Shameless Begging

[HoosierGiant]

For those of you who are interested, here's the link to Ride Across INdiana (RAIN) 2007:

http://www.bloomingtonbicycleclub.or...rain/rain.html

Please note that if you register online with Active.com the fee is only $35, as opposed to the regular registration of $40.

[TrekJeni]

I replied in the other thread but wanted to say go for it!

I did it last year with some friends in 12:41. This year, some of my teammates and I are doing it and hope to finish in less than 9 hours. I think we can do it if we get the pacelines going early. There's a few things I'm going to do different this year. I don't think we'll stop at the rest stops and hang out. I think we'll just have our sag vehicles meet us every so often to refuel. I'm more of the GU diet on the bike girl now, last year, I was more solid foods.

Water is vital. I had my camelbak plus two bottles. Camelback and one bottle were powerade, the other bottle was just water to dump on myself to cool me down. Our sag driver kept some smaller towels in the cooler and by the time we needed them, the ice had melted and we draped ice cold towels around our necks and backs when we stopped to cool our core down.

If I can be of any more help, let me know.

Jeni

[indysteel]

Good luck HoosierGiant, TrekJeni and anyone else who's doing RAIN this year. I live in Indianapolis but have chosen not to do RAIN this year. I have to admit that it doesn't currently hold a huge appeal for me. That said, I know lots of people who look forward to it every year, and have described it as "fun." Of course, one of them is in week four of a cross-country bike ride at the moment and the other just finished a five-day end-to-end tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway, followed by the Assault at Mount Mitchell, so they like to ride lots of long, hard miles. Anyway, I think you've already gotten some good advice, HG. I've heard lots of comments from past participants and the ones that consistenty come up are: drink a good combination of both water and an electrolyte replacement drink. You'll need salt in addition to H20 if it's anywhere near as hot as it was last year. Put ice in your sports bra to cool down. Hook up with groups along the way and engage in shameless wheel sucking. Bring enough simple carbs with you, like GU; as the ride wears on, they may be the only thing your stomach can handle. Listen to your body. If you start to show any signs of heat exhaustion or the like, stop and get medical attention. Most of all, have fun with it. Maybe I'll see you there next year!

Kate