the century (100 miles) poll

[caligurl]

a thread on another site made me think of this poll.... to me... since before i even rode... a century has just been "the thing to do".... so naturally for me... i had a goal from almost day one to do one...

the discussion at the other site made me think that the majority of people not only don't ride centuries.... that most have no desire... (and non riders think i'm a freak when i tell them i'm going out to ride 100 miles... heck.. they think i'm a freak if i ride 50 miles! and mention that i climbed to big bear on my bike! they can't comprehend! lol! but i digress!)

now i'm not saying one is bad or good... cuz as long as you are out riding... THAT's what is IMPORTANT! but i'd like to get a feel for what they gals do/think!

so i'm making a yes (i've done a century), no (but plan to), no (and have no desire whatsoever!), of course a "what's a century!" and an other to cover any other reasons!

you can just vote... or add an explaining or commenting post!

[Bikingmomof3]

I do not see the actual poll yet, so I shall just answer. I have not done a century yet, but have every intention of doing several. :)

Edit: as soon as I posted the poll showed up. So, i will add my vote.

[caligurl]

it's there now! i guess it posted my post first.. .then the poll? (i've never done a poll on here before! lol!)

[mimitabby]

This year I have done two. One was a lot easier, a there and back century up a gently rolling slope and back.
The second was from Seattle to Bellingham; a lot more varied terrain, hills, flats along Puget Sound (ie headwinds) it was a lot harder but definitely worth it.
I am sure I will do more centuries, but a more favorite ride length for me is a metric century (60 odd miles)

[tulip]

I rode over 100 miles about 20 years ago. I regularly rode 40-60 when I was racing, but since the women's races were so short back then (20 miles for crits, 35 or so for RR), it wasn't necessary to ride that far.

I recently rode 70 miles, and plan on riding a century in October. I think I can do it!

[caligurl]

I think I can do it!

you must remove the "think" or change it to KNOW! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/113.gif

a LOT of the century is mental.... go into it thinking you WILL do it! and you will!

[dobielover1]

Hoping to be able to do my first one next year.

[chickwhorips]

when i get around actual roads and get a road bike i want to do one. so sometime in the future.

[Fredwina]

Centuries are fun.
Of course, I was trying to do one a month this year. maybe I should get a recumbent trike... Hard to ride with you arm in a sling

[oxysback]

My century goal is to do the first half of the Seattle to Portland ride in 2007.

[Cassandra_Cain]

I did one. Exactly one. It was back in 2000 and in Florida no less.

As far as centuries go, it was admittedly an easier variety. Total elevation gain was what, 12 feet, maybe? I forgot how tall that bridge was we had to go over :D

Nowadays that I'm back riding, I seem less concerned with miles and mileage goals. These days I'm all about doing big mountain climbs. I'd really like to do the mt-evans hill climb next year.

[tprevost]

I am sure I will do more centuries, but a more favorite ride length for me is a metric century (60 odd miles)


I'm doing my first full century next Saturday, but I'm w/you mimitabby, my favorite is the metric! Its a long ride, but not so long where the training takes a huge amount of time!

I'll probably stick w/metrics after Saturday if for not other reason than training time constraints (new job)... but it really is the distance I like best!

T~

[caligurl]

I did one. Exactly one. It was back in 2000 and in Florida no less.

As far as centuries go, it was admittedly an easier variety. Total elevation gain was what, 12 feet, maybe? I forgot how tall that bridge was we had to go over :D

Nowadays that I'm back riding, I seem less concerned with miles and mileage goals. These days I'm all about doing big mountain climbs. I'd really like to do the mt-evans hill climb next year.

lol at the 12 feet elevation gain century! i've heard that florida is as flat as a pancake! (i get more than 12 feet riding around my block! yikes!)

out here we have both... climbing and centuries combined! a couple of biggies are "breathless agony" (112 miles and 12000 feet) and "ride around the bear" (100 miles and 8000+ feet).... and of course there's always "king of the mountains" (http://www.planetultra.com/KOM/index.html): 3 rides.... 323 miles... 30,800 feet of climbing!

however... ANY century is a BIG accomplishment!!!!!! and is something to be VERY proud of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AuntieK]

Planning on my first full century this Saturday. It's called ULCER (for Utah Lake Century Epic Ride).

