Ndw76

So I headed out on Sunday morning for a nice easy ride with the club. I was told it was going to be 60km. So I figured we should get back by about lunch time. But about ten km into the ride they tell me that it is actually 120km, which turned out to be more like 150km.

We had a couple of rest stops along the way so plenty of opportunities to buy extra water. But today I feel like cr@p.

I don't think I was ready for a ride that long and the way I feel today I think it is going to be a while before I attempt another ride of that length.

Drag

Congrats! It does get easier. Keep up with the miles.

AlphaDogg

No it doesn't. According to the great Greg Lemond, "it doesn't get easier, you just go faster." I find this to be true.

Digitalfiend

Congrats but I'm curious, did you stop at 100km (a metric century) or do the entire 150km?

Biscayne05

161km (100mi) is actually a FULL century while 100km is a metric. This thing has been discussed and has been beaten like a dead horse.

Congratulations on your achievement. Ride 75kms on the regular now so you have a solid base.

BTW, OPs from Thailand and it does get humid there so that is an extra effort for him.

Digitalfiend

I'm pretty sure the OP knows that. I was just curious whether he actually rode the full 150km or turned back just after the 100km mark. Almost riding a full century when you've never even ridden a metric one sounds like a good accomplishment to me.

Ndw76

This is not encouraging as I am one of the riders who like to slowly let the speed creep up faster and faster until the more competant cyclists think it is a challenge and I get dropped.

By the way, I did the full 150km. It was either that or not go home.

It is rather humid here, but I tend not to feel it anymore.

Rob13

Congrats man!!

alexaschwanden

Good job.

diverguy

Congratulations! Big accomplishment under those circumstances.

echotraveler

Ha! Goin out for a 60km, doing 150km! This kind of surprise is sour/sweet! YOU DID IT!

qcpmsame 

Well done, sir! You'll recover, heat and humidity do sap you for a bit. I actually am used to it too as you said. Ride safe.

mikemarin

well done sir!

mpath

Don't think that water is sufficient, particularly given the heat and humidity in your neck of the woods. In addition to electrolytes, I take a post-ride supplement of glutamine and amino acids (BCAAA - broken chain amino acids) mixture which helps tremendously, especially after long rides.

StephenT 

Well done with no notice. Sounds like you need to be prepared for anything with this group ride. Bring something to eat and maybe a electrolyte drink/powder with you in your jersey next time just in case.

danmc

Cool! I'm working up to a century ride myself. I did an 80-mile ride a couple of weeks ago, and I too felt totally spent the next day...ok, the next couple of days. But what I've seen is that in a short 3 months I've gone from thinking that a 30-mile ride is a lot to regularly going on 50-mile rides.

OldsCOOL

As that Lemond saying goes in terms of speed coming on as a result of pressing in hard with your riding....the same is true with distance. If you are used to riding 62mi (your metric), those 20's are much easier.

On your 150K....did the group run a good pace? If so, was that pace faster than you would do on a solo training ride? Pace is important in long distance. Discipline yourself to a reasonable pace and dont exceed it no matter how good you feel, and it will give good payoffs at the end of that long ride.

OldsCOOL

If you can do 80, you can do 100. Just run a consistent pace, fuel and hydrate regularly.

Being totally spent just means you are still climbing the conditioning curve. When I rode my first century last year I didnt even want to look at my distance bike for about 5 days. This kind of load puts a stress on the entire body and if it's fairly hot in temps you will feel it all the more.

mpath

+1. The last 20 becomes more of a mental game than anything, IMO. I break the distances in my mind, segmenting portions to known mileage landmarks, eg. the last 20 is only from my house to the park.

Bob Dopolina 

You did neither a metric century (100km) nor a traditional century (161km) but you did ride 150km for the first time.

As was mentioned in post #14, a recovery drink would have gone a long way to making the next day less painful. There is also the matter of replenishing the glycogen stores. If you didn't take care of those it's understandable that you feel like crap.

OldsCOOL

Right on. That last 20 of a 100mi ride is like the "wall" that marathoners speak of. Every fiber of your being is yelling "stop!!", your brain is taking multiple hits of pain feedback but you will keep riding because you know how you will hate yourself for it if you stop and call for the wife to pick you up (she is my emergency SAG, I've had to use at one failed century at 81miles).