Southeast - Horrible Hundred

Can anyone give me some perspective on the level of difficulty in Central FL's Horrible Hundred century coming up in Nov?

I have never completed a century before, but I ride ~90 miles / week now (with a long 50 mile ride on Sat). With a ramp up in training between traveling for work, I am thinking I can complete a century. However, since this century tackles several of FL steeper hills, I am not sure what the added difficulty is.

At 5'7" and 140 lbs, the elevation gain I experience here in Miami (i.e. Key Biscayne bridge) doesn't really hurt and I can go up it decently fast, but it is probably minor compared to the elevation gain for some of the central FL's hills.

I would appreciate your advice and thoughts.

Elevation profile for the 100 http://www.horrible-hundred.com/hh-pdf/hh09_100_profile.pdf

http://www.horrible-hundred.com/

I plan on riding the 100 I have not done a century sine 92 and it seems like you are logging more miles than me right now. I think you should be fine.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Appreciate it.

i've riden the clermont area ..and while they say florida is flat... it isn't

i suggest coming up for a pre-ride, i've been riding out there on the weekends and if u ride flats the rest of the week those hills will catch you off guard

also suggest riding the 70mile loop... it hits all the big climbs ...without the boring final 30miles
at least from what i've heard the final 30 is really nothing special..

run the 70miles..

sugarloaf mountain is a 14% grade... good luck
i may even see you out there

I'd like to do a recon trip up there one weekend, but since the drive is about 3.5 hours from Miami, I am a little hesitant. It would probably be the wisest move and I could make it a cool trip to see that part of the state.

I've never ride anything near 14% or anything steeper than the Key Biscayne bridge for that matter, so maybe I do head up there.

Thanks again.

well clermonts not like anyother part of the state that's for sure. Make the trip, you won't regret it. Clermont is a town dedicated to biking, the trails are great and well mark.

do a youtube search for Sugarloaf Mountain, Florida; there are some interesting video's of the climb. it's not a long hill ... but it's a real ballbuster

sugarloaf mountain is a 14% grade... good luck


Oh sh*t, didn't know the grade was that high.

I wonder if I should even attempt this ride with 39/53 12/25 gearing?

Oh sh*t, didn't know the grade was that high.

I wonder if I should even attempt this ride with 39/53 12/25 gearing?

your in tampa.... east on i-4 and north on hwy 27... should take u alittle more then an hr to get there..... preride it in sections and figure out what you need... but you should be fine

For final training, try riding the Santa Fe Century or the Horse Farm Hundred at the end of October up in Gainesville. We've got a sort of triple crown in miniature here in the fall... the Horse Farm in Gainesville, the Hilly Hundred in Tampa/Zephyrhills (the only time I ever broke 55MPH on a bike!) and the Horrible Hundred in Cleremont. Fun times in the fall!

OK guys. I have done the HH about 17 times. It can be a tough ride depending on your condition, the weather and how fast you ride.

Sugar Loaf does hit 14%. Don't hyperventilate. As you approach the hill, you hit an increasing grade that goes quickly to 14% and stays there for about 50 yards (a guess but not far). The thing is to pace yourself on the steep stretch. If you go really anaerobic there, you will not recover and you will not make it or if you do it will not be fun. The next nearly half mile is 7%. That is steep and you can not really recover from the 14% but if you are not beat by the 14%, you can motor up it. I can do that hill bonked and my low gear is a 39X26.

The 70 mile ride is a good option. It hits all of the noteworthy hills. The extra 30 miles does take you through some "old Florida" scenery. It can be nice but it can easily be cut out.

There are plenty of lessor hills in the HH.

You start out at the park in Clermont on the lake. You ride around the lake and the first big hill you hit is Citrus Tower. It is steep and pretty long. But you are fresh and warmed up.

You will hit some minor hills for some time. You will get to the first rest stop at around 17 miles. After that you will hit do a stepped climb. You will go down a steep hill and hit "The Wall". The wall is steep but it is not that hard if you pace yourself.

After you turn south you will have a couple of climbs until you hit Grassy Lake Road. When you turn right on Grassy Lake, you will have a really steep short hill. If you are in a low gear and are mentally prepared, you will do OK. Later you hit a T intersection and there is a steep climb there as the road goes east and bends due south. But again it is steep and short.

You will hit part of the road around Lake Mineolla again for a short stretch. You will turn right off it and climb another stinkin steep short hill. If you are prepared, you will do OK. There are quite a few hills like this and they ambush you. Right after that you have rest stop 2. Then you head west into the country. It is a nice stretch of road with some hills but they are nice hills and not steep. After those, the 100 mile diverges from the 70 mile. The 100 mile ride goes out past Groveland and through some rather strange areas. You hit rest stop 3 at about 40 miles. There is a little rural church out there with a primarily black congregation. They seem pretty conservative because they DRESS UP for church. They always seem to be letting out about then. I go rolling by in my sweaty lycra while the church folks are out socializing. It seems a bit strange.

