine (Sonoma) I believe, very nice support (I alternated volunteering and riding for a while with the Monterey and Sonoma WtW rides, as well as a few other MS rides and fund-raising events, so am a bit prejudiced:D).

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?

A Sequoia Century on the SF Peninsula within two years of the first century I think, did the big loop, 200km and 10,000+ (think my altimeter had it closer to 12,000) feet of climbing. That was the last century, too. Just wasn't enjoying as long a time in the saddle as I thought I might. My longest rides now are in terms of hours and on a mountain bike well away from pavement, although I do still ride a road bike but haven't done more than 70 miles in a ride for a while now, but always hilly...

When did you do your first 100+ miler?

Last year. First of three.

How long had you been riding?

Not counting highschool in the 70's, about 3 years.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?

The first was unsupported.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?

Civil War Century this year probably. I also did 110 miles on Skyline Drive that was a considerable challenge :)

I did 3 centuries last year, and 24 (so far) this year. About 10 of those were organized events and the rest were solo.

The last weekend I didn't do at least a 100 mile ride was mid-September. With a Dart (http://www.rusa.org/teamrando.html) planned for Saturday, and John Schlitter in town and joining local randonneurs for a 165k permanent on Sunday, it looks like I'll get in centuries both days this weekend. Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
How long had you been riding?
What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?

The first was in '78, Claremont to Barstow. Got lost in the desert (mistake on the route sheet) so ended up with 120 miles.

I'd been riding since '68, so just about ten years (after I started riding good bikes).

The event was supported by Wandervogle, and they did a good job of it, as I recall.

The most challenging has to be last year's Mount Shasta Double Metric with 135 miles and 16,500 feet of climbing (12:15 total time).

Plus (I know you didn't ask . . . )

First Double Century was '83 on the fully supported Central Double Century in Litchfield, IL
First (and only) Triple Century was in '85, also at the Central Double Century in Litchfield, IL

Rick / OCRR

I did my first 100 miler in 1975 with my dad. The first 75 miles were not bad but it seemed like eternity to finish after that. I swore I'd never do another. And now, probably 100 centuries later... :rolleyes:

I did a double century in the early 1980's...now that was tough!

When did you do your first 100+ miler? June 2007, Queen City Century around Springfield, MO

How long had you been riding? About a year.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? Supported, very nicely supported.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?That's my only century so far. I have the sweat stained wrinkled route sheet/map framed as one of my proudest keepsakes.

I did a Biking for Burns an out and back from East Lansing MI to Flint MI in 1987. It was supported. I think I had been riding seriously for about one year. The group I was with was the only group doing it. The people in Flint were astounded and could not have been more excited if we had ridden in from Mars. We even got a group picture taken that appeared in the newspaper.

For most challenging, well I have had some tough and miserable centuries. Usually because of excessive heat or high winds. None really sticks out. It was a matter of just grinding through the miles. I have done some in the rockies but in those cases the weather was pretty moderate so the rides were not really hard. Having great scenery on a ride makes it easier also.

When did you do your first 100+ miler? It was long enough ago that I don't remember.

How long had you been riding? Dunno, been riding since I was a kid. I was probably 20 or so at that time.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? I am pretty sure the first was probably an organized ride.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?Hard to say... Hardest in what way? A few of the harder ones were:
A probably misguided 100+ mile solo training ride in very hilly country and 105 F heat. I was maybe 40 at the time.
A flat century (the Seagull) where I rode with a 25 MPH group for 70 miles and rode the remaining 30 alone. I kind of bonked and struggled for the last 20 miles, but still managed to finish in 4:30. I was probably a bit over 40 at the time.
A 115 mile day (last year) on the TransAmerica, carrying full camping gear. The temperature was 97F and after a flat 90 miles or so the remainder was fairly hilly. I was 56 at the time.

Are there any century rides that are shorter than 100 miles?

[QUOTE=jppe;7705699]We're seeing and hearing from more and more folks that have done their first 100 miler. I bet it would be interesting to try and capture some of that information here. Please share a few details with us:

When did you do your first 100+ miler? March, 2006

How long had you been riding? Nine months from my reintroduction to road cycling. Hadn't been on the road on a bike since 2001.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? Event-supported -- the Solvang Century, a charity event

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done? The Marin Century, Aug. 2006, on the tandem. I was hungover, the climbs were brutal, we crashed 6 miles from the finish and finished exhausted, bruised and bloody. What a feeling of accomplishment to finish!

Are there any century rides that are shorter than 100 miles?

Ummm, a metric century?

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
In the summer of 1971.

How long had you been riding?
I started cycling at age 12 when I was finally able to balance a bike. I began doing more serious transportation and recreational riding as a UCLA undergrad and did this ride three years later.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
Unsupported group of 3, including my cousin and one of my Physics classmates.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
That particular ride -- it was a hilly and windy 12-hour double metric century in the San Francisco Bay Area, from Los Altos to Santa Cruz, then north on the coast and back over the hill through Palo Alto. It would not have been so bad, except that we we had to fight a very strong headwind on the 45-mile coastal stretch, leaving very little reserve with which to climb the hill back to my cousin's house. I did the Los Angeles Wheelmen double century a year later, and it did not feel any worse.

When did you do your first 100+ miler? In the early 1980's

How long had you been riding? Since I was a kid, on a twenty inch wheel bike.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? Supported. It was in Juneau AK. Took most of the roads in the whole city/borough.
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done? Probably the Triple ByPass in Colorado.

