MS150 in 2ish Months...

[Hammer]

First off, I'm sorry to all of you ladies who've suffered crashes and injuries already this season. Bleh!

Next, I had signed up for a MS150 ride which happens at the beginning of August. I guess in my head I thought it would be later in the month of August.

I got my roadbike almost two months ago. I rode about 36 miles on it, tipped over at a corner stop, cracked my radial head. So, I had a cast for two weeks and for the last two and a half weeks I've been working on regaining mobility and still have some work to do on strength.

I feel like I'm healing pretty well. I still have an achy elbow, but it aches opposite of where the crack happened (to my understanding). The physical therapist said that I should use my arm as long as it doesn't cause me pain. I asked if I could ride my hybrid, since that would be more upright and less pressure on my arm. He said he thought I could, if I'm super careful and don't over do it.

I went for a ride last Tuesday night. I rode around the block, felt fine. Rode the 3 mile loop that I would typically run, felt fine. So I putzed around my neighborhood and cranked out roughly 9 miles. Granted, I didn't break any speed records and my arm ached a bit, but it was ok.

So, I'm thinking about the MS150. I have just over two months left and practically no miles in my legs. I wasn't exactly seditary over winter, I walked and jogged several times a week. When I had my roadbike, I did a few 12-16 mile rides. But, that's a far cry from most suggested century training plans. I would like to do the 150 with a century one day, 50 the next. I don't know how I'm going to do that. 75/75 will be quite a challenge itself.

I figure I'll ride whenever I can... But today we have 22 mph winds! I might as well attempt a small stretch with that if I can fit a ride in, I have to work a show tonight. And I'm on vacation for 10 days in June. I'm going to see if my cousin has any bike at all that I could use to get in a few miles while I'm visiting them.

Do any of you lovely ladies have any suggestions? I just need to be able to do the ride respectably.... As in able to walk the next day and not 2+ hours after *everyone* else finishes. :D

[KSH]

Well, I just did a MS150 here in Dallas, TX. My boyfriend and I made it 133 miles. We took a short route on Sunday. So we did 78 miles on Sat. and 55 miles on Sun.

We just took it bit by bit.

We did the first 20 miles and then took a break. And then we did 10 miles to the next rest stop... and so on. When you take it in chunks like that, it's much more doable.

The most I had done in 1 day prior to this was 40 miles. Otherwise, I was putting in 50-80 miles a week on my bike. Neither of us really trained for it... since we were training for other things (a triathlon and duathlon).

OH, as far as the wind blowing... go ride in it lady. It will only make you stronger. After riding in 20-30 mph wind for the last 4 months, it only bothers me slightly now, and I can keep a 15-17 mph average in it.

Best of luck... you can do it.. but get some time on your bike before hand!

[Aggie_Ama]

I have rode the MS150 (Houston to Austin,TX) twice. Both times I felt great when I got off the bike. Last year I trained with an injured knee, so it can be done.I would listen to your doctors on how much you can do.

What I did both years was ride often (mostly 20 miles). We did two organized rides (max 76 miles) to get a feel for the group dynamics. I logged over 550 training miles in two months both years. It can be done, you have to be on the bike about 4 days a week. I would just build on each ride and try to increase the distance.

[Hammer]

Hey, so the MS150 is in two weeks. Over the last couple months I've ramped up my biking... though I could probably ride more, but I enjoy trying to run too. I've ridden 50 miles by myself twice, 62 miles with a group once before, 40 on my own and 30 ish multiple times.

Then this past week, I did a 50 mile ride on my own Tuesday morning. Friday I biked 30 miles with my riding buddy and tacked on another 20 on my own (head wind for the very last 10 coming back to town, unsure of the speed).

Yesterday my riding buddy and I joined 4 others from our club. We rode 65 miles. But at the turn around point (we rode to a town 30 miles away for coffee) we SO got dumped. On the way over I hung with the ladies and maintained 16-17 mph for awhile, but they were riding 3 across and I was behind. I couldn't hear anything they were saying, so I dropped back and hung out with my friend who was riding with one of the leader type guys from the club. I don't know how long I would've hung with the gals. I lost a little smoke on the way over, but we kept up a 14-15 mph pace. The other ladies I don't think put in rides the day before, though I don't think it would've mattered. Their all tough.

THEN, we were leaving Yankton. It didn't take long for those 4 to get a 1/2 mile ahead, then pretty soon they were probably a mile ahead. Less than 10 miles out of town and we didn't see them again. Bloody 'ell. I only just bought a hybrid one year ago this weekend. My friend has only been riding a little bit longer than that. I was on my Giant OCR1, she on a 20 year old Peugot. We were content with our performance, we averaged 14.4 or so over 65 miles, not bad. We are improving, but it was discouraging to get so blatantly blown away.

Anway. My friend and I will probably hang together for the MS150. I might putz around doing some photography along the way, then catch up with her or pull ahead and wait, etc. We think that if the weather is nice, like it has been the last two days... that a century could be possible the first day. We're certainly confident of 75/75.

My legs are a little tired today, but not bad. My rump is a little sore though. Definately not wearing my cheap cycling shorts for anything more than 30 miles anymore. Which means I need another pair of my Pearl Izumi Shorts... I'm blanking on the exact style, I think the microsensor short cut or short attack... one of the mid level priced, mid leg shorts.