You angle south and wander around in darkest Florida for some time until you head north back to Groveland and recross SR 50. You keep north until you reach rest stop 4 at around 70 miles. It is just before American Hill. That is not a hard hill. Long and steepish. You climb that. You wind around a bit and then after about 77 miles you hit a long steep hill and then go down and you turn south onto Buck Hill Road. That road has 3 climbs. The first climb is the steepest and longest. It seems to be about 10%. The steep section is the longer than Sugar Loafs steep section. After Buckhill you head east down hill and then turn north and do a climb. You then turn east and hit Sugarloaf. After Sugarloaf you have the final rest stop. You continue and do some hills for awhile until you hit the outskirts of Clermont.

There you get ambushed. You turn off the main road and climb a short steep ambush hill through a subdivision. You go down hill again and then you climb Hospital Hill. It is not that bad but since it is at the 96 mile point or so, it feels bad. Then you think you are done. You head west back to your start. You turn again and hit another ambush hill. It is not hard but it can be because you can think your hills are over. After that one, the last 2 miles or so are pretty easy.

The trick is to watch out for ambush hills and be ready mentally to drop down into your small ring and big cog for these. If you try to muslce them, you can kill yourself uselessly.

Good luck. It is a fun ride.

Wow, thanks for the great review Pat.

I think I'm going to give the 100 a shot, but not before converting my bike to a compact crank.

Awesome review and thanks for the tips. Like you mentioned, pacing oneself seems to be the key (probably more so than other centuries). The good thing about this ride is that it definitely does not sound boring.

Thanks again.

I love riding there and seeing people blown away by the hills there...I agree,you need mental as well as physical prep to ride this course...the key is pacing yourself...especially climbing...

I signed up today. I do 150 to 200 miles a week, I have done a few centuries, the only thing I am concerned about is hitting the right gears. I don't get that many hills on my normal rides, and can muscle them if I get it wrong. This is too long and too many hills for that, hope I don't mess up too bad!

Hmmm...it's a two-day event, but the rides are only on Sunday? I'm desperate to find a century ride anywhere from Orlando to Miami on either a Friday or Saturday, since those are the only two days I'm off work.

Any ideas?

Hmmm...it's a two-day event, but the rides are only on Sunday? I'm desperate to find a century ride anywhere from Orlando to Miami on either a Friday or Saturday, since those are the only two days I'm off work.

Any ideas?

Don't know if Gainesville is too far for you, but there's a Sat Century coming up there on the 24th.

http://gccfla.org/gcf/sf.html

I signed up today. I do 150 to 200 miles a week, I have done a few centuries, the only thing I am concerned about is hitting the right gears. I don't get that many hills on my normal rides, and can muscle them if I get it wrong. This is too long and too many hills for that, hope I don't mess up too bad!

Don't stress. Ask for the maps for both the 70 and 100. They diverge after the 2 rest stop at something over 30 miles. You will have already completed about 40% of the hills. If you are beaten up, just bail and do the 70.

Climbing hills is pretty easy. It is a matter of pacing. Select a gear that will let you go up the hill somewhere below your anaerobic threshold. Now there are a few spots in the ride where you will be pressed even in your low gear, but they are not long.

Don't stress. Ask for the maps for both the 70 and 100. They diverge after the 2 rest stop at something over 30 miles. You will have already completed about 40% of the hills. If you are beaten up, just bail and do the 70.

Climbing hills is pretty easy. It is a matter of pacing. Select a gear that will let you go up the hill somewhere below your anaerobic threshold. Now there are a few spots in the ride where you will be pressed even in your low gear, but they are not long.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice.

Don't know if Gainesville is too far for you, but there's a Sat Century coming up there on the 24th.

http://gccfla.org/gcf/sf.html

I went to school in Gainesville but I'm in Ft. Lauderdale now and it's about 5 hours from there. Thanks anyway.

For final training, try riding the Santa Fe Century or the Horse Farm Hundred at the end of October up in Gainesville. We've got a sort of triple crown in miniature here in the fall... the Horse Farm in Gainesville, the Hilly Hundred in Tampa/Zephyrhills (the only time I ever broke 55MPH on a bike!) and the Horrible Hundred in Cleremont. Fun times in the fall!

Most of us from the shop are going to do atleast the horse farm 100, others are doing the HH, and I haven't heard anyone mention the hilly hundred.

Personl\ally, I'm having second thoughts about my commitment to the horse farm 100 after considering that half the distance is uphill and there are few hills to ride around here.

