Made My First 20 Mile Ride Today.
03-25-14, 08:55 PM
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Location: Currently living in Oakdale, CA about 20 mi. NE of Modesto in the hot central valley.
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Made My First 20 Mile Ride Today. (Updated 3/30/14)
After a few 15 mile rides these old legs felt up to a 20 miler so I gave it a shot and it really felt good. In all honesty, my legs felt stronger after this trip than they did after my first 5 miler. I can see 25 miles coming over the horizon! YEEEEEHAAAW!
UPDATE: TWENTY FIVE MILES TODAY!! All I can say is HO-CHEE-MAMA!, WOWYZOWY!, OMG! & GADZOOKS!!
The 12.5 miles due east of Oakdale (CA) on Hiway 120 is a hill climbers dream but it just about killed this old fart! OK, that's a BIT of an exaggeration but it sure as heck did test my mettle. One really strange thing is that while I rode 12.5 miles east, when I turned around and headed home I must've taken the short rout 'cuz at my front door the odometer read only 24.88 miles! Anyway, it was a good test of my endurance and I'll probably stick with that for awhile or go back to flat land riding.
UPDATE: TWENTY FIVE MILES TODAY!! All I can say is HO-CHEE-MAMA!, WOWYZOWY!, OMG! & GADZOOKS!!
The 12.5 miles due east of Oakdale (CA) on Hiway 120 is a hill climbers dream but it just about killed this old fart! OK, that's a BIT of an exaggeration but it sure as heck did test my mettle. One really strange thing is that while I rode 12.5 miles east, when I turned around and headed home I must've taken the short rout 'cuz at my front door the odometer read only 24.88 miles! Anyway, it was a good test of my endurance and I'll probably stick with that for awhile or go back to flat land riding.
Last edited by Louis Le Tour; 03-30-14 at 05:52 PM.
03-25-14, 09:30 PM
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Congratulations!
Keep up the good work and you will be doing 60 to 100 miles in no time!
Please keep hydrated when the temps start to rise, meaning, drink before you are thirsty and carry a lot of water.
Take care,
Mike
Keep up the good work and you will be doing 60 to 100 miles in no time!
Please keep hydrated when the temps start to rise, meaning, drink before you are thirsty and carry a lot of water.
Take care,
Mike
03-25-14, 09:42 PM
#3
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I think getting so you can do 0-20 is harder than 20-40. Keep riding and have fun.
03-25-14, 09:45 PM
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I'm not real hopeful that I'll ever do 100 miles at my age but 60 is certainly reasonable. OK, downhill with a tail wind maybe 100! Sage advice on the hydration. Today I took a good drink before I left and then again at the half way mark. Of course, summer is right around the corner and that's a whole new ball game.
03-26-14, 02:12 AM
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Great job! 
Second the hydration but don't neglect easily consumed food as your miles increase.
BTW, before that 100 miler is your birthday age ride in miles. That is of course as long as your next birthday is not for becoming 100 years old.
Second the hydration but don't neglect easily consumed food as your miles increase.BTW, before that 100 miler is your birthday age ride in miles. That is of course as long as your next birthday is not for becoming 100 years old.
03-26-14, 05:22 AM
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03-26-14, 06:31 AM
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just keep riding
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Remember, it never gets easier, but you get faster and go further.
03-26-14, 07:14 AM
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03-26-14, 07:21 AM
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Yep. Resistance is futile....
When I started, I hit a barrier between 25-30 miles that seemed to take me a year or so to break through. Nowadays, that barrier is more around 50 miles, depending on which bike I'm riding.
Anyway, enjoy the ride and don't chase numbers too much. Everyone here lies about their stats...
The sad thing is that they don't, not the ones who use Strava at any rate.
When I started, I hit a barrier between 25-30 miles that seemed to take me a year or so to break through. Nowadays, that barrier is more around 50 miles, depending on which bike I'm riding.
Anyway, enjoy the ride and don't chase numbers too much. Everyone here lies about their stats...
The sad thing is that they don't, not the ones who use Strava at any rate.
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03-26-14, 07:35 AM
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Great job! Soon you will look back on the 20 as a little warmup, then you will race that 20 and grin. Yeah, this is where it starts.
03-26-14, 08:21 AM
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03-26-14, 08:31 AM
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20 is a big milestone IMO! Like Dudelsack said, don't chase the numbers too much. You're doing great, just keep on doing it.
03-26-14, 09:55 AM
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It's awesome when you get done with a ride and you think "Hmmmm, I could have done 5 or 10 more miles."
03-26-14, 10:09 AM
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What??? Only 2 wheels?
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03-26-14, 10:19 AM
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at 60, you still have a good number of years to get stronger...and smarter
03-26-14, 11:28 AM
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Let's do a Century
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Outstanding! Sounds like the Surly is just the ticket for N1. I'm predicting N1+1 < 18 months=N2.
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03-26-14, 11:56 AM
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Good job!
Last July 31, I broke my personal best of 50 by 20 miles.
I started earlier in the day and backed off a bit. (about 12mph instead of 13)
I was so much "fresher" later in the day, that I did the extra 20 and still had some left in the tank, but it was getting dark.
If I'd known that then, I would have taken shorter breaks!
I do a lot of short legs, stop home and have a snack and then go do some more. That way, I don't have to pack as much water and no food.
Last July 31, I broke my personal best of 50 by 20 miles.
I started earlier in the day and backed off a bit. (about 12mph instead of 13)
I was so much "fresher" later in the day, that I did the extra 20 and still had some left in the tank, but it was getting dark.
If I'd known that then, I would have taken shorter breaks!
I do a lot of short legs, stop home and have a snack and then go do some more. That way, I don't have to pack as much water and no food.
03-26-14, 01:32 PM
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Well done Louis! I expect I rode my first 20 miler back in my early 30s, then a 50 miler within a year or two after that. I didn't ride my first century until I was in my mid-50s, but there was a lot of time off the bike in between those milestones.
03-26-14, 01:41 PM
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Once I hit 19 miles in one ride longer distances became natural. Congrats on the milestone.
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