Hotter 'n Hell 100 - Wichita Falls TX

[indysteel]

Good luck at your first century!!! I've never done the HHH, but I did take a look at the official website for the ride and noticed some helpful information on the forums there, especially about how the start is structured. I'd encourge you to peruse it if you haven't already.

Some random pieces of advice. Clearly, the start is going to be wacky with that many riders. There's no way to prevent every mishap. The best you can do is to ride defensively, predictably and patiently. Don't get too close to other riders and avoid letting anyone get too close to you. Signal using both hand and voice commands. Don't be afraid to bark at someone if they're doing something stupid or confusing. Keep an eye out for riders coming up on your left to pass.

According to the HHH forums, the first couple of rest stops will be crowded so, unless you really need to stop, I'd encourage you to bypass them. There are rest stops every 10 miles, so you won't have to go too long for the next one. I would avoid stopping, for the course of the ride, unless you have to. If it were me, I'd stop no more than every 20-30 miles, depending on how much water your burning through. And keep the stops very short. The longer you dally, the longer the ride and the stiffer your legs.

During the ride, drink, drink and drink some more. I stick to about a 2:1 ratio of water and sports drink. I don't like Gatorade, which is what's usually offered at big organized rides, so I bring some of my drink powder along and refill as necessary. I also carry some food that I know will agree with my stomach, e.g., Clif Blocs, to supplement the food at reststops. Make sure you incorporate some salt into what you're snacking on. Not only will it replenish lost electrolytes, but it will also aid your digestion.

Also brings some extra sunscreen, at least two spare tubes and plenty of CO2cannisters (and/or frame pump) and whatever else you generally use. I also fill a travel size bottle full of Chamois Butt'r, and keep that in my jersey pocket to be reapplied throughout the ride.

Do what you can to keep your core cool. Poor water over your head or put ice (my favorite trick) in your sports bra. Find a spot of shade at the lunch stop if you can.

Prepping for the ride is important too. Make sure that your bike is in good working order a week in advance of the ride. Lay out everything you're going to wear, need, pack, etc., a few days in advance and run through your checklist several times. Focus on hydrating the entire week before the ride. I, personally, spend the 48 hours before a big ride downing lots of water (but not too much). Aim to drink quite a bit the morning of the ride. Yes, it means having to go the bathroom, but if you start the ride dehydrated, you will never get out of the hole. I try to begin eating and drinking the minute i get out of bed before a big ride. That gives me more time to digest and hyrdrate. I also take some Pepto the morning of the ride to hopefully forestall any digestive issues. My stomach gets fussy when I get nervous, and I find that it helps.

I hope some of this helps. Be sure to post a ride report. Have fun and good luck!

K-

[bikerchick68]

Excellent advice Indy! I was gonna add something... but ya covered it all!

Hydration, calling AND pointing out hazards, salt intake and plenty of electrolyte sport drink...

the only other thing I can add is ride at YOUR pace... a lot of people get all excited and push out hard for the first 30 miles... and pay for it the last 30. Pace yourself and ride your own ride...

PLEASE report in and share pics of your success afterward too OK? I'd love to celebrate with you!

[indysteel]

A couple additional things occured to me at lunch. Try to stay loose and stretched. I'm a yoga devotee and there are a handful of hamstring and hip stretches that I do before every ride, but especially before intense/long rides. If you have a stretching routine, I would suggest doing it the night and morning before the ride. Repeat the stretches as needed at rest stops.
Also, keep an eye on tension in your upper body. Especially at the start, you may find yourself clinching your shoulders or locking your elbows. Try to stay relaxed instead.

You'll notice on a century (or longer) that your body and mind will go through various stages, some better than others. Short of bonking or heat exhaustion, don't be surprised if you have peaks and valleys in your energy level, and there may be no rhyme or reason to them.. Try to just ride through the worst of it and try to hold yourself back a little when you're feeling really good. You may need that excess energy later.

Again, good luck!