[chickwhorips]

auntiek is there a reason why its called ULCER?

[Tater]

Yup, have completed one and now I've been bitten by the long distance bug!

Chick: ULCER is the initials. Re-read the last part of Auntie's post! ;)

[Cassandra_Cain]

lol at the 12 feet elevation gain century! i've heard that florida is as flat as a pancake! (i get more than 12 feet riding around my block! yikes!)

out here we have both... climbing and centuries combined! a couple of biggies are "breathless agony" (112 miles and 12000 feet) and "ride around the bear" (100 miles and 8000+ feet).... and of course there's always "king of the mountains" (http://www.planetultra.com/KOM/index.html): 3 rides.... 323 miles... 30,800 feet of climbing!

however... ANY century is a BIG accomplishment!!!!!! and is something to be VERY proud of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha! Glad you enjoyed that caligurl :)

I did that century on my MTB which was perfect, as it gave me a reason to rationalize my agonizingly slow average speed!

Maybe I'll have to go to Cali to do one of those high elevation centuries, or the Tour de Gila which we have here.

Oh and be careful riding around your block....12 feet is a lot you know :P

[KSH]

Well... I will be doing an Ironman by 2010... and I will have to ride over 100 miles while competing.

It's my plan to start trying more 100 mile rides between now and then... to get use to it.

[caligurl]

Ha! Glad you enjoyed that caligurl :)

I did that century on my MTB which was perfect, as it gave me a reason to rationalize my agonizingly slow average speed!

Maybe I'll have to go to Cali to do one of those high elevation centuries, or the Tour de Gila which we have here.

Oh and be careful riding around your block....12 feet is a lot you know :P

lol!

OMG! i could NEVER so a century on my mountain bike! NO WAY! NO HOW! NOT HAPPENING!!! YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.smileycons.com/img/sports/09.gif

[mimitabby]

My century goal is to do the first half of the Seattle to Portland ride in 2007.
Piece of Cake, Oxysback, you won't have trouble doing that one. But you live in Oregon, why dont you the second half? It's not as far for you to drive!

[salsabike]

I have done four, all on a tandem: one each day over two days in the Seattle to Portland ride last year; and two during the one-day STP this year. Furthest I've gone on my single is 60 miles. It IS a thrill to do a century.

Oops, edit--I've done five. Forgot a practice century two weeks before STP this year.

[latelatebloomer]

My first century is coming up 10/7. Everyone who knows me says I'll definitely be able to do it. Except for the woman in the mirror...I have a lot of riding yet to do to feel ready.

[Fredwina]

I was going to try and do a century a month this year. Life broke that plan(pun intended!)

[li10up]

I voted no, but I plan to. Although that isn't technically correct since I'm not really making a plan to do so. But the seed is planted somewhere in the back of my brain and hopefully it will sprout sometime in the near future. Right now with it being 100 degrees out every evening after work I can barely do 20 miles. Maybe when it gets cooler I'll be able to ride further. Are we ever going to get a break from this heat!?:(

[chickwhorips]

Chick: ULCER is the initials. Re-read the last part of Auntie's post! ;)

i got the initials part, i was just trying to be funny and see if there was another story to the ULCER part. (like it was so hard it gave me an ULCER.)

[GLC1968]

I rode my first century this past Saturday with my husband, and I plan on riding many, many more. Our next one is in less than a month...I'm totally HOOKED!

I want to do mountain centuries next...he's not so sure! ;)

[DebW]

I think I did one about 30 years ago on a tour to Cape Cod, but it wasn't really intentional. I'd like to do some on purpose in the next few years.

[SnappyPix]

My last ever event here in NZ will be the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge Century.
I fly out of the country and back home to England two days later.
I figured it was one hell of a way to leave with a blast!

[Brandy]

First century coming up on Saturday! :D

[salsabike]

First century coming up on Saturday! :D

Go girl! Is this a Brandy-Tiffanie ride? (that's your frequent ride partner, right?)

