Metric or Full Century May 20th?

[Bklynmom]

I have been training for about 2 months with a goal of doing a 111 mile charity ride with big hills in August. I am starting to rock on rolling hills, and my flat crusing speed it up around 16 MPH. My hills are better, but big ones still kill me. I am typographically challenged:)

Last week my mileage total was 140, longest ride 62 miles. I am starting to work on hills with great advice from this group, but it's still an uphill climb :rolleyes: .

I am doing the Montauk Long Island Century ride, where I can choose metric or 100 miles. This is a flat ride with rolling hills in the last 5 miles (nothing like the hills that kicked my tush the other day in Piermont, NY).

I signed up for 100 miles, but can change my mind at the last minute and go metric. What do you think I should do?

Lisa

[melissam]

Bklynmom,

From the information you've given, it sounds like you're right on track to do the 100 mile ride. Why do I say that?

1. You're "rockin'" on the rollin' hills, and the course has rolling hills rather than the alpine mountains that you're going to do in August.

2. Based on a typical century training program, your mileage and long ride is right in line with where you should be a week before your ride.

Here's a link to a sample century training program:
http://www.diablocyclists.com/RiderTips/EasyCenturyTrainingProgram.htm

3. You've been training for 2 months. If you'd started two weeks ago, that'd be a different matter.

I think you can do the 100 mile ride, and that it will give you confidence for your upcoming charity ride in August.

Have fun!

-- Melissa

[Bklynmom]

This link is great - thanks. I had a great short intense ride today and came home energetic! Sunday is a challenging 60 miler, then just short intense rides next week in preparation for Sunday.

Lets hope those hills are really rolling, and that the wind is in our favor.

I am psyched:) :) !

Lisa

[teigyr]

I think you can do 100 :D The course sounds pretty user-friendly and you've been training for far more difficult terrain than that.

The link is awesome! I am having the same struggle with a ride on the 19th and it appears that I am far more ready than I thought, at least by that.

Be sure to write how your ride was!!!!

[Bklynmom]

Thanks teigyr-
I was reading about your ride too. I will send good vibes your way on the 19th. Mine sounds very manageable. I think I remember reading yours had a lot of serious hills right? I plan on doing 100 if the conditions are favorable - if the weather is rainy or very windy, I might just go metric.

When I started riding seriously, I never though I would become obsessed with typography, and wind speeds.

I think it will be great for my confidence to have already done a century way before the charity ride in August.

Have you decided what you are going to do?

[teigyr]

Thank you! Yeah, it's funny how riding will change your view of the world and especially about wind.

My mind keeps changing!!! On sunday (our only day off together) we're going to ride around 60. We will mix street, bike trail, and hill riding all in there and we'll see how we feel. We will then drive the courses (after feasting at a local pub) and see how the hills compare to the ones we did.

My concerns are poorly maintained streets or bike lanes (DH has never done street riding) and hills beyond our capability. I'm good with long gradual climbs but I'm not in shape or geared for steep.

So, I want to do the 70. I will hope for the best when we drive the course. Regardless of what we do, I want us to do 70. The ride people said that we could mix it up with the various distances so that is always a possibility. Since this is a charity ride, I firmly believe in not taking the easy way out!!!

As a sidenote, I am doing the miles that was recommended in the link and I feel fine. In fact, I'm getting more energetic the more I do! DH, however, is only riding once a week due to time constraints though he's a strong person in general.

I've done many centuries in the past. I am sure you'll feel it and of course the hills are at the end! :D Seriously though, don't think about the distance too much (though I am known to obsess..."ok. Mile 25! I am 1/4 of the way through!"), make friends, and enjoy the rest stops! You'll reach a different plane of existence by the end but it is a good one. You might reach points where you question your sanity but it'll all be wonderful when you finish. It is a feeling that can't be recreated any other way and it is so great and you will be so proud of yourself!!!

[Bklynmom]

Thanks for all the encouraging words! I am feeling like every ride brings improvement these days - we will see what happen when I try the Piermont NY hill that swamped me Wednesday. I am going back tomorrow.

I am really excited about getting a century under my belt - your description is great, now I can't wait for May 20th:) .

[teigyr]

Be sure to get a picture (if they do that) or a shirt or something :) There is something so special about your first time.

I was dorky enough to plan it so the first one I ever did was Mojave by Moonlight. It was this crazy ride through the desert in the middle of the night. By 2am I was at mile 75 out with all the drunk people driving and trust me, I was questioning my sanity then! That and my computer had no backlight so there were times I had no idea how much longer I had to go, etc.

I honestly think you are ready and I can't wait to hear about it!!!

[Bklynmom]

Sunday I made it all the way up my big hill in Piermont, NY! I actually found it easer to go around 5.5 MPH up the Piermont hill than the 3 MPH I tried the first time. The chain did pop off twice because I was in too high a gear. All a good sign for the Montauk Century (well, not the chain popping off, but you get it:) )

The weather may be windy on Sunday, but I am still on for the full Century unless the winds are over 12-15 MPH.

Taking 2 days off, and then very light training 3 days. Also taking the bike to the mechanic this week.

When is your warm up ride?

[teigyr]

My bike went to the mechanic yesterday due to the front derailleur having some drama - chain was coming off on a semi-regular basis. I thought it was because of my rear derailleur/cassette change (that's when this all started) but it turns out the front one was loose. With any luck, it'll hold on saturday!

Aaargh, no ride on sunday. Well, 1.86 miles worth of ride. DH was not feeling well. I think a lot of it had to do with the stress of a "long" ride but he also has been working long hours then playing baseball (league play) with late night games. I did 44 miles on monday and 16 fast miles yesterday.

