Once You Ride A Century It All Changes!

[itself]

Ever since I did the Tour de Tucson 109 mile ride, long rides just do not bother me any more. I have not ridden for a month due to I'llness, and went out for a 40 mile ride yesterday. It was glorious! And too boot, I am not sore a bit today.

I think the mental challenge of centuries and brevets is the real challenge.

Anyone experience the same thing?

[pll]

Pain sometimes depends on the ride. Living in Flatlandia, if I do a hilly ride, I will be in some pain and with tight muscles by the end of it. However, there is an important mental component, and knowing you can do it helps a lot.

Same holds true for long flights: once I did a Chicago to Hong Kong direct flight (~16 hours), flights to Europe or South America seem short by contrast. Before, I would start getting really bored and uncomfortable after only 6 hours.

[nscrbug]

I guess I must be "different". I have been routinely doing rides of distances between 40-70 miles since the start of March, but I still find the thought of a 100-mile ride looming in my future, to be very challenging. And mind you...I've ridden well over a dozen century rides since I embarked on this cycling hobby 4 years ago, so I wouldn't exactly consider myself a "newbie" to centuries. I rode 65-miles yesterday, and 67 miles today...yet as of this moment right now, riding 100 seems almost impossible to me. I looked back on my Garmin stats last night, and we rode our 1st 100-miler of the season last year on May 1st. That's like a week away but I don't see myself being ready to ride 100 by then. Which kind of discourages me a bit. But then again, I go through this "mental block" sort of thing at the beginning of every riding season. We get up to riding a certain distance (say 60-70 miles) on a fairly consistent basis (a month or so) and then I feel like I can't get past that distance. Even though I know that I can and will. It's so weird. :confused:

Linda

[pll]

Just in case, 100 miles still seems daunting to me. But 100km seem very reasonable (in warmer weather than today!), by contrast. The last couple of years I have not done 100 mile rides: each of my centuries left me too tired, and took me too long.

[Crankin]

I've done one century; something has stopped me from doing one again. In fact, each year, I seem to do less and less longer 50+ mile rides, but yet, I have done more total miles for each year since.
Part of my problem is my refusal to "train" for such events. Most of my riding is pretty hilly and I use that as my training; anything else I know I can suffer through. I also don't want riding to become a chore.
I am thinking, though, that I will do a century again, this year. It's been 6 years.

[Catrin]

My first year cycling was 2010, and I had a goal of doing a 200k brevet at the end of October - in "training" for that I wound up with several over-use injuries that took me off the bike entirely for about 5 months - and the closest I ever got that year was 75 miles.

Last year I refused to "train". The furthest I rode on the road last year was 45 miles at one time and I didn't regret that, but I was also spending a lot of time learning how to mountain bike. This year I would like to do a couple of metrics along with my trail riding, but I've no goals for a longer ride than that - if it happens then it happens :)

I would LIKE to do a full century - but I've got to learn how to "train" for it without allowing my OCD tendencies to take over. I would like to think I wouldn't do that and would pay attention to my body but I know me. Perhaps if I had someone to do it with I could overcome that, but I don't see that happening unless I get faster - and with my riding position I just don't see that :o

[Becky]

I agree that a huge part of long rides is mental. For me, the mental game starts somewhere around 80% complete, regardless of ride length. It happens with metric centuries, with imperial centuries....distance doesn't matter, I just want to be DONE.

No centuries last year...maybe I'll do one this year. For me, metrics are the perfect distance- long enough to be a "long ride" and short enough to leave me with energy for the rest of the day.

[murielalex]

Nice to see this thread as it interests me. I'm a new rider, and the longest I've done so far is about 40 miles. I have a 165-mile, two-day charity ride (100 day one, 65 day two) in November. I've been reading up on nutrition and training, and trying to get miles in as much as I can. I'm still in newbie no-knowledge=no fear mode, though I already get the mental piece. On the last couple miles of my longest ride, my left foot just didn't want to be clipped in anymore. It was entirely mental, with no pain, just the feeling of being trapped. I made myself crazy miserable in my head. I'm working up to do enough miles fast enough to start training with co-workers, who are also doing the Fall ride and have done it before. I'm open to any and all advice and would love hearing others' experience.

[marni]

I usually ride in the 50-70 mile ride several times a week but I agree that for some reason, 100 seems to feel a bit more daunting. The nice thing is that I got such a high the first time I did 100 miles that it makes a happy incentive each time I ride another. I think that there is a real feeling of self assurance and toughness that comes from riding your first long distance ride, as well as the insane sense of satisfaction that comes from having done your first multi thousand foot long slow climb. After having done Emerson pass in NM (8,000 feet in 15 miles-not horrifically steep but long), I fear no climb.

