SethAZ 

Yeah, when I did my century event previously I ate several donuts immediately prior, then something like three or four packets of energy chews, half a banana and a couple of prezels handed to me by volunteers at a support station along the way, and drank tons of water. I was going pretty quickly the whole time (probably 17.5-18mph) and used a ton of energy. When I stopped at the support station at the 98 mile mark I had a donut and a couple of brownies, drank some cocoa, and then continued on and finished it. It had been in the 40s, overcast and sometimes raining lightly throughout the whole event, and my body was burning huge amounts of energy just trying to keep my body temperature up, plus the actual mileage. I've got a healthy appreciation for energy requirements on long rides.

I did a 67 miler last week where I stopped at a gas station 20 miles in, ate a piece of gas station pizza, drank some gatorade, and then continued on. Had to stop at a regional park entrance to refill my water bottles again, and then at the 55 mile mark or so I stopped at another gas station and had a medium frozen coffee beverage shake thingy, more for the sugar in it than the caffeine. That ride took far fewer calories than that century event had, but the weather was warm this time so my body wasn't fighting to keep the internal temperature up the whole time.

I've found in my past riding while trying to lose weight that I can easily do a 25 miler at a quick pace on an empty stomach. So long as my glycogen stores aren't depleted my body can burn enough fat to make up the difference. My 32.5 mile route is sort of nearing the limit, where I can fairly easily do it if I keep my heart rate firmly down into zone 2 (limiting my speed), but if I try a fast ride I'm in danger of bonking, depending on my overall energy state at the start of the ride. I did a 50 miler last week where I went out an an empty stomach, brought no calories with me (just water and sugarless electrolyte drink), but I took my wallet with me and stuck to a route that never had me more than around 3 miles or so from a gas station on the second half of the ride. I made it to the 43 mile mark when my body was sending me signals that it was going to be in energy distress. I stopped at a gas station and drank some sugary coffee and ate a snack, and rested for about 10 minutes to let the sugar start to take effect. I was surprised I'd made it 43 miles without energy intake (and not having eaten much that day before the ride), but I'd deliberately kept my pace very moderate to see if my metabolism could cover the energy needs from my extensive fat stores.

This is the problem with trying to ride hard and long while also losing weight. I can ride slow and burn more fat, or I can ride fast and have to negate part of the calorie burn from the ride by eating stuff I wouldn't normally eat, like sugary stuff. Before I stopped riding in 2014 (military service, then didn't restart riding for the next two years after my return) I would do these A group rides every Sunday where I tossed all weightloss concerns out the window and ate up before the ride, and then during the ride would have multiple gatorade bottles and a gas station rice krispie treat when the group stopped 10 or 12 miles into the ride, where the A and B groups would separate. I know I still burned far more calories on those 40 to 50 mile high tempo group rides than I ate, but still, while losing weight hard I try to plan rides that will maximize the fat burn. When (if) I ever get down to my goal weight I'll have more freedom to do more "training" rides where I push for speed and distance, and eat and drink whatever energy sources those rides require.

kevlar_heart 

Follow Me: https://www.strava.com/athletes/20367111

10/1 35.66 (KillerElite - 2017 Specialized Roubaix SL4 Sport) October rides....got to get my miles in outdoors before snowmageddon.
10/8 27.47 (Grim Reaper -- 2016 Cannondale CAADX) Fun in the rain. Up the Bronx River Trail to Kensico Dam. Nearly died on East Drive -- too slippery to climb. Mud fun
10/10 24.2 (KillerElite)
10/13 23.52 (Killer Elite) Made top 10 in Category 4 hill
10/15 43.09 (Killer Elite) Go big or go home. Fun day. First longer ride in a month and it felt great

MTD: 153.93

Thanks for the PM re: Mom. She's fading pretty fast, but comfortable. At 94, she's just plain tired I think.

cyclist2000

Goal 300

10/1 - 12 miles
10/2 - 17
10/3 - 22
10/5 - 8.3
10/6 - 7.5
10/7 - 22.2
10/8 - 23
10/9 - 24
10/11 - 22.5
10/14 - 10
10/15 - 21

mtd 189.5

Rje58

My October goal is 250 miles.

