Endurance: Question about LOOOONNNNG rides

[Nanci]

SadieKate:

I live in Florida. I'd guess less than 1000, if that. It's so flat here. Down in the Clermont area, where the Horrible Hundred is in November, there are some hills, but probably not what the rest of the world would consider hard riding. It has 3700 feet of total climbing. (I'm attaching the profile.) My Three Gap ride last September had 4500 feet of gain over 52 miles.

[betagirl]

What the others said. My longest ride to date was RAIN (ride across indiana) which was 158 miles in a day. I think it took me 9.5 hours total, that included breaks. I start my insanity....er brevet series on saturday with a 200k. It's kinda warped that I think to myself "well that'll be easy." But you do get used to the hours in the saddle, and you're right most of it it mental. When bits start to hurt you have to will yourself past the pain and keep going. I did 91 miles the other day and was cursing because I didn't eat enough and didn't use my BUTT'R. So I was hurting. But if you do a few basic things to keep that pain away, you can go a lot further than you'd ever expect.

[Nanci]

I guess when you look at that profile, Florida doesn't look so flat...

Nanci

[SadieKate]

Thanks, Nanci. I just think those are important numbers because it shows that you wisely picked your rides and your progession of goals. You didn't show up at the bike shop one day and say "Hey, I just watched the TdF and this bike thing looks fun, so I signed up for the Double Death Ride from Hell and now I need a bike."

Your mtbiking certainly gave you a good climbing base also. Doesn't do much for the undercarriage but works wonders for the leg muscles.