WhooHoo!! My First Metric Century!

[li10up]

I am so happy! I completed my first metric century on my first attempt. I started riding last year and only put a total of 789 miles on my bike. My modest goal for this year was 1000 miles. Then I found this web site. The accomplishments of all the women on here just encouraged me so much. I learned so much from reading the advice given here to other women and to myself. The idea of a century crept into my mind. I decided I wanted to ride the tour I did last year again this year. It was the one and only tour I’d ridden. I was pleased with myself for making it 30 miles last time. So I wanted to ride the same tour but go for the 100K. I still haven’t been putting big miles on my bike. Most rides are between 20-25 miles with about 3 rides over 40 miles. And this year I only had 488 miles on the bike (I thought I had more than that-better get going if I want to reach my goal of 1000 miles. This is nothing to most of you ladies!) Anyhow, the start of the ride was cool, mid 70s, but by noon it was 94 degrees. The rest stations were set 10 miles apart. I stopped at each one. At the 40 mile rest stop I had to decide whether to go the 100k or just head to the finish for a 50 mile ride. I went for the full 100K. The next 10 miles were very hard. But I remembered Nanci’s advice about the mental aspect of it and pushed on. There was a pretty big climb with about 4 miles to go. I just went into my granny gear, put my head down and pedaled…not looking at the top-and I made it! When I got to the point with about 2 miles left I kicked it up a couple of notches and cruised across the finish line. I was exhausted but ecstatic! It took me 4:29 of ride time, 5:30 total. My avg. speed was 14.2. It was a fairly hilly course so I feel pretty good about the whole thing. I owe a lot of thanks to you ladies. Because of you I actually believed I could do it. Thank you!!

[Delta7]

Congrats! Nice time, especially in that heat

[jeannierides]

Woohoo! Congratulations!

[bikerchick68]

you ROCK! way to go!!! You have every right to be very proud of this accomplishment... sounds like you rode very smart... making use of the SAG's etc... nothing worse than a big climb right at the end of a ride... I hope you got a number for this event... if so, consider posting is somewhere... I keep all mine taped on my garage wall... congratulations!

[li10up]

you ROCK! way to go!!! You have every right to be very proud of this accomplishment... sounds like you rode very smart... making use of the SAG's etc... nothing worse than a big climb right at the end of a ride... I hope you got a number for this event... if so, consider posting is somewhere... I keep all mine taped on my garage wall... congratulations!

Thanks. Thats a good idea about putting them on your garage wall. I folded mine down to size and put it in my photo album along with the route map.

[Bad JuJu]

Congratulations!!! It's such a feeling of accomplishment, isn't it, to finish something like that--esp. that you made the decision at the 40-mile point and pushed on to do the whole 100K.

I have all my ride stuff in scrapbooks too--that's a great way to preserve things, esp. your memories. Be sure to print out your post from this forum (maybe even the whole thread) and stick that in your album too. It'll make a nice memory years from now.

[Fredwina]

Very good. I laway think makeing use of the SAG support is a wise thing. After all, If you are going to bypass tham, why not do the ride as a "pirate"?

[residentgeek]

Awesome! Congratulations! And that's pretty impressive speed, too, over that long of a stretch.

So, are you addicted yet?

[li10up]

Awesome! Congratulations! And that's pretty impressive speed, too, over that long of a stretch.

So, are you addicted yet?

Well...I don't know about addicted....it was pretty tough for me. Carrying around an extra 20-30 pounds is hard. But I was REALLY surprised on Sunday that I wasn't sore. I actually thought about going out for a ride. I didn't because I wanted to take full advantage of a rest day...hoping that resting my legs would help muscle to build.

I've been so disappointed about not losing any weight. I've actually gained 3 pounds. But, according to my body fat scale I've lost .9% body fat. So less fat is good...still don't like to see the weight go up though.

I wish I could force myself to do long rides like this more often. It was FUN.

[residentgeek]

If you weighed yourself after your ride, it could be stuff left over like water/lactic acid/whatever. I know I weigh more after a longer ride than I did the day before. But after a day or so, it'll go back to normal.

And, the more muscle you build, the more fat you'll burn, so before long you should start seeing something. Of course, I haven't budged at all in the last two months since I started riding, so who am I to say?

[Duck on Wheels]

Congratulations! Well done!

[luv'nAustin]

Whoo hoo to you! It feels terrific to accomplish such a goal, hope you are still basking in the after glow of the event.

When's the next one?