Things you wish you knew when training/riding your first century

[skywalkerbeth]

Hello

Well, the heat is really putting me off the training I had hoped for. It's not just hot it's insanely humid and "code red" for breathing if I'm not mistaken.

Ten weeks to go until my first century. It is going to go FAST.

What did you wish you knew, wish you did... when training for your first century? How about riding in it?

Mine will be the Seagull Century so it's pretty flat.

I thought this would be an interesting topic. Thanks for any replies!

[ny biker]

Actually, it is utterly and completely flat.

1. It's easier if Gatorade works for you, because they will supply it at the reststops so you won't have to worry about bringing your own electrolyte drink.

2. Have a good breakfast, and make sure it's something that won't upset your digestive system while you ride.

3. Make a packing list well before the ride so you won't forget anything.

4. If there's a nor'easter that day, just stay home. Trust me on this one.

5. If you're starting to feel cranky, achy, tired, wishing it would just be over already, etc., pull over and take a break. Have a snack and a drink. You'll feel better.

6. Those chicken farms do not smell good.

7. Smile and have fun!!

[indysteel]

I wish I'd made a point of keeping my stops short. There is nothing worse that trying to get your legs warmed up again on a hilly ride. Of course, you won't experience that at the Seagull Century. I've also learned to snack a bit between stops. After about 70 miles, I need more frequent food--something I can grab from my top tube bag.

[ny biker]

8. Only eat food if you're sure you can digest it while riding. This includes the homemade breads and the pie at the reststops. Lots of people can eat this stuff and be fine with it, but some of us can't. If it's chilly, that may affect your ability to digest food, because your body will have to work harder to keep you warm so it will take longer to digest things like homemade breads.

[DarcyInOregon]

The one thing I learned with respect to my own body is if the weather is extreme that day, like super hot or constant heavy rain, then don't do the century and just do whatever the short route is that is around 30-50 miles. Some people can ride in extreme weather; I can't. I've been on event rides where cyclists succumbed to heat stroke and heart attacks; I don't want to endanger my own health, so I am extra cautious on extreme heat days and will ride a shorter route.

As others observed about themselves is true of me also and that is I can't eat most of the stuff at the rest stops. I fill my water bottles with water, add my own electrolyte tablets, eat my own Power Bars and at most I will eat fresh fruit at the rest stop, then potato chips later in the ride if it is getting warm. I've biked with cycling buddies who can eat anything, thousands of calories at one rest stop, and it doesn't hinder their cycling at all, but my body can't eat and digest food like that.

[withm]

I wish I'd made a point of keeping my stops short. There is nothing worse that trying to get your legs warmed up again on a hilly ride. Of course, you won't experience that at the Seagull Century..

Yeah, the Seagull might be flat, but we make up for it with WIND. Lots of wind. Wind that does not stop. At least you can crest a hill and it's over. Not so with the wind.

And what ny biker said is true: 4. If there's a nor'easter that day, just stay home. 5-6-7-8 hours of riding in the rain AND WIND is just not worth it no matter how much you paid to participate in a ride with 6,000 of your closest friends.

[Grits]

Have a little baggy with some advil and a tums or two in it. Lifesaver if needed. On one ride, I really wish I had had a blister bandaid (they have a really strong adhesive) to cover up a place that was chafing.

Bring a snack or two that you can reliably eat and save it until the last part of the ride. I needed fuel, but could not stand the thought of eating what they had at the rest stops by then end of the ride. Luckily, a bag of fritos saved me.

Same with drink. If you normally drink something other than gatorade, bring a baggy or two of the mix or tablets or whatever to give yourself a break from the gatorade if it starts to get old- or at least alternate gatorade and water. After my first century, I couldn't drink gatorade again for months.

Ride from rest stop to rest stop.

[TrekTheKaty]

I reiterate all of the above about rest stops--stop at each one but make em quick (then you're all stocked up in case you miss a stop--it happens). On my first century, at the last stop, they were out of water and only had blue gatorade! BIL later threw away that water bottle--couldn't get the berry blue flavor out!

I'm celiac, so I carried most of the nourishment that I needed in a small handlebar bag (now i use bento and jersey pockets). Anything I found at rest stops I could eat was a bonus.

We also zip tie a tire under the seat or onto frame--don't want to risk waiting for the sag wagon on your big day!

[zoom-zoom]

Have a little baggy with some advil and a tums or two in it. Lifesaver if needed.

Skip the NSAIDs. Really. Kidneys are your friend. Renal failure is not.

[blue_angel]

I wrote all of my observations in this thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=43726

[Becky]

What Withm said. Do not underestimate the power of constant wind.

Eat and drink early and often, and bring some of your own snacks, just in case. Refill your bottles every chance you get. Bring some cash for stops, just in case.

Extra chamois cream in a packet or travel tub can be a godsend, especially if it's very humid or raining. Same thing with sunscreen.

Be prepared to change your own flats or fix minor mechanicals. It can be a long wait for the SAG wagon.

Have fun!