[li10up]

NM-there are many people that live here in TX that end up with IVs in them during the HHH. I haven't ridden the ride myself but have many friends that have. So I have to reiterate with Indy said...HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE. One thing I've noticed about rest stops is that the Gatorade is always very watered down. Make sure you bring something with you for electrolyte replacement. You will be sweating a LOT!

Non-ride related: get your hotel room early! My friends have stayed at the Y and had a blast but say it is tough to sleep with all the snorers around. Earplugs are a must and a sleepmask would be handy.

Indy, how do you...ummm...reapply the chamois butt'r during a ride? In the port-a-potty I'm guessing...but there is never anything to wash my hands with on the rides I've been on. Guess I need a pointer or two. Also, with the ice - does it irritate your skin? Does the melting ice soak your shorts? Sounds like something I might want to try.

[bikerchick68]

1i10up... I'm no Indy... but, yeah, you reapply Chamois Butt'r in the porta potty. REI is now selling individual packs that I jammed in my seat bag. You get a dozen for $8. Not cheap but OH SO WORTH IT! For my STP ride, I reapplied at EVERY SAG stop... really glad I did... I was having saddle issues as it was... can't imagine what it would have been like without the lube.

My bro rides double centuries and swears by Bag Balm for anything over 100 miles... he said it stinks but doesn't absorb into the chamois like Chamois Butt'r does... I'm gonna try it next time. Costco carries it now!

[indysteel]

Girls, it ain't pretty or especially hygenic, but you put the Chamois Butt'r on in the porty potty and do you best to wipe your hands off with TP or carry some moist toilettes. I'm not proud of these things, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Thankfully, we had a couple of actual bathrooms at RAIN so you could actually wash up. Frankly, I do all sorts of gross things in the name of biking that I never dreamt of doing before. My mother would die if I told her.

Listen to lil10up about the Texas heat and know the signs of heat exhaustion. Stop riding if you start to feel faint, dizzy, sick to your stomach, get a bad headache, etc. That kind of stuff should not be taken lightly. No ride is worth a trip to the hospital. One of the reasons I was really hesitant to do the Ride Across Indiana this past Saturday was based on what happened last year. Temps were close to 100 with high humitity and lots of people got really sick. I only got serious about doing it when I saw the weather forecast calling for temps in the low 80s. I'm a delicate flower you know!

As for the ice, it hasn't irritated my skin, and I've only had to do it a time or two on crazy hot days. When I'm that hot, I'm not sure I really cared about anything other than getting cool. I prefer just dumping water over my head and neck though.

On a side note, we had a rest stop during RAIN with popsicles that were the bomb. They so hit the spot.

[KSH]

Indy, how do you...ummm...reapply the chamois butt'r during a ride? In the port-a-potty I'm guessing...but there is never anything to wash my hands with on the rides I've been on. Guess I need a pointer or two. Also, with the ice - does it irritate your skin? Does the melting ice soak your shorts? Sounds like something I might want to try.

Buy a travel sized Body Glide. Fits in your pocket and reapplys very easily in a port-o-can.


Otherwise, here are some lessons I learned last year:

1) If you get too far back for the start... you will lose serious time. We lost 1 HOUR thanks to how far back we were from the start line. It seriously took us 1 hour to get our wheels rolling slowly. I'm so slow... 1 hour lost for me is 16 miles. That's me making it to Hells Gate or not.

2) Well, thanks to then shutting Hells Gate down early... 1 hour early (or maybe more?- around 11:00-11:15)... we weren't going to make it to HG. Unfortunately, a lot of people got screwed out of 100 miles last year because of this. So, near the end of the course you saw peopel riding BACK so they could get in the extra 25 miles (if you miss HG you go a 75 mile route).

3) If you need FOOD on the ride... pack some in your jersey. Around mile 40ish I was hungry... and the rest stop was stocked with crackers and pickles. Yea, uuummm... that's not food.

[Aggie_Ama]

I carry instant hand sanitizer in my seat bag. You can get a tiny travel size at most drug stores.

Last year they actually had to close Hell's Gate on the Hotter n' Hell because the heat index was forcasted well over 100. Remember the pavement will make the heat even more intense.