CamH

Due to military duties, family, and so on I'm back on my bike doing anywhere from 66 to 150+ miles per week. I'm working to move from a B rider to A and prepping for a century in Sept. Out tomorrow for 65 miles on the racing bike I had built in the village I lived in while stationed in Italy in 1985. She's holding up well after thousands of miles, but I'm thinking a new bike soon is in order to save the classic for perfect days. Specialized, or Pinarello....other suggestions.
Recommendations for training are also appreciated as well. At 50 I now have had time to train again as well as being blessed with the WO&D trail ending in my town about three blocks from the house. Nothing beats road miles of course and I have several routes that vary from 15 very hilly to varied terrain 45 to 65 mile rides. I ride almost daily if I can and do one long ride each week. I'll be stepping that up to doing 230 plus miles a week by the first week of September with the long ride at 85 miles. I am looking forward to riding long distance rides again and meeting those that seek something beyond the regular routine.
Failed to mention that I plan to do 10 Century rides next year, and will do at least one Double Century God willing.

Hydrated

Welcome back, CamH!

I think that your story is a common one for LD riders... I know that it is for me. We rode when we were young and had few responsibilities to tie up our time. Then life got in the way, so cycling dropped off (or even ceased). But then you look around and suddenly realize that with the kids grown... the career established... you have the time and resources to enjoy your cycling again.

I think you'll find that many LD rides are heavy on riders in the "above 40" age group. Especially rides that are longer than a century.

ks1g

Welcome back to the fold! Which end of the W&OD? Purcelville, I'll guess. Which century? There are lots & lots coming up in the Mid-Atlantic, ranging from the (sold out) Civil War Century (7,500+ ft of climbing) to a few almost pancake-flat rides on the Eastern Shore of MD (Seagull, LaPlata). Reston (8/21) is moderately hilly (~5,500+ climbing) and PPTC Backroads Century out of Berryville has a little less climbing and more interesting rest stops.

Definitely include your hilly and very hilly routes in your riding if you're planning on doing any of the hillier (most of them) centuries in the area. The 1st time I rode Reston (the metric), I'd done 100% of my riding on the W&OD. Clarke's Gap is not sufficient prep for Woodburn Rd, etc. I have been much better prepeared for subsequent years.

Surrealdeal

Hey good luck man! I just rode my first century (Unsupported) in 20 years this past Saturday.

RogerB

This post is a lot better than all of my whiny posts about how I never have time to ride. Way to go for it.

My first attempted Century was in 1992. My first successful (after a long break for many of the same reasons you cite) was August 2010.

CamH

HI all, Thanks for the encouragement. I used to tell my troops to hydrate or die, and today got my first cramps ever while riding and pushed through them though at a slower pace after emptying my bottles since I realized it had been over an hour since I last had a drink from them. I refilled a bit later and the cramps had quit...left glut. I made it back riding into a 14 mph headwind and finished with a 15.9 mph average for the ride. I can't seem to break the 16 mph mark on the trail....so many crossings to make probably don't help. Road miles I'm hitting 17 in hilly terrain, so feel comfortable enough at the 75 mile mark on roads as my max so far.... It get dangerous around here with the car drivers not paying attention..on their cell phones and so on doesn't help. Ride safe, hydrate, and see you at a century or maybe even a double next year.
Oh, found a bike today for the endurance rides an old Italian bike with Campi and so on like new...maybe a hundred miles on it. It has index shifting and an 8 speed freewheel. looks like new and has the price tag to go with that, but looks perfect for long road miles with two cages, down tube shifters, and clinchers. It can be updated with paddle shifters, but I somehow think the friction on the cables makes for a failure point more readily occurring than the current setup....input appreciated here.

CamH

Hmm, KS1G....well, I'm WA4JKW. Nice to know another ham LD biker out there.

k7baixo

k7lro here - not really active...but was pretty active at building and qrp a few years ago.

My first brevet is only a month away. I just finished Ragbrai also.

Edit - the 200-km event will be my first century (plus) since...jeebus.... 1984.

Surrealdeal

My previous two centuries were during RAGBRAI - 1989 & 1991 respectively.

k7baixo

Very cool - we did a couple of 80-mile rides this year given the location of our campgrounds on each end. My goal, due to the heat, was to finish the rides before noon and I was very close to that. I'm hoping the brevet, up in the cool high country of Arizona, will be a piece of cake by comparison. All I need is patience!

ks1g

Thanks! There are a number of hams on bf - I usually spot them by the callsign posting names.

