Road Cycling - First 50 miler

Just wanted to share that I did my first 50 miler ride today. It took 3 hours 30minutes. I was so dead the last 10 miles. I got home and crashed on the couch. I love it

Congrats!

In your future -

Next - A metric century (62 miles)

Then - A full century

After that - multi-day tour!

Bicycling is one of those activities where you can positively measure your progress (or lack of it). That makes it challenging and fun!

Fantastic!

Did you eat and drink much during the ride?

I had two 24oz waterbottles. One with gatorade the other with just water. I also had five simi healthy candy bars. They helped quite a bit with keeping me at least somewhat energized. My thighs still hurt today, but I love it. I can't wait t be able to get a 60 miler in. I'll probably wait a couple of weeks at least though and just do some 20 - 40 milers inbetween to try and recover.

Congrats! Welcome to the world of "serious roadies" lol :D

To help on energy:
Eat a plate of spaghetti the night before. Eat a *powerbar* (not candy bars) before you start the ride or about an hour into it. I fill BOTH bottles w/ Gatorade and also bought "Zefal Magnum" bottles which hold 32 oz each. Try *spinning* in an easier gear instead of mashing the pedals in a hard gear (you may do this already)

Other than that, just keep doing it! Congrats! Great job!

I had two 24oz waterbottles. One with gatorade the other with just water. I also had five simi healthy candy bars. They helped quite a bit with keeping me at least somewhat energized. My thighs still hurt today, but I love it. I can't wait t be able to get a 60 miler in. I'll probably wait a couple of weeks at least though and just do some 20 - 40 milers inbetween to try and recover.
Cool... you may want to find somewhere to refill the bottles while you ride. I usually drink at least one 24oz bottle of gatorade or water per hour on rides above 2 hours. As CarlJStoneham said, switch out the candy bars for some energy bars. I prefer CLIF bars over powerbars, but that's pretty much a personal taste thing. Once banana or energy bar per hour plus plenty of liquid will help you keep the energy levels up during (and after) the ride.

Keep it up! You'll be riding a century before you know it!

Not too shabby!

the mileage becomes addictive don't it? :)

That's funny that you posted this, because I just did my first 50 miler on Sunday. I commute 40 miles per day, but it's broken into two twenty mile trips. SUnday was tough, but I dug my own grave. I was plenty hydrated and I had eaten some pasta and pizza the night before to get some carbs in me. However, I only ate a cup of cereal in the mroning. I was fine for about 35 miles, but the last 15 were pretty rough... add to that the fact that I was pushing difficult gears at about mile 20, and I was spent at mile 40. I really wish that I had taken some energy gels with me, but I totally forgot about them before I left. I even tried to stop at a drug store and buy and energy bar, but I had to use my Visa, and they had a minimum $5 purchase to use Visa. I think I'll need to start carrying emergency cash in my seat pack.
Anyway, seems like I learned a bunch of lessons on this ride. Congrats to you for doing yours! I'm trying again this weekend. :)

That's funny that you posted this, because I just did my first 50 miler on Sunday. I commute 40 miles per day, but it's broken into two twenty mile trips. SUnday was tough, but I dug my own grave. I was plenty hydrated and I had eaten some pasta and pizza the night before to get some carbs in me. However, I only ate a cup of cereal in the mroning. I was fine for about 35 miles, but the last 15 were pretty rough... add to that the fact that I was pushing difficult gears at about mile 20, and I was spent at mile 40. I really wish that I had taken some energy gels with me, but I totally forgot about them before I left. I even tried to stop at a drug store and buy and energy bar, but I had to use my Visa, and they had a minimum $5 purchase to use Visa. I think I'll need to start carrying emergency cash in my seat pack.
Anyway, seems like I learned a bunch of lessons on this ride. Congrats to you for doing yours! I'm trying again this weekend. :)
Hey, at least you made it bpohl - congratulations!! You always learn a few lessons on your first longer-than-normal ride. Carrying a couple of bucks in the seat bag is very worthwhile, as is getting into the habit of throwing an energy bar or some gels in one of your jersey pockets. I carry $28 - a 20, a 5, and three 1s. This gives me enough to buy a tube from someone if I need to, as well as some spare for food and drink if I need to stop at a drugstore or gas station, and if everything goes haywire and I'm really desparate it will help get me home in a cab on local rides!

