First Century this weekend
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 55
Bikes: '83 Nishiki Century, '09 Trek 1.2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
First Century this weekend
Well the training is done, nothing left but to do it. My first Century is this Sunday, the MN Ironman Bikeride.
Looks like the weather will be reasonable, with a 20% chance of showers in the morning, temps hitting the low 60's.
I plan to report success here on Monday.
Looks like the weather will be reasonable, with a 20% chance of showers in the morning, temps hitting the low 60's.
I plan to report success here on Monday.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
HooAh!
#3
just keep riding
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
Posts: 13,560
Bikes: 2018 Black Mountain Cycles MCD,2017 Advocate Cycles Seldom Seen Drop Bar, 2017 Niner Jet 9 Alloy, 2015 Zukas custom road, 2003 KHS Milano Tandem, 1986 Nishiki Cadence rigid MTB, 1980ish Fuji S-12S
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
22 Posts
Have a great ride. Looking forward to seeing the ride report Monday.
Century riders stay in the saddle longer.
Century riders stay in the saddle longer.
#4
Time for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Posts: 19,913
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
Bloo*y He&&!!! Hope you know what you are letting yourself in for. The milage will not be a problem- The time you do it in will be immaterial- the butt ache will be gone when you finally get off the saddle.
The problem will be how are you going to get off that high in time to go into work on Monday and let the others know that you have just done something special- and then miss all the objects that are thrown at you after you have bored them silly after 3 hours of telling them that you climbed the 10% hill and never let your speed drop- the number of younger riders that gave up at the 50 mile mark- and that you sprinted the last 5 miles to get in at underXXX Hours just to give yourself a taget for the next Century ride.
Trainings done- relax now and water load on Saturday and DON'T FORGET THE CAMERA.
The problem will be how are you going to get off that high in time to go into work on Monday and let the others know that you have just done something special- and then miss all the objects that are thrown at you after you have bored them silly after 3 hours of telling them that you climbed the 10% hill and never let your speed drop- the number of younger riders that gave up at the 50 mile mark- and that you sprinted the last 5 miles to get in at underXXX Hours just to give yourself a taget for the next Century ride.
Trainings done- relax now and water load on Saturday and DON'T FORGET THE CAMERA.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
#5
Galveston County Texas
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: In The Wind
Posts: 33,221
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1350 Post(s)
Liked 1,243 Times
in
621 Posts
Ride slow, stand up when your butt tells you too.
Have Fun.
Have Fun.
__________________
Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Rochester MN
Posts: 927
Bikes: Raleigh Port Townsend, Raleigh Tourist
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 36 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
8 Posts
Wave when you pass me. I'm still trying to decide between the 66 mile or the full century. It will probably come down to what time I hit the road and the wind.
#7
Lincoln, CA
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lincoln, CA
Posts: 2,229
Bikes: 94 Giant ATX 760, 2001 Biachi Eros, 2005 Giant OCR2 Composite +
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
We're all looking forward to the Ride Report, with pictures. We want to know HOW YOU FEEL!
I'll be doing a century this weekend, as well (Chico Wildflower). But it's not my first.
I'll be doing a century this weekend, as well (Chico Wildflower). But it's not my first.
__________________
Truth is stranger than reality.
'96 Giant ATX 760 MTB
'01 Bianchi Eros
'05 Giant OCR Llimited Carbon Fiber + upgrades
Truth is stranger than reality.
'96 Giant ATX 760 MTB
'01 Bianchi Eros
'05 Giant OCR Llimited Carbon Fiber + upgrades
#8
gone ride'n
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 4,050
Bikes: Simoncini, Gary Fisher, Specialized Tarmac
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Rules for a century-
1) Replace the electrolytes - water alone doesn't cut it.
2) Eat - maybe more than you think you need - remember, you will burn approximately 5000 cals.
3) Don't start out too quickly - pace yourself and draft when you can.
If you follow these three simple things you will most likely have a very pleasurable day.
Good luck!
1) Replace the electrolytes - water alone doesn't cut it.
2) Eat - maybe more than you think you need - remember, you will burn approximately 5000 cals.
3) Don't start out too quickly - pace yourself and draft when you can.
If you follow these three simple things you will most likely have a very pleasurable day.
Good luck!
