How Long Should I Wait To Do First Century

[backinthesaddle]

I am so excited about having my bike. I have been all over the web checking out triathlons, charity rides, and other biking events. I am eager to do something more with this bike than just go on mere trail rides around my apartment. But I don't want to push myself too fast. I have signed up for the TD 5 Boro Tour in NY. Its 42 miles, and I am riding with the 2010 Bike 2 Rmember team which supports Alzheimer's (I lost my grandfather in 2006). That is May 2. Right now, I have only gotten out twice with my bike. One ride at 5 miles, this past weekend I did 18. That was for a classification ride for the cycle club I joined. They wanted to guage riders to see where they would fit in the group. I did the 18 miles in 1 hour, 20 minutes, though I have no perspective on how good or bad that is. Over the next 8 weeks in the class I am taking, we'll learn about bike maintenance, riding in groups and take part in some serious mile long rides. The group is also sponsoring a century ride in September. I signed up and now I am nervous I wont' be able to complete it. Should I wait a certain length of time to get involved in tours and group challenge rides?

Regina
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2010 Bike 2 Remeber Team: http://2010teamb2r.kintera.org/regina

[Biciclista]

your timing sounds great actually. do a 25 mile ride this weekend.. do a 35 mile ride the following weekend...

[chicagogal]

your timing sounds great actually. do a 25 mile ride this weekend.. do a 35 mile ride the following weekend...

I agree!
Good luck and have fun :-)

[annielynn]

Just keep adding on the miles. I did my first metric century about a month ago and it was a lot of fun. I am ready to do 75 so that by the end of summer I can do my first Century. It sounds like you are well on your way! Enjoy every minute of it!

[redrhodie]

Hi Backinthesaddle! A friend of mine who lives in NYC sent me this link to an organization that hosts some nice sounding rides in your area you may be interested in:

http://www.bicycleshows.us/

I have no affiliation with the organization, and haven't gone on any of their rides, but I came close to doing the farm ride last year.

[Bike Chick]

I agree too. Just keep adding the miles and you'll be ready by September--that's 6 months away.

[Jiffer]

There's a good chance you could be ready in 6 months. There are some variables, though, like how fit you were before you started riding, for one. A big factor is how much climbing there is in the century. That makes a huge difference. If it's relatively flat, I'd say you are probably fine. Elevation gain and temperature make a big difference as well.

What I would do is see how your training progresses, how you feel on the bike as you ride longer and longer distances. When you ride your first century, you'll likely be on the bike for 6+ hours, not including breaks, (which help a lot, by the way). I did my first century on a tandem, so I had the help of my strong husband. Almost a year later, after continuous riding, I was training for my first century on a single. I was building up with longer rides each week and when I was nearing the end of my 65 mile ride a couple of weeks before the century, I was miserable. I was just so uncomfortable on the bike, I couldn't imagine riding a full hundred miles. And there was some considerable climbing ... 3500-4000 feet (it's hard to find anything flat in So. Cal.). I opted to ride the half century instead and was very happy I did. I think it was 60 or 65 miles, actually. But either way, it was a much more pleasant riding experience and it gave me more training for the century I DID do just a few weeks later. (And a professional bike fit helped a ton as well.) So listen to your body. And if the event you are doing offers shorter distances, be prepared to change you plan if you aren't quite up for it.

When you are training for longer distances, you don't have to make every ride a long distance ride, by the way. Make one of your rides each week longer and longer until you hit around 70 miles a week or two before the century. The in between rides should be shorter, but they are important to help you develop a base.

One of the things that helps me get through centuries is the SAG stops (aid stations). You should get a route slip at the beginning of the ride. Make a note of when the first SAG is, usually around 15-20 miles, and all you have to do is focus on that first 15-20 miles. Before you get back on the bike, make a note of when the next SAG is. If it's at mile 38, just focus on getting to mile 38.

Have fun with your new bike ... and doing your first event on it.

[backinthesaddle]

Hi Backinthesaddle! A friend of mine who lives in NYC sent me this link to an organization that hosts some nice sounding rides in your area you may be interested in:

http://www.bicycleshows.us/

I have no affiliation with the organization, and haven't gone on any of their rides, but I came close to doing the farm ride last year.

Thanks for the suggestion. I checked out their site, they have some pretty cool rides. I heard of the Montauk one before. That seems like it might be cool too (for next year), don't think that I'd be able to tackle two back to back century rides.

[XMcShiftersonX]

You'll totally be ready in 6 months! Just keep adding those miles. Also, that time for 18 miles is really good. Good job!

[NoNo]

First off, good for you for setting some lofty goals. Always nice to have something to work for. But a word of advice on the 5 Boro Ride: be prepared to walk more than ride. I tried it for the first time last year and HATED it. Far too many people that don't know how to ride in a group. Either you were dodging people who randomly stopped for no reason, or you were getting buzzed by some kids trying to fly through the crowd. And then you would just stop for 5 or 10 minutes, slowly inching forward. We never rode smoothly for more than a few minutes, and I was very tense from worrying about people crashing into me. We actually had to stop about halfway as in 4 hours (in the rain) we'd only gone 17 miles Plus at one of the many stops a guy came up beside me and tipped over onto me, thereby knocking me over and onto my brother. My front rim got bent and I was really annoyed. I've heard that if you skip the official start and pick up the course near the park, it's a lot better. I wish someone had told me these things, that's why I'm giving you a heads-up.

[PamNY]

I have to second the advice about 5 Boro. I live near the start and no way would I ever do that ride -- it's so crowded that I don't see how you could possibly move fast enough to keep a bike upright. If you do a Google image search, you will see the problem.

Having said that, I know people who do the tour every year and love it. But definitely avoid the start if you can.

[backinthesaddle]

I am riding with a charity, we are supposed to get first dibs and get to ride out in the front. Do you think that will make a difference or am i deluding myself.

[ny biker]

The group is also sponsoring a century ride in September. I signed up and now I am nervous I wont' be able to complete it. Should I wait a certain length of time to get involved in tours and group challenge rides?

Is this the NYC Century? I did that ride in 2003 -- it was my first century ever and I loved it. It started in Central Park (northern part of the park), went south, over the Brooklyn Bridge, on a trail along the Belt Pkwy, up into Queens, past Shea Stadium, north on a trail next to the Cross Island, over the Triborough into the Bronx, back down into Manhattan and into Central Park. It was great. I cried tears of exhausted happiness at the finish line.

They had several distances to choose from -- I rode with a friend who did an80 mile route. Most century rides are like that, so you can choose a shorter distance if you feel like you're just not up to a full hundred miles.


As for the 5-boro ride, I also did that in 2003 and I agree, it's very crowded. But I think you can still have fun as long as you know what it will be like.

[marni]

bear in mind that if you can ride 75 miles you can always manage 100- just envisionn it as one of your local rides. For me the last 25 miles is the equivalent of an easy ride to a local coffee shop I sometimes do on Sundays.

Also bear in mind that even though you may be theoretically starting at the front of the pack, to avoid any problems, you havee to be able to ride fast enough to stay ahead of the pack including hammerr heads and show offs.

good luck !

marni

[Zen]

How long should you wait?
personally, I'm waiting until I'm 70 so it'll be extra remarkable.