I've been getting out periodically and riding, but not as much as I'd hoped to be able to... I'm going to go for the 55mile option on the Santa Fe ride Saturday. I'd love to do the HorseFarm for old times' sake (last time I rode it was 91) but don't wanna miss church. I'm looking forward to going on my first organized ride in nearly 20 years. :-)

I went to school in Gainesville but I'm in Ft. Lauderdale now and it's about 5 hours from there. Thanks anyway.

I checked the FBA calender and the only Sat century ride I could find is Dec 12 in Sebring. Still probably a 3-4 hour drive for you though.....

Here's the link if you're interested-http://www.kenilworthlodge.com/files/klodge/480.pdf

21st Annual Intracoastal Waterway Century http://www.spacecoastfreewheelers.com/events.htm in cocoa. This saturday. Still a good distance from sofl.

I went to school in Gainesville but I'm in Ft. Lauderdale now and it's about 5 hours from there. Thanks anyway.

The Highlands Bikefest is in December and we're only 2 1/2 hours from you. We've got a couple of little hills but nothing like Sugarloaf Mountain. the website is "Kenilworth Lodge" in Sebring. The Saturday century goes up to Avon Park, down to Lake Placid and around Lake Istopoga, back roads, rest stops and sag all included.

Oh sh*t, didn't know the grade was that high.

I wonder if I should even attempt this ride with 39/53 12/25 gearing?

I did the 100 mile route last year on my fixed gear with a 39/14 and had no problem.

Oh sh*t, didn't know the grade was that high.

I wonder if I should even attempt this ride with 39/53 12/25 gearing?

I can and have done Sugarloaf bonked in similar gearing.

The longest steep grade is Buck Hill. It is something like 55 pedal strokes. The steep hills tend to be short and the long climbs are not steep. Sugarloaf is an exception but even that is only a 5 minute climb. That is just a long interval.

Is anyone from Jax/OP going down for this?

I don't have a vehicle and I'm a B rider that will get left by my A rider friends from the shop. Where as they will be going for a 4hr time, I'll be aiming for something closer to 5hrs.

If you are from, or passing through the area on your way I'd like to share a ride and some of the expense.

Do you recommend the saturday warm-up ride for someone registered for the hundred?

if you've never riden the area it would be a good idea

you can skip the around the lake section (at the start) and head straight out town towards the back roads (pull the map from the site)

there are some challenging sections that may suprise u

Looks like we'll have nice weather for the event-

http://www.accuweather.com/us/fl/clermont/34711/forecast-details.asp?partner=forecastfox&traveler=1&zipchg=1&metric=0&fday=4

Oh I'm going to be hurting tomorrow. I tried to wrap my hip around a rock this morning on my mountain bike at Markham Park in Fort Lauderdale. Now I need to drive home to Tampa tonight with a big deep tissue bruise on my left hip. Depending on how frozen solid my leg is tomorrow there might be a registration slot available at a significant discount tomorrow morning.

05:04:+ @19.6 mph

sugarloaf in 03:54:+

only stop at the top for some residential water, thanks again.

good ride, and yes, it's horrible, whether you miss it or not

05:04:+ @19.6 mph

sugarloaf in 03:54:+

only stop at the top for some residential water, thanks again.

good ride, and yes, it's horrible, whether you miss it or not

Congrats on the time, you must have had the hammer down all the way. I am very familiar with the area and I could not have hit those times even in my prime. And my prime has long since left the room.

Good job....

:cheers:

Great event. Finished the 100. Finished in 6:02 hrs and I was pretty beat by the end. Good time. Glad we came up from Miami for it.

This was my first organized ride since moving to Florida. The ride was great! The weather was great! The volunteers were great! The refreshments were great! The food was Great!

One problem though. This was the worst marked course I have ever ridden. Multiple misdirecting arrows and a complete lack of arrows in other places had me and others stopping to pull out the map on more than one occasion.

This was my first organized ride since moving to Florida. The ride was great! The weather was great! The volunteers were great! The refreshments were great! The food was Great!

One problem though. This was the worst marked course I have ever ridden. Multiple misdirecting arrows and a complete lack of arrows in other places had me and others stopping to pull out the map on more than one occasion.

The course was well marked. The problem is there are old arrows out there from triathalons and other rides that have not washed off yet. The arrows for the HH were very distinctive. They were long arrows with 2 chevrons on them. Once you figured that out, it was easy.

There are several tricks to this. One is to look at riders up ahead and see where they turn. Another is to already know the course. This worked for me. But it was confusing at the several spots where they have modified the course.

Congrats on the time, you must have had the hammer down all the way. I am very familiar with the area and I could not have hit those times even in my prime. And my prime has long since left the room.

