Rick@OCRR

My wife and I rode a century while we were on vacation, on rented bikes (Fuji Roubaix) and mostly on the Washington & Old Dominion Rails to Trails conversion in Virginia.

My son lives in Alexandria so we took off from his house about 7:00AM, took the Mt. Vernon trail to the 4 Mile Run trails to the W&OD, which we were on most of the day. Lovely area, so very different from riding in the semi-desert of Southern California.

Stopped at the Green Lizard bike and coffee shop; enjoyed coffee while watching the Tour de France for awhile, then much later stopped for lunch at a wonderful sandwich shop (located under a shopping mall, so kind of hard to find, but well worth the effort) in Leesburg. Really excellent sandwiches if you ever find yourself in Leesburg, VA. Their motto is: Hard to Find, Easy to Love. I would agree.

Overall great surface, lovely scenery, well marked / signed and while there were quite a few level-crossings (hey, it used to be a railroad after all) but we weren't trying to go fast so no worries.

That was century 21 for me this year and the first century I've ever done on a rented bike!

Rick / OCRR

JimF22003

It's funny hearing about these trails from an outsider. I get so sick of riding them during the week it's not even funny Seriously it's good to be reminded what a great resource they are.

It's actually kind of a semi-tradition around here to do your first solo century on the route you outlined. First do the "Arlington Loop" which is Custis, Mt Vernon, 4-Mile Run, then out the W&OD to Purcellville and back. That was the first one I ever did as well.

Next time you're visiting give me a buzz and I'll get you off the damn bike path

Rick@OCRR

Okay Jim, I'll do that!

We did some riding on the streets/roads in the area but the "damn bike paths" were so much better than the ones we have here in SoCal that we found it a refreshing change.

Let me know if you ever get out this way so I can show you some of our better cycling roads!

Rick / OCRR

jsocks

I'm doing the Mount Shasta Super Summit Century this Sunday. It's 137 miles with 16,500 ft of climbing up four mountains. This will be my third time for this extremely challenging ride where I'm still trying to figure out the necessary hydration of 90 plus degrees and eating for the total day. The last time the first three climbs went well with my body, not legs, loudly protesting the last. I end up with a 14 mph average on a solo ride, no mass start and no friends. Anyway this time I'm going to try eating and drinking more at the summits and skipping the lunch before the last climb. I am imagining that the long lunch rest and the foods I eat at lunch aren't helping. Oh my prep is 200-250 miles and 15 to 20 thousand feet of climbing per week along with several century rides over the summer.

Rick@OCRR

That is wonderful double-metric with lots of beautiful scenery and excellent organization plus lots of food and drinks. I took my time and finished with a 45 minute cushion on the time limit.

I was eating/drinking like I would on a double-century except it wasn't as long, but still, more climbing than the usual double (a few exceptions, true) but none of the climbs were super steep so I just kept a decent pace and spun up the grades. My legs and body were happy with my low gear being a 30t x 27t at that time.

The way they checked the riders in a the checkpoints was different too. At the start we all got a paper wrist-band. At each checkpoint the workers would punch a hole in your band with a different shaped punch. Never seen that before or since!

Rick / OCRR

Biker395 

Wow ... sounds like a GREAT ride. Good luck, and take some pix for us, eh?

Chris Bamford

I bought this very low mileage 2012 Cannondale CAADX two days ago through Kijiji to keep my 2001 Giant rigid MTB company in the garage.

Yesterday I rode very pleasant 38 miles.

This morning I did 65 miles, came home for a late lunch and, following a short lie-down, felt up to another outing, wondered if I might manage another 35+ miles for the century.

Final mileage was 109.44 (previous best 104.4), time in motion 6:45 for 16.1 mph average, total time start to finish 9:55. Terrain was all paved, mostly flat with six climbs of 140' +/-. Wind 15 mph from the south all day, gusting to 25 at times.

I sure like my new bike.

augiedogie

I rode a couple of centuries in my late 20's with very little preconditioning. It took 9 hours and a lot of suffering the last 20-30 miles, but I made it. I could barely walk the next day. Now I have pretty much had a 30+ year lay off from any distance cycling. I am really not in good shape at all. Now I get excited if I finish 8 miles. A century is maybe out of reach. I'd be thrilled to complete 31 miles, but I'm not going to push it till I know I'm ready. I'm too old to try to push and try to do something that will cause an injury and then have a serious mobility issue for the rest of my life.

fietsbob

it will be in 2047.. I may get there .. though my grandmother was in a less toxic environment during her 104 years .

jppe

101.5 mile organized ride in Western NC. 6hr 32 min riding time plus 10 mins for 3 stops. About 8000' of climbing with one killer climb. Perfect weather for August. The ride is called Brutal and it lived up to its name.

woodcraft

Marin Cyclists workers ride DC yesterday.