Just remember, if you can already do xx amount of miles, you can do xxxx amount just this once! (that's what you say to yourself, that is..worked for me). From all your posts, sounds like you're plenty ready. Look forward to your ride report!

[caligurl]

Go girl! Is this a Brandy-Tiffanie ride? (that's your frequent ride partner, right?)


uh oh! you shouldn't have asked about tiffanie and this ride! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/212.gifhttp://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/216.gif

(and PLEASE! whatever you do.... do NOT ask about tim mcgraw!) http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/207.gif

[HappyAnika]

I'm doing my first metric in a couple of weeks. I have my sights on a century next June.

Caligurl, I just have to say how much I love your animated emoticons, they always crack me up!

[chickwhorips]

(and PLEASE! whatever you do.... do NOT ask about tim mcgraw!) http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/207.gif

ok so you know what that means now...... http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i295/fairie1323/tapfoot.gif we're waiting....

[bikerchick68]

yup... done a few now...

good poll Cali. This has become a topic of conversation more than once. I have met people who race who are more about speed than distance... and damn, I admire them. They are crazy fast. Then we'll talk about me and distance and I explain that this is my "niche" in the bike world. And they are always equally impressed that I'm willing and able to sit on a saddle that long and ride that far. I'm not fast, not a natural sprinter, not a natural climber. Heck, to be honest I'm not a natural athlete. To call myself an athlete even now sometimes surprises me.

BUT, I'm determined. Once I "hit my groove" on the bike, I can ride it for a loooong time (fortunate since centuries take me a long time! LOL) You're right to say it's very mental. Yes, you have to build miles to do distance. But if you decide to do it, you just will. And the more you ride the easier everything becomes, due in part to the change in your own perception. What I NOW call a roller may be a climb to a new rider. And what YOU call a hill... I call sick. :D

[bcipam]

Lets see:

Tour de Tucson
Palm Springs (twice)
Cool Breeze (several times)
Wildflower (several times)
Eastern Sierra Fall Century (hard ride for me but would like to do it again)
Spooktacular (several times)
Amtrak (several times)
Hellweek - Frederick'sburg Texas - 3 days out of 8 (the rest were metrics)
Lighthouse - twice


I tend to stay local. too cheap to travel much.

I also like metrics or even up to 80 - 85 miles after that, my feet are on fire. Legs however always seem to be fine, but my feet give in.

[caligurl]

ok so you know what that means now...... http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i295/fairie1323/tapfoot.gif we're waiting....

shhhhhhhhhhhh

uhm.... well.... tiffanie was SUPPOSED to go to cool breeze with brandy... BUT.... she also had the chance to go see tim mcgraw's GORGEOUS tushie in concert..... so.... yep.... tiffanie DITCHED brandy!

brandy held the grudge against her for a while... but fortunately brandy found some new playmates and has forgiven tiff... but i believe it cost tiff... i just forget what???????????

i just don't want the old feelings brought up... ya know.... keep their friendship in tact... why do MEN always come between women friends?????

[caligurl]

good poll Cali. This has become a topic of conversation more than once.


thanx!

i actually asked cuz over in BF someone was saying they (hubby and wife) were doing a century... then a LOT of people came back saying MOST riders DO NOT do centuries! that kinda shocked me... i though (IMO) that most at least wanted to do one! not even a crazy one.... but it seemed like a LOT Of posters were saying.. nope... never did one... never want to... most don't... etc... so i decided to do a poll here!

i also seem to remember that other forum (ahem) that a LOT of people would post at different times that they have never done even one! (nor did they want to do one!)

so far i find the numbers here quite nice! most either have done or want to do! GOOD for ALL of them! WAY TO GO!!!!

[chickwhorips]

ahhh i understand cali.... that is a tough one to choose between.

[PinkBike]

DH and i did the casa grande (AZ) century earlier this year. after fnishing (like 6 hours i think), we swore NEVER AGAIN. but now, time has passed, pains are forgotten, so lately i've been looking for another one in the very near future. what a sense of accomplishment!

