Road Cycling - First Century in the bag!

As many of you know, today I road my first full Century in the Tour-de-Cure Missouri River Ride.

Stats: 102 miles 6 hours 28 minutes 56 seconds.

The weather was dry! However the first 40 miles was into a headwind! :mad:
It was sure nice to have the tail wind on the way back after the turn around at the 40 mile point. Century riders had to ride back to the START/FINISH then on out another leg. Yep, you guessed it, back into the head wind for another 10 miles or so. Plus this leg had the longest climbs of the day! :rolleyes:

The Century riders also got the special distinction of having YELLOW numbers. :D All the Century riders finished except for one fellow who sagged at around the 44 mile point. The head winds were brutal. I was the last Century rider to complete the course and was happy to be so!

Coleen took photos of the event, but she only took one photo of me at the START this morning. :(
Let me know if your interested in seeing some of the photos of other folks that were participating in the ride, I'll post a couple.

I really want to thank everyone here at bikeforums.net! You have educated me, inspired me, and motivated me. I would have never dreamed of riding a Century a year ago. So, hats off to everyone here at BF! Ya done good!

:beer: Now, if you will excuse me, its Miller time! :D

Congrats!
I am also starting to get better and better. A few weeks ago I couldnt even ride a mile without my leg cramping or getting really tired. Now I can do about 5 miles a day. Im hoping to get to 10-20 miles a day!

Btw does Century = 100+ miles?

Congrats!
I am also starting to get better and better. A few weeks ago I couldnt even ride a mile without my leg cramping or getting really tired. Now I can do about 5 miles a day. Im hoping to get to 10-20 miles a day!

Btw does Century = 100+ miles?

Thanks! Keep at it and in no time you'll achieve your goal! And yes, Century = 100 miles.

Congratulations! Was it as difficult as it seemed in your mind? A century is a big milestone.

[QUOTE=N7CZinMT]As many of you know, today I road my first full Century in the Tour-de-Cure Missouri River Ride.

Stats: 102 miles 6 hours 28 minutes 56 seconds.

The weather was dry! However the first 40 miles was into a headwind! :mad:
It was sure nice to have the tail wind on the way back after the turn around at the 40 mile point. Century riders had to ride back to the START/FINISH then on out another leg. Yep, you guessed it, back


Congratulations on a great achievement! Sounds like you did fantastic. What did you do for nourishment along the way? I'm doing my first metric century in August and hoping to post as good a report as you.

Sheldon

congrats, now there are more to come since you did your first :)

Congrats dude...I was looking forward to doing my first in two weeks. Developed an infection on the top of my foot and you guessed it...no bike shoes for at least a week:(.
Keep it up!

Congrats on the Century! There are a lot of base-training miles that need to be ridden to do the 100 miler so you deserve the Miller!

I'm back at it myself. I did 3 Centurys is 2002, and now I want to to a few more. I did my first metric of the year today 65.5 miles (I started riding again May 22nd). So I hope to do my Century in July. It's an awesome feeling and lots of saddle time to build up to it!

Congrats Again!
Ride Safe.
Ti-Carbo

Congratulations on your first century! It takes a lot of training and dedication to be able to make that mark. I'm working on a half century right now (I'm up to 30 miles now), my goal is to be able to finish a century by next summer.

Congratulations! You're an inspiration to me. I'm a total newbie and can only do up to 30 miles. Hopefully I'll be able to do a century by the end of 2005. :)

Congrats on the century. Is that you in the avatar? You look much thinner in your avatar now than a previous photo you posted.

Congratulations are definately in order!!! Great time too. You'll bag GTTS before I do. :D

Congrats on your first century :beer: . You did a great time even with fighting all the headwind. Do you have plans for your next one?

Well done.

Congrats! I'm another person hoping that I can eventually do a century. It would be interesting to hear your "story". How long have you been training, did you get into cycling just to do a century, etc...

Congratulations! Was it as difficult as it seemed in your mind? A century is a big milestone.


No. Even with the winds. I ride in the wind often here. I feel that helped prepare me for that situation. I spent LOTS of time in the drops just grinding away.