MTD: 67.2 miles

I'm probably screwed on my October goal, but we will see what I can get. It's been a week since I've ridden - first it rained, then I had evening plans after work, then more rain, and now I've been sick for the last three days - and still sick.

So we shall see... the good news is, I made 300+ miles in July, August and September. I just started riding again in June after 40+ years of not riding.

kevlar_heart 

I hear ya...nothing like getting back in the saddle to change the attitude. Why did I stay away so long? Good luck.

JDinTulsa

All you guys talking about doing century's are making me feel like a wimp! Well, wait! I can do a century! It just takes me 2 weeks!

10/6 -- 21.69
10/9 -- 21.57
10/11 - 21.57 - 44f this morning and felt great!
10/13 - 22.7
10/16 - 21.48
----------------
MFM -- 109.01m - 175.4k

jsigone

personally I find weight loss happens off the bike, the bike helps but not really (talking sub 5% of the entire picture). So I ride my bike and feed the body what I need to ride the way I want to.

A month ago I rode 560 miles from San Francisco to LA in 6 days, I didn't drop a single pound, I actually gained like 5lbs pounds. Likely cuz my legs for huge from pushing a 40 pound bike 100 miles a day. I survived off gas station foods and dinner was 2-3 entrees + beers and cokes

This shows that riding a bike doesn't always mean drastic weight loss, no matter the volume. I thought I'd drop like 10pounds on the trip but it was opposite even when burning 8-11,000 cals a day and eating back maybe half that.

Eat more rabbit foods and cut soda if you want to drop weight

ill.clyde

10/2 - 24 miles
10/3 - 21 miles
10/4 - 15 miles
10/6 - 22 miles
10/9 - 20 miles
10/10 - 15 miles
10/11 - 13 miles
10/13 - 18 miles
10/16 - 16 miles

Total - 164 miles

Goal - 300 miles

SethAZ 

34.7 miles this morning.

424.2 miles so far in October.

ill.clyde

10/2 - 24 miles
10/3 - 21 miles
10/4 - 15 miles
10/6 - 22 miles
10/9 - 20 miles
10/10 - 15 miles
10/11 - 13 miles
10/13 - 18 miles
10/16 - 16 miles
10/17 - 14 miles

Total - 178 miles

Goal - 300 miles

Rje58

My October goal is 250 miles.

10/4 - 11.1 miles
10/5 - 17.8 miles
10/6 - 6.2 miles
10/8 - 19.4 miles
10/9 - 12.7 miles
10/16 - 6.6 miles (correction)

Finally back in the saddle after a full week without riding! I really missed it. The first half mile I felt like I was riding on Cloud 9. Didn't want to push it since I'm still half sick, but I was bound and determined to get back on.

MTD: 73.8 miles

SethAZ 

Did 20.3 miles this evening. 443 miles so far in October.

JDinTulsa

10/6 -- 21.69
10/9 -- 21.57
10/11 - 21.57 - 44f this morning and felt great!
10/13 - 22.7
10/16 - 21.48
10/18 - 21.65 - loving the cooler temps!
----------------
MFM -- 130.66m - 210.3k

Aahzz

October goal is 200.

10/3 = 7.5
10/4 = 7.5
10/6 = 7.5
10/8 = 16.2
10/10 = 7.5
10/11 = 7.5
10/15 = 13
10/17 = 7.5
10/18 - 7.5

MTD = 81.7

SethAZ 

32.4 miles this morning. 477 miles MTD. More importantly, I'm 31 miles from hitting 1,000 miles since I started cycling again in August.

jsigone

19miles at lunch today, MTD: 261.3mi / 14h 37m / 11,060ft

kevlar_heart 

Follow Me: https://www.strava.com/athletes/20367111

10/1 35.66 (KillerElite - 2017 Specialized Roubaix SL4 Sport) October rides....got to get my miles in outdoors before snowmageddon.
10/8 27.47 (Grim Reaper -- 2016 Cannondale CAADX) Fun in the rain. Up the Bronx River Trail to Kensico Dam. Nearly died on East Drive -- too slippery to climb. Mud fun
10/10 24.2 (KillerElite)
10/13 23.52 (Killer Elite) Made top 10 in Category 4 hill
10/15 43.09 (Killer Elite) Go big or go home. Fun day. First longer ride in a month and it felt great
10/16 27.64 (Grim Reaper) Putting the CX bike through its paces with new RD and 11 x 32 cassette. Good workout on trail and hills
10/18 28.14 (Killer Elite) Phone died before completion. Nice ride in the unusually warm weather. My decompression from caregiving