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bakersfield, Host of the 2012 ToC ITT
Posts: 1,747
Bikes: Waterford 2200
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Can't wait to here the report!
__________________
Make mine a double!
Make mine a double!
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,392
Bikes: Surly LHT, Specialized Rockhopper, Nashbar Touring (old), Specialized Stumpjumper (older), Nishiki Tourer (model unknown)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Rules for a century-
1) Replace the electrolytes - water alone doesn't cut it.
2) Eat - maybe more than you think you need - remember, you will burn approximately 5000 cals.
3) Don't start out too quickly - pace yourself and draft when you can.
If you follow these three simple things you will most likely have a very pleasurable day.
Good luck!
1) Replace the electrolytes - water alone doesn't cut it.
2) Eat - maybe more than you think you need - remember, you will burn approximately 5000 cals.
3) Don't start out too quickly - pace yourself and draft when you can.
If you follow these three simple things you will most likely have a very pleasurable day.
Good luck!
Stop at most or all of the rest stops and take a break. Sometimes I feel like I'm starting to sag on a century and I"m not going to make it. After a nice 20 minute break, eating good stuff, drinking water, I'm ready for another 20-30 miles.
Don't be tempted to keep up with the fast riders. I used to get excited and ambitious and rode faster than I should have. It's great for the first half of the century, but you pay in the second.
If you can find a stranger to safely ride side-by-side with and have a friendly conversation, it helps the miles go by without thinking about them.
Take it easy the next day. You earned it!
#13
Let's do a Century
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,316
Bikes: Cervelo R3 Disc, Pinarello Prince/Campy SR; Cervelo R3/Sram Red; Trek 5900/Duraace, Lynskey GR260 Ultegra
Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 651 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times
in
408 Posts
The first ones are always memorable.........
__________________
Ride your Ride!!
Ride your Ride!!
#15
gone ride'n
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 4,050
Bikes: Simoncini, Gary Fisher, Specialized Tarmac
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
FWIW I use an electrolyte replacement - NUUN, not a typical sports drink like Gatoraide, just provides the salts. Maybe why you have that sagging feeling.
Most sports drinks make me sick to my stomach on hot days & long rides, but NUUN does not - I can use that and not get cramps.
Most sports drinks make me sick to my stomach on hot days & long rides, but NUUN does not - I can use that and not get cramps.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Toronto (again) Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,931
Bikes: Old Bike: 1975 Raleigh Delta, New Bike: 2004 Norco Bushpilot
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
I find that the sports drinks are often too sweet and heavily flavoured, and dilute them about 1+3 with water. The heavy flavouring and sweetness can seem to turn into a lump like you swallowed a tennis ball, and it's bouncing around in there, this is even more common if the stuff has been sitting in a bottle for a while, with the sun beating down on it, so it's almost to coffee temperature. I've tried that with Gatorade, and my stomach sent it back whence it came....
#17
Time for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Posts: 19,913
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
On those sports drinks--Or additives added to water- You have to find one you like and that likes you. I have found one called Lippin and have used it for years but the taste does get through to me after about 4 bottles. You need something to get the taste out of your system and I found that a Marmite sandwich works for me. You either love or hate the stuff and I hate it. One Marmite sandwich and it disguises the taste of the Lippin for about another 3 bottles.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Rochester MN
Posts: 927
Bikes: Raleigh Port Townsend, Raleigh Tourist
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 36 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
8 Posts
I don't know if the OP is going to give a report or not, but here's my take on the Ironman. Left at 6:45 AM with the temp in the low 50s and raining. Quit raining pretty quick so I took of the raincoat about 6 miles into the ride because of overheating. Made the first rest stop at 23 miles in about an hour and a half and at that point had the choice of doing a metric or the full century. Decided to do the full.
Made the 2nd rest stop at 50 miles at about 11:00. Tailwinds really help the speed. From here on it got rough. Leaving LeSeuer I had to climb out of the Minnesota River valley to the flatlands up above where I was greeted by a 20 mph crosswind at it started raining again. I got to the 3rd rest stop at 70 miles about 1:00 PM. What made it interesting is during the last leg my calfs started to tighten up. By this time it had quit raining but was blustery and cold. Made the 4th checkpoint at mile 80 around 2:00 PM. This is where the metric and full combined for the last run back to the finish.
The wind must have had some effect because the rest stop was full of people who didn't look like they were going any farther. There was a school bus loaded up with people pulling out to head back to the start and another one loading.
