Humbling Metric
 

So I rode the Haleiwa Metric Century today. A little background first. My buddy and a co-worker have a running bet for sporting events.. the bet is 1 penny. They compete head to head or challenge each other to tests of fitness or skill. So the co-worker has completed a couple of Ironmans and rides a century on most weekends. My buddy teaches SPIN classes three times a week but has never ridden a bike, well he knows how to ride, but never for fitness. He runs his suck and says that riding a century should be no problem. I pipe up and suggest the Metric, and the bet is set.

I take my buddy out for one ride last week,, we do 20 miles.. he claims his nuts are killing him and we end the ride.. he claims all is good and is confident of his success.

This morning rolls around...beautiful day for a ride. The Tradewinds are down.. only 5-10mph which is a godsend here in Hawaii. The Tri guy decides to ride up to Haleiwa..ride the century and ride back...160 miles.. which he does no problem.

I grab super noob at 0500 and haul him up to the start point.. all is well. We start off on the ride with 700 of our closest friends. We take off and as can be expected my buddy can not hold a wheel in the draft, but he is comfortably cruising along at 18-20 mph. This lasts exactly 12.5km, or until the first aid station and the turn around point for those doing 25k. After that it was all pain. Bottom line is that he made it.. averaged 14mph, has given up hope for ever having children, and has learned that spinning and aerobic fitness does not make you a roadie.

Eventually as old ladies, fat guys, girls in skirts, and octogenarians on Mt Bikes passed us up I began to sprint ahead.. turn around, ride back to my buddy and ride with him a bit more until I couldn't take it anymore, repeat fast leg.. turn around etc.

Here are some picture of folks who beat us to the finish line.

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Bottom line..it was a humbling day as I watched hundreds of riders go by me,, I could see those little minds working.. look at that Fred on the Calfee with Reynolds wheels.. what a poseur.

Spin class is taught to people? I honestly had no idea.

Seems like your buddy may have a bike fit issue.

Great photos to make your point!

Well the bike fit... I cant say as much about the saddle.. but that can take years to figure out.. unfortunately we probably ruined him for taking up the sport.

hahahahaha...
loved the report, specially the finish contestants!

I made the mistake of doing am MS 150 ride with people from my work. A number of them thought that they would be fine even though they'd barely ridden, because they worked out in the gym.

They were so slow I couldn't stand it. After an hour, I ditched them, rode the century option, and got to the Hotel 3 hours before they finished the 75miles for the day. All but 2 abandoned before day 2, and none fininished.

People just don't understand that it takes some specific training, adaptation, and skill to ride a bike a substantial length.

This is true with many outdoor activities. I have had people who think they are really fit crumble on backpacking trips too. I have learned not to take "gym fit" people into the outdoors. ;)

Seriously though, I do weights and core and even swim at the gym, but the typical 30 minutes on an elliptical trainer doesn't prep people for real endurance activity.

I swear the bicycling equivalents of these guys passed us at one point.
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