How long did it take you to do your first Century?

[mtkitchn]

I'd been riding for 8 months when I did my first century. I'm a textbook example of what NOT to do before your first century.
I hadn't ridden much the two months prior to the century itself, but I rode 57 miles the day before the century and drank three beers the night before the century. Century day was upwards of 95 degrees with 95% humidity and I thought I was going to DIE. Didn't eat or drink nearly enough, bonked at mile 80, and suffered half the night afterward (puking, couldn't eat, etc). Took me almost 8 hrs of riding time and 11 hrs total time to finish that ride. I learned a lot from that experience, but was kind of afraid of long rides after that.
Seven months later I decided to attempt my second century. I had been training a little more but didn't overdo it in the days leading up to the ride; the weather was nice and cool, and I took in plenty of electrolytes and food enroute. In spite of 20 mph headwinds for the last 35 miles, I finished in 7 hrs riding time, 8 hrs total time, and had energy to spare at the end.
Advice? Hydrate and eat properly and don't do what I did !!

[Geonz]

I think four years... and it took seven + hours, but it was basically fun. Some of the parts into the wind were tiring. Being on a 30 pound hybrid made it harder - but people were really supportive (it was a three-loop route and I started at the VERY beginning so people were passing me a lot ). At what might have been a critically boring part, somebody tucked in behind me - which was a first for me; ya don't get drafted on when you're going 14 mph on a hybrid too often. He'd go by me on the downhills (smoother tires) and tuck in on the uphills... and yes, he was a parasite but, on the other hand, my biggest foe at that point was the TEDIUM, not the pedaling, and, welp, I'm a sucker for having my ego primed - and frankly, I didn't really know *how* to draft behind him. .
THey're a lot easier on lighter bikes :-)
Training... I was riding 150-200 miles/week because that was my level of addiction that summer, so I wasn't formally "training" but I was pretty much ready for it. I was unemployed and free-lancing, and I figured that this might be the last time in my life that the fates would let me be in such good shape, so I pushed for it. SNork!!! Now the addiction has me heading for another 8000 mile year...

[HoosierGiant]

I don't think I wanted to know that when I do this thing some day, I'm going to feel like whale puke at some point.....

You probably won't. However, for me, that stage of anti-euphoria generally rears its ugly head for at least a mile or two on all my long rides. Guess I'm just blessed...

[Jiffer]

Wow! A lot of replies! Thanks to you all. I was referring to a hundred mile century, by the way.

The Amtrak Century Fredwina mentioned is the one I'm thinking about doing. It's supposed to be a good "first century". It's exactly what my parents did when I was a kid with some friends of theirs, except not organized and not all at once! They stayed in a hotel half way. It's a ride up the So. Cal coast from Irvine to San Diego and then you take the "party train" home, a private car with other riders. I remember hearing about their ride and seeing pictures and thinking how cool it would be to do that some day. When I found out there was an organized ride doing this very thing, I was all over it! I initially planned to do the 66 miles at Cool Breeze, Fredwina, but my kid's have a horse show that weekend.

The reason I'm curious what everyone's time was for their first century is because I have to do it in 8 hrs (12 mph avg) in order to take the train home. I'm hoping a girlfriend of mine is doing it as well and we can train for it together and ride together. She's stronger than me, so I'll probably be holding her back, but hopefully she won't mind hanging with me. She'll be doing her first century at Cool Breeze a month earlier. DH is also planning to sign up for it. He'd smoke it if he didn't stay with me. He just found out he was 4th out of 350 at a 10,400 elevation century he did yesterday. He's amazing. And quite inspiring. Anyways, I figure if I didn't feel confident about doing the century on my own, we can always ride the tandem. I sent an email asking if it mattered what we rode as long as we both signed up. So, at least I have a back up plan. I hear this ride sells out within 3 hours and registration is next Friday.

Thanks again for all your input. I'm so excited about doing this!