Good job....

Thanks, I turned 40 this year and had rarely been on the bike in the past decade. Now I work at a shop again that supports local racers who ride with us almost daily and it has done wonders for my health, weight and riding. And yes the hammer was down, granted the closer I got to the end the lighter it fell. I did have a schedule to keep, an hour after the other riders that went or get left, and I made it with a little time to spare. (still not sure how serious they were, but it was nearly 3 hours home by car and I didn't feel like a double century yesturday)


I thought that it was fairly well marked, with the exception of a few places where there could have been better markings and/or signs. In particular, the splits could have been better marked with multiple warnings.

And then there was that last right turn with a sag to the left, I guess the first/last stop, there was a white guy with a 70's fro in the road marking the turn for the sag that I had to ask which way for the 100 'cause he hadn't mark that. And I was like an hour behind the lead group, so I can't imagine what happened when they went through.

My first organized century as well. I have never seen so many hills, finished in 6hrs and really felt pretty good till the last ten miles, pretty sure I did not eat enough..........

Thought the event was well run, with great support.

it was a great ride

just a couple of bottlenecks on the hills where folks hopped off the bikes and started walking

it slowed progress alittle

The course was well marked. The problem is there are old arrows out there from triathalons and other rides that have not washed off yet. The arrows for the HH were very distinctive. They were long arrows with 2 chevrons on them. Once you figured that out, it was easy.

There are several tricks to this. One is to look at riders up ahead and see where they turn. Another is to already know the course. This worked for me. But it was confusing at the several spots where they have modified the course.

If this was considered well marked around here, I'd hate to see a bad one.
I would say that maybe it was just me, if I hadn't seen and talked to other riders who were also having the same problem. I WAS trying to follow the riders ahead to see where they turned, but when they stop to whip out the course map and then ask me if I know which direction we're going, that doesn't work well.

According to my wife, even at the finish line, half the people came from one direction and half came from the other because of the poor markings even near the finish. (I went the wrong way along with the 8 or 10 people around me.)

Had a great time at the HH. Finished in just under 6 hours (on bike time) and around 6.5 hours total. Could have cut my time down if there were a few more porta-potties available at the stops :)
I also achieved my highest top speed to date at 45mph- it was a little scarier than I though it would be.

Overall I have to say it was a little easier than I expected with the exception being Sugarloaf Hill (which I just barely made without stopping). I was running a 11-23 with a compact crank and I felt like I needed a 25 or even a 27 to make that hill a little more comfortable for me. I ended up puking half way up, and then once again at the top :lol:

The only downside was a couple of short sections where there weren't any shoulders and traffic was passing a little too close at 50-60mph. I also had a couple of yahoos in a pickup yell "way to go f-g pants" as they passed. Thankfully they weren't drunk enough yet and I didn't have to dodge any empty Old Milwaukee cans.

I'll definitely be riding it again next year now that I've had my first taste of the Florida "mountains":)
(Hopefully I'll be a little lighter and have an extra gear or two)

I agree completely!! It was the WORSE MARKED COURSE EVER!!!! I have ridden many rides as was completely thrown for a loop with the directions. There were turns that had NO markings! and yes the multiple arrows on the ground didn't help but they need to figure something out for next year!

I just pre registered for the 2010 Horrible Hundred who's in?

Not registered yet but, the About Bicycles crew will be there again this year.

I'm in

took off the '09 ride,may try again this year

Hmmm...it's a two-day event, but the rides are only on Sunday? I'm desperate to find a century ride anywhere from Orlando to Miami on either a Friday or Saturday, since those are the only two days I'm off work.

Any ideas?

Check out the Highlands Bikefest December 10, 11, 12 in Sebring. It's on our website www.highlandspedalers.com (http://www.highlandspedalers.com)

Hmmm...it's a two-day event, but the rides are only on Sunday? I'm desperate to find a century ride anywhere from Orlando to Miami on either a Friday or Saturday, since those are the only two days I'm off work.

Any ideas?

Ride Without Limits (http://www.ridewithoutlimits.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TampaBay_Info) is on Nov. 20th @ 7:30 am. It is in Pasco & Hernando Co's taking in some nice hills and rural scenic riding. Should be a great ride.

I was thinking about coming down for this ride and visiting familly in the Orlando area for Thanksgiving. I was just wondering if there was anything like this also going on the following weekend including black friday. I would even be happy with some fast group rides. It would be nice to escape the cold and get out and do some serious riding that week.

Check both the host clubs site as well as the windermere (sp?) roadies site for group rides. And the florida bicycle assoc and florida cycling sites for bigger rides around the state. I think that the HH is the last really big one but, I've been known to be wrong before.