mslijunk

Hi,

Our first century is this weekend. We've prepped well, regular 25, 35 and 50 mile rides. A couple of longer rides. The century is the Granite State Wheelmen's tri-state challenge, a fairly flat route. I have a few questions about strategy that I hope you can answer for us:

How often and for how long should we stop and rest? We're concerned about tightening up.

What should we pace ourselves at if our triathalon average is 16 mph?

On a long ride like this where we can choose direction, should we go with the wind to start or plan on having the wind at our backs at the end. This is a concern because this past weekend, on a 50 mile ride, the wind was in our faces virtually the whole ride. The wind turning while we're riding is a concern.

Any other things you may think of will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

jukt

What should we pace ourselves at if our triathalon average is 16 mph?
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My guess is 16, never did a 100 miles. Maybe rest every 25 ? What is your usual rest ?

Sept. 20 & 21 -- Granite State Wheelmen's TRI-STATE SEACOAST CENTURY, 25, 50, 62, 75 or 100 miles, Hampton Beach State Park, Route 1A, Hampton Beach, N.H.; $10, $15 after Sept 1. Dave Topham, DSTopham@msn.com, 603-898-5GSW.


Who is the flat fixer ? Be prepared for lottsa flats.

55/Rad

This is a supported event correct? Unless they offering several 100 mile options, the route is set. I would prefer to do the hard work in first half as the adrenalin for finishing kicks in around mile 75 and it's amazing how much fun the last 25 can be with the wind at your back.

As for breaks, there will probably be scheduled breaks every 20-25 miles or so. You don't have to stop at every one but it's good idea to check your water and grab a bite long before you really need it.

And pacing - go with what feels comfortable without overdoing it. I find that big events bring out the best in me and I love moving in packs faster than I normally do.

Good luck and have fun.

55/Rad

jthj

I'd definately ride into the wind when your fresh at the begining and have it on your back when your more tired at the end.

SAB

If this is your first century don't push youself - you will be tempted to keep up with faster riders at the very begining. Avoid this at all costs. Pick a pace and stick with it - remember the story of the turtoise and the hare? Drink BEFORE you get thirsty. Eat BEFORE you get hungry. Plan on stopping every 20-25 miles at least. Once you've got a couple of rides like this under your belt, then you can push it and go fast, fast, fast!

KevinF

I'm not sure how you're going to be able to "choose direction". The route is laid out. You'll start right on the New Hampshire / Massachusetts border. Most people head south, do a quick loop through Mass., and then make the turn to head north into Maine. A couple people head into Maine first and then do the Mass loop at the end. Given that the Mass loop is only about 15 miles long, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

I don't know that I'd describe the route as being "fairly flat" -- I did it last year and I honestly can't remember a single hill. It's as flat as you're going to find anywhere.

There are long stretches of road where you are literally yards away from the beach. A lot of the beach-front riding is in the beginning when it'll probably be calm, but there are stretches near the end that are beach-front riding as well. You might get a tail-wind push, and you might get a head-wind. A lot of people do the ride, so you certainly won't be alone. If the wind is becoming misery, you can always latch onto a group and get towed along for a bit.

As for stops. I don't recall the stops being overly crowded given the number of people doing the ride. My rest-stop strategy is to get in and get out. I usually try to be back on the road in about 5 or 10 minutes. Not because I'm a speed demon (I'm slow), but it keeps my legs fresh. There are small towns all over the route, so if you need to stop and get some more food / drink in your systerm, you'll have plenty of opportunities to "make your own" stop. Also, there are a couple bridge crossing (from NH to ME comes to mind) that it's illegal to ride across. They'll have police officers there forcing you to dismount and walk across. It sounds like a pain, but they're short bridges, and a 100 yard walk can do miracles to revitalize your legs.

Enjoy the ride! It's a fun one. Let us know how you do.

lsits

What SAB said. It's easy to start out too fast at the start. Your heart's pumping and you're raring to go. This was my situation when I did my first century in February. On my second century in August, I made a concious decision to keep my pace around 16-17 mph. On the second half of the ride I dropped it to 14-15 mph.

Stop at all the rest areas. Walk around a little, shake hour hands out, and do a little stretching. Don't stop for too long. 10 minutes tops.

About the course being flat, after around 60 miles, highway overpasses start looking like the Himalayas. Good luck. you should do fine.

fujibike

Recently completed my first century. I'm not fast by any means so I did not make a race of it. At the 63/100 mile split I was pretty much on my own. Took my time. Stopped at each rest stop (4 in total) for about 10 minutes, having some food and drink. Took me a while to complete but I'm glad I did and had no severe aches or pain the following days. Prior to that my longest ride had been 70 miles just a few weeks prior.

jthj

That is definately true!