pedalsimotxilla

So, tomorrow's my metric century! Wish me luck.

Right now I've prepared the list of equipment. Kickoff is at 9:00 and the last control (20 km from the finishing line) closes at 16:00 so lots and lots of time. My goal is finishing, but I guess that I'll be able to do around 5:30 hours. Weather is expected to be in the 12-24ºC (sensation), partly cloudy and slightly windy (around 20kmh).

BICYCLE: Gazelle Champion Mondiale from 1986. Shimano gearing and brakes, 12 speeds. A great bike, shame that it's not mine, a friend's lending it to me.

WORN.
1) Short sleeved jersey.
2) Arm warmers (hope to discard them by midday.
3) Padded shorts.
4) Synthetic socks
5) Casquette (will probably be discarded at some point).
6) Helmet.

IN THE SADDLEBAG.
1) Spare tubes.
2) Tyre levers.
3) Allen spanners.

IN THE HANDLEBAR BAG.
1) Wallet with the imprescindible stuff. ID Card, Debit Card, Euro health card and some cash.
2) Rain jacket.

IN THE JERSEY POCKET.

1) Fully charged smartphone with a GPS app and the route track.
2) Arm warmers and casquette when/if I can take them off.
3) Three or four hard candies.

ON THE BIKE.
1) Pump.
2) One litre of water.

Machka 

Gloves? Jacket?

Why only 1 litre of water?

What about food?

All the best ... I'm sure you'll do fine.

pedalsimotxilla

Good point about gloves, I had forgot about it. Jacket, if it's not raining, I don't feel the need for it. It will be sunny enough to ride without it and 100% flat, I'm in the Netherlands. Food is provided at the controls. I'll eat well before (since I've got an hour long train ride to get there there's enough time to process it) and eat at the controls. If hunger strikes too badly, there are towns/villages every 10/15 kilometres where I can buy bananas/ice creams/whatever. Only one litre of water for the same reasons (and because this bike only has one bottle stay).

shelbyfv

Hope it went well for you, post a report when you have recovered!

Null66

How'd it go?

pedalsimotxilla

Sure! I already recovered next day, but I only posted in the "century challenge" thread. So yes, it went really well. 5 hours sharp, tailwind on the way there and headwind on the way back, sun shone, and I had fun doing it!
Track: Wikiloc - ruta Rondom Alkmaar 100k - Omval, Noord-Holland (Nederland)- GPS track).
I woke up at 6 AM, had a good breakfast, prepared my stuff and set of to Alkmaar by train. I arrive there and I ride around two kilometres to the restaurant in which the ride started. I get my stamp card and a bit after nine, I start pedaling. I soon meet up with a fellow on his seventies named Cor, or something like this (my Dutch is a bit wobbly). We're riding on the same speed (around 25 km an hour) so we start chatting: he's a retired navy man and worked on planes (I didn't get if he was a pilot or a crew member) across the Atlantic. The first hour and a half was pretty much event free: flat roads and tail wind. When we turn 90º left in the beautiful town of Monickendam we start getting side- and often headwind, so our speed ressents a little, but in a bit more than two hours since the beginning, we're in the first (and only) control, in the tiny village of Ransdorp. The control is in the town's inn, in which we see plenty of other contendents gorging on coffee and apple pie, so we don't hesitate in imitating them. Great decision, the pie was delicious and fueled us through the 50 km of headwind that were waiting for us. We stopped for five minutes there and then we started the third quarter of the ride, which was the worst for me. Not terrible, but I definitely didn't have a good time. Wind went quite hard and I felt quite deaf from it striking my ears, don't ask me why but I hate this sensation. At 76 km we decide to do a stop for stretching and Cor offers me a bit of his cheese sandwich. I didn't really feel hungry, but I accepted, both for politeness and precaution. We stretch and chat for about five more minutes and we set off again. After 15 km we find signals advertising a "surprise post". We assume it's a control so we start taking our cards but no, it's a guy giving away small bottles of isotonic drinks. It goes really well and we keep pedaling. The wind gets milder and we take turns on facing the wind and we keep a steady 18-20 kmh speed. Not great, but very correct. The last five kilometres feel enormous. You know you're almost there, but still you arent. at 14:05, about five hours after we left, we get to the start/finish line. We check in at the control and exchange goodbyes. I wash my hands and face, put on a clean t-shirt and trousers and head off to the train station. An hour and a half later, I'm at home. A cold shower and a glass of wine later, I'm near paradise: there'll be time for legs hurting tomorrow. Could I have gone on for more time? Possibly. Anyway, I'm very happy of the way it has turned out. And Cor, if you're reading this, dank je wel.