[im4smiley]

I just signed up for my 1st century, supposed to be kinda flat. I will do it on Sept 9th. I am curious, when you girls do more than one century (thinking ahead to maybe next year) do you give yourself some time between them. Say maybe a couple weeks or month?

[Aggie_Ama]

I have done one- 102 miles to be exact. It was the Outlaw Trail Century in Round Rock, Texas last fall. The ride was poorly supported, but I didn't have problems until mile 96 or so.

DH and I have done the Houston to Austin MS150 twice and day one is close to a century. This year it was 95 miles and I wanted to head 2.5 miles down the road to get the century. DH would have none of that nonsense. :p That leg of the MS150 is mostly flat so I felt great by La Grange. Day two is 80 miles of hills, hills and more hills.

I prefer 60-75 miles myself. Somewhere after 80 miles I begin wondering if I hate myself? We will do more centuries, probably one this fall, but I like the Metrics better.

[caligurl]

I prefer 60-75 miles myself. Somewhere after 80 miles I begin wondering if I hate myself? We will do more centuries, probably one this fall, but I like the Metrics better.


my favorite line" "and i PAID to do THIS?????????"

[kelownagirl]

Does riding a century always have to be an organized ride? I have done several metrics but they have always just been long rides with DH that ended up at about 100 km. Actually, both times we got home at about 96- 97 km and rode around the neighbourhood till the odometer rolled. :) Anyway, we figured it would be just over 160km to ride to the next town and back so that will probably be our first full century. I'd rather do a flat one first though...

[makbike]

I rode my first century last year and absolutely loved it so I rode another the following week. I did not have as much fun on the second one but still felt great about my accomplishment that day.

I've ridden two this year. The first one was very hilly and though I can't say I feeling good at the end, mentally I felt on top of the world because of all the hills I had climbed that day - quite an accomplishment for me.

I rode a century this past weekend and had a fantastic time on the bike. I felt really strong and at the end felt like I could continue riding for some time (guess all those mles I've logged this summer paid off). The best part of this century was I rode with my BF on and off throughout the day.

I would agree mind set is so very important. The days I've gone in smiling and riding my ride I've had a wonderful experience. Those in which I was dreading it and not able to find my rhythm I've had to grit it out and talk myself through the last 20 miles or so.

[jeannierides]

I've done The Great Peanut Tour twice, and the Ride Between the Waters (Chesapeake) once. The Peanut Tour was my fav... lots of cool stops and the town people really got into it.

http://www.greatpeanuttour.com

http://cbes.org/events_biketour.htm

[Nanci]

First one, Santa Fe Century, Gainesville, FL, October 2005

Horrible Hundred, Clermont FL, November 2005
200k Brevet, Gainesville, FL, January 2006
300k Brevet, Gainesville, FL, February 2006
Great Valentine Century, Sanford, FL February 2006
Personal Century (scouting 400k route) Alachua, FL February 2006
400k Brevet, Gainesville, FL March 2006
600k Brevet, Gainesville, FL April 2006
TOSRV 2-Day 200 miles, Quincy, FL and Cairo, GA April, 2006
3-State 3-Mountain Century, Chatanooga, TN May 2006
200k Brevet, Tampa, FL May 2006
200k Brevet, Clermont, FL June 2006
200k Brevet, Clermont, FL July 2006
200k Brevet, Tampa, FL August 2006

********************

Planned:

200k Brevet, Satellite Beach, FL September, 2006
(Six Gap Century, Dahlonega, GA Sept 2006- I will probably do 50 not 100)
200k Brevet, Okeechobee, FL October, 2006
Santa Fe Century, Gainesville, FL October, 2006
(Horse Farm Hundred the following day, I will probably do 50, not 100)
200k Brevet, Cape Coral, FL November, 2006
Horrible Hundred Century, CLermont, FL November 2006
200k Brevet, West Palm Beach, FL December, 2006
200k Brevet, Gainesville, FL January 2007- this will complete my R-12 Series of 1-200k certified ride per month for 12 months!