That being said, it helps me if I can breakany long ride such as a century ride down in to smaller parts. For example, for me a century is three units of 25 miles one of 15 miles and one of 10 miles mentally because the first 25 are what I usually do as an easy leg stretcher Sunday ride for coffee and to stretch my legs. The second and third units combined are what my normal training ride is, the next fifteen miles are an grit your teeth period at the end of a long training session, and the last 10 are from the nearest coffee shop to home. Hokey but it works for me.

Still there comes a point in any ride when you and your body are just ready for the ride to be over. Fortunately for me, I ride solo so if and when that feeling hits I know I still have to get myself home. Usually a stop and actually getting off of the bike and getting something to eat and drink and do a few stretches helps me to hitch up my big girl panties and get on the way.

marni

[zoom-zoom]

It's kinda funny...I ran 3 marathons and found them to be insanely difficult and sorta miserable, for me (I never could get beyond the 22 mile mark without horrid calf cramps). But riding across the state of MI (~147 miles) was challenging and fun. I have friends who run marathons on a regular basis and are totally in awe of my cross-state ride. I am in awe of people who run marathons with relative frequency and enjoy being on their feet for so many miles.

I love working up to century rides. Part of what I love is the sociability of it. I don't mind running alone for hours (with audiobooks on the iPod), but I really loathe riding for more than maybe 2 hours by myself. When I've done century rides they've all been with my hubby and friends...like a rolling party!

[Owlie]

Still haven't managed as much as a metric, though that's in the works this summer, if I can keep this abdominal muscle happy. I think a big part of it is mental. It took me a year to break the 30-mile mental barrier, then another year to break the 40-mile barrier. My brain is weird.
My own issue is that I ride alone, and that gets super boring after a while. I'm also a slowpoke and just having time for rides that are that long--never mind the training--is a little difficult, being a student.

[Catrin]

...I love working up to century rides. Part of what I love is the sociability of it. I don't mind running alone for hours (with audiobooks on the iPod), but I really loathe riding for more than maybe 2 hours by myself. When I've done century rides they've all been with my hubby and friends...like a rolling party!

I can see this! I think that, for me, the key of riding longer than a metric is to ride with friends...but my speed really does impact finding someone willing to ride that long at my average pace of 13 to 13.5. I am getting faster on my Gunnar but my very upright riding position limits me in that department, especially in the wind. Riding by myself a metric is plenty long enough for a solo ride and I want to do at least a couple this year.

[Melalvai]

I agree with breaking it up into smaller parts. I see a century as two 50-mile rides. Since my bike is slow (or, if you ask her, her engine is slow!), a century would (and did) take me 10 hours. That's a LONG time to be on a bike. All my long rides, the century as well as the 10-day trip to Omaha and back, were done with plenty of breaks.

One lesson I learned is if you stop for a meal, you need extra time after you've finished eating to digest. That's probably true of snacks as well.

[itself]

I would love to do the RAGBRAI. It sounds like a hoot with a lot of fun people. That being said, I have other interests such as hiking, kayaking and guitars. So as much as I love to ride, I don't want to spend all day on my bike every Saturday as some do. It's moderation and life balance for me!

[Jo-n-NY]

I am in the same boat as many. I have 5 centuries under my belt. The last 2 yrs the longest ride were metrics. That is the perfect distance for me where I have to push a bit from mile 50 but don't feel knocked out at the end. It is mile 75 where I have had more than enough time on the bike.

This year I signed up for yet again a century Ride to Montauk since the way it is set up it is too inconvenient to ride the metric. However, for the first time in years I am excited about it. I completed my sub challenge and rode the bike 100 consecutive days (full challenge is 300 for the year no less than 10 miles since some rides are on the trainer). I feel stronger and hope to do the century in less time.

Like Marni said, part is mental and I have it in my head that it is a day to be on the bike and stopping to take a break every 25 miles. After that 75th mile I will stop to stretch and enjoy the scenery if need be. Now lets hope it works.

[Jaclyn]

I rode about a dozen or so centuries every year for a couple of years until a few years ago. It also felt like a challenge and I was usually concerned about an upcoming century.

Then I entered my first 24 hour ride five years ago. The goal was just to do longer than I'd ever done (108 miles). Managed 252!