I remember when I did my first metric century last year. I had never riden more then 20 miles and just up and decided to do it one day. I was not, by any means, prepared and I was so close to getting out the cell phone and calling for a ride home. But, I stuck it out and survived and that was more rewarding than any average speed or time and distance.

bpohl - Happy to see a fellow Hoosier. Although I am now a Minnesotan'

Just wanted to share that I did my first 50 miler ride today. It took 3 hours 30minutes. I was so dead the last 10 miles. I got home and crashed on the couch. I love it

You are getting a lot of good advice! Besides drinking at least one water bottle per hour (energy drink is best but too much could affect your constitution), I would recommend a recovery drink immediately after you finish your ride. I just started using Power Bar Recovery drink mix. I just put in my first 250+ mile week of this season and the recovery drink really has helped. Proper hydration will help keep you off the couch, too!!

I did my first 80+ mile ride on Sunday, and I have a few more suggestions for you from things that worked and didn't work for me.

1. Carry a few extra $1s in your flat pack. I got a tear on my tire, and the $1 works to protect the tube/tire from further damage.

2. Check the weather forecast ;). I left after checking a local forecast and seeing no rain activity, failing to realize that I would be outside for 5-6 hours. Needless to say, I got wet.

3. Carry multiple flat protection. I thought my tire had just deflated due to failing to close the presta valve (oops). I filled the tube with my CO2, and found I had an actual leak. Good thing I had an extra tube and extra CO2 cartridges.

4. Carry a cell-phone, just in case a total bailout is needed, and let someone else know your route.

5. I carry a small cable and a padlock to lock my bike to a pole/sign when I go into a convenience store (thanks to advice from this forum). It worked very well, and I was able to roam the store with confidence that my bike would be there when I came out.

6. Make sure you know a few detours to get you where you need to go. With all the rain, one of the roads I planned to take was flooded. Another had the signs, but water wasn't over it yet. If I didn't have a backup plan (that I carried a map), I might have tried to cross a flooded road....very dangerous.

7. Lastly, on some of the descents or flats with a tailwind, be sure to stand up on the pedals and stretch the legs out a bit. This will help prevent fatigue. If you aren't confident doing this while on the bike, be sure to do it at any stops you make.

Congrats on the ride!

If it is any comfort, it get better, and relatively fast...
I started riding 3 years ago with a max distance of 2-3 miles, and almost died.. I was in zero shape, but cardio and muscles.. Last Saturday I did a century, and lived to tell about it. :) I ride with my buddies every weekend at least 50 miles, and during the week another 25-35 miles...
In the past 3 years I lost 100lb, and today I am in the best shape of my life.. BTW I'm 51 years old.
So just stick with it, the more you ride the less pain you'll experiance and the more fun you will have..

That's awesome guys. I love hearing all the stories like this. I'm a runner by trade, but LOVE cycling. For my long run days I do anywhere from 14-18 and though I'm supposed to, I never take water or food during those runs, I just energize before them. I should know that I need to get energized before a long ride, but never even thought of it. I deffinatly will be getting some power/cliff bars for the rides. Those candy bars were not near enough I could tell. And thanks for the tip on standing up on downhills, I didn't know that could help prevent fatigue. All good tips I'll deffinatly use!!

Jerronc - Congrats on the 50 miler! You OWN that distance now. There is some great info in this thread...I'm taking notes too. Anything to make the ride more enjoyable rules! The dollar bill idea is great!

Ride Safe,
Ti-Carbo

I did my first 41 miler sunday and it felt just great! Haven't reached 50 yet, but will at some point. You are so free, and so away from everything. Congrats!