[GLC1968]

Cali - that post on the other forum that got you thinking? Yeah, that was my husband! :eek:

We've had some discussions about the responses over there as well. Most of the people I know who ride (IRL) somehow think centuries are way out of their league...and I happen to know that they aren't!!

It's all in the attitude! :p

[Fredwina]

Well, let's see:
Past
2002
ad hoc - was riding with some friend in Harrisburg ,pa. We were going to do 75, but made a wrong turn and ended up with 85, so we did another 15. I was on a Specialized Sirius Hybrid
Harrisburg Bicycle Club Three Creek Century
2003
Lebanon (PA) No Baloney
2004
MS150 City to the Shore Century option. my pr 17.1 mph!
2005
Amtrak
2006
January Stagecoach -Octotillo, CA
February Tour of Palm Springs
March Solvang - real Fun, :rolleyes:
April Hemet
May Cruising The Conejo
June Ride Around the Bear
July Windmill
Future
I need to can cell my Amtrak registration don't the shoulder will let me do it,
I'm signed up and paid for El Tour De Tuscon, an d have a Hotel Room for the Las Vegas century, but haven't registered yet> Form what the Orthopedist said, My Fracture should be healed, but it's a small event, so I'm going to wait.
Still debating whether to make the two lost centuries this year.
2007 - Brevets - not sure if I'll do the San Diego or San Luis Obispo Series

[Bad JuJu]

Whoa, Nanci--you're my new hero! I've never even done a 100-mile century, though I've done two metric centuries and a half-century.

As some others have said too, I really like the metric century--it's a challenge but it's not as daunting as the full century. And I'm so sllloooowwww that it would probably take me all day to do 100 miles.:D

So, tell me, Nanci, why is the Horrible Hundred so horrible?

[Geonz]

I've done some centuries - some we create (there's a spring ride 20 miles from town, so we ride out and do their supported ride and ride back; comes out to 90-100 miles, depending on where you live). I'm not a slave to the number 100 - if 95 miles is what I've done and I'm *done,*, well, I'm done. Too many people break bones on that last ski run.
Centuries take a long time - I know many devoted riders who just haven't done them just because it hasn't come around on the guitar, so to speak. I know one guy who did one on a brutally hot day, so now he says he can't do them. Argh.
I've also done a double metric and the Ride Across Indiana - it's a good feeling to be strong enough to do that. It so didn't happen overnight, though it did sneak up on me- it didn't happen because of grueling discipline either, just getting out and having fun riding.

I *love* the Peanut Ride. [long reminiscence coming:]

I've even driven there from here for it twice. I arrived at dawn at the motel where my friends were staying and a cop followed me into the parking lot... but once I got out and looked at Clyde's car, which had some encryption that was supposed to tell me which room they were in, he drove away. I took an hour's nap in the front seat and then we rode my longest ever ride then, the Lake Gaston ride. I was so afraid that sleep deprivation would propel me to bonkville that I paced myself really carefully... so I was fine.
THe next day we did the metric (63 miels) and I'll never forget realizing jus thow much progress I'd made. My first and second metrics were both at the Peanut Ride in subsequent years; the second time we at least got back in time to meet the 3:00 official "Peanut Ride" halfway... but both times I was pretty pooped and it was definitely a ride from one rest stop to the next (never more than 12 miles). I'd averaged 11 and 12.5 mph respectively and proud to finish. (Oh, and I wasn't alone back there, either ;-))
This time we came out of the 50-mile rest stop and we were on a crowded hill ... I didn't like it! So I pulled out and charged to the front... and heard a women say in something almost like awe, "Oh my G*d!" I looked down and I was going 17mph... uphill after 50 miles (on a heavy hybrid, too, but I didn't realize that added to the effect)! It wasn't a big hill, and I didn't have a *whole* lot left... but it was there :D :D

[caligurl]

Cali - that post on the other forum that got you thinking? Yeah, that was my husband! :eek:

We've had some discussions about the responses over there as well. Most of the people I know who ride (IRL) somehow think centuries are way out of their league...and I happen to know that they aren't!!