[bluebug32]

I learned to not stop too much and to be careful not to eat too much at the rest stops. Grap something, pee, and then get back on the bike quickly.

Also, don't stress out if you can't sleep the night before. You'll be running on adrenaline that day and you'll sleep like a baby the night after.

Regardless of how much you train, everyone seems to hit a point where dread sets in. The legs are tired, you're mentally tired and the damn thing is not over yet! For me, it was mile 80. I rode with two friends and luckily we all hit the wall at different points, so we could talk each other down.

[ny biker]

I don't remember the wind being a constant problem the first time I did the Sea Gull. Though there were windy sections, and there was a gust as I was crossing the bridge back from Assateague that blew me sideways pretty hard.

At the risk of sounding obsessed with food -- you'll also want to be careful about what you eat for dinner the night before. For me, having Mexican food before my first century was not a good idea. OTOH a huge bland meal at Cracker Barrel works great for me. You want something filling but easy on your digestive system.

It's harder to control your meals if you're staying in a hotel before the ride. I've been known to sneak a toaster into the hotel room so I can have waffles for my pre-ride breakfast. It's usually easier if you can eat something like oatmeal or cold cereal, if there is a microwave and fridge in the room.

Okay I think I'm done with food advice. :)

I've found that having a good song stuck in your head can make it easier to get through the tough parts of the ride. If necessary I will force myself to have a song stuck in my head by just focusing on one to keep my mind occupied. Of course that's if you're riding alone; if you've got someone to chat with, it helps the miles go by. If you're on your own and you find yourself riding at the same pace as a stranger, try striking up a conversation.

[blue_angel]

I've found that having a good song stuck in your head can make it easier to get through the tough parts of the ride. If necessary I will force myself to have a song stuck in my head by just focusing on one to keep my mind occupied. Of course that's if you're riding alone; if you've got someone to chat with, it helps the miles go by. If you're on your own and you find yourself riding at the same pace as a stranger, try striking up a conversation.

I actually wore earphones the whole time and listened to music. I probably wasn't supposed to, but I always ride listening to music and it makes all the difference. Especially when Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills" came on as I was climbing the largest hill of the day!

[skywalkerbeth]

Thanks for the info everyone! I'm plugging away. Because I was going 30 this morning I packed a breakfast bar and stopped at mile 20 to eat it.

Question:

I have exactly 10 more weeks to train. Week 11 is the actual ride. I didn't ride the first two wkds of July (hiking trip to Norway, so I was exercising daily just not biking) and then last weekend I didn't ride outside (TOO HOT!!).

So I've had one wkd in July where I did 22 miles one day, 10 the other... and then this morning I did 30 miles.

Meaning: 11 weeks out and I'm only at 30 miles. Should I be worried?

I think I will do 30 miles next wkd, two days... and then each Saturday add 5 miles per day and do that one day, with half of that the next day (Sunday) each week. By the end of Sept I should be at 70 miles and then Oct 7 I'll do 80 and be done with it. Is that a good idea or am I bumping up too quickly?

I mostly only ride Sat and Sun although I am adding a few gym workouts during the week. Yoga and probably non-spinning class indoor cycling.

[TrekTheKaty]

I believe most training programs take you up to 65 before a century--so you'll be fine.

[AppleTree]

11 weeks! That is almost three months, you have LOTS of time to get training miles in! I just completed the Seatte to Portland ride - 204 miles over two days...first day 120 miles. I didn't get nearly as much training in as I wanted to, my longest ride was 66 miles before the event, but I made it! Actually the first 100 miles that first day would have been fine... I was tired but okay...my legs were great... the last 20 miles nearly killed me. :rolleyes: And there was a big hill right before the end, adding insult to injury.

Things I learned:

REMEMBER your cyclocomputer. I forgot mine. I was so mad at myself... :mad: It really handicapped me.

Charge your phone completely! Put new batteries in your bike lights.

Don't start your ride too hard/fast. Go steady the first 20 miiles or so.

I brought a neck cooler thingy that saved my life the 2nd day it was rather warm... like a small neck scarf you soak, and it has microbeads that hold moisture and cool you off as you ride. Really, really, really helped me not overheat. Yes, I am sure it made me look like a dork, but I didn't care! :p

I am a slow rider, and on top of that I spent a little bit too much time at the rest stops. Keep your stops fairly short (noted in other posts).

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.

[ny biker]

I wouldn't bother bringing lights unless weather conditions require them. No point in carrying the extra weight.

Personally I do mileage increases 10 miles at a time.

[maggie's sister]

Hey Blue Angel...I think that riding with headphones seems like a pretty bad idea. A cyclist was killed nearby on Friday. She was listing to headphones (and not wearing a helmet).
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_749044.html

Be Safe.

My one bit of century advice is never eat the pizza at mile 72. Despite how good it looks, it will make you very unhappy.

[blue_angel]

Hey Blue Angel...I think that riding with headphones seems like a pretty bad idea. A cyclist was killed nearby on Friday. She was listing to headphones (and not wearing a helmet).
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_749044.html



I'm sure it adds some danger. But there are plenty of cyclists who've been hit and killed not listening to headphones and wearing helmets.