197, 16,500', 14.3 mph ave.,& 13:50 moving time.

I was hoping for a bit faster, but the power dropped between 100 miles & 160 miles- fell behind on the food intake I think.

Anyway, that completes the plan of three for the year, so now I can slack off!

dmanthree

I ride centuries, but only for a reason. The last one went from Sturbridge to Bourne, MA. 111.11 miles. It's a "supported" ride with water/food stops along the way, so I used a fiendish plan to skip the first water stop and do as much riding in the cool weather as I could. It all worked nicely, and the ride went really well. Great ride, good riders all around, no issues. And yes, I polished the Brooks prior to the ride. ;-)

Rode 111.11 mi on 8/1/15 on 08/01/2015 | CYCLING Training Log Entry | MapMyRide

Rick@OCRR

Century #23 for 2015 was a Los Angeles Wheelmen route starting in Malibu and heading up the coast to Ventura, adding a large inland loop there with a stop for lunch at Hamburger Habit (Hamburger Habitat?).

This was a totally self-supported century but since the entry fee was free; no complaints!

My wife Jackie and I rode it with our friend Rosanne, plus we met up with our friend Hoy at lunch. It was lovely weather on what was otherwise a very hot day, but the breeze off the coast made it quite liveable. Lots of kite surfers out too, more than I've ever seen!

Here it is on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/369939079

Rick / OCRR

Lenkearney

ok, put me down for wishful thinking.

I'm 65- 5'8", 220 lbs (30% body fat) and have been cycling for several years. Most rides about 20-25 miles. Been trying to up my mileage but bike pain has been stopping me - the saddle beats the daylight out of where the sun dont shine. After three hours by feet are on fire, my butt, hands, neck and arms ache. Three hours has been by limit and my best distance was 50 miles. I ride a Cannondale aluminum touring bike (T700) with a spring loaded seat post. Planning on buying a specialized roubaix.

I have been trying to go slower and see if that works better - so finished a 30 in 2.5 hours and for the first time wasn't fall into bed exhausted. Still, mile 27 has a 200 foot elevation increase in about half a mile - tried standing to drive up that and it just shredded my thighs.- not smart.

Normally I feel like I am running out of energy at 3 hours. Generally will have oatmeal (1 oz dry) and coffee and hour before I go out. I am playing with adding protein powder in the water bottle, and G2 (diluted over 50%) in another bottle. seems to help some- would like to hear a couple things-
1) how often do you get off the bike on a century? average break time ?
2) when do you eat- and what do you eat?

I will never be a racer- but my wife does marathons- I need to do a century to keep the scales balanced ()

The training programs I have seen are all designed for 20 year old athletes. Looking for any suggestions or comments. Thanks..
Len

Rick@OCRR

I'm about the same as you, 65 years but 5' 9" and 158 lbs. These are the kinds of questions that often generate a thread of their own (what to eat and how often) so you might be well advised to scroll back through the 50+ Forum and read through those.

For myself, I eat a huge breakfast, then start with one bottle of Caffe Latte Perpetuem and one bottle of Gatorade. I carry quite a bit of JPF (jersey pocket food), i.e. Cliff blocks (easy to eat without stopping), GU or Hammer Gel, also easy to consume while on the move and an energy-bar of some type.

This combination usually keeps me fueled (depending how much climbing is involved) for 60-70 miles. At that point (or there-about) I take a break at some food source (grocery, mini-mart-fast food, etc.) to take on supplies (if JPF is available), eat a sandwich or a burrito, re-fill both bottles with whatever is available . . . and then finish off the century.

Of course, that's for one of my self-supported centuries. There are more options and usually more stops on supported centuries/events.

Hope that helps, but for sure everyone has to see what works for themselves; recommendations only go so far!

Rick / OCRR

jeichelberg87

Tour De LaPorte (LaPorte, IN) Sunday, Aug 23, 2015. 109 miles in just over 8 hours (accompanying a new rider and serving as inspiration/motivation) Three hours of driving rain... ! Two flats! 2800 feet of climbing, which, if anyone knows NW Indiana, is hard to find.

Rick@OCRR

One of the clubs to which I belong (Los Angeles Wheelmen) has a strange way of counting centuries.

1. Any ride over 90 miles can be considered a century.
2. A double century only counts as one century.

Doesn't make sense to me but I suppose they have their reasons (admittedly I've never asked for clarification).

