BikeNSail

I posted here a few weeks ago I was considering whether to try a century.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=#post11488291

I received some great advice and encouragement. I hope my experience below will be of some value to others considering their 1st.

Me:
Age: 50
Experience: 2 years on flat bar hybrid, 2 months on road bike
Riding frequency: 2k miles over previous 2 years, 1k miles in last 2 months
Longest ride prior: 50 miles once, 40 mile rides weekly for last month
Weight before ride: 208
Weight after ride: 202 (after consuming quite a bit of food and drink during the day!)
Height before AND after ride: 6'2" (no change here thankfully)

Results:

006..jpg

Distance: 103.22
Riding time: 5:42:31
Total time (including stops): 6:28:24
Avg speed: 18.08
Elevation: don't really know..guess it was about 3-5k...too much whatever it was
Avg pulse: 138
Max pulse: 160

Good advice I followed
* Carb load few days prior, LARGE meal night before
* Carb breakfast couple hours prior
* Drink bottle or 2 per hour
* Eat during ride
* Stand, stretch througout ride
* Stop at all SAG stations, 10 minutes max
* Do 1st century with an organized ride

Advice I didn't follow!
* Take it easy
- I planned to average 15mph. This would have been a mistake keeping me in the saddle for another hour. While I understand one shouldn't overdo it, if you're in shape, I think its a better idea to ride at a moderate pace and get out of the saddle over sooner.
* Do at least a 70 mile ride before.
- would probably have helped get me in better shape, but I didn't really start having problems
until 80 miles.
* Don't change bike or gear before the race!
I should have listened and did not. I wanted everything 'perfect', so I
- adjusted derailleurs day before, then threw chain 3 times off front! Chain rubs entire ride as I'm too much in a hurry to stop and adjust it. Just silly on my part.
- bought new and 'better' bibs, promptly got chafing for 1st time ever after about 70 miles..I may have had the same problem with old bibs, but it was a bad idea to try new ones!
* Go slow at beginning, speed up later:
I didn't and it worked out. I got caught up in the front of the group and was just having too much fun to slow down to my planned pace. I rode with them for the 1st 30 miles to the 1st rest stop at average speed of 20, then left before them with another guy. We took turns pulling and encouraging each other and rode the last 70 together. I'm actually glad I stayed with the fast group at the beginning as it put some cheap drafting miles in the bank. Also, faster means less time in the saddle. By the end of the ride, I REALLY wanted off due to the chafing.

This was my 1st time to ride in hills. They weren't much compared to what others ride, maybe total 4-5k elevation change, but never having ridden any hills before, it was more than I wanted by the end of the day! I really think the ride would have been a cake walk on the flat lands I had always ridden on before.

Miles..
0-60: Heaven: fun, easy, exciting, even with the hills...no fatigue or any discomfort.. Flying down the hills at 35mph, cruising easily up the next one...60-70 degrees and sunny skies with shade covered roads...living well!
60-80: Purgatory: starting to dislike anything above a 2' change in elevation...seeing next hill gives me a slight irritation, but nothing I can't handle....
80-100: Hell: I HATE HILLS. Every new one that pops up causes to wonder if I'll have to walk up this one. I'm down to 6 or 7 mph at the tops of them where I had been truckin' along at 15 in the morning. It's now 90 degrees, chafing kicks in, legs have no more energy, and to finish I have to ride PAST the start/finish line for 1 more 20 mile loop...unnecessarily cruel..thankfully there is a final SAG station, so I break for 10, refuel and head out just as I almost make an unscheduled stop. Just 10 miles from the finish, my partner thankfully gets a FLAT, giving me a very welcome excuse to stop and help. His CO2 failed. Luckily my frame pump saved the day. By this time, I really was not having any fun at all and did not think I would want to ride again for a month.

2 hour drive home was even worse!

Very surprisingly, I wasn't sore at all after the ride, but chafing a real pain. I am ready to ride again 2 days later and really looking forward to my weekly 40 mile ride this weekend. I'll definitely try to do another in the spring.

If you're thinking about doing one of these ...GO FOR IT...especially nice doing your 1st century in an organized ride. The benefit of SAG statinos and drafting cannot be overstated.

BIG thanks again to everyone who offered advise and encouragement!
cheers!

Pat

Looks like you done good. I liked the stuff you said about the advice you followed and the advice you did not follow.

It looks like you were well prepared. You might have paced yourself a bit better, but then again you would have then missed all the joy of the misery. Isn't that part of the point of doing this in the first place? I like the heaven, purgatory, and hell progression. Nice metaphors.

Pat

Daspydyr 

Congrats on the century. I finished my first one last Saturday as well. I'm a bit older and heavier, but many of your details mirror my riding and health experience. The Weak Link also finished his 1st Century that weekend. WE should make special shirts!

stapfam

Still the boasting to your workmates about what you did at the weekend to come so hopefully you have that prepared.

Try to take it steady for a couple of days- but if you won't be cycling- get a few walks in. Get the legs moving again- and the back- and the neck--

But no pics yet---Hopefully they will be coming.

Well done.

BluesDawg

Congratulations. Whether it would have been better to suffer less for a longer time is something we each have to choose for ourselves depending on how much speed means to us. You clearly pushed yourself beyond what you could do without suffering the dreaded 80 mile bonk. But most of us have endured that. About the only thing I see missing (and I don't know if was suggested or not) is that some sort of chamois cream may have saved you from the chafing.

doctor j

Congratulations on completing your first century. Seems to be a lot of that going around lately. Nice average speed!

