Question for Cinderella Alums

[slinkedog]

Hey all you who have done the Cinderella Century... what is the course like? I would like to train for this event and want to know what to expect. I know it's a metric century... are there shorter routes, and does the ride benefit any charities?

Thanks!!
Shannon

[Adventure Girl]

Click your magic wand here for a link to the Cinderalla website.

I did the ride in 2004. I thought the course was not that tough. In fact I think it was probably the easiest metric century I did last year. There wasn't much climbing. I heard that the wind can be a little problem later in the day, but I started early to avoid that.

How much do you ride now? If you can ride 65 miles, you can do this one without much training at all.

There are 2,200 women doing this ride. There is a wide variety of skills. I was lucky that I got an early start last year because I was ahead of most of the people who lacked that group-riding ability!

[slinkedog]

I basically suck and can't ride 65 miles yet, but I hope to get enough training in to be able to by April. We'll see how the weather and our kids do. I feel guilty leaving them with Daddy too much.

[SadieKate]

Only the one route. Pretty flat except for some minor hills in the middle, but nothing that you would call a mountain. Same hill section can be windy but has the least traffic. End of the course bottlenecks back into traffic and narrow lanes, including a bike path. Train more for distance than climbing, though the latter is always good. Lots of social riding going on (4 abreast sometimes!) so be prepared to smile brightly and say "on your left!"

Grab food and eat while standing in line for the loo.

[Adventure Girl]

Originally posted by SadieKate
Train more for distance than climbing, though the latter is always good.

Excellent advice for this ride. As I recall there were only 2 or 3 climbs (I'd call them "moderate" or less).

There is a training ride series that a few women from TE did last year. I think they said that the last ride of the series was actually harder than the Cinderella.

Here's a link to a thread that discusses the training series.

If you're not up to riding 65 miles right now, this ride would be a good goal for you!

[SadieKate]

Thanks! My rule is that if your goal is a long, flat ride (such as the Cinderella), train your butt. If the ride has climbing, train your legs.

[Trek420]

what the always tactfull Adventure Girl sez "There is a wide variety of skills."

lots of riders without group riding skills, first day clipless etc.

start early, don't dilly dally at the stops. Not saying "don't have a casual ride", don't rush, enjoy it, just if you hang back you ride with them and it can get dicey. Other than that great ride, fun scene.

[spazzdog]

Well, I'm willing to give it a shot. It requires that I fly across the country, but hey! To finally meet some of you TE grrls how can I resist.

I have to do my training in the gym though... snow and ice are here to stay for the next couple of months.

See y'all on Apr 2 at the start line.

[slinkedog]

I guess I'm going to invest in a trainer so I can train every day... I'm mainly concerned about my butt/privates as they are not used to long distances yet! My hubby has really narrow rollers from his track racing days, but I can't do those... my pedal stroke isn't good enough yet.

Spazzdog, are you really going to come! I can't wait to meet all of you. Oh, and not that I'm planning on it, but is there sag support at this ride?

[spazzdog]

Yup! I'm coming...

[aka_kim]

There's more SAG support on Cinderella than any other ride I've done. A few years ago I got a flat during the ride, and as soon as I'd gotten the wheel off a SAG pulled up to do the rest. So, there's plenty of SAG for mechanicals, and to take you back if you can't finish. But... it's not a race, the hills are not difficult, and there are several well-stocked rest stops, including a lunch stop, all making 65 miles very doable.

[SadieKate]

Originally posted by slinkedog
but is there sag support at this ride?

Yup, fully-supported ride. Even a Lemon Drop Prince at the top of one of the little hills.

[Adventure Girl]

Originally posted by slinkedog
Oh, and not that I'm planning on it, but is there sag support at this ride?

Sag support was very good last year. I rode the first half alone. I'm not that great about following a route map, and since I was near the front of the pack, I couldn't just follow the long line of bikes. But every time I thought I might be lost, I would see a SAG wagon to reassure me that I was on course.

[spazzdog]

Watch out grrl-ies... it's official. I have booked my flight (note: great rates on Travelocity.com for any other CA "foreigners").

You can all thank Trek420 for providing a crash pad for me and Epesi.

Now, lets all pray to the sun goddesses for warm weather on Apr 2, so little Spazz can be warm and toasty

See you at the ball... er, ride.

[Trek420]

de nada. spazz.

also I'm sacrificing to the registration goddess that we all get in!