[Fredwina]

registration for Amtrak is this Friday (6/15), not next.
Cool Breeze, I've heard the climbing is seriously underrated (advertised at 4K and Tom and Sue came win with about 8K), pule you have to ride about 10 miles on the shoulder of 101.
Amtrak. You star out at the Irvine Metrolink station, You then climb up to the 241 toll road before heading down to the beach. Remember to bring ID, as you'll need it to get in to Camp Pendleton. Mostly flat to rolling till you get to Torrey Pines (mile 90) You climb about 500 feet in 2 miles. OCW has a rest stop with Ice cream at the top
I think you can be slower than 12 mph, just depend on when you leave. The train leaves at 4:30 ,and we rolled at 6. Also, the "private" train is a MetrolInk(it used to be Amtrak, but ML underbid them) Charter, so don't expect the Orient express. Tom and sue usually con their daughter into driving down there,so maybe you could hitch a ride with them
I did this in 2005. it was fun. Was going to do it in 2006, but that was when I broke my arm. Not sure about this year.
Have Fun, and give us a report!
PS
The link: http://www.ocw.org/Amtrak/Default.asp

[Dr. Liz]

I did my first century in May of this year (my second season cycling), the Salt Lake Century. It took us a little over 6 hours, and we were riding fast (18+ mph average - that said, I was riding with a group of guys who kept a high pace, and while they all cycled through the pace line, they let me just hang on the back of the 5-6 guys who were taking turns pulling - so I got carried quite a bit). It was great for the first 90 miles. The last 10 miles sucked. I was overheated (hydrated okay, but it was dry and hot and windy, and I don't seem to be able to cool off well, other than dumping water on my head - and my water was all warm by the 90 mile mark), and really started to fade. I don't take on solid food well when I ride, so I was pounding the FRS (lots of carbs, and simple sugars) the entire time, and didn't have any cramping or anything. I was just overheated, and my tepid (at best!) water wasn't cooling me off, although I kept hydrated.

But.... When I got back to the start point (we were parked about a quarter mile away, and DH had arrived about 4 minuted before me - his neck (he broke his neck in 2003, and has this horrific plate in his neck) was bothering him, and he had to get in and get off his bike, so I came in on my own, which was fine), I grabbed 2 bottles of cold water, dumped one on my head, and drank the other while I sat in the parking lot. DH called me on my cell phone to make sure I was okay. I told him I was in the parking lot, so all was fine, but I SWEAR, it took me 15 minutes to make it from where I had stopped to the car (again, .25 of a mile away). I was not exactly setting land-speed records at that point.

That said, I'm ready to do another one in a heartbeat. I learned a lot about how to manage myself, I learned a lot about how to communicate with other riders (especially ones I didn't know), and I KNOW that I can do it.

(Oh, and after the ride? We have a massage therapist who comes up to our house on a regular basis, and he came by after the ride, so the next day, while we felt beat (it was a fast ride, and certainly long given our training by that point in the season), we didn't feel awful. We did take the day off, and do nothing more than walk the dogs, though!)

But I'm REALLY looking forward to next year!

[Alex]

So, Dr. Liz. How 'bout one of the days of the Dual State Dual Century Challenge?

http://www.tailwinds-tours.com/centu...challenge.html

After LRRH, I've been looking for a second century and ULCER is not until August!

Alex

[Jiffer]

Fredwina ... yah, I knew registration was 6/15, I just said it wrong. But thanks for clarifying anyways, cause it would have sucked to miss registration day completely had I not known!

I've done that Torry Pines climb on the tandem. It SUCKS! But I'm guessing it's the worst part of the ride and, at least I'm familiar with it. I heard about that climb back when I was a kid and mom and dad did it. They called it "Killer Hill" and have pictures of their friend at the top having conquered it! I didn't know exactly where it was or that it was Torry Pines, but when I rode it with DH last Fall I told him this HAD to be the infamous "Killer Hill"! And I was right.

When you said the climbing in Coolbreeze is underrated, do you mean it's more difficult than people think? Because DH just said that very thing. He said it's a tough first century and that Tom and Sue just said the other day that this not a century you don't train for.

Thanks for the other tips about Amtrak. I was thinking it seemed like you had more than 8 hours when I saw the starting times and the train departure time, (even with being there an hour early) but I thought maybe I was missing something and didn't want to take any chances. The site says it's a good first century. Would you agree?

