sandy_pangle

I will be attempting my first Century Ride on November 11 in Claxton Georgia. It is very flat ride but I have never done over 70 miles in moderately hilly country (5000' climbing in 70 miles). I have trained fairly hard this summer and have about 1900 miles this year. Still I am getting pretty anxious about my attempt. Here's why:

I have to go to Germany the Saturday before my ride. I will be returning on Late Thursday night before the Saturday ride (20 hours from wake-up to sleepy time). There will be no biking opportunities over there. I also hate the food so I won't be well nourished upon returning. I then have to get over the Jet Lag, Get up early on Friday morning, and drive 280 miles to Claxton on Friday. That should leave me in a real mess for my first attempt!!!

Does anybody have any suggestions? I really want to pull this off but the deck is stacked against me .

portland376

Mentally, you're already setting yourself up for failure. Stop perseverating on things which are out of your control and in the long run won't have much bearing on your performance. You've logged plenty of training miles, you will not starve while in Germany, and you will have plenty of time for rest and travel. Get in the proper mindset and you'll breeze through the century

redden

U might be stuck on the number. 100 flat miles < 70 hilly miles

zimbo

You'll be fine. Just make sure you get in good workouts the two weeks before you leave for Germany.

--Steve

Snuffleupagus

You won't lose any fitness in 6 days.

Rest/get your head together on Friday. Spin EASY (like 12mph in 39-21) for 30 minutes to an hour that night...don't eat too much. You might have an urge to carb up...but don't exceed what you already know you can handle foodwise (maybe 3000-3500 calories?) - or pay the consequences of a cranky gut.

dstrong 

I rode my second ever Century a couple weeks ago. As with my first one (HH100), I slept like crap the night before. Additionally, I hadn't ridden since the previous weekend due to having to pack and ship my bike. Nothing like going to Germany but if you can switch your anxious thoughts into nervous energy you'll do fine. Getting back on Thursday will at least let you carbo load and hydrate in plenty of time (although you may have to make a lot of pit stops on your drive!). The thing I found with the century is that I ride them rest-stop to rest-stop. I don't really think about the miles and certainly not the time...all I know is that I have to get to the next rest-stop.

Psimet2001 

I hear you on the jet lag and crappy food. Eeverytime I think about my trip to Sweden in July I get sick to my stomach. The lag should be OK with such a short trip, and getting back Thursday helps. Sleep as much as you can (obvious I know). Try to stay hydrated during your trip, and drink a lot of water when you get back.

Keep in mind that centuries are more mental than physical.

derath

You will be fine.

1. I have found if you can consistently do about 60% of the distance easily, the rest is fine.
2. Your body is only going to care about what you have eaten the few days before at most. Just eat normally once you get back.
3. You don't need to be awake to ride really.

Look at it this way, I have done numerous event rides this year. I have a busy job, wife, 2 kids (3 and 5 months) which means. I have been eating like crap. Don't mean to but it gets difficult right now. And I am pretty much running in a permanent sleep deprived state.

go have fun. You will be fine.

-D

AnthonyG

OK, enlighten me. What's crappy about German or Swiss food?

You could by Macca's over there too if you insist but by and large the Europeans still eat plenty of REAL food. I for the life of me can't see how it would be worse than North American food. Eating sauerkraut would do wonders to settle an upset stomach.

Pork sausages and sauerkraut. What's not to like!

Regards, Anthony

Psimet2001 

Ack...I loved the sausage, cheese, meats, etc....the first day. It was a whirlwind tour and most of the food was hotel or airport food. One night we ate well, but the rest was crap. Jet lag manifests itself in me via upset stomach as it is....

"Pork sausages and sauerkraut"....*shiver*

caligurl

you're gonna be fine..... just make sure you have a POSTIVE attitude.... think "i WILL do this".... and don't stress or worry about anything else! after my first century..... i was so jazzed that i finished.... at that moment i thought i could go ride another one! (ok.... not really.... lol!)

redden

I grew up in Germany, worlds worst food, that's why they're such an angry people.

TheKillerPenguin

You'll be fine, a little bit sorer than you would be under more ideal conditions but there's no reason why you couldn't do it.

