I just rode my first century!

[bikerchick68]

Hi all... it's been a looooooong time since I last posted as I had some kind of computer glitch for a while... long story... but could log in and NOT post...???

anyway, some of you encouraged me when I was still very new at cycling (THANK YOU!)... and I'm happy to say that on Saturday I rode the Tour de Palm Springs... my first century!

completed it in 7 hours, 10 minutes... 103 miles... 14.37 mph avg... I felt great the whole ride and am already planning my next century ride... yup, I'm hooked!

[slinkedog]

Congratulations and GOOD FOR YOU! Wow! That's quite an accomplishment. You must feel very strong and empowered!!

[SadieKate]

A big high five for you!!!

[LBTC]

go bikerchick go! you rock girl!!!

YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Namaste,
~T~

[Jo-n-NY]

I will also add a huge CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did great in your time and average speed.

[DirtDiva]

Nice work.

[bikerchick68]

thanks all! I appreciate the congrats... I'm glad I can post again... got a new computer which has resolved the issue!

[Trek420]

great time and average speed. how'd you feel the next day?

[bikerchick68]

trek... I felt great that afternoon/evening and the next day! I've been lucky to ride with some very experienced people, including my now ex-husband who was a velodrome racer... anyway, they all gave me some pointers on staying hydrated, carbed up, and being trained for this... it definitely makes a difference! Someone posted an article once about women and carb loading... it was in bicycling mag I think... anyway, said carb loading isn't nearly as effective for women as it is for men...and that women should consume small amounts of carbs thruout a long ride... since I changed that I haven't bonked since! Anyway, here's a pic of me from the ride... you can tell it's early here, about 40 miles in, because of the lack of sweat and the big smile...LOL...

http://www.photocrazy.com/perl/addit...ibno=&nts=0301

[Ninabike]

Hi Bikerchick,

Congrats!!! I can really appreciate your accomplishment. I did the 55 miler and when we reached the point where the century riders went straight and we turned right, I thought to myself, "I could NEVER do a century!!". Last year, after just having my bike one week, and not having ridden in about 25 years, I did the 25 miler. We met with someone afterward who did the 55, and I said to myself, "I could NEVER do 55", and now I did it!! and I am 60 years young!! If I could figure out how to post the picture from Photocrazy, I would do it. The weather was perfect for this ride - kind of overcast so it never really got too hot. Maybe I'll see you next year on the century.

[CorsairMac]

wooohooo - *insert applauding emoticon here* I'm sooooo happy for you!!

[caligurl]

HEY!!!!!!!!!!! you post over here, too! woo hoo! i just LOVE this forum! they are so nice and helpful!!!!! (not like a lot of the stuff at that other place! )

wasn't the TdPS a BLAST! someone (maybe it was you? forget now...) posted about the carb loading for women thing over there... i did have pat and oscar bread sticks the night before!

but during the ride i ate waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much! hubby always told me.. make sure you eat and drink... so... uhm.... i did! at EACH and EVERY stop i HAD to eat the chex snack mix! lol! i LOVE that stuff (but it's soooo unhealth!)

so when's your next century? solvang? i'm thinking of doing hemet... closer to us (i would love to do solvang but we have logistical problems with 2 dogs that i refuse to kennel for a bike ride! so pretty much only do ones with a day's drive.. which solvang is not! )

[bikerchick68]

hiya cali!!! cool... I didn't know you were over here either... more positive feedback here by far! I am planning to ride Solvang... I should be committed huh? yep I posted about the carb loading thing over there too... it just made such a HUGE difference for me that I figured I would share it in case any other women were experiencing the lack of success with carb loading I was... I swear the ex could eat pasta the night before and then ride 60-70 miles HARD before needing carbs! For me, I'd eat pasta and then 40 miles in I'd hit the wall and bonk... haven't bonked since adding carbs thruout the rides since!

Nina... when you find your photo on the site, click on it... then copy the link in your toolbar using "edit" and then copy... then come here, hit reply go to "edit" again and hit paste... that'll put your pic here! Congrats on completing the 55 miler!!! Isn't is so exciting when you accomplish a new goal? I remember the first time I rode I went 10 miles and then layed on the couch for 3 hours convinced that death was imminent! LOL

shewhobikes- YOU CAN DO IT!!!! For training, I began commuting to work on bike once a week... 20.2 miles each way... then when the time changed, I brought my bike to work and rode for an hour during my lunch breaks as often as I could... on the weekends I ride with a fairly new rider, so we just do flat 25 mile rides on Sat then I ride solo on Sun and try to get in 40-60 miles... did that every weekend and then went for it! My longest ride prior was a metric century Jan 8... when I got to PS I just paced myself... kept an avg speed of just over 14mph and a steady spin going... I refilled my water at EVERY stop, drank more than I needed... ate a 1/2 banana at the stops, and generally just enjoyed the day... the way I saw it, since this was my first century, no matter how long it took, it was my personal best!!! LOL... keep us posted on your progress... half the battle is believing that YOU CAN DO IT! Once you convince yourself the rest is the easy part!

[caligurl]

the way I saw it, since this was my first century, no matter how long it took, it was my personal best!!! LOL...

i TOLD myself this... but i also said i wanted to finish.. COMPLETE in 8 hours... so i cried like a baby when i came in at 8 hours 15 min total time (7 hours ride time) if only i hadn't stopped at that next to the last sag stop.. but i hadta pee sooooo bad

OH! how big is the discount on the pics once you d/l? it says they significantly reduce the prices.. i want to get the 4X6's of me and hubby... but since i only have 24 hours of the reduced prices.. want to make sure i'm ready to take the time to place the order and tell them how i want his cropped! my 4 actually look decent! (what you can see of them from the small pics they let you preview!)

[bikerchick68]

ya know... I don't know how long we took total...I was only worried about ride time... and slowed down several times to chat with other riders along the way... slowed down and chatted with this guy who was HURTING... he was doing maybe 10mph about 70 miles in before that sag...said he bought his Giant 6 months ago and wanted to see what a century would be like he finally told me to save myself...LOL... so I took off again. I wonder if he made it...

I have no clue what the discount is... I ordered 5 pics and it was just under $30... worth it to me since this is the first century. Gonna frame it and show it off to anyone who will look...