Things you wish you knew when training/riding your first century

[TrekTheKaty]

I believe most training programs take you up to 65 before a century--so you'll be fine.

[AppleTree]

11 weeks! That is almost three months, you have LOTS of time to get training miles in! I just completed the Seatte to Portland ride - 204 miles over two days...first day 120 miles. I didn't get nearly as much training in as I wanted to, my longest ride was 66 miles before the event, but I made it! Actually the first 100 miles that first day would have been fine... I was tired but okay...my legs were great... the last 20 miles nearly killed me. And there was a big hill right before the end, adding insult to injury.

Things I learned:

REMEMBER your cyclocomputer. I forgot mine. I was so mad at myself... It really handicapped me.

Charge your phone completely! Put new batteries in your bike lights.

Don't start your ride too hard/fast. Go steady the first 20 miiles or so.

I brought a neck cooler thingy that saved my life the 2nd day it was rather warm... like a small neck scarf you soak, and it has microbeads that hold moisture and cool you off as you ride. Really, really, really helped me not overheat. Yes, I am sure it made me look like a dork, but I didn't care!

I am a slow rider, and on top of that I spent a little bit too much time at the rest stops. Keep your stops fairly short (noted in other posts).

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.

[ny biker]

I wouldn't bother bringing lights unless weather conditions require them. No point in carrying the extra weight.

Personally I do mileage increases 10 miles at a time.

[maggie's sister]

Hey Blue Angel...I think that riding with headphones seems like a pretty bad idea. A cyclist was killed nearby on Friday. She was listing to headphones (and not wearing a helmet).
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_749044.html

Be Safe.

My one bit of century advice is never eat the pizza at mile 72. Despite how good it looks, it will make you very unhappy.

[blue_angel]

Hey Blue Angel...I think that riding with headphones seems like a pretty bad idea. A cyclist was killed nearby on Friday. She was listing to headphones (and not wearing a helmet).
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_749044.html

I'm sure it adds some danger. But there are plenty of cyclists who've been hit and killed not listening to headphones and wearing helmets.

And after reading that article, it seems as though that rider wasn't paying attention to anything going on around her.

[Eden]

I'd highly encourage you to stop wearing headphones while cycling BlueAngel...

...PSA/ It is already illegal in some places (California) and other states are considering banning them not only for cyclists for pedestrians as well, at least in some situations, as data has definitely been showing headphones are a factor in more and more crashes.

Studies have also shown that for most people the simple act of wearing them causes a person to become less aware of their surroundings - in other words they don't have to be up loud and its not because you cannot hear that is the problem - it is because when you put on headphones your brain tends to tune out the world (and this could also be why for some ADHD individuals headphones/music helps them study - it helps them focus) /PSA...

(so yes indeed the rider in the story that was linked to was probably not paying attention to her surroundings and the headphones were likely a major factor in that)

[GingerbreadGirl]

AppleTree, where did you get the neck cooler? It sounds awesome!!!

I have microbead filling, I think I'll try to make one.

[Desert Tortoise]

I break up the ride into quarters, 25 miles at a time. This way I think, 25 miles done, next 25. I don't think 75 miles to go because it could overwhelm me especially if things aren't going like I want, like tailwinds. But seriously, it helped me a lot when I was around mile 70, my saddle was giving me grief and I was tired. At the next rest stop I took an extra 10 min to rest and thought, 35 miles to go (the course was 109 miles). 35 miles is an easy Sunday ride, I can do this. Sunday ride, that's all it is. And I was able to not only to finish, but finish faster and stronger than I expected because I focused on the fact that I had done so many 35 mile or less days and this seemed so easy compared to the 60+ mile days.

The neck thing, I got mine at REI. I use it for hiking and yard work. I've seen bicyclist once or twice using them around Tucson last year.

[ny biker]

I break up long rides by distance to the next reststop, which is generally 15-25 miles, sometimes as little as 10 or 11. There have been times when just focusing on the next reststop was the only thing that kept me from quitting. I've also been known to cry during the last 20 miles -- sometimes due to happiness (at reaching a milestone that meant I was almost done) and sometimes due to frustration.

[skywalkerbeth]

Hi everyone!

I have a Garmin watch that tracks miles and pace, is that good enough?

My friends who did it last year (and are doing it again) said they thought of it as 5, 20 mile rides. And what she did was break it down more into: every 5 miles, half a bottle of water. Every ten miles, a small snack. Every 20 was the rest stop. In 20 miles she had two bottles of water and two snack stops and a pee stop.

5 miles goes by pretty quickly so that's a good way to get your mind off of it (if you need to).

Not sure I am ready for weekly ten mile increases. Maybe? I did an 8 mile increase despite two full weeks off training, so maybe I could. Let's see how the next few weeks go.

What time of the day did you all ride? I'm leaving at 7 AM and when I get up to 40 miles I'm going to start at 6 AM.

[TrekTheKaty]

I brought a neck cooler thingy that saved my life the 2nd day it was rather warm... like a small neck scarf you soak, and it has microbeads that hold moisture and cool you off as you ride. Really, really, really helped me not overheat. Yes, I am sure it made me look like a dork, but I didn't care!

I just bought one of those! Dork factor was way high, but i think it helped. DH was starting to eye it after the first hour

[AppleTree]

AppleTree, where did you get the neck cooler? It sounds awesome!!!

I have microbead filling, I think I'll try to make one.

I got mine at a street vendor in Sisters, Oregon, but I found some info online on how to use/make/buy them. (Wish I knew how to insert a hyperlink)



Tips on using neck coolers: http://www.livestrong.com/article/18...a-neck-cooler/

Instructions on how to make one: http://www.ehow.com/way_5166618_inst...k-coolers.html

http://www.amazon.com/THERAPY-COOLIN...2246854&sr=1-5


Amazon.com had several different styles and colors of these bandana things to choose from. They use a special kind of moisture absorbing bead, not a regular plastic bead, not sure what they are called.

When it's really hot it helps so much. My mother bought one for my sister-in-law who is a police officer in Florida a few years back. They were having terrible heat and fires and she was out directing traffic...someone offered $100 for hers but she wouldn't give it up!

[AppleTree]

I break up long rides by distance to the next reststop, which is generally 15-25 miles, sometimes as little as 10 or 11. There have been times when just focusing on the next reststop was the only thing that kept me from quitting. I've also been known to cry during the last 20 miles -- sometimes due to happiness (at reaching a milestone that meant I was almost done) and sometimes due to frustration.

I wanted to cry, but there was no one around who would have seen me anyway, so I didn't bother. I had to try as hard as I could to keep from crying like a baby at the finish line in Portland. From relief mostly I think.

I think the earlier start you can get the better, for so many reasons. Weather is cooler, less wind to deal with, less traffic on the roads.