Mojo Slim

I like the advice about just riding from rest stop to rest stop. 15-20 miles at a time. It's a ride not a race. If you can do 70, you can do 100.

brianallan

I just want to reiterate everyone's good advice.

You'll be fine. it's really truly honestly not that hard to do a century if you can ride 40 flat miles. Out of all the threads regarding centuries on bike forums, have you ever read a thread where someone was like, "It was to much! I should have done 90 miles instead of 60!". The only thing you need to be able to do to finish a century comfortably is pace yourself and eat. The time flies by, especially if you're in a group. I wouldn't stop unless you need to. It's good to find a rhythm you can keep and gradually step it up till your home. Riding the week before doesn't matter.

For preperation: I would do some openers the day before (a 3-5 30 second sprints, 10 minutes between efforts) and spin around the week before.

good luck - you don't need it.

Machka 

It's only a century!! That's what ... maybe 6-8 hours on a bicycle??

Let me address what I think you think are going to be your difficulties:

1) Lack of sleep.

Answer: you don't need sleep to ride a century. Yes, get a good night's sleep the night before if you can, but trust me on this, you can ride a century on no sleep at all!!


2) Lack of training.

Answer: so the longest distance you've ever ridden was 70 miles. Was this 70 miles recent or many years ago? What's the longest distance you've ridden in the last few months? If you have ridden 70 miles in the last few months, go out this coming weekend and ride 80 miles. Then you'll know you can ride a century. If you rode the 70 miles in the last few weeks, go ride a century this coming weekend!! You're ready.

3) Lack of nutrition.

Answer: If I'm not mistaken, Germany is a fairly modern country where you can get a variety of food. I suspect there's even a McDonalds there!! However, even if you eat nothing at all in Germany, or nothing that you consider "of value", it doesn't matter. The important thing is to eat DURING the ride, not BEFORE the ride. Who cares what you eat before the ride!! Eat 250 calories/hour during the ride and you'll be fine. Oh, and don't forget to drink a bottle of water and/or sports drink every 1 to 1.5 hours during the ride too.

v1k1ng1001

you are going to crash and burn 4 sure!

seriously, just suck it up and ride your 100

sandy_pangle

The beer's great......For those you who have never been there.....McDonalds serves beer

AnthonyG

I don't believe you.

My mother was born in Austria so I grew up on some of the cusine. Vienna schnitchel, strudel, liverwust, even cabbage with carraway seeds was ALL great food.

As the saying goes you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Also I would be careful about the "angry people" comment. Who in the world is more angry than North Americans at the moment?

Regards, Anthony

Jeffrey

I agree with previous posts... I've only ridden one century, but it wasn't hard. Its just a long time to be in the saddle. The biking itself isn't hard, just don't try to set any records and keep yourself fueled (most important part I think) ... piece of cake

waterrockets 

No training opportunities? Can you run? Can you find an exercycle? Swim? If you can get one training event in the middle of it, it will really help your confidence.

Other than that, look at the break as an opportunity to get hungry for cycling.

As others have said, it's not a race. Just pedal the miles out, take breaks when you feel like it, and have fun.

EventServices

Look around you. No matter what kind of shape you're in (or not in) there will be lesser-abled riders doing it. Push yourself.

tc83

I did my first century last weekend with only 400 something miles under my belt (I bought my bike at the end of August) and hadn't ridden the entire week leading up to it. It was 7-8k ft of climbing and it went fine. Just trust yourself.

redden

Good point about north america but 2 world wars and genocide. the us is working on it but not quite there yet. I was born in a small town Bad Munster in 1953. Back and forth from the school on the Army base at Bad Kreuznack and the local school in Bad Munster. Childhood memories of many german adults especially teachers as angry, cruel, bitter and abusive. The high fat, pork heavy food and being forced to sit at the table for hours until the plate was clean left less than pleasant memories about the diet there.
Of course your experiences in the time space continumum may vary.

flipped4bikes

You are worrying yourself too much. Relax. You've done the miles. Pace yourself early. If you are riding alone and it's big ride, you'll eventually find a group to paceline with. Drink a bottle of water an hour, and eat not only at the rest stops but while riding. Don't stop more than 15 minutes at a time. You'll do the 100 and feel great about it afterwards. Remember, it's a fun ride, and not SEAL training...