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I am gearing up for my century Sat. I am doing some short rides now, will take Thur. off then do a small ride Fri just to loosen up. I am getting excited!
We rode 70 miles Sat. and did fine so 100 shouldn't be that much harder :o
I have been averaging 60-120 miles a week in these hills, the century is down south of us and much less hilly.
I am off Friday so I plan on getting everything together and in the van for the trip down Sat. morning.
Any last minute tips :D
sounds like you are well prepared... just be sure that on Thurs and Fri you drink lots and lots of water to be well hydrated...
also, double check what's in your seat bag... tire levers, extra tube, CO2 if you use it, and ID! be sure you have id on your person somewhere as well in case you get separated from who you're riding with and/or get off course...
have a great time!!! Can't wait to hear your report... I'm riding a century on Sat too... and will check in and post pics as well! :)
Where's the century?Quote:
Originally Posted by trigurl
good idea about the ID!!! I am riding with a friend but we have some pretty strange things happen when we are riding :rolleyes:
This century is in Charlotte Courthouse, Virginia.
Have fun! It sounds like your good to go. :)
Good luck on your century, trigurl!
My husband is doing a century on Saturday as well ("Rolling in Randolph") near Asheboro, NC, and I am doing the 50 miler. I am really looking forward to it! It's funny, when we registered a few weeks ago, I thought it might be chilly in the morning and we'd need arm/leg warmers, but it turns out it's to be 68 for a low and 88 for a high, so still summertime temps. That's actually fine with me since it could have been worse (90s or chilly). This time of year, the weather is such a crapshoot!
Emily
Thanks ya'll!
Emily Charlotte CH isn't too far from NC! I think they are saying it shoudl be 89 or more Sat :mad: We were hoping for a little cooler weather. There is another Century on Sunday but who wants to do a century and go to work the next day :confused: not me! even if it is closer to where we live.
Hi Trigirl,
Have a great time, hope the weather is perfect!
tricat
thanks, tricat.
Trigirl- Since this is your FIRST century (....drum roll here.....) then its best you are doing it on a Saturday. BUT...... do go out and ride some on Sunday. This is what we call a RECOVERY ride. The best thing to do is some easy riding and some spinning. Believe it or not, your legs will be happier for it.
Also, since you are riding in some warm temps, I would suggest you take some salt with you. I always have some in a plastic bag. The reason I am suggesting this is so you won't have cramps which often happens in longer rides either due to not enough hydration and/or not enough electrolytes.
Be sure to stretch your legs at rest stops, doesn't have to be much, but just to keep those muscles happy. Stretch later as well when you are finished and hydrate lots afterward too! If you should start cramping get out that salt and take some with lots of water. The cramps willl disappear in minutes!
If your back starts bothering you, do back stretches at the rest stops- lay down on the grass (we hope) and bring your legs up to your chest. This stretches out your lower back. You will feel the difference immediately.
I also take Ibuproferen with me. You can get it at the med tent if you forget. Just take it with food.
I'm giving you all these hints as I've ridden at least 12 centuries this year and many more long rides. These are tips that will make your ride much more enjoyable. After all, we want to make cycling fun as well as challenging.
Let us know how you do! It's always fun to here about one's 1st century! :) :) :) :)
THANKS BG, good advise.
They've lowered the predicted high for tomorrow to 84 here, so hopefully yours is lower as well. Good luck with your century! I'm looking forward to my event, but not getting up at 5:30 so we can be there by 7:30 (ride starts at 8). I'm so not a morning person!! Whatever posessed us to sign up for this??! :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by trigurl
Oh well, I'm sure it will be fine once we get there, but not getting out of bed and leaving home in the dark!
Emily
lol! i've signed up for rides that i've actually had to get up at 12:30 a.m. to get there... yes... you read that right.... just after midnight! we live in BFE and all rides are a drive... some more than others! the only "good" thing... i am a morning person! i get up at 4:00 a.m. workdays... so that i can workout!Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
have fun on your century!!!!
i don't like sunday organized rides either! :mad: there are a few i will do (like the one this weekend... it's my favorite ride that i've done since i've been riding... so i'm giving in.... not only do i not like the usually late getting home time... i "can't" ride on saturday if i i have a "big" sunday ride... so it makes a waste of 1/2 a weekend (i don't ride the day before a big ride normally! which is usually perfect.. fridays became my rest day :D )Quote:
Originally Posted by trigurl
I'm starting to feel like a wimp that I'm not getting up at the crack of dawn (or before) for the three-hour drive to my first century in two weeks -- I'm going down the night before and staying in a hotel!Quote:
Originally Posted by caligurl
don't! the only reason we haven't done that on some of the rides.. is cuz of our "babies"! i won't kennel them and i won't leave them outside alone overnight! i will get up and feed them at odd hours (i can only imagine what is going through brie's head... my true "chow hound" when she's getting fed so early! she KNOWS when she's supposed to eat!) but i digress!
they stay outside rather than in their crates inside (too many hours when you figure 3+ driving there... 8 hours or more riding... 3+ hours driving home!
they are the reason we haven't done some other rides i REALLY want to do (like solvang) cuz they are just too far to drive to in one day!
