NSC soreness vs RAGBRAI
 

Hi!

I rode the NSC (100) and enjoyed it tremendously, but I was pretty sore afterward. I was OK for 80 mi or so, but the final bumps became rather annoying and couldn't imagine a long ride the next day. Some beers, Alleve, and stretching left me still sore on Monday, but I'm in good shape today. I averaged about 16.5 mph doing most of the work myself after 45 mi.

Anyway, I want to do RAGBRAI in 2008 but wonder how it's possible to ride similar distances on consecutive days. Does a more casual pace make each day much easier on the body? I hear that lots of non-hardcore people ride RAGBRIA, so it must be less intense than a series of NSC-like rides. I even saw a guy on the NSC who looked vaguely like Jerry Garcia and who said he's ridden RAGBRAI 3x.

FWIW, I'm 45, ride 50-100 mi/wk, and ride a custom Ti bike. I don't anticipate finding more training time. My previous, longest back-to-back on conseq days was a 60 mi followed by 45 mi just last week; that wasn't too bad.

Any thoughts?

Dave

NSC is like Chicago's own little "Hell of the North" - (Paris-Roubaix). The route is physically in bad enough shape to test anyone's behind limits. Don't use it as an indication.

There are plent of rides you can do between now and next Ragbrai to "prepare."

You could always come out to the Psimet Invitational. ;)
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=339602

The hardest part of RAGBRIA is training to drink beer and ride your bike...

Get that down and your golden!!!

Sweet...I am so in.:D

I'd love to come out for the Psimet, but my wife and I are finally hitting the road for a "summer" vacation...

We're throwing bikes on the new Thule rack and driving for a week of camping and riding in the Smokey Mtns.

I'll have to watch for other BF-GL events because the season is still young!

Dave

Beer and riding -- good thing I emphasized "stability" in my Seven customization!!

Dave

I would have gone for the "custom" trunk rack cooler system with a refer unit powered by the hub....just a thought....

The longest days are usually around 80 on Ragbrai, with a century loop being optional midweek. You're looking at 450-500 miles over 7 days. This year, they didn't even have an 80 mile day. When I did this with not a lot of riding before a few years back, I wasn't too tired during the event and wanted to keep going, but it caught up to me after I got home.

We need to get a group together for RAGBRAI...i've never done it, and i've been in Iowa the last 3 summers...wtf

I am doing RAGBRAI next year... don't know with who, or what group, but I will be there!!!:D

I've been wanting to ride RAGBRAI since high school, and that was before:

1. I attended the UofIowa (Class of '85)
2. Married a woman from Adel, IA
3. Became a cycling fanatic

Now that I have a capable road bike, nothing can hold me back except bad luck with the lottery.

I rode RAGBRAI this year.

Average is 50-54.
Average Speed ~16?

I remember when RAGBRAI first started when I was in high school. I though those people were nuts. Now I've done it several time and they ARE nuts, but it's a good kind. I don't even drink and it's a great week. Just some of the team names and mottos make the week a blast. I think my 2 favorites are
Team Donner...We eat the slow ones
Team Turtle.....We start out slow...then ease up.

Quote:

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a refer unit

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Spelling? I think that's "reefer".:D And is a "unit" bigger or smaller than a "doobie", and how are you going to light it while riding, let alone safely pass it to others?

I'm headed to New Orleans for Mardi Gra in February and will start my beer drinking training then. Enduring five days of Mardi Gra should be a good start. 08 will be my first Ragbrai and looking forward to it. Sounds like Mardi Gra on wheels.