Century nears!!

[7rider]

DH and I are staying at a bed-and-breakfast about 20 miles south of the University. So, our b'fast is covered.
I still haven't gotten DH to commit to a departure time. I want early. He votes for later. I'd like to ride with some friends of mine who are doing the ride - and try to spot some TE folks if I can find them - but DH wants to hook up with folks from our LBS, who will likely be wearing the shop jerseys (The Bicycle Place - look for them, in orange or pink or blue).
Last year we decided we'd ride independently "next time" - him with the hammerheads and me with a more reasonable crew. But now he doesn't want to ride without me.
Sigh.
Who knows???
All, I know is - ready or not, we're heading to the Eastern Shore this Friday!

[Bad JuJu]

Just been checking out this thread--my own century is in three more weeks. I'm doing the metric, but still got the same excited/elated/scaredy butterflies. Good luck and have fun to both of you!

[RoadRaven]

LLB, Regina, JuJu, Cyclesome, MickChick... and anyone else getting ready to do centuries

Have fun, enjoy... still one of my goals before the year is out... you gals inspire me, and I'm well impressed... looking forward to hearing about them

[megandmac]

I am doing the Seagull for the first time this year am excited and nervous all at the same time. (Last year was supposed to be my first time, but I, too, decided not to make the drive from NoVa to face the bad weather. At least I've just had another year to train.)

We have the hotel breakfast thing and are hoping to get to the start early. We're staying, also, about 30 minutes from the ride starts so while good in theory it may not work out in actuality. On Friday, we're hoping to get to MD early enough to get to the welcome reception, as well.

I'll probably be wearing my Curious George bike shirt, so if you see me...say hi! (Or, call the SAG wagon to come get me, if I'm napping/passed out on the side of the road at mile 79!)

[latelatebloomer]

We're staying at the deluxe Best Value Inn, 5 miles from the University, and we're driving down from PA, hoping to leave mid-afternoon. We'll be doing that gear-up breakfast and the dinner buffet after. I'll write "latelatebloomer" under my number. My "other" name is Lynda Gene, BTW.

Megandmac, let's make a deal. I'll get you back on your bike if you're napping (makes me think of the poppies scene in the Wizard of Oz) and you'll get me back on mine if I'm whining, ok? As a last resort, make me mad. I recently discovered that I can ride very fast and strong when I'm angry!

I'll be in either red or shocking pink depending on the weather, a silver helmet with signatures on it, a big 40something cherokee looking rider with the dark braids. Riding relentlessly, relentlessly, relentlessly. I hope.

[SadieKate]

Riding, riding, in search of El Dorado.

Go for it! You put together a good structured training plan, you committed, you persevered, you're ready. Be sure to eat a good breakfast but limit the fats. Breakfasts at hotels prior to a century always take a bit of care.

May you blossom.

[presfoxm]

If you can ride 70 miles you can ride 100! If you have figured out eating for 70 miles, you can figure it out for 100!

A couple of suggestions: 1) Ask the organizers if there are convienence (sp?) stores along the route. That way you can stop and get any snacks and beverages you want. If so, don't bring any more food than will get you through 40 miles. It is cumbersome to carry food for a 100 miles trip. 2) Bring some gatarade or pick some up along the route. It is a horrible drink, but it can help. 3) Don't stop for more than 5-10 minutes at any one time, you will cramp up some and the rest of the ride will be unpleasant. 4) Maintain a steady pace thoroughout, pick an effort level-a 7 on a scale of 1-10-and maintain that. That way at the end when you need to ramp up when you are tired you will have extra energy. Don't focus on time only effort.

My training schedule called for me to ride between 80-85 miles the weekend before the century. Remember that the last week to take it really easy. Ride only the 20 mile loop at pace once, every other day ride easy. Make sure to ride at least 10 miles really, really easy the day before the event.

Some good advice is here: http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6...3182-1,00.html

Good luck! It will be great! Have an excellent time!

[latelatebloomer]

Thanks for the great tips and support, SadieKate & presfoxm! & Road Raven and EVERYONE!!! I love you!