I mention this because the century I'm putting on here was only a tad over 90 miles but . . . it had over 10,000 feet of climbing, so it was still pretty tough. Here it is on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/375283351

It was out and back from Red Box to Grassy Hollow, which took us over the highest point of CA Hwy 2, i.e. Dawson Saddle at 7,901 feet of elevation.

There are no services at Dawson Saddle, just a parking lot where folks can view the scenery (lots of desert!) below, so we were surprised to find a comfortable (relatively) place to sit.

Here I am, trying it out. Someone had cut a bench out of a fallen tree! Why? I have no idea. I just thought it was cool and another example of the amazing and unexpected things you find as you're out cycling about.
Here's a more distant view missing that ugly cyclist! Dawson Saddle, CA Hwy 2.
This is the official sign so you can send home a photo to verify how high you climbed!
My friend and climbing companion Linda Adams at Mt. Wilson Observatory Summit in her new Vanderkitten kit. (sorry about the shadow in the photo .)
.Here I am with my bike at the Summit of Mt. Wilson Observatory Climb. Linda and I did this since we were still feeling spunky after the Red Box to Grassy Hollow and back ride. Good opportunity to add more miles and climbing!

Rick / OCRR

Rockfarmer

First ever century attempt this weekend (8/29/15) at Hotter-N-Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls, TX. Longest distance prior to this in the first day of the MS 150 where we rode 86 miles, but the weather was a bunch nicer than it will be this weekend. Me and 12,000+ other knuckleheads challenging the heat.

Rick@OCRR

My century for today was number 26 for 2015 and an unusual mix of self-supported (mostly) and not. When I checked the website for the club ride for today I saw that it started at 9:00 AM.

OCRR Rides Page

Since it's been so hot here lately, decided I wanted to get on the road a lot earlier so took off from my home at 7:00 AM but miss-judged a bit and got to the start Park @ 9:10. Oooops .

Took off on the route anyway, finally hooking up with a couple of fellow Rebels about five miles from the Coffee Shop stop (Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Huntington Beach). Got a large ice coffee and a large ice water (plus large Chocolate Chip cookie) which I consumed while talking with friends in the shaded outside patio area. I had 62 miles at this point.

Left the coffee shop with some other friends but when we got to Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) they went South while I turned North, eventually hooking up with the San Gabriel River Trail (SGRT) which I rode up to the Coyote Creek Trail and back home. All that time on PCH + SGRT and CCT got me the rest of the way to my century. Here it is on Strava:

https://www.strava.com/activities/391762703

And here it is on Garmin for those of you not signed up to Strava:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/897944234

Overall a fun century with a lot of variety on a toasty hot day in SoCal. Note Selle Anatomica saddle!

Me arriving at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Huntington Beach, mile 62 in my Century.


Rick / OCRR

qcpmsame 

Great job, Rick, very well done, sir, very well done. Good job in catching up after the late arrival, too.

Bill

az_cyclist

Nice pics and ride report, Rick. You and Biker395 always do.

Ultramarathon Cycling has the same requirements for their Year Rounder Challenge, which I did last year. I was glad for the 90 mile requirement a few times in the summer.

OldsCOOL

Good job, Rick!

Rick@OCRR

Thanks guys! This didn't start out to be a century but when I realized I had so many miles just getting to the start Park, then added the miles to the club's pre-arranged coffee shop stop, it was easy to direct my ride home to pick up the miles to get a century out of it.

Starting at 7:00 AM really helped too!

Rick / OCRR

dicktill

Wow Rick, you have some pretty impressive stats. 26 centuries and I think I see that you have 9,000 miles already this year. What are your lifetime stats?

h2oxtc

It's amazing to think back 7 years ago I would be completely exhausted after a 5 mile ride. The thought of a Century was a youthful fantasy.

I posted Saturday in Did you Ride Today a PR for me, 10000 ft of climbing in one ride. A solo ride circumnavigating all of the peaks (highest paved roads) around our City / Valley. At the top of the last peak I'd reached 9500 ft and 85 miles, and feeling good all things considered felt that achieving the century was also possible. Finished with 101.3 miles and 10,600 ft of climbing.

They say, never mess with trying something new before or on a ride. I forgot to buy electrolytes, so the night before I Googled how to make home made electrolyte drinks and was pleased with the result. Basically natural lemon/lime juice with honey, water and a touch of salt.


Lunch mid-ride! Yummy. Would have liked to have had an ice cold Coke to go with it though.



Rick, JimF, and others - as I said to my friend who rode with me when I could barely ride 5 miles, "you're killing me". Said with the intent of saying "Thank you", for setting before us what seem like lofty goals. I'll keep cycling as long as it stays fun, and so far it's all smiles. I can say that now, the ride is 2 days behind me