Ride 20 – Covington Century – 50 Mile Route – LONG STORY
08-03-08, 04:00 PM
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Ride 20 – Covington Century – 50 Mile Route – LONG STORY
Well- I did it! I rode the 50 mile option and attended my first SAG supported ride. The ride was to support Adventure Kids – a great charity that helps homeless kids in GA. The kids were there and led out the ride on bikes for the first 1.5 miles…some rode longer and were very inspiring!
I decided a few weeks back to participate in the ride. I actually went alone – and figured I would meet people along the way and get a hell of a ride. I have minimal pictures – I thought about it – but it took almost everything I had to ride the bike…so alas I have a pic of me in the beginning and at the end. I will try and find a pic on the ride website once the photos are posted later in the week.
I was nervous at the start – I am nervous before every ride – We started out at 8 and all was well. (Over 1000 riders.) I spoke with some people as I rode by and then we were off following the route painterd markings…. Rode about 12 miles to the first SAG stop. That seemed pretty quick for a rest stop. It was still cool (Race started at 8AM) I got off the bike, filled the water bottles and Camelback – mostly water and a bit of Powerade for a touch of flavor , said hello to some folks, one nice fellow adjusted my seat forward a bit . Ok – Off to ride to rest stop 2. Rode on – met up with a nice fellow and we rode together for a bit. We tried to catch some riders up ahead… I am slower on the hills (go figure) and we almost caught up – but I fell behind on the hill….anyway it turns out I rode behind or in front of those people I was trying to catch most of the ride. So we rode on. Section 2 was challenging. A bunch of hills. This was to be a flat century…I beg to differ. A bunch of rolling hills. At some points my thought was Oh No! Here we go again…but off I went. As I approached Rest stop 2 (23.79 miles) it was a tad sad as I saw many a big hill we would need to climb on the way out after the stop. (Ok big to me) A lot harder than I imagined.
So I rolled into Rest stop 2 – got off the bike…. Sat in a chair I found, had a fig newton, orange quarter, topped off the bottles and rested. It was hard to get back on as the hill was looming. Rested about 10 minutes and off to tackle the next section. I could do it. I rode from one mailbox/pole to the next. Just peddle along – Granny gear at the hard parts and I could do it! Ok now someone turned up the friggin heat! (Later I found out it was like 95-100). As I inhaled it was hot! Anyway I pedal on. It was hard and a long road in the sun. Rest stop 3 was at 40.29 miles. Finally arrived – ready to lie down. Oy Vey! Another half a Fig Newton and some water. Spent some time with a great Bike Mechanic form Cycleworks. He helped me adjust and ratchet my bike shoes. Who knew??? I learned how to tighten them on my foot. (The top strap has a white and a blue lever and once on I am supposed to tighten them snuggly – mine were always loose.) We talked because my feet were killing me! At one point I had gotten off the bike – took the bike shoes off and bent/rubbed my feeties…so I asked him for help. (Tightening shoes would likely have helped me pedal more effectively and help the pain –but I think after stop 3 – I was too tired to be helped too much so will tighten shoes on my next ride and see the impact.)
OK- so after a while at Rest stop 3 it was off to the home stretch. Leaving the rest stop was hard as I knew it was going to be painful to ride to the end. I heard another rider say to his buudy/wife- ok let’s go get this over with….Exhausted and really hot, I rode off.The ride was now from tree to tree, mailbox to mailbox. As I got closer to the last 5 miles…. I rested with 2 riders at the side of the road. It was a good spot as it was before the final turn of the ride and last 5 miles. So at that point (1PM) the 100 mile riders were joining us. (So I had ridden 50 wile they rode 100 and were passing us…)It was fun to be with the elite riders! A little pick me up certainly. They are always a pleasant bunch. So got back on the bike and headed out for the last 5 miles.
Made it back! Yay (Approximately 51.6 miles. 4 hours 8min 40 seconds ride time….almost 51/2 hours elapsed time) I stopped for some ice cold water at the post-ride spaghetti dinner – which I bypassed thinking I would reward myself with my favorite Subway Chicken sandwich (watch out Jared!).
Anyway – that was it. A long brutal ride!! Would I do it again? Yes in colder weather…and after I train more. At this point I have pretty much decided it’s time to stick to smaller 25 mile rides or less. I think it may even be dangerous to get that tired and hot. On the way home – I could barely stay awake – I poured cold water on my head as I drove to stay awake. Stopped at Subway for takeout that if I could manage I would try and eat later. Got home – got a pillow and hit the carpet. Laid there for about 45 minutes until I thought I could manage to get up. Went to take a shower and threw up (big time!). Most likely I was dehydrated. Even when I was thin and played tennis in the heat I would get dehydrated easily. I drank a lot today – but I think my body was not taking it in as I threw a lot of water up too. (A friend of mine said she used to throw up after running marathons...so maybe it is my body getting rid of toxins???? or perahps sun stroke, dehydration???)