It's all in the attitude! :p

isn't is WAY different here than the responses over there! i was really surprised that so many people over there were saying that most riders don't even think about it! i mean... i know that the beach cruiser riders most likely don't even know what a century is... much less want to ride one... but from this forum and even (until i read that post) at BF... i thought that once you became a roadie... even a recreational roadie... that you had aspirations to do at least one!?

and i really DO think that the biggest part of a century IS mental!!!! you can be superfit... but if you don't think you can do it... and start talking yourself out of it at the first sign of pain... it's not gonna happen!

so if that was hubby's thread... i can't remember... have you done your century? are are you still in training for it?

[caligurl]

Does riding a century always have to be an organized ride?

absolutely not!!!! as long as it's 100 miles.... if it's an impromptu ride wtih hubby or friends... it's STILL 100 miles! so still a century!

i'm just a fan of organized centuries! they allow me to eat junk food :rolleyes:

plus they allow me to see areas i'm not from... without the worry of figuring out my own way since they give me a map (and even arrows sometimes! lol!)

[GLC1968]

plus they allow me to see areas i'm not from... without the worry of figuring out my own way since they give me a map (and even arrows sometimes! lol!)

That's why I like the organized ones, too!


Yes, ours was on Saturday and it went quite well. It was much less hilly than I had anticipated, and it rained for the first 40 miles, but I enjoyed it none-the-less. Oh, and I was amazed at how little soreness I had on Sunday! I can't wait for the next one :D

[caligurl]

That's why I like the organized ones, too!


Yes, ours was on Saturday and it went quite well. It was much less hilly than I had anticipated, and it rained for the first 40 miles, but I enjoyed it none-the-less. Oh, and I was amazed at how little soreness I had on Sunday! I can't wait for the next one :D

YOU GO GURL!!!!!! i use the sag stops as mini goals! instead of "100 miles to go"... it's "20 miles" (or however far the sag stop is!)

soooooo do you know when the next one will be?

[GLC1968]

YOU GO GURL!!!!!! i use the sag stops as mini goals! instead of "100 miles to go"... it's "20 miles" (or however far the sag stop is!)

soooooo do you know when the next one will be?

Yep...September 9th! :D We are doing the full century option for day one of our MS Tour ride (+45 miles on day 2). I'm also trying to talk him into doing 3-Gap half century later in September! :cool:

[kelownagirl]

That's why I like the organized ones, too!



We don't seem to have any organized century rides here....

[mimitabby]

Does riding a century always have to be an organized ride? I have done several metrics but they have always just been long rides with DH that ended up at about 100 km. Actually, both times we got home at about 96- 97 km and rode around the neighbourhood till the odometer rolled. :) Anyway, we figured it would be just over 160km to ride to the next town and back so that will probably be our first full century. I'd rather do a flat one first though...
of course not. But how do you feel about us talking about MILE centuries instead of Kilometer ones?

[caligurl]

of course not. But how do you feel about us talking about MILE centuries instead of Kilometer ones?

lol! that's why i specified i was talking about an imperial century! lol!

oh! i just thought of another poll! although a lot have already answered it here! (am i becoming poll craszy now that i know how to make one!)

[oxysback]

Piece of Cake, Oxysback, you won't have trouble doing that one. But you live in Oregon, why dont you the second half? It's not as far for you to drive!

Well, a few reasons...
1. I'll have to start early anyway to make the distance, and it doesn't make sense to stay in Centrailia by myself when the rest of the group is in Seattle.

2. The Longview bridge scares the schnizzle out of me!

I might re-asses when the time draws nearer, though. :)

[Nanci]

BTW, I expect to see you at TOSRV next spring!!

[kelownagirl]

of course not. But how do you feel about us talking about MILE centuries instead of Kilometer ones?

Well being a Canadian, I am used to "translating" everything. :D I was just happy that you have metric centuries just for me ;) . I grew up with imperial of course so having both metric and imperial centuries as goals work for me.

[downhilldiva]

Be careful! Centuries are addicting. Once you finish one then you want to finish one faster. This year I've done 12 since January. Fastest time was 4:20 (it was pretty flat). Now I'm moving up to my first double century in September. I hope I don't get addicted to those too!