Congratulations on a great achievement! Sounds like you did fantastic. What did you do for nourishment along the way? I'm doing my first metric century in August and hoping to post as good a report as you.

Sheldon


Coleen (my lovely wife) made a pasta feast for dinner the night before. Breakfast the morning of the ride was a nice big bowl of oatmeal. (yummy!) During the ride I ate 2 cliff bars and 1 whole banana. The last 30 miles I went to strictly liquids. Gatorade and water since the Cliff bar I ate at mile 70 gave me an upset stomach. I carried 2 bottles, one for the sports drink and one for water.

Good luck on your Metric!



congrats, now there are more to come since you did your first :)


Your right! Thanks!



Congrats dude...I was looking forward to doing my first in two weeks. Developed an infection on the top of my foot and you guessed it...no bike shoes for at least a week:(.
Keep it up!


Man! Sorry to hear about the infection! I would be no fun to have foot problems on an Century! Good luck with your recovery.



Congrats on the Century! There are a lot of base-training miles that need to be ridden to do the 100 miler so you deserve the Miller!

I'm back at it myself. I did 3 Centurys is 2002, and now I want to to a few more. I did my first metric of the year today 65.5 miles (I started riding again May 22nd). So I hope to do my Century in July. It's an awesome feeling and lots of saddle time to build up to it!

Congrats Again!
Ride Safe.
Ti-Carbo


Yep. I had just over 900 miles for the year prior to this ride. Mostly commuting miles and one Metric. Good luck, you can do it.



Congratulations on your first century! It takes a lot of training and dedication to be able to make that mark. I'm working on a half century right now (I'm up to 30 miles now), my goal is to be able to finish a century by next summer.


Yea, I guess so. The only training I actually did is a Metric 2 weeks ago. Otherwise, just putting on the miles commuting. Good luck on your goals.



Congratulations! You're an inspiration to me. I'm a total newbie and can only do up to 30 miles. Hopefully I'll be able to do a century by the end of 2005. :)


Thanks. Keep at it. I think the key is to just keep riding. Search posts here on BF. You will learn all you need to achieve your goal.



Congrats on the century. Is that you in the avatar? You look much thinner in your avatar now than a previous photo you posted.


Thanks. Yep, that is a recent photo of me in the Avitar at 220#s. I'm still working on weight loss. Or should I say, body mass transformation.



Congratulations are definately in order!!! Great time too. You'll bag GTTS before I do. :D


Thanks! GTTS is looking good. :D



Congrats on your first century :beer: . You did a great time even with fighting all the headwind. Do you have plans for your next one?


Thanks. I am pleased with the time. I finished and that is what I was shooting for. I'm not sure of the next one. There is the Tour of the Paradise Valley next weekend. I've also been looking at the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier Park. Or, I may just go out and ride and see where the road takes me. :D



Well done.


Thanks!

Congrats! I'm another person hoping that I can eventually do a century. It would be interesting to hear your "story". How long have you been training, did you get into cycling just to do a century, etc...

Thanks!
I started cycling last year with my kids. Initially for no other reason than to spend quality time with the kids. My "training" has been my bicycle commuting to work daily. That counts for 13 miles a day. I commute in ALL weather conditions, with loaded panniers. Rain, snow, cold, wind, and heat. Dedicating yourself to ride no matter what mother nature throws at you gives you the mental ability to overcome your demons that start talking nagging at you on a long ride. I also did a Metric Century specifically as a training ride for this full Century. My previous distance record was only 26 miles on mostly flat terrain. The advice from most here on BF was to do around a 75 mile ride prior to the century. I am glad I did so(not 75 miles, but 67+). It let me gain confidence in myself and my bike. When you are riding a 1978 10 speed, there are doughts that it can withstand the rigors of a mountainous century under a heavy rider. (its the bike in my avatar) It also helped me to fine tune my nutrition and hydration needs while on a longer ride. As stated by many here on BF, the need to put time in the saddle and build "base miles" is key.

Good luck!

fantastic man! Sore butt?

-mark

fantastic man! Sore butt?

-mark

Nope. Which is a real supprise to me!