And after reading that article, it seems as though that rider wasn't paying attention to anything going on around her.

[Eden]

I'd highly encourage you to stop wearing headphones while cycling BlueAngel...

...PSA/ It is already illegal in some places (California) and other states are considering banning them not only for cyclists for pedestrians as well, at least in some situations, as data has definitely been showing headphones are a factor in more and more crashes.

Studies have also shown that for most people the simple act of wearing them causes a person to become less aware of their surroundings - in other words they don't have to be up loud and its not because you cannot hear that is the problem - it is because when you put on headphones your brain tends to tune out the world (and this could also be why for some ADHD individuals headphones/music helps them study - it helps them focus) /PSA...

(so yes indeed the rider in the story that was linked to was probably not paying attention to her surroundings and the headphones were likely a major factor in that)

[GingerbreadGirl]

AppleTree, where did you get the neck cooler? It sounds awesome!!!

I have microbead filling, I think I'll try to make one.

[Desert Tortoise]

I break up the ride into quarters, 25 miles at a time. This way I think, 25 miles done, next 25. I don't think 75 miles to go because it could overwhelm me especially if things aren't going like I want, like tailwinds. But seriously, it helped me a lot when I was around mile 70, my saddle was giving me grief and I was tired. At the next rest stop I took an extra 10 min to rest and thought, 35 miles to go (the course was 109 miles). 35 miles is an easy Sunday ride, I can do this. Sunday ride, that's all it is. And I was able to not only to finish, but finish faster and stronger than I expected because I focused on the fact that I had done so many 35 mile or less days and this seemed so easy compared to the 60+ mile days.

The neck thing, I got mine at REI. I use it for hiking and yard work. I've seen bicyclist once or twice using them around Tucson last year.

[ny biker]

I break up long rides by distance to the next reststop, which is generally 15-25 miles, sometimes as little as 10 or 11. There have been times when just focusing on the next reststop was the only thing that kept me from quitting. I've also been known to cry during the last 20 miles -- sometimes due to happiness (at reaching a milestone that meant I was almost done) and sometimes due to frustration.

[skywalkerbeth]

Hi everyone!

I have a Garmin watch that tracks miles and pace, is that good enough?

My friends who did it last year (and are doing it again) said they thought of it as 5, 20 mile rides. And what she did was break it down more into: every 5 miles, half a bottle of water. Every ten miles, a small snack. Every 20 was the rest stop. In 20 miles she had two bottles of water and two snack stops and a pee stop.

5 miles goes by pretty quickly so that's a good way to get your mind off of it (if you need to).

Not sure I am ready for weekly ten mile increases. Maybe? I did an 8 mile increase despite two full weeks off training, so maybe I could. Let's see how the next few weeks go.

What time of the day did you all ride? I'm leaving at 7 AM and when I get up to 40 miles I'm going to start at 6 AM.

[TrekTheKaty]

I brought a neck cooler thingy that saved my life the 2nd day it was rather warm... like a small neck scarf you soak, and it has microbeads that hold moisture and cool you off as you ride. Really, really, really helped me not overheat. Yes, I am sure it made me look like a dork, but I didn't care! :p


I just bought one of those! Dork factor was way high, but i think it helped. DH was starting to eye it after the first hour :D

[AppleTree]

AppleTree, where did you get the neck cooler? It sounds awesome!!!

I have microbead filling, I think I'll try to make one.

I got mine at a street vendor in Sisters, Oregon, but I found some info online on how to use/make/buy them. (Wish I knew how to insert a hyperlink)



Tips on using neck coolers: http://www.livestrong.com/article/183988-how-to-use-a-neck-cooler/

Instructions on how to make one: http://www.ehow.com/way_5166618_instructions-make-neck-coolers.html

http://www.amazon.com/THERAPY-COOLING-SCARF-BANDANA-CS-BL/dp/B004XX4XA8/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1312246854&sr=1-5


Amazon.com had several different styles and colors of these bandana things to choose from. They use a special kind of moisture absorbing bead, not a regular plastic bead, not sure what they are called.

When it's really hot it helps so much. My mother bought one for my sister-in-law who is a police officer in Florida a few years back. They were having terrible heat and fires and she was out directing traffic...someone offered $100 for hers but she wouldn't give it up! ;)

[AppleTree]

I break up long rides by distance to the next reststop, which is generally 15-25 miles, sometimes as little as 10 or 11. There have been times when just focusing on the next reststop was the only thing that kept me from quitting. I've also been known to cry during the last 20 miles -- sometimes due to happiness (at reaching a milestone that meant I was almost done) and sometimes due to frustration.


I wanted to cry, but there was no one around who would have seen me anyway, so I didn't bother. :rolleyes: I had to try as hard as I could to keep from crying like a baby at the finish line in Portland. From relief mostly I think.

I think the earlier start you can get the better, for so many reasons. Weather is cooler, less wind to deal with, less traffic on the roads.