At this point I'm thinking 3 1/2 hours to do the last 20 miles. No sweat. I forgot two things. I'm now headed directly into the 20 mph wind and I/m climbing. From here to the finish a lot of us looked like we were suffering, and I will admit, I walked up one hill. It really helped loosen up my calfs for the rest of the ride. Finally pulled in to the start/finish at about 4:30 PM and people were still straggling in at 5:30 when everybody was supposed to be off the road.
BTW: This was my first century and the farthest I had ridden earlier this year was 50 miles. If it hadn't been for the wind it would have been a fairly easy ride.
Made the 2nd rest stop at 50 miles at about 11:00. Tailwinds really help the speed. From here on it got rough. Leaving LeSeuer I had to climb out of the Minnesota River valley to the flatlands up above where I was greeted by a 20 mph crosswind at it started raining again. I got to the 3rd rest stop at 70 miles about 1:00 PM. What made it interesting is during the last leg my calfs started to tighten up. By this time it had quit raining but was blustery and cold. Made the 4th checkpoint at mile 80 around 2:00 PM. This is where the metric and full combined for the last run back to the finish.
The wind must have had some effect because the rest stop was full of people who didn't look like they were going any farther. There was a school bus loaded up with people pulling out to head back to the start and another one loading.
At this point I'm thinking 3 1/2 hours to do the last 20 miles. No sweat. I forgot two things. I'm now headed directly into the 20 mph wind and I/m climbing. From here to the finish a lot of us looked like we were suffering, and I will admit, I walked up one hill. It really helped loosen up my calfs for the rest of the ride. Finally pulled in to the start/finish at about 4:30 PM and people were still straggling in at 5:30 when everybody was supposed to be off the road.
BTW: This was my first century and the farthest I had ridden earlier this year was 50 miles. If it hadn't been for the wind it would have been a fairly easy ride.
#19
gone ride'n
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 4,050
Bikes: Simoncini, Gary Fisher, Specialized Tarmac
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Steve,
That was a long day. I sure hope your next century is better, I also hope the OP had a better time of it.
That was a long day. I sure hope your next century is better, I also hope the OP had a better time of it.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
Steve, Sounds brutal, especially with the rain and headwind. here's to better times for the next one, even if it's next year.
Well done sir! :-)
Well done sir! :-)
#21
just keep riding
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milledgeville, Georgia
Posts: 13,560
Bikes: 2018 Black Mountain Cycles MCD,2017 Advocate Cycles Seldom Seen Drop Bar, 2017 Niner Jet 9 Alloy, 2015 Zukas custom road, 2003 KHS Milano Tandem, 1986 Nishiki Cadence rigid MTB, 1980ish Fuji S-12S
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 173 Post(s)
Liked 33 Times
in
22 Posts
Steve, your ride qualifies for the "Did you HTFU today?" thread.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bakersfield, Host of the 2012 ToC ITT
Posts: 1,747
Bikes: Waterford 2200
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Great Job! With the wind and temps it makes it a harder. Now you're ready for the next one.
__________________
Make mine a double!
Make mine a double!
#23
pedo viejo
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Northern Colorado
Posts: 538
Bikes: Specialized Allez, Salsa Pistola
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Wow, HTFU accomplished indeed!
That's quite a day for your first century. And only 50 miles as your longest training ride? That gives new meaning to the phrase "buns of steel"...
That's quite a day for your first century. And only 50 miles as your longest training ride? That gives new meaning to the phrase "buns of steel"...
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 55
Bikes: '83 Nishiki Century, '09 Trek 1.2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Steve got a lot of the basics with his report. He started in front of me, but I must have passed him up on the way. I started at about 7:00.
Light, scattered rain to start, with the wind blowing from the back crossing from right to left. Not too bad at all, just a few gusts that made you think the bike was going out sideways from under you.
After the first rest stop, the route turned so the wind was generally straight at our backs, and overall, I think we lost elevation. I know the hill outside of LeSuer was great! I hit about 38mph going down that!
Unfortunately the pain train arrived at LeSuer. Coming out of there, the wind was in our face, crossing from left to right. And the hills all seemed to be up. Roads were wet, and road spray from other bikers really made grabbing a wheel a mixed blessing. The plus here was my wife and son drove by, gave me a honk and a wave! Grunted it out to rest stop three, where the wife and son met me, gave me a cheer, and took some of the 'just in case' things that I had carried with me (balaclava, extra base layer, sunscreen.)