I posted the photos that Coleen took of the event on my webshots page if your interested in viewing them. They are in the Summer 2004 album.

http://community.webshots.com/user/n7czinmt

Congratulations on your Century, and more congrats on your weight loss!!! It's been amazing to follow your progress over the posts, and I'm smiling for you, right now. My husband completed his longest ride ever Friday, together we rode a flat windy 85 miles to his grandfathers birthday party, a mile for each year he's been alive.

Nope. Which is a real supprise to me!
Not even numbness during the ride?

Not even numbness during the ride?

Well, there was some numbness right afterwards. You would freek if you knew what saddle I rode on. :rolleyes: But yea, no pain. Now, ask me after I commute into work in the morning. :D

Congratulations on your Century, and more congrats on your weight loss!!! It's been amazing to follow your progress over the posts, and I'm smiling for you, right now. My husband completed his longest ride ever Friday, together we rode a flat windy 85 miles to his grandfathers birthday party, a mile for each year he's been alive.

Thanks! Your smile means a bunch! Congrats to you and the Hubby on your ride as well.

Congrats on the achievment!

Well done, N7! So this was on the Raleigh? Sounds like a pretty good time for a first century, too - was the 6:28.56 total elapsed time or on-the-bike time?

Congrats on the achievment!

Thanks!



Well done, N7! So this was on the Raleigh? Sounds like a pretty good time for a first century, too - was the 6:28.56 total elapsed time or on-the-bike time?


Hey Stu! The time was actual rolling time. There were stops every 10 miles which I stopped at. Topped off the bottles and got a snack. I stopped taking in solid foods after mile 70. I kept my stops to 5-10 minutes. Less the last 30 miles. Its not the most steller time, but that was not my goal anyway. I finished about 1 hour after the first guys did.

Oh, and yes, this was on the '78 Raleigh Grand Prix pictured in my avatar. Oldest bike in the entire event!

Thanks!

Bob

Hey Stu! The time was actual rolling time. There were stops every 10 miles which I stopped at. Topped off the bottles and got a snack. I stopped taking in solid foods after mile 70. I kept my stops to 5-10 minutes. Less the last 30 miles. Its not the most steller time, but that was not my goal anyway. I finished about 1 hour after the first guys did.

Bob-
Sounds like a pretty good time for a first century to me! My first (in Santa Fe, NM about a month ago) was around 6:15 rolling time for 105 miles, and was reasonably flat terrain. It certainly pays to keep the stops short. Anything more than 10 minutes and the legs can start to seize up a bit....

Bob-
Sounds like a pretty good time for a first century to me! My first (in Santa Fe, NM about a month ago) was around 6:15 rolling time for 105 miles, and was reasonably flat terrain. It certainly pays to keep the stops short. Anything more than 10 minutes and the legs can start to seize up a bit....

Cool Stu. Congrats on your century as well! I had read here on BF about keeping the stops short and did so religiously. I feel great!

Re: base miles, I think the old rule of thumb that you are ready to ride about 2/3 of your weekly mileage is about right. I've been in the 140-150 weekly mile range and did my first century last Sunday and another one (110 miles) this Saturday. I think for me the hardest part was boredom - 6 hours +/- is a long time to be pedaling!

Nice job man! Congratulations on your first century. I'm heartened to see you did it on an old ten speed. It's also my goal to get in a century on of these days and I'll also be riding it on a 70's era ten speed. Once again, awesome work.

Nice job man! Congratulations on your first century. I'm heartened to see you did it on an old ten speed. It's also my goal to get in a century on of these days and I'll also be riding it on a 70's era ten speed. Once again, awesome work.

Hey Thanks Gurgus. My advice is to make sure your old, sorry, "vintage" 10 speed is in good working order. Especially if your course is mountainous or hilly. Make sure you have good pedals! I broke a pedal 2 weeks before the century on a climb on my commute route. Not fun!

I am scheduled to do a "back-to-back" century on 2 consecutive days in September in eastern Oklahoma with the bikejournal.com (http://www.bikejournal.com) folks. I am looking forward to it!

Once again, I'll be putting myself and the vintage steel through the test. :D