Am I ready for 100 miles?
 

Hi all,

As you can tell from my name, I am a new rider. I will be riding 100 miles at a charity event in 2 weeks. However, due to some unforseen issues, the longest I have ridden so far is 30 miles, and I plan to ride 50 this weekend. Will I be ready for 100 miles? I am in my 20's and in OK shape. I really want to accomplish this, and have fundraised my entire goal, but I really do not know if I am ready.

Also is it worth the investment to get clipless pedals? Currently I ride just with tennis shoes and flat pedals, however, I do not want to spend much more money on this event as I have already bought the bike and just about all the other accessories. So is it worth it to get the pedals for the 100 miles or just tennis shoes ok?

Thanks!!

Beginner Biker

Switching your pedals this close to a ride that you may already find to be difficult is probably a bad idea... stay with what you are used to as you won;t be able to dial in your fit on the fly.

If you have been riding 30 miles at a time and doing this on a regular basis and the 50 is not unduly difficult you might do well over 100 miles.

You can live with a less than perfect fit over 30 miles, but over 100 miles you will find out what is right and what needs to be changed.

The only way you can find out if you can do it is to do it and expect that you will have support along the way and many be able to ride with a group and save a little energy by drafting... just as long as you can do this safely.

Oh look! A perfect example of what I wrote in the thread below in Post #13:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ry.-Navigation

For the love of the random deity get a HR monitor. With that you can control your speed better so as you won't be riding too fast. Remember, it's not the distance that kills you, it' the speed. With a low enough heart rate your body won't eat in to the good stuff instead of fat. Specifically your body will use fat as a source for energy (which is abundantly available) rather than carbohydrates (which aren't).

Secondly, hydration is of paramount importance. 1-2dl every 10-15 minutes. Without water you won't finish.

And go clipless. Clipless pedals reduce fatigue and are safer. And since you are so young you'll learn to use them in a day.

Whether you can or can't do it... Well sir, I say you can and will do it easily. Just don't ride too fast.

I agree with elcruxio - - the biggest factor on whether you can do this or not is whether you go at a pace that is comfortable to you, or whether you try to keep up with someone more experienced and burn yourself out. And by all means - - don't skip the 50 this weekend or cut it too short, you need the miles.

My rule of thumb for long rides: when you can do half the projected distance on a similar terrain profile two days in a row -- and can walk the third day -- you're ready. And I do agree with Sixty Fiver, don't change things immediately before a ride; if you're unpleasantly surprised it's going to really hurt.

All I can say is that I would not have been ready for a 100 mile ride back when my longest ride was 30 miles. But, that was 3-4 years ago when I was 37--not my 20's or in great shape. :)

i dunno, 30 to 100 is a big jump...doing 50 just once doesn't help that much either.

Agreed on everything except the drafting unless it is easy for you.

Riding 100 miles requires far less fitness, strength, etc than most people think. What it does require is pacing. When you ride, your legs still need to feel fresh at the 50 mile mark. This means that you need to ride at a speed that feels easy or even slow.

On the day of the ride, it is fine to ride with others, but don't try to keep up with anyone. A lot of women double your age will blow by you, but if you let your pride take over, you'll be in for a world of hurt. The reason I recommend against drafting are because unless you feel like you're going slow when you're doing it, you may be riding too hard. The other reason is that it's likely you don't have the handling skills. I avoid groups on pure recreational rides like the plague because too many people lack the skills and it's just a crash waiting to happen.

Make sure you eat and drink plenty during the ride and you'll have a good time. BTW, the most I'd ridden before my first century was 15 miles. While that's not recommended, it worked out fine for me.

Is this a mass start type event with a cut off time, or one of those where they give you a map and you go out and do your own thing? You can do 100 most likely if you're in good shape. Its just a matter of how long it takes and how much you're willing to suffer. Unlike running where your body falls apart if you don't work up to the distance over months, jumping into long distance cycling is more about fighting through fatigue. However, if the pace is being dictated to you or if you're pressured to finish by a certain time then it gets much much harder, both mentally and physically.
Oh, and don't get new pedals unless you can dedicate a lot of time to practice before hand. You'll be tired and potentially riding in a group with lots to keep you busy and distracted. More likely than not you'll forget to unclip at least a couple times.

hills? flat? depends.

There is a lot more to it than just fitness. Your butt, your back, your shoulders all need to adapt which takes a lot of saddle time to get ready for a ride that long. Make sure your shoes fit or you'll be in for a world of pain.

Get the clipless pedals and shoes and it will make a huge difference. not sure if you will have enough time to get fully comfortable with them but it is do-able. 30 to 100 might be a stretch, but you should be able to do a lot more than 30. Especially when you have a lot of others around you, rest stops, and if you can get in a paceline.