I haven't done a century yet; I'll probably do one within the next year or so... maybe the Hotter Than Hell 100. I did ride my age (46) this past weekend, which is the most I've done since my college days when I did 60 miles in a day once or twice.

When did you do your first 100+ miler? --- 2008
How long had you been riding? --- 11 Mos.
What was the event-supported, solo, etc? --- Supported MS 100 (107) Charlotte, NC - G'ville, SC
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?

When did you do your first 100+ miler? Lessee.... thirty-some years ago.

How long had you been riding? Since I was 8 years old.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? Some local club century

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done? That'd be a tossup between:
1) the Portland Wheelmen's Torture 10,000 (now defunct. And name notwithstanding, the organizers claimed 13,000+ feet of climbing. My alti only said 11,200)
2) the Mid-Valley Cycling Club's Covered Bridge Century, last September. Not a hard ride per se, but I'd done a 200km brevet the day before, with probably 8-9,000 feet of climbing.

Since I started randonneuring, I don't do centuries much any more. Not that they're not challenging or anything, but the whole "racer boy" vibe you get at most century rides got old a long time ago. Rando's are just a whole different kettle of fish, and that suits me just fine.

SP
Bend, OR

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
July 2004 - My first STP (Seattle to Portland), this is 206 mile ride, I did 102 miles on Saturday with the last 104 miles on Sunday. I have completed this ride 3 addition times, all in 2 days. I am planning on doing next year's STP in 1 day.
How long had you been riding?
8 months after restarting riding. The Cascade Bicycle Club has a great training series (CTS) that trains new and returning riders for doing long distance group rides. I'm been a Ride Leader for the this series since 2005.
What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
STP, Flywheels, RSVP are all event-supported rides. I have completed 1 other century that was part of CTS.
What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
Had to be this years CTS century ride, I led the group the entire 100 miles, setting the pace of 16mph, with the temperature in the 90's.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? Event-supported -- the Solvang Century, a charity event[/B


I did the Solvang Century in 1989 as my second century, and did it 8 more times, the last being 2002.
One time there were 6000 riders, twice it rained and hailed, and it is usually cold. We did it the time there were mudslides and they had to make it an out and back. We called it "The wind tunnel century" that time.
I think it was 1994 when it was raining hard and it was cold so my friend and I pulled into the rest stop looking to SAG to the finish. There were so many people under the shelter it was standing room only. We figured it would be hours waiting for a ride so we just got back on the bikes and finished.

When did you do your first 100+ miler? June 2007, Queen City Century* around Springfield, MO

*Tornado Assisted


Fixed it.

When did you do your first 100+ miler? Cool Breeze, August 2003

How long had you been riding? 10 months

What was the event-supported, solo, etc? Organized / supported ride

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done? Any climbing century with over 10,000 ft of climbing is tough. The problem is that I have come to enjoy the challenge of climbing and I really don't think of them as being difficult.

If I would have to pick one I would probably say the Death Ride, it is 129 miles with 15,000 ft of climbing.

If I ever try the Climb to Kaiser, that one would probably be the toughest. At least that is what I hear from others who have done it.

First century was in '86 (Scotts Valley, CA to Monterey and back) and I had been riding for about 2 years. I have ridden at least one century most years since then. All solo. All with as little elevation gain as possible. Several years,when the kids were little and to maintain the tradition, I set up a coastal route with a brisk tailwind most of the way (kinda like cheating). I did miss '91 -'95 as I owned my own business those years and rode very little. I've got to admit that I greatly prefer metric centuries and try for several per month in non-winter months.

I don't really remember my first century, but my most challenging century was in Madison Wisconsin in '78 (I think). As far as I know, all they did was take money. No water, no food, no maps, never saw a sag wagon either. I showed up expecting that they would supply a banana or cookies or something so I didn't bring any food. The first group of riders included a couple of national class racers, so we got to the 99 mile point in around 4 hours. The only problem was I bonked so bad I couldn't finish. I got off my bike and slept by the side of the road for an hour, and finally rode the last mile. I still had to wait a couple of hours for the people I drove with to finish.

I'm thinking about riding one of the 24 hour rides this year. Aiming for over 300 miles :)

When did you do your first 100+ miler?
June 1st 2008

How long had you been riding?
4 months, someone told me if I had 1,000 miles under my belt that would be a good base. I was around 1,300 by then.

What was the event-supported, solo, etc?
Supported, Elephant Rock

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
The Epic Century at the 2008 BikeJournal.com Reunion in Colorado. This was my second century & I rode more by myself so I didn't have the support from friends like I did on my first one.

I've done one more this last weekend to make 3 for the year & this is my first year of riding road bikes.

What's the most challenging 100 miler you have done?
The Epic Century at the 2008 BikeJournal.com Reunion in Colorado. This was my second century & I rode more by myself so I didn't have the support from friends like I did on my first one.

By August, he was a very strong rider. Probably left everyone in his dust. I saw him at the start and not again for the whole day. (Of course, for a while I was even behind the sweep rider. Heck, I was behind people climbing mountains on recumbents.)

Riding: Started 6 years ago at age 48
First Century: June 2008
Rode with group from Bike shop, supported each other.
Routinely ride 55 - 80 miles each Sat and Sunday with shorter workouts during the week.
Biggest challenge with century is over comming attitude that it can't be done. Do one and then you realize it just requires planning and some general fittness level.
Next goal is a sub 5 hour century.