TrojanHorse

Moundy is good for me. I like going faster than 7 mph. Or worse.

I've done a couple rides that work out to 146'/mi... that's basically our Glendora Mountain Road if you go all the way to the village (43.5 miles, 6343 feet.). Ironically, if you add in the ski lifts, which is only a couple miles but at nearly 15% for the last two miles or so, it's 7749'/53.4 miles, which is about the same. Go figure.

jsigone

those Ski lifts are bad and hurt, the nar ride I did last yr pegged 10k ft by 52 miles and 20 some of those on dirt/gravel/sand that broke the will of many
192'/mile of awesomeness for the first half of the ride


I think TH is gonna need to tow me up the next time we tackle GMR though

WonderMonkey

Learning to stand up and pedal can really help with a sore rump. It at least allows you to go a bit further. Sometimes I gear up and lazily stand for a stretch just to give everything a break.

IBOHUNT

As Mike Lowery might say...

Now that's how you supposed to ride! From now on that's how you ride!

Black wallnut 

I suggest you bypass 55, 65 and 75 increments. If you are already riding 50 miles on a weekend ride then go for 60, the 70 then 80. In the last three weeks before your event your training will not increase your fitness or strength for the event but it may add to fatigue to work against you. On your training rides concentrate on constantly moving your hand position on the bars, move your head lots and stand out of the saddle often. Work out the details of your hydration and nutrition. On the day of the event only use gear and clothing that you've used in your training. Don't make any adjustments to your bike right before either. Check your tires for wear, check your chain as well, if either or both are near the limit change them out.

I'll echo the advice to limit stops and the time you spend at them. I personally gauge my stops based on water consumption.

TrojanHorse

No! I'm on page 21 of the Time Crunched Cyclist. When I'm done, THAT'S how I'll ride.

That's great advice - don't run out of water. You should need to urinate at least once or twice on your ride or you're not drinking enough (not a medical opinion, just what I think). Stop at a convenience store or borrow a hose if you have to.

mprelaw

You can take pressure of your lower back by standing on your pedals for 30 seconds or so, while coasting. But the best way to address it now, while you have about 6 weeks to prepare, is work on your core muscles.

cafzali

Just to add a little bit here... timing for centuries is referred to in two ways: 1) overall time and 2) moving time. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for you to complete a first century with a moving time of 6 hours, as that's roughly 14 mph. But that's a far different animal than doing the whole thing in six hours, including stops. That would require a pace in the high teens, which while doable, may or may not be realistic for you.

As far as the back stiffness, before you get on the bike and during stops, do a couple of squats and bend down and touch your shoes a few times, focusing on doing it slowly rather than as quickly as you can. That will help keep your back streched out. A lot of what we think of as being structural issues with our backs actually comes down to a need to strengthen and stretch the muscles in your back.

Good luck!

WonderMonkey

And flexibility. I noticed that when I started to work on my hamstring flexibility some of my lower back issues went away.

All good suggestions though.

chasm54

If I were you I'd be careful with TTCC. The workouts he suggests are good, but the fatigue quotient is very high, especially on the "experienced competitor" programs. I tried it when I wanted a quick fix to get fit again after injury. It worked, but I couldn't sustain it - after eight weeks I was burning out and had to back off. Even Carmichael says that if you have the time, it's better to take a slightly more measured approach with more time on the bike and making the intervals a slightly lower percentage of total training load.

TrojanHorse

Now that I've thoroughly derailed this thread... apologies to the OP.

I'm just looking for more structure than I currently have and fewer hills than what @IBOHUNT recommends. Hopefully I can insert some structure into the current ride schedule I have because I get what I get, at least until some kids start disappearing from my house.

PhotoJoe 

Do NOT freeze your water bottles solid the night before!

PhotoJoe 

Twice, if I remember correctly!

chasm54

I sympathise, both about the kids and about trying to take advice from a psycho like @IBOHUNT. All I'm saying is that were I doing it again, I'd take twenty rather than eight weeks to get "fit" by adapting Carmichael's program to something that progressed a little more gradually.

TrojanHorse

Yeah, and I did it again last weekend on my 80 mile ride. Some people never learn! Good thing it was hot out.

IBOHUNT

Hills are(!) structure. You can choose to do them as repeats or use them to do something like:

2x7 @ 105% 3 min RBI
2x5 @ 108% 3 min RBI
1x3 @ 115% 2 min rest
1x2 @ 121%

go home and curl up in the fetal position

Tonight's 'structure'... 1x30 @ 96%, 4 min rest, 1x12 @ 93%, 5 min rest, 1x 44 @ 90% - go home and eat

I sympathise about the kids as well however(!) given the chance again I'd spend more time with mine. Sure do miss tree stand time with the youngest daughter girl.

Only a psyco if professionally diagnosed...
I've never seen Nurse Ratched


<end hijack>

doolitcd

Where is the century you are riding in? The only one I know of in New Mexico in September is the red river one, which I thought was very hilly. Is it in New Mexico or somewhere else?

MikeRides

With only 62 miles as my longest ride to date, completed in about 4.5 hours I'm currently training to complete a full solo century. The plan is to attempt this ride on Aug 16. I'm a slow hybrid rider (average speed: 14mph ish), so I'm reserving 8 hours with breaks. The plan is to ride out 50 miles, stop for lunch and ride back. I'm going to carry two 24oz water bottles (one filled with diluted G2), a 3L camel back, and a few granola bars. The route has yet to be determined, that's usually where I have some trouble.. How do you guys who ride solo centuries plan a route that doesn't get boring after 30 miles?

TrojanHorse

I'm not a fan of out and back routes unless there's something really cool in the turnaround area. I've done a couple of 80 mile rides that feature our local mountain climb in the middle, so I may meet people at the mountain for that portion and the ride up and back (60 miles total) is just commuting to the fun part.

If I want to do a century on my own, I generally do a big loop that starts and ends at my house. The only thing that does NOT work for me is planning a route that requires me to tack on 10 miles after I get back to my neighborhood. I'm always ready to be done when I get home, no matter how many miles it was.

chasm54

These days I don't generally plan to ride a specific distance. But if I'm just going for a long day out on the bike it's perfectly possible it'll turn into 100 miles, or close to it. I'll generally aim to do a loop rather than simply go out and back, and I'll be looking at varying terrain and as scenic a route as I can manage.

But, mainly, I don't get bored on the bike. Being on the bike is pretty much an end in itself as far as I am concerned, I just get in the zone, engage with my surroundings and with the rhythms of riding, and proceed.

volosong

On self-supported centuries, I'll plan an out-and-back route, with maybe small variations on the return route. It really isn't boring to me because what I see going in one directions isn't exactly the same that I see going in the opposite direction. I first refer to usairnet to see what the wind/temperature forecast for that day will be, (I want the wind at my back later in the ride), then use mapmyride or ridewithgps to map out the route. Even though one can download the planned route to a GPS receiver, unless it is a complicated route, I don't bother.

volosong

I think most of us do, Bill. I know for myself that I don't feel like going out dancing that evening.

Black wallnut 

Simple, 30 miles does not bore me. The only solo century I have done (same route twice) is rather scenic the entire way as are most of my rides. Some rides have scenery that is rather plain with little change for mile upon mile but I enjoy those as well in spite of less visual stimulation. If rides longer than 30 miles get boring perhaps distance cycling is not your thing; nothing wrong with that.

aggst1

Not sure if anyone addressed it already but don't forget to stretch before, during (at stops) and even after the ride. Also every other bottle you consume should be a power drink (electrolytes).

Black wallnut 

fify