[downhilldiva]

Since we were talking about the Ulcer. . . . It was my first century. I made it to mile 72, then I got SAGged back. I puked in my helmet and all over the back of the poor guy's truck. It was awful. It was my own fault. I thought because I taught spin classes I could just go out and do a Century. Ha! Training outside is much harder and I had no idea how hard it would be to sit on a bike that long. So for me, the Ulcer was, a serious pain in the gut! I'll do it again this Saturday. No puking this time! Hoping for an under 5 hour time.

[caligurl]

good gawd you're fast! 99% of guys aren't THAT fast! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/230.gif

how fast do you ride????????? YIKES!

[mary9761]

As of yesterday, 19 August, I have ridden a total of 15 metric centuries. That total includes 5 IMPERIAL centuries 3 of which I did in July. I would have possibly had several more imperials if it weren't for weather and/or bike problems. I've missed out on the opportunity on 3 this month due to bike problems (waiting for a freewheel to come in) I finished a tough metric century (68+ miles) yesterday in only my big ring! Thankfully after that grueling ride, my freewheel was replaced. Strangely, I DID have my best average that I can remember on a metric yesterday at 12mph.
And yes ladies, this was a soon to be 45 year old, fat chick (260+) lbs on a TREK NAVIGATOR 50 COMFORT BIKE and totally self supported!!!:eek::eek::eek: Centuries and metrics ARE addicting once you start them.

[Brandy]

Can I change my answer? I did it! I did it! :D

[arnaew]

I've done quite a few metric centuries - there's another one on this Sunday as part of our local Grand Slam series (about 160K all up). There's an 80 k option, which is what I'll probably do as the rides tend to be fairly hilly, and I just CAN'T do hills. I'm better at it than I was a year ago, and I go out trying quite often. I figure the only way to get better at climbing hills is to go out and climb hills. I read about technique, breathing, nutrition, dehydration, gearing etc etc ad infinitum. But nothing works. I get to a certain point, there's nothing there, and I have to just stop and walk it. :o So until there's a century that isn't climbing, I'll be a metric century rider.

[salsabike]

Can I change my answer? I did it! I did it! :D

HA!!!!!!!! Nice job, kiddo! Congrats.

[Brandy]

HA!!!!!!!! Nice job, kiddo! Congrats.

Thanks! I had a blast...can't wait for the next one!

[Melstar]

Voted "no but planning to"

I'm Very ambitious and optmistic here haha:p

[Brandy]

Voted "no but planning to"

I'm Very ambitious and optmistic here haha:p

It's worth it to be optimistic! I just started riding in May and within days of joining Team Estrogen, Tracy (tprevost) had encouraged me to sign up for Cool Breeze Century and yesterday was the big day! My previous longest ride before that was 64 miles. I'm totally hooked now. :D

[mary9761]

Way to go Brandy!!!:D

[chickwhorips]

good job brandy!

[Tiffanie]

uh oh! you shouldn't have asked about tiffanie and this ride! http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/212.gifhttp://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/216.gif

(and PLEASE! whatever you do.... do NOT ask about tim mcgraw!) http://www.smileycons.com/img/emotions/207.gif

Hey! I just saw this. :p

[Tiffanie]

ok so you know what that means now...... http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i295/fairie1323/tapfoot.gif we're waiting....

I haven't read this entire thread yet, so it might have already been answered. Anyway...

I signed up to ride the Cool Breeze with Brandy. Upon updating my calendar, I discovered that I overbooked my weekend! I already had tickets to go see Tim McGraw in concert the night before the century ride. So I had to make a decision! :eek:

I decided on the concert noting that I would prefer to ogle Tim McGraw's butt for a few hours rather than ride that weekend. ;) Brandy just recently forgave me! :D

I have to say, it wasn't a bad decision! It was the best concert I've ever been to (and I've been to a lot!). Faith Hill was amazing and Tim McGraw, well, let's just say I had some good dreams that night. ;)

[Tiffanie]

shhhhhhhhhhhh

uhm.... well.... tiffanie was SUPPOSED to go to cool breeze with brandy... BUT.... she also had the chance to go see tim mcgraw's GORGEOUS tushie in concert..... so.... yep.... tiffanie DITCHED brandy!

brandy held the grudge against her for a while... but fortunately brandy found some new playmates and has forgiven tiff... but i believe it cost tiff... i just forget what???????????

i just don't want the old feelings brought up... ya know.... keep their friendship in tact... why do MEN always come between women friends?????