Wife and son took a couple drive by pictures after this, then went on to the finish. Pushed on to the 4th and final rest stop, through the wind gusts. The 4th rest stop featured hot pasta, but it seemed to me that the pasta would sit in a lump in my stomach the last leg, and just weight me down. So settled on a cup of coffee, a banana and a bag of peanut M&M's. (yum!)
The last leg was a real battle with the mind. The wind seemed to be directly in your face most of the time. It was so bad that at times you liked being at the bottom of a hill, since the hill itself blocked the wind! The odometer would say about 12 miles to go, and my speed was 12 mph. Then it would say 11 miles and my speed was down to 11mph! AKKK! But there were downhills, and a few turns so the wind moved out of the face and speed picked up a bit.
I finished!! with an average speed of about 16.5 for the event, which met my goal of at least 16.
I learned that it is really difficult to fish stuff out of the back pocket of the jersey, from under the jacket, while wearing full finger gloves. I found that putting some chews under the cuff of said gloves made it a lot easier to get them out when I needed some. I probably didn't hydrate enough while on the road, a combination of the coolness, and struggle against the wind just made me less inclined to reach for those bottles than I should have been. I also found that the seat which has been ok for rides to 65 miles, might not be the right seat for these longer efforts! Things are still a little numb.
When I see how the pictures my son took turned out, I may put them up here too.
HRM track for about 3/4's of the ride. I somehow stopped the thing during the ride.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/31356676
Loren
Light, scattered rain to start, with the wind blowing from the back crossing from right to left. Not too bad at all, just a few gusts that made you think the bike was going out sideways from under you.
After the first rest stop, the route turned so the wind was generally straight at our backs, and overall, I think we lost elevation. I know the hill outside of LeSuer was great! I hit about 38mph going down that!
Unfortunately the pain train arrived at LeSuer. Coming out of there, the wind was in our face, crossing from left to right. And the hills all seemed to be up. Roads were wet, and road spray from other bikers really made grabbing a wheel a mixed blessing. The plus here was my wife and son drove by, gave me a honk and a wave! Grunted it out to rest stop three, where the wife and son met me, gave me a cheer, and took some of the 'just in case' things that I had carried with me (balaclava, extra base layer, sunscreen.)
Wife and son took a couple drive by pictures after this, then went on to the finish. Pushed on to the 4th and final rest stop, through the wind gusts. The 4th rest stop featured hot pasta, but it seemed to me that the pasta would sit in a lump in my stomach the last leg, and just weight me down. So settled on a cup of coffee, a banana and a bag of peanut M&M's. (yum!)
The last leg was a real battle with the mind. The wind seemed to be directly in your face most of the time. It was so bad that at times you liked being at the bottom of a hill, since the hill itself blocked the wind! The odometer would say about 12 miles to go, and my speed was 12 mph. Then it would say 11 miles and my speed was down to 11mph! AKKK! But there were downhills, and a few turns so the wind moved out of the face and speed picked up a bit.
I finished!! with an average speed of about 16.5 for the event, which met my goal of at least 16.
I learned that it is really difficult to fish stuff out of the back pocket of the jersey, from under the jacket, while wearing full finger gloves. I found that putting some chews under the cuff of said gloves made it a lot easier to get them out when I needed some. I probably didn't hydrate enough while on the road, a combination of the coolness, and struggle against the wind just made me less inclined to reach for those bottles than I should have been. I also found that the seat which has been ok for rides to 65 miles, might not be the right seat for these longer efforts! Things are still a little numb.
When I see how the pictures my son took turned out, I may put them up here too.
HRM track for about 3/4's of the ride. I somehow stopped the thing during the ride.
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/31356676
Loren
#25
Let's do a Century
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,316
Bikes: Cervelo R3 Disc, Pinarello Prince/Campy SR; Cervelo R3/Sram Red; Trek 5900/Duraace, Lynskey GR260 Ultegra
Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 651 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times
in
408 Posts
Great job fellas!! Sounds like the elements were definitely not in your favor. I'll take a hill over a headwind any day.
__________________
Ride your Ride!!
Ride your Ride!!