So today (Sunday) my plan was to ride. I think I will skip it… But I am home for the next week or so and will go on some rides as well.
OK – I am very happy to have completed the ride! I will definitely skip the long hot rides for a while – and keep my rides to 2 hours or less.
Ok if anyone read this far – thanks for reading! I am very happy to have the support the forum gives me – so thank you to all of you for reading and posting. I iwll add pics later in the week if I find any on the official ride photo website.
Here's a pic of me after the ride.... I am smiling...
After Covington.JPG
I decided a few weeks back to participate in the ride. I actually went alone – and figured I would meet people along the way and get a hell of a ride. I have minimal pictures – I thought about it – but it took almost everything I had to ride the bike…so alas I have a pic of me in the beginning and at the end. I will try and find a pic on the ride website once the photos are posted later in the week.
I was nervous at the start – I am nervous before every ride – We started out at 8 and all was well. (Over 1000 riders.) I spoke with some people as I rode by and then we were off following the route painterd markings…. Rode about 12 miles to the first SAG stop. That seemed pretty quick for a rest stop. It was still cool (Race started at 8AM) I got off the bike, filled the water bottles and Camelback – mostly water and a bit of Powerade for a touch of flavor , said hello to some folks, one nice fellow adjusted my seat forward a bit . Ok – Off to ride to rest stop 2. Rode on – met up with a nice fellow and we rode together for a bit. We tried to catch some riders up ahead… I am slower on the hills (go figure) and we almost caught up – but I fell behind on the hill….anyway it turns out I rode behind or in front of those people I was trying to catch most of the ride. So we rode on. Section 2 was challenging. A bunch of hills. This was to be a flat century…I beg to differ. A bunch of rolling hills. At some points my thought was Oh No! Here we go again…but off I went. As I approached Rest stop 2 (23.79 miles) it was a tad sad as I saw many a big hill we would need to climb on the way out after the stop. (Ok big to me) A lot harder than I imagined.
So I rolled into Rest stop 2 – got off the bike…. Sat in a chair I found, had a fig newton, orange quarter, topped off the bottles and rested. It was hard to get back on as the hill was looming. Rested about 10 minutes and off to tackle the next section. I could do it. I rode from one mailbox/pole to the next. Just peddle along – Granny gear at the hard parts and I could do it! Ok now someone turned up the friggin heat! (Later I found out it was like 95-100). As I inhaled it was hot! Anyway I pedal on. It was hard and a long road in the sun. Rest stop 3 was at 40.29 miles. Finally arrived – ready to lie down. Oy Vey! Another half a Fig Newton and some water. Spent some time with a great Bike Mechanic form Cycleworks. He helped me adjust and ratchet my bike shoes. Who knew??? I learned how to tighten them on my foot. (The top strap has a white and a blue lever and once on I am supposed to tighten them snuggly – mine were always loose.) We talked because my feet were killing me! At one point I had gotten off the bike – took the bike shoes off and bent/rubbed my feeties…so I asked him for help. (Tightening shoes would likely have helped me pedal more effectively and help the pain –but I think after stop 3 – I was too tired to be helped too much so will tighten shoes on my next ride and see the impact.)
OK- so after a while at Rest stop 3 it was off to the home stretch. Leaving the rest stop was hard as I knew it was going to be painful to ride to the end. I heard another rider say to his buudy/wife- ok let’s go get this over with….Exhausted and really hot, I rode off.The ride was now from tree to tree, mailbox to mailbox. As I got closer to the last 5 miles…. I rested with 2 riders at the side of the road. It was a good spot as it was before the final turn of the ride and last 5 miles. So at that point (1PM) the 100 mile riders were joining us. (So I had ridden 50 wile they rode 100 and were passing us…)It was fun to be with the elite riders! A little pick me up certainly. They are always a pleasant bunch. So got back on the bike and headed out for the last 5 miles.
Made it back! Yay (Approximately 51.6 miles. 4 hours 8min 40 seconds ride time….almost 51/2 hours elapsed time) I stopped for some ice cold water at the post-ride spaghetti dinner – which I bypassed thinking I would reward myself with my favorite Subway Chicken sandwich (watch out Jared!).
Anyway – that was it. A long brutal ride!! Would I do it again? Yes in colder weather…and after I train more. At this point I have pretty much decided it’s time to stick to smaller 25 mile rides or less. I think it may even be dangerous to get that tired and hot. On the way home – I could barely stay awake – I poured cold water on my head as I drove to stay awake. Stopped at Subway for takeout that if I could manage I would try and eat later. Got home – got a pillow and hit the carpet. Laid there for about 45 minutes until I thought I could manage to get up. Went to take a shower and threw up (big time!). Most likely I was dehydrated. Even when I was thin and played tennis in the heat I would get dehydrated easily. I drank a lot today – but I think my body was not taking it in as I threw a lot of water up too. (A friend of mine said she used to throw up after running marathons...so maybe it is my body getting rid of toxins???? or perahps sun stroke, dehydration???)