LOL!!! Ok, you summed it up pretty nicely. :D

[caligurl]

LOL!!! Ok, you summed it up pretty nicely. :D

well... the way she was tapping her foot.... i couldn't leave her hanging! lol!

[chickwhorips]

ah yes you both are so good to me in the story department. i wasn't left waiting. thank you thank you.

besides, i would've liked to look at tim's backside to, so i hope you enjoyed it for me.

[Tiffanie]

ah yes you both are so good to me in the story department. i wasn't left waiting. thank you thank you.

besides, i would've liked to look at tim's backside to, so i hope you enjoyed it for me.

Backside, frontside, upside, downside... :eek: It was all good. :D Oh, his singing wasn't too bad either! ;)

[Bruno28]

Well, it's more 'aspire' to than plan to. Did 20 miles on Saturday which is my longest ride yet - took 2 hours.

That means it will be next summer before there is enough daylight to let me do a century...although I'll probably get slower towards the end...so better aim for midsummer day when there's the maximum daylight....

[Bruno28]

Plus there's not a hundred miles of flat road here so I'll have to go to Holland.....

[Lise]

Plus there's not a hundred miles of flat road here so I'll have to go to Holland.....
I was wondering about that. How far can you bike in Scotland? Top to bottom? Side to side? Up and down one road on the Isle of Skye? I still dream of coming to visit my ancestral homelands of Scotland, Sweden, and Denmark. My aunt did a bike trip in Denmark a few years ago, and had a great time. She brought me back a lovely polished volcanic rock from an island park in Denmark called "Liselund"--literally, Lise Land!

I'm planning my 1st imperial century in 3 weeks. I did a metric last summer. I just did an International distance triathlon yesterday, and feel really worn out. But I'm going to get in as many long rides as possible in the next few weeks, and hope to be good to go for 100 miles.

[Bruno28]

. How far can you bike in Scotland? Top to bottom? Side to side? Up and down one road on the Isle of Skye?

Scotland is about 320 miles long. Where I live, in what's called the 'central belt', its about 50 miles coast to coast. This is the narrowest bit of the uk, and the flatest bit of Scotland.
I'll have to get back to you about Skye - but it's not that big. I've been there - it's very beautiful.

Y'all should come to Scotland, you'd love it. Just send me your details so I can claim my commission from the Scottish tourist board! :D

[maillotpois]

Now you made me want to count them up...

2001 - 3 centuries (Tahoe, Lighthouse, Tucson)
2002 - 3 centuries (Tahoe, Grizzly Peak, Tucson) plus 100 miles of the Death Ride. A couple of self supported training rides over 100 miles.
2003 - 2 centuries (Tahoe, Tucson).
2004 - 2 centuries (Tahoe, Tucson).
2005 - 3 centuries (Tahoe, Solvang, Holstein 100) , 3 double centuries (Davis, Tam, K-ville), 2 double metrics (Hamilton Challenge, WCC), Death Ride and 3 - 4 self supported rides 100 miles and over
2006 - 3 doubles (Solvang, Davis, ESDC), 1 double metric (WCC), 1 600k and NO centuries! :p Three self supported rides 100 - 125 miles.

[betagirl]

If I had to guess, I'd say I've done 20, 100+ mile rides.

My longest to date was RAIN (ride across indiana) last year, which was 159 miles in a day. I tried to do a 300K brevet this year, but a combination of weather, lack of training, and mechanical issues made me bail at mile 108. My longest this year was the 200K brevet in april, which was 125 miles of pure bliss :D

[Bad JuJu]

BTW, I expect to see you at TOSRV next spring!!
Lookin' forward to it! (But not that horrible hundred thing--that's just scary.:eek: )