RabidCyclist

If you only get your heart rate up to 139 doing 17-20 mph you're probably doing ok. DOn't worry about your heart rate monitor beeping. Set your age for 30 like I do. It will stop beeping.


Since you're on this forum your are obviously over 50. 173 BPM is well over your 100% max rate. Your appear to be in pretty good shape.



One of the best ways to measure how fit you are is how fast your heart rate drops after you've stopped exerting yourself.

So it appears you are fit. One thing to keep in mind on a century is the heat. You can keep yourself hydraded well enough but, if it is very hot, you may well be flushing yourself of the necessary electrolytes. A potentially fatal condition. I've done 4 centuries over the last 2 months. One was in 100 degree heat for over 3 hours, hitting 105 degrees for 45 minutes. I got into trouble about 30 miles from the end of a 135 mile ride. I finished the ride and I was well hydraded but my shorts and helmet looked like I poured salt all over them. I can't say enough about keeping your electrolytes up. Gatorade won't do it. You need to supplement with calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium chloride, and magnese.

I'll be doing 130 miles in the Sacramento Valley this Saturday. Temperatures are expected in the upper 90's. But its a relatively level ride. Should be pretty easy.

Good luck on your first century. I hope you appreciate it enough to do more. Notice I said "appreciate" and not "enjoy". Centuries can be very painful and trying, not necessarily enjoyable. Some point along the way you start asking "who's idea was this anyway?". If you stay with it though you'l l get the satisfaction of knowing you did it, and obtain the level of fitness that comes with it.