another century

[maryellen]

Happy to report that I completed another century on Sunday--the Westerchester Cycle Club's Golden Apple in Northern Westchester. It was far hillier than my first century last month, but I completed it without walking any hills (although at times it seemed that folks walking their bikes up some hills were going faster than I was pedaling!). At one rest stop, I was so beat that I had difficulty getting my leg over my bike to get going again. But I did.

*Must* put in a plug for chamois butt'r. Early in the ride, I was feeling pressure on my butt in one very specific spot of my right sitz bone. I didn't think the chamois butt'r would help (I use it to avoid chafing), but it did. I used a tube at every rest stop. I had brought 2 with me, and was very happy that they gave them out at the start line also and I had grabbed a few.

The ride was great--easy to get to by public transit for a NYC grrl, gorgeous scenery and views, route was generally well-marked, rest stops were well-placed and well-stocked. This ride had many distance options (25, 50, 75, 100, 125) so keep it in mind for next year.

[slinkedog]

Very cool! You da woman!

[spazzdog]

way to go maryellen!

i'm glad you were well rested... i was a bit worried that my making you meet me at the race so early the day before might have broken into that all important pre-race sleep.

[maryellen]

nah, getting up early on Saturday to meet you warmed me up for getting up at 430am on Sunday morning so I could get the 535am train up to the start!

[fasteryet]

Congrats on your second century. (Does that make you 100 or 101?) One question, though, how do you possibly train for those, living in NYC? I did the NYC (half) Century a few weeks ago, and was a bit nervous due to all the traffic. Does one just get used to it? I can't imagine getting comfortable riding in such conditions all the time. Between the potholes, stop lights, cars, and pedestians, it's enough to make a girl crazy.

[maryellen]

I'm not sure how old my second century makes me, but I sure feel younger. (just don't ask me how I felt monday morning!)

Yeah, the traffic/pedestrians/potholes/traffic lights in NYC can make me crazy but I try to ride at times that minimize the traffic and pedestrians.

My training is not optimal as I can only ride on the weekends, so bad weather on a weekend reaches the level of tragedy.

I belong to a few bike clubs and try to do one longish ride (50-75 miles) with a group and one shorter ride (20-40 miles) on my own each weekend. The group rides either meet in NYC and ride out of the city *or* take a train to our start point. When I ride on my own, I go up to Central Park and do loops (from home to the park plus 11 loops plus home again is 75 miles).

So I manage without doing much riding on city streets. I consistently do cardio and strength training at the gym during the week so that helps me build a fitness base and cross train. It's the best I can do now.

I'm hoping that when I get faster (and presumably my speed will improve when I go clipless, get a road bike, get more experience), I'll be able to ride with groups that go faster and longer distances on the weekends.

Where do you usually ride in NJ? My club rides are usually go over the GW bridge for the northern area of NJ and then up into Rockland.

[Trek420]

maryellen sed "presumably my speed will improve when I go clipless, get a road bike"

you rode two centuries and you're not clipless and don't have a road bike? you da wo-man! when you pull up with clipless or road bike or both...watch out.

[maryellen]

<<you rode two centuries and you're not clipless and don't have a road bike? you da wo-man! >>

nah, just wacky have toe clips and hybrid, will pedal ...............

[Adventure Girl]

Originally posted by maryellen
presumably my speed will improve when I go clipless

Going clipless may help your speed and climbing ability, but it depends on your pedaling technique. If you "make circles" as you pedal, clipless could help. But if you are a "masher" who pushes only, there will be little difference with clipless.

I do have a special respect for the hybrids I see on centuries! You folks are just plain crazy!!

[CorsairMac]

Congrats Maryellen - you ROCK!!......*sigh*...one of these days!

[maryellen]

i'll bet that's prettier riding than what I have close to home!

[KTeach]

I did the Golden Apple too but just rode 50miles. I live in southern westchester but sometimes ride with the NYCC. Are you a member?
Perhaps our paths will cross sometime!

[maryellen]

yep kteach, I'm a nycc member. Let me know the next time you go on a nycc ride. Maybe I'll be going on it as well. Some of the WCC rides look good, but I can't quite figure the ride classification system. The rides with the mileage I want (50+) seem to be faster than I'm accustomed to, especially in hilly terrain.

Do you have any experience w WCC rides?

[KTeach]

I don't ride regularly with either club as I;m often away on weekends, but I have done a bunch of rides with the NYCC - (I also did the C SIG and then B SIG the next year). I've only done 2 or 3 rides with the WCC. I have done the slower B rides in the NYCC led by Hal E. and also with Paul H. I found the WCC rides to be more "rigorous" - for instance I did a B- ride with the WCC and had trouble keeping up ( the group of guys I rode with were extremely nice and patient & not in a rush to hammer away as it was early in the season). If I do ride with them again I will choose a C or C+ ride. Someone suggested to try rides led by Rachel Diamond with the WCC but I haven't done so yet. She leads C rides early on and I think B later. I'm older, not a veteran rider, and not fast! I need a lot of warm up time so the NYCC rides are good for me . That first 5 or 10 miles you need to ride to get out of the city and past traffic and traffic lights gives me a nice slow warm up. When you ride in mid to northern Westchester you don't have that. It's just something to keep in mind if you do a westchester ride.

[maryellen]

hey KTeach, thx for the tips re rides with WCC.