Ride report - Seacoast Century 9/20/08

[indigoiis]

The Seacoast Century starts at the very base of New Hampshire, on the border with Massachussetts, and swings up lovely route 1A into Maine. An 18 mile loop can be made in either the beginning or the end of the ride to include the Seacoast area of Massachussetts. Then, the route heads North on 1A, quickly losing the honky-tonk beachfront to rose-hip swept coves and big beach houses. The route returns through Kittery, Portsmouth NH, Rye Beach, and then swings West through a residential/rural area, and then back down 1A again to the finish.

We started at 7:39 - cold and sunny - after examining a freewheel issue on DH's bike. It is eighteen years old and the freewheel wasn't catching. We decided to do the Mass. loop first as it would put us back to our car after an hour and we could check and make sure his bike was doing alright. So, we did the first loop - 18 miles of flat fairly smooth road surface in a little less than an hour - averaged 18.75 mph. DH told me to slow up the pace or I might blow up. I've been averaging 17/18 on my 30 mile commute once a week so I had to force myself to pace myself.

We paced at around 16/17 for the next 25 miles. The rest stop at Ft. McCleary was very welcome and appreciated. We were still fairly fresh. A knot of riders slowed everything down in Kittery and then later in York; the same group of riders (sorry, but they were mostly guys) clogged up the works heading back down through Portsmouth. I managed to keep up with not only DH for the first time, but with a pack of guy riders. They would lose me on the hillettes (there's not really hills around there) - it's not that I am not strong on hills, I just slow way down and take my time going up. No need to stand and get exhausted, right? Anyhow, guys like to stand... they like to pass.

At mile 65 I got a little burnt out and slowed to about 14/15 mph. Then, after a fig newton and a gulp of gatorade, I suddenly had a burst and the last five miles did 19/20 mph! My poor DH was dragging at that point and I was fighting to sprint to the finish. I know it is not a race but it was important to me to do better than last year. We did. Last year we averaged 16.5... this year, 17.5!!! Yippeeeee!!!

A beautiful day, good riding. All that commuting paid off!
We'll be back next year!

[redrhodie]

Yay, Indi! Great ride!

Oh, I'm way too slow to ride with you now. I'm still thinking of doing that metric on the 5th. May have to take my own car so you don't have to wait for me at the end!

[MrsB]

I saw this ride posted a week or so ago and I wanted so badly to try it but it was full. Sounds like it was a great ride. I will definately try it next year. Glad you had a great time.

[spindizzy]

Great ride!! And faster than last year. Who could ask for more?

I'm with you on the hills; try to keep my butt planted. The guys I rode with on my metric would stand up on every hill - I preferred to "save' my legs for a strong finish.

I love fig newtons! Good choice!

[7rider]

I know it is not a race but it was important to me to do better than last year. We did. Last year we averaged 16.5... this year, 17.5!!! Yippeeeee!!!

Boy, I know that. I was just having a discussion with a friend of mine about goals and accomplishments and personal bests. So a great big congratulations for your fantastic ride! I've done a few rides up in that area. I really miss that part of the country.

[indigoiis]

Thank you all... it was really cool.
It was nice to do a ride like that and not be thoroughly exhausted at the end. The training, however minor, really does pay off.
He didn't train at all - did a few rides this summer but not much else. It was obvious to me because he was really beat. In some ways, it's good because we were more fairly matched. ;P

Pictures!!! http://anjuanja.multiply.com/photos/...l_bike_ride_MA...