So today (Sunday) my plan was to ride. I think I will skip it… But I am home for the next week or so and will go on some rides as well.
OK – I am very happy to have completed the ride! I will definitely skip the long hot rides for a while – and keep my rides to 2 hours or less.
Ok if anyone read this far – thanks for reading! I am very happy to have the support the forum gives me – so thank you to all of you for reading and posting. I iwll add pics later in the week if I find any on the official ride photo website.
Here's a pic of me after the ride.... I am smiling...
After Covington.JPG
Last edited by Missbumble; 03-10-09 at 12:47 PM.
08-03-08, 04:20 PM
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Well, you look like you could have done the other as well. 
Great job, though, a 50 mile ride is certainly nothing to sneeze at!
I am sure I speak for the whole forum when I say we're proud of ya
MISSBUMBLE.......Representing!
Great job, though, a 50 mile ride is certainly nothing to sneeze at! I am sure I speak for the whole forum when I say we're proud of ya
MISSBUMBLE.......Representing!
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. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
08-03-08, 07:38 PM
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Congratulations on your first 50-miler! I'm sorry though to hear about the sickness afterward. That's not a fun "reward" for pushing yourself. Keep riding and you will soon build up to being more comfortable with that distance.
08-03-08, 07:53 PM
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You have energy to smile? Then you should have done the hundred, dernya!
..Kidding! Great job, keep doing them. It only gets better and better!
The Fig Newtons bring back some yucky memories. Amazing what you'll eat when you're tired!
..Kidding! Great job, keep doing them. It only gets better and better!The Fig Newtons bring back some yucky memories. Amazing what you'll eat when you're tired!
08-03-08, 07:57 PM
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Congrats on making your 50 miler . I , like Geeks , am working on my 20 . I did 15 this morning and 5 this evening around the neighborhood. I think I could do a 25 miler with a break in the middle , I've just got to plan a route and do it. I'm not sure I could have taken the heat on a long ride . kirby
08-03-08, 10:24 PM
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WAY TO GO Missbumble !!!!!
Now that you have done the 50, you might want to consider a metric century (62 miles) next. Put it off until next spring when the weather is cooler and it would give you some time to train to boot.
Now that you have done the 50, you might want to consider a metric century (62 miles) next. Put it off until next spring when the weather is cooler and it would give you some time to train to boot.
08-04-08, 03:45 AM
#9
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Great Job!
That heat would have melted me. Don't you have high humidity too?
That heat would have melted me. Don't you have high humidity too?
08-04-08, 04:01 AM
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Congratulations! Riding 51.6 miles in this heat is quite an accomplishment.
I had some friends that when on this ride--even the full century riders can get sick after the ride. I've done some long ride in our summer heat/humidity, and have decided the other 3 seasons are better for rides of 50+ miles. It is a balancing act of keeping enough water and electrolytes in you without drinking too much and getting ill.
I had some friends that when on this ride--even the full century riders can get sick after the ride. I've done some long ride in our summer heat/humidity, and have decided the other 3 seasons are better for rides of 50+ miles. It is a balancing act of keeping enough water and electrolytes in you without drinking too much and getting ill.
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08-04-08, 06:36 AM
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Congratulations Ms. Bumble, excellent work and I hope you are feeling better today. Next stop on the Bumble's flight: Metric Century!!!
08-04-08, 06:49 AM
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- Let's see ..Yes we have Humidity - it was brutal.
- Yup - 50 miles is a leap...but i did 38 last week on a very hilly ride - (Hilly to me - "Sky Loop in Hiram" which was in fact harder than this ride.) I have ridden 50 miles back on June 21 (Bday ride) but it was on the flat (2% grade) SIlver Comet) so it's not realy comprable.
- Thanks Guys!
- Yup - 50 miles is a leap...but i did 38 last week on a very hilly ride - (Hilly to me - "Sky Loop in Hiram" which was in fact harder than this ride.) I have ridden 50 miles back on June 21 (Bday ride) but it was on the flat (2% grade) SIlver Comet) so it's not realy comprable.
- Thanks Guys!
Last edited by Missbumble; 08-04-08 at 10:04 AM.
08-04-08, 08:09 AM
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Bumblebee
08-04-08, 10:09 AM
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If she rides it at a class B pace, does that make it the "flight of the Bumble-B?"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Bumblebee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Bumblebee
Friday before the ride day - silly me- decided I was skinny (at 198 pounds - down 28.5 lbs...) and tried on an XL Cycling top with a bumble bee ...too tight! AH well.... Another 20 pounds I will be in the shirt)
08-04-08, 10:24 AM
#17
Mega Clyde
Great job. A 12 .43 mph average is no bad considering the hills you described. I but you better you time on you next long ride. Keep buzzing.