MTD: 209.72 miles of 400

SethAZ 

Rode another ~20 miles last night, and 10 more this morning, for 508 miles so far during October. More importantly to me, I crossed the 1000-mile threshold since I started cycling again in August. I won't ride anymore today, or tomorrow, to let my legs rest up for an Army physical fitness test I have on Saturday.

ill.clyde

10/2 - 24 miles
10/3 - 21 miles
10/4 - 15 miles
10/6 - 22 miles
10/9 - 20 miles
10/10 - 15 miles
10/11 - 13 miles
10/13 - 18 miles
10/16 - 16 miles
10/17 - 14 miles
10/19 - 22 miles

Total - 200 miles

Goal - 300 miles

Rje58

My October goal is 250 miles.

10/4 - 11.1 miles
10/5 - 17.8 miles
10/6 - 6.2 miles
10/8 - 19.4 miles
10/9 - 12.7 miles
10/17 - 6.6 miles (correction)
10/18 - 6.1 miles
10/19 - 10.7 miles

MTD: 90.6 miles

JDinTulsa

10/6 -- 21.69
10/9 -- 21.57
10/11 - 21.57 - 44f this morning and felt great!
10/13 - 22.7
10/16 - 21.48
10/18 - 21.65 - loving the cooler temps!
10/20 - 22.43
----------------
MFM -- 153.09mi - 246.4km

Rje58

My October goal is 250 miles.

10/4 - 11.1 miles
10/5 - 17.8 miles
10/6 - 6.2 miles
10/8 - 19.4 miles
10/9 - 12.7 miles
10/17 - 6.6 miles (correction)
10/18 - 6.1 miles
10/19 - 10.7 miles
10/20 - 12.0 miles


MTD: 102.6 miles

kevlar_heart 

Follow Me: https://www.strava.com/athletes/20367111

10/1 35.66 (KillerElite - 2017 Specialized Roubaix SL4 Sport) October rides....got to get my miles in outdoors before snowmageddon.
10/8 27.47 (Grim Reaper -- 2016 Cannondale CAADX) Fun in the rain. Up the Bronx River Trail to Kensico Dam. Nearly died on East Drive -- too slippery to climb. Mud fun
10/10 24.2 (KillerElite)
10/13 23.52 (Killer Elite) Made top 10 in Category 4 hill
10/15 43.09 (Killer Elite) Go big or go home. Fun day. First longer ride in a month and it felt great
10/16 27.64 (Grim Reaper) Putting the CX bike through its paces with new RD and 11 x 32 cassette. Good workout on trail and hills
10/18 28.14 (Killer Elite) Phone died before completion. Nice ride in the unusually warm weather. My decompression from caregiving
10/20 20.67 (Killer Elite) Sold my old road bike (Life Taker), took the new bike out for a quick run.

MTD: 230.39 miles of 400

YTD: 2,105.4 miles

Rje58

My October goal is 250 miles.

10/4 - 11.1 miles
10/5 - 17.8 miles
10/6 - 6.2 miles
10/8 - 19.4 miles
10/9 - 12.7 miles
10/17 - 6.6 miles (correction)
10/18 - 6.1 miles
10/19 - 10.7 miles
10/20 - 12.0 miles
10/21 - 20.6 miles

MTD: 123.2 miles

philbob57

86.5 miles for October, and I'm done for the year - did 1001.5 miles in 2017, which was my goal. Now I'll attend to fixing the pain in my hands (bad trigger finger in my right, CNC basal joint arthroscopy in my left), cleaning, maintaining, and spiffing up my bike, and riding the trainer. I apparently can ride in 55+ temperatures in the Spring, but under 70 is too cold in the Autumn. Go figure.

Stretch goal for 2018 is 1500 miles, but I'll be happy with 1250.