I have several centuries on the calendar coming up (Reston, CWC, PPTC or maybe the Gran Fondo in Harrisonburg); I keep thinking about hooking up with some of the DC Raddoneurs but not yet. I'll have 2M + APRS gear for Reston (part of the comm support LARG provides). I leave it off for the other rides (too much climbing on CWC in particular!).

phodges0921

Hey,
I did my first Century ever, today. Someone told me that a Century is 2 halves, the first 80 miles and the last 20. Today, that statement became clear except for me it was more like 75 and 25. The 25 miles seemed to go on forever. I can see it is very easy to overestimate what you can do when doing a Century. The 75 mile portion was very easy while the 25 was gritty with the last 10 being pretty tough. I did finish though at what I felt was a good pace, 61/2 hours at 15.3 MPH. Lot's of rolling hills and some headwinds too. I have been working towards this for a while and just wanted to tell somebody. Thanks.

https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/m0w1D9-lnOo

k7baixo

Congratulations on your success! Feels great doesn't it. I agree with the idea of splitting longer rides into manageable portions. Each one has a goal and a small reward. I suppose it the Roman method...divide and conquer. I know that for the brevet coming up, after the first 80 miles, it's pretty much a gentle downhill all the way in. So, I'll likely divide that 80 into parts and pieces and mark the 80 as the end of the tough climbing portion. The rest will be a cruise to end...in my mind.

Assuming I loaded the map properly, here's what it looks like. Keep in mind that the up and downs are exaggerated in the graph itself....

phodges0921

Thanks. It does feel good to finally get that Century. If the pattern holds true from my previous personal best rides, I think the next ones will be easier. As for your ride, that is a lot of climbing but the last 20 should be fun. I see you are in Phoenix. I have a daughter who lives in Gilbert so I am familiar a little with the terrain and climate out there. I hope you are riding in the northern part of the state this time of year. I know it is a killer heat wise in the valley.

Richard Cranium

Whew hew - an old "WA" call sign.... My father's call was a "W-zero" from the "30's"


meanwhile - CAMH - congrats on new bike and training - SOP - your older- takes longer to warm up - longer to heal if bumped - take it easy - its easy to get too excited and try and "get back" to where you once were - on the other side of 50...

k7baixo

Yep - it can be tough here. I got out early this morning for a real quick 30-min ride before work and it was already pushing 92. From there, it only gets worse.

This ride is up in Show Low. My wife isn't involved in my cycling activities but she jumped at the chance for us to get a nice hotel in Pinetop-Lakeside and relax there. She's in school and works fulltime also so we'll bring our beagle and her school books. Her only responsibility is to drop me off at the starting line! I suspect that unless I'm completely done after the ride, I'll probably try to ride back from Show Low to Pinetop to save her a trip. Having said that, I'm not too proud to call for a ride!

Life is pretty good - I was on the bike for the first time since Ragbrai and on my typical loop, my heartrate average was 15% below the last time I rode this paritcular route. I'll ride another loop on Saturday and see if that holds.

CamH

The bike is down, a new BB is enroute from Harris Cycles. I was 29 miles out and it started to see saw and with no one to call for a ride I made the 85 mile day a 51 mille day. I decided the down time is good for the muscles and the bike. I've replaced cables, removed and cleaned/re lubed the chain, free wheel, and front sprocket. She"ll get a good cleaning and wax job too.
Has anyone used vitamin E and glutamine supplements to aid recovery? I found it really helped me to recover more quickly, at least I felt better. I have noticed that after 3 or 4 days off the bike it feels like I am a much stronger rider and the long rides are much easier....at least the 65 + rides. 30 is a cake walk for me now....at least so far. The BB should arrive by Weds, so I plan to get back out Thursday for about 30 if it's not storming.
I've been on mountains climbing in thunder storms, once on a bike was enough though as my adrenaline went through the roof.
Radio wise,I have no brick to bring on the bike, all my gear is fixed station, plus mobile 2m of course. Yeah, started at 13 as WN4JKW in 1974, made General and the FCC changed my call to WA4JKW. I decided to hold on to it even though it's long on CW.

CamH

Good luck with the ride!! I'd plan on the ride home, but that's me. I hope that you find it a good workout, and are successful in reaching all of your goals along the way.
let us know how it goes!!

CamH

I finished an unsupported century ride Saturday from Purcellville, VA to Arlington and back. Got back right as nightfall was hitting...wew, close call with only a rear light and late start. Anyway, BB tightened up and is stiff, so the new one is anxiously being waited for. Not sure about heading out with the current on, so I'm taking a pinarello FP3 out for a spin. Tomorrow I'll ride an Eddy Merckx, and weds a 1996 Campi Record equipped bike with 200 miles on it. We'll see who wins the purchase rights.

What is everyone else up to?

Looper1477

CAMH,

Congrats, sounds like you made it! I too have had a hiatus since 1997 for many of same reasons along with a nasty bout of cancer thrown in between that kept me off the bike for 3 entire years. In three weeks i am doing the Bridge ot Bridge Century in Lenoir NC...From what I hear a bit easier than the Assault on Mt. Mitchell which I did 4 times in the mid-90's.

Glad to hear you made it back in the fold.

Looper