sparker

I am thinking about doing my first century ride? My typical Sat am is 50-60 mi and takes about 3-4 hours. Should I plan to do the same route twice and plan on twice the time. What would be a good schedule for taking breaks and how many?

Thanks!

rumrunn6

8.5 hrs with 6.5 hrs saddle time was my first but you sound like a stringer rider. I was really worried about mine and took huge breaks. the buggest break at the 1/2 way point I changed:

socks
shorts
base layer
bike (yes I changed bike)

10 Wheels

Take short breaks. 10 minutes max.

Californian

That is inspiring. I think I just need to hear that you don't need to average 20mph for 4 hours in order to pull off a century. I battle IT band syndrome that usually starts to act up after 2 hours, so I've kept the Century goal as a distant one in my mind....but no doubt it is my singular cycling goal ( well that and one day having a concave chest )

I'd also love to read some ride time/break time summaries for others that completed their 1st century.

10 Wheels

My first century: Weather outlook to be hot and sunny. Carried 5 bottles.
42 miles to first stop. Met a rider that had a flat but no tube repair kit. He was brought in by a sag van.
My friend offered to give the guy a tube and show him how to put it on.
While they did that I ate to much. We stayed about 50 minutes then took off again.
42 miles to next stop. My friend had taught me how to ride eating and drinking on the move.

It had been overcast for the first 84 miles, now the sun was out.
Stayed about 20 minutes, 15 miles left.

Temps 92* Heading west into a Bright Texas Sun. Headwinds 18 mph.
After 5 miles I was overheated. A sag pulled up behind me. He offered ice and water.
I filled two bottles with ice and water. Poured it on my head, neck and back.
Took off again feeling better.
Stopped in 5 more miles for another ice water shower.

The sag driver stayed with me to the end.
101 miles about 8.5 hours.

bismillah

15 hours

banerjek

If you can ride 50-60 in 3-4 hrs, you'll be fine and definitely are fit enough to do this. You should take an easier pace than you would for these shorter rides, and I strongly recommend not looking at your speed when riding. Don't calculate your speed either -- consider not even keeping track of the time.

Allow all day. You won't need it, but don't push yourself against any artificial time barrier. If you do, you could be in a lot of pain near the end. Be sure to eat and drink plenty. Take breaks when you need them, and expect to want more towards the end. Probably every 25 miles or so is good idea, but don't be afraid to take more if you feel like it.

RomeRider

You're in a pretty flat part of the Country so it doesn't sound too hard. Why do a loop twice? You could expand it into new territory. That's a little more exciting. I agree if you can do 50 or 60 you can do 100. Go for it. I would plan for about 6-6.5 hours on the bike time. I always leave early so I can be done by mid afternoon.

Pat

Well, it is hard to say how long it would take. It depends on how much you have beat yourself up doing 50 miles in 3-4 hours. If you feel as fresh as a daisy and can do it all day long than about 7 hours. If you have feel after 50 miles that you have had a good workout and are a bit spent but not fatigued, well maybe you should ride the century a bit slower so about 8 hours. If you feel totally wasted, well you are going to have to ride at a much slower pace like 9 or 10 hours.

Usually a good rule of thumb on centuries is ride a mph or two slower than normal. That will increase your period of sustainable activity and carry you through the century.

Another thing about centuries, they are often about not wasting energy. Don't accelerate fast out of stop signs, don't hammer hills, don't push really hard. Just back off a bit from that stuff.

Here locally, I have tried to ride with people I know on a local hilly century (our only one). I am a bit off the back on the hills we get in the first phase at up to 30 miles. But then they start to peg out. I end up pulling after 40 miles and dropping them around 55 miles and that is just by going my normal sustainable speed. As I said, it is about pacing.

NoRacer

This is from my first "century" when I purchased my Giant TCR in 2006:



And this was from a double century in October 2009 with a lot of climbing (recorded with GPS):

RacerOne

Just plan for all day. It's likely you won't want to do much after your first century but sit on the couch and eat. Have fun!

datlas 

Agree with plan all day, but I bet you can do it in less than 8 hours.

Eat and drink well throughout the ride. Bonk risk goes way up for longer rides.

rumrunn6

IT Band issues? then do it on a rail trail. it might be cheating but you'll rack up the miles without pushing the IT Band issue. gotta love the fact that millions of dollars and thousands of hard working men graded the trail just so you and I can ride in comfort today! :-)

my first featured 2 hrs of stops I did a leg of a rail trail and so twice hitting the end I spent 30 minutes there (1 hr) and back at the car (1/2 way point) for 1 one hr where I changed all that stuff including swapping my saddle from bike to bike! I'd like to do it again but without as much rest and maybe get on the gas a tiny tiny bit more

umd

20mph for 4 hours would leave you 20 miles short...

umd

That wasn't the OP that mentioned IT band issues.

As for these "rail trails," they don't have those around here, so it's going to depend on where you are.

Tanin

And this was from a double century in October 2009 with a lot of climbing (recorded with GPS):

[/QUOTE]

Does that say 16k vertical ? !! I have a local 70 mile loop with 8K of climbing and the thought of doing it twice makes me hurt.

I am standing and clapping for you after I hit enter.

RomeRider

Noracer, you're a bit under a century there aren't you? Great time though. It hurts a little to ride 17 MPH for 100 miles or more.

superdex

My first century was on a supported ("charity") ride a number of years ago; there were 6 aid stations and I stopped at all of them to refuel and stretch. Took me about 8 hours total, 6.5 hrs of riding time. And it felt great to accomplish it.

If your current 50mi loop is comfortable, do it twice (it's a known quantity). The hard part about doing that is you may get really bored and antsy at the 80 mi mark where you're on usual roads without anything new to distract you. I prefer to map out (relatively) unknown routes for those longer rides so there's always something new around the corner. Granted, it throws in other unknowns (like where is the next circle-k?), but it's more fun that way

Yaniel

I'm doing my first century on sunday. It's an event down here and I'm going with a small group with a goal of 5:30-5:45 total time including breaks. I'll see if I can pull it off, especially if my shoulder isn't flaring up from a crash on Tuesday.

hodie21

Orlando is hilly?

rumrunn6

my 1st century (and only) was actually only 88 miles. this year I will do a full century I swear! however my latest plan still freakin leaves me short!

I was just looking at cycling Martha's Vineyard but once around the island is only 44.5 miles. Even doing it twice is only 89 miles! AGH!

Vineyard Haven - Edgartown 8 m
Edgartown - Gay Head 19 m
Gay Head - Vineyard Haven 17.5 m

maybe if I do an extra leg to Oak Bluffs at the end and catch that ferry home I could make it to 100 ... due to hills out there I would plan a sunrise to sunset type day

hodie21

That was alot of climbing.

Dheorl

I think I would have ridden up and down the road a bit just to get it properly to 100miles.

lukasz

Breaks aren't important but eating is. For god's sake eat, and put on sunscreen.

Space the food out so you are eating a bit several times an hour. Someone may correct me if I am wrong but a rule of thumb to begin from is 200-250 calories an hour after the first hour or so.

Obscene

My first century was last summer. 8hrs overall and 6.5hrs riding time. Crashed at mile 15 and bruised my hip.

My recommendation: take it easy and enjoy the ride. Most centuries are far from a race. Also make sure you eat and drink as much as humanly possible. This was my biggest mistake and lead to lots of pain and me losing 13lbs that day...