[7rider]

I'll keep my eyes peeled for you LLB, and everyone.
DH wants to meet up with the folks from the shop at the pedestrian bridge at 7:45 a.m., so it looks like that's where we'll be at the start.
I said "Look for the Bicycle Place" jerseys...but it's looking like we may all be covered in rain slickers!
So...saying "look for me in a day-glow yellow jacket probably won't help, as there will be a million of them there! I may even have my black helmet cover on, so other than that I'll be riding a ti and black Seven, I'll be pretty indistinguishable from the rest of the horde.
I'm regretting selling my fanny pack at the last bike swap. I'm thinking that this is going to be a ride where you'll have to carry lots of stuff "just in case" - as in, rain jacket just in case it rains, arm and leg warmers just in case it's cool, and some place to stash it all just in case it clears up and gets nice. My jersey pockets only hold so much!
Good luck, everyone doing the ride!!

[latelatebloomer]

Call me crazy, but I don't want to let a storm keep me from achieving my goal. I don't have much experience riding in bad weather, and I have all the road handling skills of the total newbie that I am, but I have a brand new rain jacket and I DON"T LIKE TO QUIT! Maybe I can still make it!

But maybe we need to get helmet covers.... I think if I tell my husband we need to buy one more thing for this event, he's gonna cry.

[SadieKate]

Hotel shower caps.

[latelatebloomer]

Sk, you're a lifesaver.

[bikerchick227]

I'm dying to know...how did it go yesterday? That was a TOUGH ride with all that wind and rain. Any mileage seems like amazing mileage to me. I thought of you all during the ride and wished you well.

We left pretty late (10:05) so we were being from the get-go. Strange conditions out at Assateague. When we were there it was so windy! I was very concerned that we were going to blow off the bridge.

Anyway, I hope you will let us know how things went!!

[megandmac]

I survived! The lack of hills was made up by the powerful wind that felt like I was pushing into a brick wall. (Towards the middle of the ride, it was so bad I could only muster about 9 miles/hour for about a 1/2 hour...didn't think I was ever going to break out of that pace. Everyone was passing me...) Nearly got knocked into the rails of the bridge (as well as the people that stopped at the top in a very dangerous place.) After (a very windy) lunch, I felt re-energized as I remembered to "break-up" the ride in my head. ("Less than a quick "weekend ride" to the pie rest stop then a "weekday night ride" to the end....")

I've been doing mostly hilly rides this season so this ride felt completely different with all.that.pedalling.constantly with no coasting or break at all. Wow.

We experienced one front flat (mine around mile 50) and one broken spoke (his at mile 89. It wiggled but made the wheel made it all the way to the end.)

I would certainly do it again and I feel like I earned bonus points for braving the rain and wind. (However, next year, *please* let the sun be shining!)

Congrats to everyone that finished the ride and, even, congrats to those that went out there and braved the weather (even if you didn't finish the full amount you wanted to) those were some pretty bad conditions out there early in the ride.

[latelatebloomer]

I tried, I really tried. But I didn't make my century...YET. The wind made my toughest, longest ride so far. The woman who drove the SAG wagon (loaded to the gills!) said the storm was declared the first nor'easter of the season and the winds were 40 mph & over by the time we hit the causeway bridge. Even walking it was a struggle, and the wind tore off C's helmet visor and threw it in the drink. On the island road, the wind was blowing so hard our bikes were really slanting in to the wind, and with the sand under my tires & the traffic whizzing by, I knew I had come to the end of my energy, courage and skill.

I did feel better when I learned that half the registered riders never showed. I was hoping for more camaraderie, but the pacelines blew by (lord, I really did feel like I was standing still) and the few other slower riders were all grimly pressing on, same as me.

I haven't checked the math, but I think making to the island might at least give me a metric century. And I'll train all winter to be a little more like those smiling chipper women who zipped on by. (and hey, not all of them were young, or thin!)

still relentless, LLB

ps - a big thankyou hug to ALL of you who have advised and encouraged me. And a special thank you to Trekhawk, who offered to be my century training partner. She has been a great cheerleader and cyber-shoulder, and perhaps most importantly, sent me a decent seat. Thanks, Leslie!