Since I started riding again in March of 2009 I've had two goals. The first was to ride my age, now 58, and to ride a century. Until yesterday my longest ride was 47 miles.

The weekend weather was finally cooperating so I decided on Friday that I would ride the Prairie Spirit Trail which is around 51 miles long making a loop sufficient to get my century.

Since it a rail trail consisting primarily of crushed limestone I used my commuter bike, Giant Cypress DX, with 700x40's rather than my much lighter road bike.

So, I got everything ready on Saturday and discovered a bad spot in my rear tire which I replaced after a quick trip to the LBS. Up at 5:00 AM on Sunday for the the 40 mile trip to Ottawa, Kansas, the northern terminums of the trail.

Three things I screwed up were forgetting to bring ibuprofin for my bad knees, enough food, and not filling all three water bottles at the last trailhead where water was available.

I guess because it was Sunday, there were no business open in any of the small towns along the trail so I had to make due with the foor I brought and suffer through the knee and posterior "discomfort. I also ran out of water during the last 10 miles. I drank a tremendous amount of water during the ride, much more than I thought I would.

The first 51 miles to the southern terminous went well and I probably pushed a little too hard wasting valuable energy that I could have used on the return leg. The second half was into the wind and that plus running short on food kicked my butt. But I made it and can now cross that off of my to do list. Needless to say, I slept well last night.

Good job! Welcome to the club.

Awesome effort.

Congratulations!

The road surface and tires really make a big difference. Your century was probably equivalent to 125 mi or more on a road bike and paved roads. Great job! And you learned a lot.

Yup. You can't have too much food or water.

Well done?

Now when are you going to ride your age?

Averaging yesterday's ride and this morning commute makes for riding my age twice!

Way to go! Glad you were able to press on despite the problems.

Your sig mentions knowing how to change a flat. Fortunately for me I posses that skill and had the opportunity to prove it during my ride.

Way to go, that's doing it right (except for the food part)!! Congrats!!!!!

Great job! I am slowly edging towards that century ride myself, so reading about other people's first century rides is of great interest to me! Thanks for posting about your ride, including your errors! That information is helpful.

Congrats! I did my first century last Saturday too. Maybe mine was easier than yours since it was road miles. Do you think you really need 40s for the rail-to-trail surface? I was planning on 28s, but pulling a trailer rather than heavy panniers.

Well done. I'm still working up to my first 100; longest every was 76.2 a few weeks ago. +10 on the food thing. Eating the right stuff and drinking plenty of water (and maintaining salt intake if necessary) is a key for being able to ride steadily onward...

On Cypress yet? Good job, I have never taken my Cypress more than a few miles. I might have tried a rail trail on my MTB but it is geared better than my cypress. I am looking forward to my third century for the year saturday and hope to get in one more before the year is out. Mine will be all road however. Keep it up and keep it going.

Once you pluck up the courage- then a century ride WILL be done--As you have proved. But there are easier ways to do it than on on a heavy bike with wide tyres and on Crushed hardpack.

Well done but the Ride your age still has to be done

Now if you had announced that you were doing a ride your age ride and then went on to do a metric century and then a full 100 miles- then you would have progressed in the right order and could claim all 3.

Well done on achieving the 3.

For some of us it is a different order. 1: Half Century
2: Metric Century
3: our age
4: Century

40's are what is on the Cypress as it's my standard commuter. I probably could have got by with something a bit narrower but the trail wasn't in the best shape so a wider tire seemed reasonable. Lots of holes and long, deep crack that were two tire widths wide.

I hit a hole that was covered with leaves and I think that's what caused the eventual flat.

Awesome and admirable!

Great job!

Huge accomplishment! I have fond memories of the KC area and lived in OP for several of the 12 years I spent there.

Marc

Great accomplishment. I am 70 years old (took up cycling at age 62), and just did my first century this past Saturday at the Big Dam Bridge 100 in L. Rock, Ar. It was actually 105 miles. I have been gradually working my way up to the century, with my longest ride being 73 miles. I was well prepared for the eating, drinking, pacing part. I think the hardest part for me was the mental will to get through it after about mile 85. Everything started hurting . But I got through it, and am already looking forward to my next one.

You're amazing. By mile 75 I was petitioning unknown gods.

Send me a photo, I'll tell you where we were when you dropped me. :-DDD

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...7827165&type=1