so far our limit has been just over 3 hours (without traffic in the morning... we won't talk about he LA traffic when it's time to get home!) poor hubby gets stuck driving... i usally fall asleep about the time we hit the desert (and it's dark!)
all of what Bike Goddess sez, An option for salt is make some salty gorp, salted peanuts, pretzle bits anything else etc in a small ziplock bag in the jersey pocket just in case you need a little extra fuel in between stops.
have fun, eat before your hungry, drink before your thirsty, thank the crew and volunteers and let us know how it goes! :D
Yes, our pooch is exactly why we're not driving down tonight and staying in a motel so we don't have to get up so early (yes, to us, 5:30 is early - you're amazing!!) Pepper (our Boston Terrier) would have to go to the kennel, and it's just not worth it when the event is only a few minutes over an hour each way. We can't leave her outside - she's just not equipped to deal with the heat - so we have to hope she can hold her bladder long enough for our drive each way and Barry's century. He's pretty fast, so I expect we'll be back home in around 8.5-9 hours at most, so she should be okay. Pets are definitely an issue when considering events!Quote:
Originally Posted by caligurl
Emily
THE CENTURY WAS GREAT! We had a bad headwind all day and it was a little cool, no sunshine, but gripping about the wind kept us busy :D we did it in 7:19, and could have been faster if that dang wind had stopped! (it was windy all day)
There were 7 rest stops, we decided to stop at each one for a few minutes, but actually passed up 2, we averaged 14.2mph and the ride ended up being 103.5 miles!
With the cool weather and having on shorts my knees ached some starting out then my hamstrings started hurting like they were going to cramp :mad: so thank goodness for the salt advise, I took a pinch by mouth and added some to my water, after about 30 miles or more they felt much better, but my right knee continued to hurt until the end. I believe the cold did it as I haven't ridden in cold weather and I have not had any problems with my knees!
This was the 1st Annual ride so it was pretty small - total of 80 ridders - 11 century riders, we know of 2 men that quit after 50 - they were from long island and didn't think the hills would bother them :confused: The people running the ride were very nice and all of them congratulated us on our first 100, it was just a great ride. I can't believe all the older people that were there! One lady was doing the 70 mile ride and I believe she was close to 70 herself! and was riding a mtn bike!
Anyway, after about 70 miles do ya'll get silly??? we laughed for miles over stupid things and made up stupid sayings but it got us through.
After the ride we got a massage and ate then came home very tired - we had to get up at 4:00a.m.! I did little to nothing Sunday, I didn't even want to look at the bike. I am not even sore except for the muscle right over each knee, and the creases of my legs, I think my chamois was a little too padded! thank goodness for bag balm!
I SAY IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO IT YOU CAN, the hills ARE our friends they make us stronger, proof?? I have only ridden over 50 miles at a time ONCE and that was 70 miles the w/e before the Century, but I climb hills all the time. :D
Gee, where we are, it's "eat before you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty, and pee whenever you can." Of course, when the corn's tall, that's really whenever!
Group of us doing a century this Sunday in Ottawa (IL), first one for many in the group. (When I read "first century in two weeks" I thought... oh, it's been two whole weeks since she did a century - that's hard core!")
HEHEHEHE, that was kinda misleading! Actually if my riding buddy had felt more like it we would have done the 65 mile ride the next day! I didn't want to go back down there that early again by myself :o
Glad your century was so great trigurl! CONGRATULATIONS on your accomplishment!!! :p
My 50-miler was very good too. LOTS of hills but nice weather (around 80 with mixed sun/clouds, a bit humid). I averaged 15+ for most of it, but the four-mile drag into town (lots of traffic, lights, and road trash) brought it down to 14.9 - still, I am not complaining. Did I mention it was HILLY? About 3550' of climbing, more than I am used to a couple counties over.
I just kept repeating (as I grinded up the hills in my lowest gear, wishing I had a few more) "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger"....
Emily
Trigurl - congratulations on your century. Hope when I eventually tackle one I feel as good as you do after. :)
Way to go Emily! there are a "few" hills in NC :D I ride in hilly areas all the time so I was kinda nice to have thoses "speed bumps" instead of real hills :p there were 2 decent hills and they were long but we did it.
Good work Tri Girl! Congrats! :D :D :D :D
Now, if you notice any cramping this week, just do the salt trick and you'll be fine! :) :) :)
AND.....Keep on riding!
Hey! BIG CONGRATS on your century!!! way to go... sounds like you had a good day and a fun ride... glad it was a fun first experience... so when's your next one??? :eek: :D
No cramps no major soreness, I feel good actually. I took Sun and Mon off and did some sewing I have been neglecting :o so yesterday I ran about 3.5 miles, I have a Women's 5k to run Sat so I am preparing for that, plus I want to do a 1/2 marathon in Nov. :eek: I probably won't ride this week, if I do it will be on the trainer - well maybe I might :D I do have a lot of sewing to do before Oct. 14 so I will do what I can, running takes less time BUT I would really love to keep these calf and butt muscles! me likes them.
My next century will have to be next year :) it is starting to get cold here and my horse is round as a huge ball! gotta get in some other riding time too.