Since then I've become a randonneur and did the super randonneur series in 2010 & 2011 (200km, 300km, 400km, 600km). And the first 1000 kms of PBP (sadly dnf'd at second to last control). "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

For me, breaking thru the barrier of a century was the hardest part. Most "long" rides that we see and hear about are a maximum of 100 miles. I thought that was the limit. Once I learned that I could ride beyond 100, the long rides have been much easier. Now riding a 100 miles is just a ride like any other. (I rarely even think "I'm riding xx miles." I think "I'm riding 42 miles to the next control.")

[nscrbug]

Wow Jaclyn...your cycling distances are admirable! For that last 4 years that I've been seriously cycling, my riding buddy and I have aimed to ride a 100-miler each month from May to Sept/Oct. I have tried to treat each century, as just another ride...but I still struggle with that. Centuries don't come easy for me, so I will always consider them to be a challenge...no matter how many I've done. :p

Linda

[azfiddle]

I did my first century in November 2011- also El Tour de Tucson. In January I rode a 200k brevet, and in February I rode another century (under very windy conditions!). Having done one, the next one definitely seemed less intimidating.

Actually, I think the thought riding to the top of Mt. Lemmon (over 60 miles and 8000 feet of climbing, in one day was more intimidating, but now that I have done it once, I don't have any doubts I can do it again.

[Owlie]

I can see this! I think that, for me, the key of riding longer than a metric is to ride with friends...but my speed really does impact finding someone willing to ride that long at my average pace of 13 to 13.5. I am getting faster on my Gunnar but my very upright riding position limits me in that department, especially in the wind. Riding by myself a metric is plenty long enough for a solo ride and I want to do at least a couple this year.

Come ride with me! I'm a slowpoke! ;)

[Roadtrip]

Come ride with me! I'm a slowpoke! ;)

There she goes again trying to make us think she matches the critter in her profile pic!! Yeaaaaaaaaa

[goldfinch]

My first year cycling was 2010, and I had a goal of doing a 200k brevet at the end of October - in "training" for that I wound up with several over-use injuries that took me off the bike entirely for about 5 months - and the closest I ever got that year was 75 miles.

Last year I refused to "train". The furthest I rode on the road last year was 45 miles at one time and I didn't regret that, but I was also spending a lot of time learning how to mountain bike. This year I would like to do a couple of metrics along with my trail riding, but I've no goals for a longer ride than that - if it happens then it happens :)

I would LIKE to do a full century - but I've got to learn how to "train" for it without allowing my OCD tendencies to take over. I would like to think I wouldn't do that and would pay attention to my body but I know me. Perhaps if I had someone to do it with I could overcome that, but I don't see that happening unless I get faster - and with my riding position I just don't see that :o

Wish I could ride with you and Owlie!

[Catrin]

Come ride with me! I'm a slowpoke! ;)

I've heard about your being a slowpoke (not) :) Seriously though, you are too far away...and with gas prices as they are it makes it difficult to go on road trips as often as I once did :o

[Owlie]

I've heard about your being a slowpoke (not) :) Seriously though, you are too far away...and with gas prices as they are it makes it difficult to go on road trips as often as I once did :o

Yeah, I know. However, if you ever feel the overwhelming need to come to Yellow Springs, well... ;)

[Catrin]

Wish I could ride with you and Owlie!

Goldfinch, where are you located?


Yeah, I know. However, if you ever feel the overwhelming need to come to Yellow Springs, well... ;)

I do really enjoy Yellow Springs and Young's Dairy. I think it would be great to have a little group trail ride with you, Roadtrip, and any other interested Ohio or Indiana TE member to take advantage of both. Someday...

[Slowspoke]

My longest so far has be 68 very hilly (for Michigan) miles. It was the 3rd day of a 365 mile tour. I got 2 miles from the end and had to get off my bike, shed a couple tears, get back on and go! LOL How's that for big girl panties? I haven't been riding too much in the last couple years but am feeling the pull again! Now I want to do a century. I have a vague idea that I will do one in September. It does seem so very long and I am pretty slow!

[Cynedra]

DH and I plan to do one in early October. I imagine most of the others will take 4 to 6 hours to do it. DH and I will probably take all day. We are planning to start about two hours before everyone else.

[DolceVida]

Wow, you ladies are so inspiring! I started riding last August and my boyfriend and I are getting ready for the San Diego Century on May 19th. We're going to ride the 66 mile course. So excited and really nervous!

They send you suggested training mileage each week, so I have been trying to follow that so I'm hopefully in some sort of shape to do this thing. Today was 55 miles and we even included a surprise intense hill workout around mile 38. I made it up every hill tho!

Anyway, hearing all of your successes helps - makes me think I can do this! Thanks!!