Where was the ride? My permanent residence is near Alexandria.

BikeNSail

Baton Rouge Bike Club sponsored the ride from Jackson, LA. The rolling hills were beautiful for the 1st 60 miles....

BikeNSail

Would have given a pretty penny for some of that chamois cream Sunday at noon.....

BikeNSail

I do have to admit that I was somewhat dismayed that the sponsors did not have some sort of ceremony, marching band, and fireworks waiting to greet me on my return...I guess a shirt would suffice though...

BikeNSail

only pic I have is of the bike computer which I took today...I didn't have enough energy to take any after the ride! I could neither smile nor hold the camera steady

BikeNSail

so true...

AzTallRider

Nice average speed, and it sounds like you paid for it!

My first century will be the Tour de Tucson November 20. 9,000 riders, but not all going the full route. I'm still pondering whether to join a fast group for awhile. It's hard to resist, huh? Nothing like being sucked along by a big group, doing 25+ without significant effort. But then it's hard to back off when the going starts to get tougher, to preserve yourself for later. Seems like it wouldn't hurt, but 'getting tougher' can creep up on you. Suddenly your heart rate is in the upper zones, and you are going to be toast by the end of the ride.

kr32

Very nice report and ride.
I agree with the very nice average speed for your first 100 miler, good job!

Rick@OCRR

Good job llch,

You rode well, and it hurt a bit but that's not a totally bad thing! I rode my first century back in '77 and I can barely even remember it now . . .

Yes chamois goo of some sort is good. My favorite is Bag Balm but Chamois BUTT'r is excellent too. Whatever brand you try will be whole lots better than nothing in that dept. (area).

Anyway, good job and remember, "Centuries are good training rides for Double Centuries."

Rick / OCRR

BikeNSail

It's really a tough call. While I was in the group, I knew it was going to be a mistake to some extent, but it just was not possible for me to back down. Testosterone, adrenaline, coffee,,,whatever...Everybody has to do their own ride...I felt like worst case was I bonk early and could stop and rest 20 minutes and keep going.....I'm very happy with the way it turned out....'they say' to leave nothing on the field..well, I didn't...but that, in a nutty way, made it really worthwhile...

best of luck on your ride! 9,000 riders!!! I think we had 150..ha ha...that should really be a hoot

BikeNSail

ha! very good! off my high horse and back to the plow !

BikeNSail

thanks! funny thing... when I was planning on doing it, I referred to it as my 'first' in the context that I had not done one before...now when you say my 'first 100 miler', I read that as being the first of a number I will do

Jamesw2

Congrats on the century.

I have not done a century. I have tired 4 times, once in a group ride ( Tour de Cure)(45 miles), once with my wife as suport (93 miles) ( i got a flat she was off to the bathroom Hee Hee) twice alone 80 miles and 63 miles.

The tour was a heat/humidity defeat also they said support would stop at 3 pm. That didn't matter I was cooked by noon
the wife support was a 16 hours 5:30 am start and a 9:20 pm stop. I did not eat enough.
only the tour was done with a saddle that fit properly. I cant stress enough how much better the ride was when i had a good saddle .

I am still training for another attempt with better hydration, food and more comfortable adjustments it's gonna happen for me. at about 12 mph average
I am also a clyde weighing in at about 300 lbs with bike and camelbak.

Again Congrats on the century. It is no small feat

BikeNSail

.
Keep on fighting....if it were easy, it would be NO fun. When you do complete it, it will be well worth it!

The Weak Link

Congrats! That's a quick time.

My average was almost 14 MPH and I was afraid I might peter out too quickly, even though it wasn't a problem.

About the chain rub: it's funny how that goes. I was in a paceline with someone who's bike needed a tune-up, and after about an hour of listening to the racket I wanted to strangle the individual. I might have, too, if I wasn't counting on them for the wheel, which I needed (around mile 80).

Beverly

Congratulations on your first century!

10 Wheels

Congratulations, nice report.

kr32

I am sure you will do more. I did one last year and this I have done several, in fact I did back to back weekends a few moths ago. All solo and unsupported.
I will more than likely do another one before the year is up.
Once you get the chaffing under control, which you will, they become easier, well not as hard as the first anyway.
I am planning on trying a 200 miler next summer but the time factor may be a deterrent. They want a 17-18 mile average for the whole thing and I am not sure I can push 18 mpg for 200 miles, but then again I have never ridden that far with a pace line either. I may just try to do it solo sometime and see what happens.
My longest to date is 125 miles.

MinnMan

A great ride and report. I don't have too much experience with centuries and I've never done one supported, but I can totally relate to the idea that strategy goes to hell when presented with the opportunity to draft with a fast group. It's just too much fun to be thinking about the consequences later in the ride.

Looking at my ride logs, I see that there's a tendency for the longer rides to actually also be among the faster. This is partly because the longer rides are out in rural areas with few stops, turns, and so on. And the slow parts have less influence when averaged over more miles. On a short ride in the city or suburbs, I have to spend a high proportion at 22 MPH if I"m going to average 18 MPH. On a long ride where there are 10 mile sections without a stop sign, I can average 18 MPH with most of my saddle time doing just 19-20 MPH (depending on wind, hills, etc.).

Dellphinus

Wow! Lots of centuries last weekend. Congrats! Great job on your first, and a really nice report. Your time/average is outstanding.
Wasn't my first, but also did a century last weekend. Sounds like weather was great everywhere... gotta luv October for riding.