One more thing, keep your breaks short, like less than a couple minutes, except maybe a lunch break. Your legs start going into repair mode and will stiffen up and burn like crazy when you start back up.

Carb load the day before, pre-hydrate, and keep topped off on liquids and food all day. Look into electrolyte replenishment too.

+1.

I think a good test is if you can do a reasonably vigorous 50 mile ride over similar terrain without feeling too exhausted the next day. I don't think it would be wise to try 100 without trying 50 first.

If you can do that, I'd recommend going very easy over the first 50 miles of the century, and not pushing yourself AT ALL. I'm talking about riding 1-2 MPH slower than the speed that you did on your 50-mile test ride, and be sure to use a relatively high cadence so you're not straining your legs. If you feel good after 50 miles, you might speed up a little but not too much. Later in the ride it will require increasing amounts of perceived energy to go the same speed, and you'll be suffering by mile 90 if not before.

As others have said, it's very important to drink plenty and eat plenty, and keep up your electrolytes.

Might want to invest in some chamois lube too for those distances.

Another thing that may be obvious but I didn't see posted above...your bike must be in top operating condition. You don't want any gear shifting issues (especially if there are hills on the course), or brake pads rubbing on your rim, or a saddle that is too low. Also make sure tires are properly inflated.

Clipless pedals may help a bit with efficiency but on the other hand if you try to use them in a different way than what your muscles are used to it may cause added fatigue. Also if they're not aligned properly it could cause knee issues.

Getting an HR monitor now and figuring out how to use it to gauge pace is a waste of time. Just take it easy on the ride and take advantage of the food and aid stations.

Also, now is not the time to be breaking in a new pair of clipless pedals/shoes and risking knee issues due to a poor fit. Stick with what you have and if your feet get sore just stop and walk around once in a while.

You're young, you'll be fine. It's analogous to a long hike if you don't ride too hard.

I wouldn't switch pedals before the ride.

I switched to clip-in pedals and went on a 28-mile ride my first time out. I found that the cleats needed major adjustment as my left foot was numb and both knees hurt. I could deal with it for that ride, but I wouldn't have wanted to be on a 100-mile ride with those issues.

this is definitely do-able but its going to hurt and suck and you'll have to open a can of HTFU on the part of your brain that likes to tell you that you are tired and its okay to quit.

even the untrained body can be pushed further than we give it credit for.

+1, this is especially important at mile 70 and you feel like you're the only one still out on course, and you still have 30 miles to go.

thanks for the responses guys!

I will be riding in Pelotonia, in Columbus ohio, it is a charity ride, so there is no racing. It gets fairly hilly at the 2nd half of the course, with the biggest hill a few miles and 500 ft elevation I think? There are 5000 riders signed up so far. The time limit is set on going 8mph the whole way which is I think 12 hours.

Could I get some safety tips about riding in such a big group and riding down the whole way on open roads?

Also there are only 6 rest stops, how much food and water should I be bringing along myself?

Thanks!!

Two water bottles, start out full. One H2O, the other with an electrolyte replacement fluid. Top them off at every rest stop. Drink at least a few sips every 5-10 miles. You won't need to carry any food as there will be plenty at the rest stops. At every rest stop, down one or two bananas, an orange slice or two, and a couple P&B sandwiches, (if they have them). You may consider carrying a couple of energy bars in your back pockets, (just in case), but you probably won't need them.

Good luck. Slow and steady will work. An average of 8 mph should be fairly easy to do.

I would carry some gels and energy bars in case you feel a bonk coming on. You may not be able to stuff that much food down at rest stops, especially toward the end when you are really tired. A sugary sports drink in one of your bottles is also good for a quick boost of simple carbs.

Biggest thing about riding in a group is don't overlap wheels with the guy in front of you (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/758510-I-think-this-says-a-lot...A-LOT!). Try to keep your head up and scan the road ahead instead of focusing too much on the person in front of you (or worse, his back wheel). It'll probably spread out quite a bit after the start, just find a small group you can comfortably ride with.

Just out of curiosity I looked at the route description:

"Riders who continue past Amanda experience a rigorous, rolling ride through the Hocking Hills of Southeastern Ohio. There is 5400 feet of net vertical gain during the 59-mile ride from Amanda to Athens."

5400 ft of elevation gain in the last 59 miles comes out to 91 ft / mile over that stretch. In my opinion 91 ft/mile is very hilly and strenuous, and personally as a borderline B / BB class rider I would be a bit intimidated by this ride, especially when combined with the 43 mile ride leading up to that stretch which is probably no cakewalk either. Unless you know you are good on hills and can handle similar terrain, I predict it is going to hurt a LOT. A ride like this also requires good technique when shifting - you have to shift at the right time to be efficient, keeping a high enough cadence to not strain your legs. Hopefully your bike has low enough gearing to allow you to use a reasonably high cadence.

Good luck if you try it.