The 70 miles is slipping away, I'm afraid. We drove the 44 mile course and it is hilly and there is no shoulder on a lot of the route. I think I could do 70 but I know I'd feel it. He's only been riding a few months and I don't want this to be a bad experience for him....and I think I should ride the route he rides.

On the plus side, I'm climbing better :D The muscles are starting to kick in and I'm able to choose my gear instead of being in the extreme granny gear.

So, you nervous?!! It sounds like you have a good plan in place and there's really no reason to decide until you see the weather, etc., that day. It sounds like a great ride, if I was out there I'd do that one!!!

[Bklynmom]

My bike is at the mechanic too. :( He didn't like the way it felt when he pedaled it backwards. He'll take a closer look tonight. May need new parts and everything - uh oh. So hopefully it will be OK for Sunday. Did spinning class today since no bike.

Your route does sound tough, with few options for bailing out. You have a later ride that is your ultimate training goal right? You don't want to have a bad experience now that affects your mind set for the future event. On the other hand, I never advocate for doing less - it's a hard choice!

Sounds like your DH is a busy athlete -- but some really fit people seem to be able to pull themselves together and execute. My friend trained half heartedly for her 3 rd NY Marathon, decided to run at the last minute, and did fine.

Part of the bike does seem to getting the hang of when to gear the bike up and down - not just fitness, but strategy too.

[melissam]

OK ladies,

How did it go last weekend? :D

-- Melissa

[Bklynmom]

:) My ride was excellent - not that I didn't have a sore tush and other parts, but it went well. The flat Long Island topography became boring, and I did wish I had arranged to ride with a group. The rolling hills at mile 95 which I had been dreading were lots of fun and a welcome relief from Flat Flat Flat. I feel pretty good afterwards. My asthma bothered me a bit after the ride, not during, which I attribute to the spring plants blooming. Now that I am back in the plant free zone of NYC i feel much better.

Absolutely no serious muscle aches, knee pains etc! I did a five mile recovery ride the day after and I think it really helped. Chamois butter really works too.

I learned a lot and now know what I need to prepare for my 111 hilly miles in August. I need to find a riding partner or group (will be easier at PanMass).

I also need to figure out about eating and drinking. Drank way too much in the first 25 miles and could only think about the next rest stop, where of course there was a huge bathroom line. Also made the mistake of eating peanut butter at the 50 mile rest stop and proceeded to burp peanut butter for the next 25 miles. Ugh! Time to look into nutrition powders etc.

My training plan is to finish the 2 weeks of lactate threshold workouts I have left, and then concentrate on hills for about 4 weeks. I also want to be sure and do my long abs routine 3 times a week. This week I am taking it easy - today is day off, then a spin class Wednesday and another day off. Maybe a little weights one day.

All the advice and encouragement from you guys made all the difference. Thanks so much:) :) :)

[madscot13]

what is typography? Is it like topography? Or does it refer to some bike/ computer skill I should inately know? I am so lost.

[teigyr]

I am glad your ride went well!!!

We did the 44 mile option. DH had never ridden on the street, he hadn't been able to train, and I hadn't been training hills. It was hilly and windy (very windy, chairs were blowing away at the finish!) but also was a lot of fun.

I got up to 27.5 on a downhill! Not bad for a girl who's a wuss :D DH fell on an uphill, he had never really ridden hills on the street and didn't know it's difficult to clip back in.

The ride was very well supported too. I think we could have done 70 miles because the 70 mile route shared the 44 mile one with an additional loop north. I get the impression that most of the hills were on the 44 mile course. We finished strong and didn't feel tired at all. I WAS feeling leg fatigue though -- even a little sprint through a stop light made me think "ouch!".

Bklynmom, I am so glad you enjoyed it! You know...I always thought flat was more difficult than civilized hills. At least you get a break with rolling hills!

We're planning on a century some time this summer.

[Bklynmom]

Glad you had a good ride too - hope DH survived as well.

The hills really do make it interesting - now that they are becoming more manageable for me, and I have developed my momentum tricks, it is more fun. I think it's faster too.

I also think that flat riding in the same position for a long time is more stress-full on your knees than a variety.

I also discovered:
-Do not eat Peanut butter on a century
-Chamois butter works
-You can drink too much water
-I need to look into those energy drinks before I tackle 111 miles.

Sounds like you are more than ready to do amore demanding ride - hope your DH can find time to train too - you really do need company on the long ones! I wish my husband could find the time to train, it would be fun to do this together.

[rij73]

Hooray Bklynmom! Good job, and seems like you learned some valuable lessons for next time. I'll remember the peanut butter thing! :)

[melissam]

Bklynmom & teigyr & teigyr's DH,

Excellent, excellent work!! Thanks for posting the ride reports to satisfy my curiousity. ;)

Bklynmom, it's good to find out what you should & shouldn't eat during a ride. For me, I don't mind peanut butter. In fact, most things are fine for me, as long as I don't consume them before a particularly strenuous part of the route.

I also ran into the too much water issue on my last organized ride; I ended up making an impromptu rest stop of my own. OTOH, the consequences of too much water aren't nearly as severe as the consequences of too little water. Sometimes ya just gotta find a tree, if ya know what I mean!

Congrats on going for it and having a great ride!

-- Melissa

[Bklynmom]

what is typography? Is it like topography? Or does it refer to some bike/ computer skill I should inately know? I am so lost.

It refers to my lack of spelling skills - of course I meant topography;)

L

[madscot13]

Ha ha I am sorry I am new to biking and I have zero understanding of the lingo!