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First Metric Century. Ride Report

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

First Metric Century. Ride Report

Old 09-10-12, 07:31 AM
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First Metric Century. Ride Report

Rode in my first metric century the other day (Tour de Paws, Spartanburg, SC). I've been cycling off and on for nearly 30 years, but mostly off until a few months ago. I've been ramping up my distances, and doing group rides once or twice per week. My average solo rides (not counting commuting) are around 30 miles, but the last few weeks I'd gone as much as 45 miles. I also commute 15 miles round trip 3 days a week or so.

I finished, barely. I managed to finish ahead of a few other riders, too. Counting the stops at support areas, I took 5 hours and 15 minutes. This also included several unplanned stops: once for a thrown chain, once for an intermittant cyclocomputer, and once for a dropped water bottle. What's weird is, these things almost never happen on training rides where I'm solo. And of course, as my luck would have it, they happened when I was in a paceline or at least keeping up with a group. Then I'd stop to correct the problem and end up alone.

I almost didn't go, because I totaled my car a week before, and hadn't felt well enough to ride a bike since. But I decided to try, since I was already registered, and figured the worst that would happen is I'd not finish. Since I already knew the route, I found myself thinking ahead, worrying about that big hill coming up around the bend. What I learned is that the hill was never quite as bad as I imagined it would be. Definately a lot of phsychology involved, as some have pointed out. I also learned that while doing 40-45 miles once a week prior is a good idea, I would say it is the minimum. That extra 20 miles was way harder than I anticipated (taking a week off didn't help, either). It became a challenge to manage the discomfort level, and divide it among my arms, shoulders, butt and feet in a way that I could tolerate. I wanted to quit, but I didn't, even when I was struggling against a 15mph headwind and the sag van pulled alongside and offered me a ride.

What I learned:
1: Don't stop for every little problem - I could have waited to fix my cyclocomputer at the next rest stop, and not been dropped by the group I was with. My cadence still worked, just not speed, which didn't matter, really.
2: Don't worry about what's next. It's not as bad as you think it will be.
3: Don't try to do too many things at once. I tried shifting front and rear at the same time (bar ends) and managed to suck my chain behind the freewheel (yes, my bike is old), forcing a stop on a pretty steep hill, and droppage.
4: Don't try out new equipment on an event. I knew better than to ride my new, untested, Masi. But I wore a new jersey, which chafed my nipples, and was rather painful.

What I got right:
1: When things go wrong, don't panic. I dropped my water bottle while going 28 mph downhill. It luckily landed on my right foot, and wedged against the chainring of my bike. I just stopped pedaling, slowed to a stop and retrieved it. Had I moved, it would have fallen and forced me to backtrack uphill. It also might have caused a crash for someone behind me.
2: Bring food. Because I was toward the back, at one of the rest stops they had run out of food before I arrived. Thankfully, I'd brought a couple of bars with me.
3: Mentally divide a long ride into managable pieces, and ride each one. This worked pretty well for me.

I had a great time. The sense of accomplishment is like nothing else I've felt. I really look forward to my next event in two weeks.
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Old 09-10-12, 07:44 AM
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Congratulations and thank you for the advice! That is quite an accomplishment and kudos to you for sticking it out.
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Old 09-10-12, 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by the_tool_man
2: Bring food. Because I was toward the back, at one of the rest stops they had run out of food before I arrived. Thankfully, I'd brought a couple of bars with me.
I grab whatever I can fit into my pockets, I'd rather have it and not need it, than not have it at all. I also top off my water bottles even if it's an ounce of water. I try not to waste too much time at rest stops also. Stop, go pee, grab a quick bite, stuff a few bars/gels/bananas in my pocket, refill bottles, and jump onto whatever group is rolling out.
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