hambertloot

I did another century this month. I have been doing about 2 a month, and every time I ride a century, around mile 70-75 I get really just emotional and have negative thoughts saying "i wish I was home, i have been out all day i just want to relax, this is dumb, etc" that kind of stuff. I go into the ride feeling amazing and loving the scenery and all that

how do you get into a better mindset? i try to think of other things but it doesnt help, and this is what is stopping me from completing longer events like double metrics and double centuries

1nterceptor

Most of the centuries I have done are on
charity rides and club rides. Maybe find a
fellow rider or two to go with?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqxnkSjtNio

unterhausen

this used to happen to me all the time until I realized it just meant I needed to eat. I still have problems from 50-100 miles, but if I start getting negative I now know I have been getting behind on my calorie intake. I used to joke that my goal in long distance riding was having a ride where I didn't hate myself for doing it at some point in the ride. I've actually had a couple of rides where that didn't happen

hambertloot

Okay, i have been doing just 200 calories of dates every hour after 1 hour of riding, and about 16 ounces of water per hour. maybe I need to eat more then. I am hoping it goes away with experience. i do all my rides solo at the moment. i cant find any ultracycling clubs near me

Steamer

The only way to know is to experiment with you fueling. Perhaps try some other foods or even mix up your own maltodextrin solutions. Serious ultracycling requires serious attention to fueling.

Also, I find riding with others keeps my spirits up. Sometimes this is a problem, even when my blood sugar isn't low.

StephenH

Ditto to getting someone to ride with. That's one reason I like the tandem!

Different people have different approaches to rides. Maybe you're the kind that approaches it as a workout and hammers hard for 100 miles. In that case, relax, stop more and enjoy the scenery, take your camera and take pictures now and again. Riding with other people also assumes you can ride at similar speeds. If you're fairly fast, you can be flexible, if you're slow, it can be more of a problem to find others to ride with.

Ultracycling clubs "near" you can be relative. If you're in the US, try seeing what the nearest RUSA club is, and then try contacting them to see if there are members that live more in your area.

unterhausen

This is the advantage of regular long rides, you can find out what works and what doesn't. For me, eating is everything, I can ride any distance as long as I can find enough calories. I find that eating right is easier when I'm in good condition, but being in shape is not an absolute requirement. I was going to try Perpetuum, but Steamer got me started using a 6:1 carb/protein mix. The only problem with either is that it will go sour

hambertloot

I do like going to new cities and taking pictures! I always do I think I may try eating more then and earlier next time. i just gotta stuff those saggy heavy jersey pockets more!

Chris516

I think your problem is, monotony sets in. The ride starts to become boring, there is no more excitement to the ride. This is not a criticism. But something I have encountered this on rides. So you are not alone in the 'agony of monotony'.

I am dong a metric next Sunday. Since it is a club ride, they have broken it down with four 'refreshment' stops. I am thinking of skipping the first two stops for the main 'refreshment' stop(43.3mi.), then going through to the finish(21.7mi.). So I won't encounter monotony with stopping too many times.

ThermionicScott 

Eat more, bring people along to keep you company.

Italuminium

Food, company, philosophy

Machka 

EAT!!!

As soon as you start having negative thoughts, that is your body's way of telling you that you're starting to bonk. Eating is the cure.

Stop and have a sandwich. Plan your route so that you're in a town with a café at about 60-70 miles and stop for lunch. Swing by a convenience store and have a bag of potato chips and bottle of orange juice.

hambertloot

I am vegan actually so orange juice will be delightful! lol

I think I just gotta eat more! And thats FIIIINE by me, i live in the kitchen

How often do you guys do centuries? I find 2 a month to be quite easy, maybe i should increase the distance

Blue_Bulldog

You may also want to take music with you. I pay the couple of bucks a month for Spotify Premium so it can go mobile with me, but you could even use the free Pandora app. As long as you aren't doing a century a week, your data plan can probably take it.

Agree with the nutrition stuff too. As long as I am hydrated and sucking down the electrolyte gels or the gatorade chews, I'm golden. Having the awesome Eastern NC scenery doesn't hurt either!

Honestly, I've never ran into this, so I'm kind of just spitballing here. When I'm on a long ride, the solitude, fresh air, and feeling of achievement prevents the feelings you're talking about. Maybe psych yourself out?

hambertloot

I feel great afterwards, its just around that 75th mile, probably has to be bonking as i cant wait to venture out 50 miles to a city i have never been to and take pictures and all that! I have been riding a century about twice a month

unterhausen

it takes me 100 miles to warm up, so yeah, longer distances

10 Wheels

Thinking you are running low on energy.

I carry a canned cola and drink it for energy that I can feel.

Carbonfiberboy 

What ingredients do you use? I use a ~7:1 mix of maltodextrin and flavored whey protein. I buy the malto in 50# bags from a homebrew supplier and the whey is Optimum Nutrition Gold. My mix does not go bad for a long time. I can mix it up the night before, go for a many hour ride, put the leftover bottle in the frig and it's still good the next day.

I'm another one advising more/different food. I get the same thing when my blood sugar gets low. Bummer. I hurt. This is too much work/stupid, etc.

Dates are about a 50/50 fructose/glucose mix, about the same as sucrose, table sugar:
https://www.foodintolerances.com.au/d...ood-table.aspx

Your brain runs on glucose and glucose only. Interesting article here:
https://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb...ructose-021011

Maltodextrin is a polysaccaride of pure glucose. You might try something like that. A simple test would be to take two bottles of Ensure with you and put them in one of your water bottles at the halfway point. Ensure contains both table sugar and maltodextrin with 18% protein and is 250 calories/bottle. If that works, you might experiment with Hammer Nutrition products.

Homeyba

...and you're only consuming 200 cal/hr of dates. You definitely need to eat more and more variety. Being vegan brings it's own issues and Protein is one often neglected by vegans. You're going to have to get a little inventive but you can definitely do it. I have a friend who is vegan and she's done solo RAAM so I know it can be done. She has to make a lot of special preparations but she does it.

Machka 

Don't just depend on orange juice and dates ... too much sugar.

What can you eat that has fat and protein in it? Can you eat salted almonds, cashews, or peanuts, for example?

Blue Belly

Sounds like you have some guilt . Spend more time with the family & friends, getting thugs done. Even if it means riding less.

Machka 

Wrong thread?

Blue Belly

Right thread. Just a theory.

Machka 

It's very normal to struggle at about the 70 mile point on a century. Many people go through it. Approx. 70 miles is long enough that you're running out of energy, especially if you haven't eaten enough, and the thought that you've got 30 more miles to go is daunting. If you make it through that and get to about 85 miles, all of a sudden you get your second wind ... you "smell the barn" ... and can finish fairly strongly.

The key to getting past the 70 mile slump is to eat.

A second tip is to ride a double century. Once you've done a 200 mile ride, that 70 mile slump often disappears.

Blue Belly

I've been there many times. Did 100+ miles most Saturdays, back a couple years back. Had plenty of crashes. None of them particularly with that mental outlook. I understand, we are all different. This is why I offered a different theory. Not to insinuate anything. Just to offer a different point of view. I have to assume anyone putting in that mileage has learned to feed themselves. It's a common topic among cyclists.