What I learned from my first century

[buffybike]

1. Accelerade ROCKS.
2. Be extra cautious riding in a tight paceline behind riders you don't know or don't trust.
3. Pick positive people to ride with--no complainers.
4. Top off your water bottles at rest stops.
5. Keep a map/cue sheet with you--you never know when you'll find yourself riding alone.


Great first century!! I'm already planning my next one...

[Blue_Fedora]

Awesome job! I've just started using Accelerade in the past week... glad to know it worked well for your first century. I don't much care for the taste of the stuff when I'm sitting here at home but while I'm in the middle of a long (to me) ride, the stuff tastes great! LOL! Tomorrow is my first half-century and I've got two 20 ounce bottles of the stuff coming with me

Thanks for the tips - I'll keep them in mind. And again, awesome job!

[Bike Chick]

Congratulations! That's a milestone for sure and something to really be proud of. Great job.

The only thing I would add from my experience is "you will get really cranky at mile 85." I've seen others experience the same thing. Did you have any issues?

[buffybike]

No issues except for some nausea at the very end--most likely due to the heat. I also have to recommend Biofreeze--I used it on my neck and shoulders which have been getting sore on long rides and I had no pain there. Today I'm rewarding myself with a massage!

[buffybike]

Actually--there were ALMOST a couple of issues...I nearly crashed twice. Once because a rider in front of me hit the wheel of the rider in front of him, and the other time just involved some kind of chain reaction in the paceline I was riding in. I still don't know what happened but there was a lot of cursing involved and the "culprit" slunk off to the side and disappeared. Both times, I was able to brake and turn into the shoulder to avoid going down. I witnessed a lot of riders who are normally friendly, easy-going people get really cranky and downright hostile on this ride.

[kermit]

Good job! I have done my last two alone and have to tell you that some of those hammerhead groups can be crazy. I jumped into one on the second half of the ride and it was great until people start working in that don't know how to ride. We were all two by two smoking along at like 25 mph, and a guy and his girlfriend just push in front of me now we are three deep and she couldn't hold her line. Her boyfriend was actually telling her how to shift and every time she did she swerved. I give her credit for trying but that's how people get hurt. I quickly bowed out and went on my own again. I did meet some great people and have kept in touch with them.

[marni]

yay for you for your first century. It's a good feeling isn't it? Now you need to do a 110 or 120 miler just for the fun of it.

I too have issues with getting really cranky around mile 70 but have found that if I can stick with it, put my head down and start making up a song about how crummy things are for about 10 miles, then I can convince myself that the remaining distance is just "a quick jaunt to the coffee shop and back">

I have sworn by accelerade for long rides for years. About the only time I use it is on rides over 50 miles- which is every third training ride or any charity ride. The main objection/problem I have and it is a personal issue, is that I don't much care for the taste unless it is cold and around here, things are tepid by 10 miles even if it starts out frozen solid, and by 15 miles they are blood temperature. I will still take it and drink it as long as I can have a big water chaser. I also would love it a lot more in the winter if it came in handy little one serving tubes like FRS or any of the commercial ice teas and green teas. That would be very positive for me since it would mean that I could take a tube along, stop at half way, find a cold bottle of water and mix it in like I currently do with FRS.

As for paceline riding- I would love to find a pace line but I invariably end up riding alone as I am in that awkward in between stage- too fast for the moderate pace lines and not able to sustain to keep up with the hammerheads which is why I rarely push myself into a line. I may not ride in the pace line but I do know and respect the manners and rules and will excuse myself. My biggest gripe about riding alone is that everyone and his brother thinks they can suck wheel on you to catch their breaths and then after five or ten minutes, blow past without even a thank you, or see ya later. This is another reason I tend to get grouchy towards the end of a long ride because this seems to be when it happens more. I have no objection to someone asking if they can draft off me, but to just sit there and say nothing and then not even attempt to offer to return the favor is just rude.

but that's me and my problem.

Congratulations again on your accomplishment.

marni

[TrekTheKaty]

Congrats, Buffy! I second the biofreeze.

My husband never looks at his cue sheet and occasionally misses stops (which stinks for him, because he usually only stops every other one). I never skip a stop. Hubby's ride on Sunday only had food at the first of three stops (42 miles) so he was STARVING by the end. On my first century, they were out of water at the last stop--only had smurf gatorade. It was a quiet group contemplating the blue juice

Blue Fedora, I advise taking extra accelerade. Measure out into snack-size zip lock bags then tuck into a full size ziplock. Better safe than sorry!