[Fredwina]

Torry pines - yeah. it's the rough spot. it's even more doing at mile 120, half an hour after sunset (how would I know that ?) I've done it twice, and will be doing it again in couple of weeks.
Cool Breeze I think Tom and Sue were saying it's a lot harder than what was advertised. I've never done it. I was going to do it last year, but I crashed and broke my arm the week before.
when we did amtrak in 2005, we left Irvine at 6. I had carpooled down with Fred Roth. I managed to hang with Tom and Sue for 5 miles before getting dropped. I got to the pier at SD with an hour to spare. I had about an 11 average. I remeber being really bummed, since the last century I did( Ms 150 City to the Shore (Philadelphia to Ocean City, NJ)) - i had a 16.8 avg, but that had almost no climbing. we had one lady that was new, and no one had seen her except at the beginning, and I remember Fred and I being glad to spot her getting on the train.
Yes, I think it's good first one to aim for.

[Kimmyt]

I rode a century about 3 months after starting to cycle. Two weeks before that though me and The Boy did a self-supported 90-miler and then about a month after that we did another self-supported 100-miler.

Anything can be done if you include enough ice cream breaks.

[Crankin]

I did my first century last year, after riding for 6 years. We chose a relatively flat one (Tri State Seacoast ride in NH, MA, ME). Our riding time was about 6.5 hours, but we were out on the road from about 7:15 AM to 3:30? It might have been flat, but riding by the ocean on the way back, we had horrible headwinds, which were the same as hills! Plus, I had 2 flats, a result of a tear in the tire that we had to boot with a dollar bill. Oh and at about mile 85 the temperature went down about 25 degrees and a torrential rainstorm with thunder started; we had just enough time to get our rain jackets on, but not the pants. The rain only lasted about 10 minutes, but it made the last few miles miserable. We were seriously worried about hypothermia. I would say I felt fine until mile 60-70, but once I got to 80, I knew I would finish, no matter how slow I was.
I really didn't train for this. I ride on hills all of the time, which I think helped with the endurance. I consistently ride a lot of 40-55 mile rides, but last summer I didn't even do too many 50 milers. The years before, I did ride a few 60-70 mile rides. So, this isn't the best advice, but it worked for me.

[PinkBike]

my first century took 7 hours, i'd never gone that far but wanted to test myself. the only problems i had at all were pain in the girly parts from about mile 70 on. couldnt find a place on the seat that didnt hurt, found out from others (men and women) that's a normal thing. i probably wouldnt have made it without DH, when i just felt like quitting i would tuck in behind him and draft til i recovered. it was his first also and he isnt quite as good as i am, but he was there when i needed him!! swore i'd never do a century again, but i was proud that i'd actually done one!

now i'm constantly looking for centuries to do, did the tour de tucson last year in 6:06 which pained me because 6:00 was platinum!!

i generally finish centuries in the 6 to 6-1/2 hour range.

as you ride, find a group and tag along, it's so much easier when youre drafting. if they're too fast wait for another group, if they're too slow ride up to another. even if its just a couple guys riding together, it really helps.

[Jiffer]

Anything can be done if you include enough ice cream breaks.

I like that, Kimmy! I also like the fact that you did your first century 3 months after you started cycling, because that's pretty much my intention. However, I did start riding tandem last Fall, so cycling isn't completely new. But riding a single is.

My husband is trying to be encouraging, and he is ... but he's worried I might be setting myself up for big disappointment and misery by doing it so soon. He's worried it will be an especially hard experience for me and take the joy out of riding. I don't think it will. I know if it's extra rough, it's because I could have taken longer to prepare and that next time, I will! This particular century excites me, just like the thought of running across the Golden Gate Bridge motivated me to train for the San Francisco Half Marathon.

So, he is hesitant in one breath, but in the next says, "But you'll probably do fine. Yeah, it's a good one to do."

And there's always the back up plan to ride tandem.

[Starfish]

This particular century excites me, just like the thought of running across the Golden Gate Bridge motivated me to train for the San Francisco Half Marathon.

There's the key, right there. If you are motivated, and if your goals are along the lines of having a great learning experience, or going farther than you ever have before, or whatever (as opposed to making your goal too performance specific for your first one), then you can have a great experience and hit your goals more or less regardless of the outcome.

Go for it!

[hellosunshine]

4.59.02,with a change of wheel/puncture stop.


i was knickers the next day!and had the s****s!!!!methinks the influx of gels and eating on the go..........