"Is that ride really that hard?"

[maillotpois]

Did a ride this morning with my sister in law. Great ride - gorgeous green hilled day. For various reasons, I was to meet DH, DD and DN (niece) at a market, so I sat outside and waited for them. I had put my Devil Mtn Double jersey on this morning - wasn't really thinking about it by the end of the ride.

So I'm sitting there and this nice guy comes up to me and says:

"Is that ride really that hard? I mean, I saw the jersey you're wearing and I was thinking I might want to do it. But is it really that hard?"

Me: "Um, yeah. Have you done any double centuries?"

Him: "Yeah. Well, I did Waves to Wine"

Me: "Great! But that's 2 days - have you ever done 200 miles in one day?"

Him: "No. But I'd like to."

Me: "Okay - great! Just don't start with this ride."

It was funny. He was super nice, and I gave him some ideas for building up to doubles with 200ks and easier doubles. I love people pushing beyond thresholds and doing things outside their comfort zone. That's one of the reasons I find coaching Death Ride so gratifying. But thinking about trying DMD as your first double just made me chuckle.

[Pax]

Same conversation with me in his place...

Q: "Is that ride really that hard? I mean, I saw the jersey you're wearing and I was thinking I might want to do it. But is it really that hard?"

M: "Um, yeah. Have you done any double centuries?"

Q: "How far is that? I've ridden almost 50 miles once but it about killed me."

M: "Okay - great talking to you! BTW - if you try that ride you will die."

[maillotpois]

Well, but you could do it on your new Bonnie...

[Pax]

Well, but you could do it on your new Bonnie...

Yes, yes I could...and still stop for lunch without barfing.

[Trek420]

But thinking about trying DMD as your first double just made me chuckle.

Is there such a thing as a "good first time double." or an "easy double"? I seriously doubt I'll ever do one one but ....

Most of us know good "first centuries". Around here Foxys Fall Century is said to be easy, flat but with headwinds, the Cinderella is another without a ton of climbing.

Anything with "Death, Challenge, Against the Odds ... toss your Cookies" on the jersey I stay away from

[Geonz]

Oh, I dunno, the double I did was pretty straightforward and almost painless - and had I not been riding somebody else's bike & saddle (I didn't have a bike that weighed less than 35 pounds) I think it would have been totally painless. Just like a century, you keep on riding. Since it was just two of us and I was in a bit better shape than my riding buddy, *and* we had a tailwind home, it was pretty much just a fun ride. A few hills... lots of cornfields. (It was the Coal City Century, which I'd recommend for a first-timer long distance, tho' since it's the only one I've done...well-stocked, well-placed rest stops, well marked routes and great weather ) It helps to be underemployed sometimes
I'm thinking of doing my own next weekend, which will be harder 'cause I won't be able to draft. It won't compare at **all** to the rides y''all are talking about... I'm in awe

[maillotpois]

Is there such a thing as a "good first time double." or an "easy double"? I seriously doubt I'll ever do one one but ....

Of course! (Davis, Solvang, and a few of the SoCal ones I have never done.) Like anything, it's just a matter of degree. Sioux' right - you just keep riding.

I'm down one jersey with "Death" on it. Trashed my 2005 Death Ride jersey when they had to cut it off me at the hospital. Frankly, I think I wore the DMD jersey today because its club cut doesn't make my presently fat self look like a sausage.

[Trek420]

The Death Ride jersey EMT's cut off your bod after a survivable crash .... you should frame

[dex]

Is there such a thing as a "good first time double." or an "easy double"? I seriously doubt I'll ever do one one but ....

Up here ("here" being the PNW), there's the Seattle to Portland. 206 miles over two days, or all of it in one day. Mostly flat and not horrendously difficult... Unless some part of your body decides it's done and you're still 60 miles from the finish.

[mimitabby]

I'll agree with Dex, the STP is an "easy" 200.

[maillotpois]

The Death Ride jersey EMT's cut off your bod after a survivable crash .... you should frame

That's what DH says. I'm still thinking about it. (Maybe a pillow...)

[Starfish]

Anything with "Death, Challenge, Against the Odds ... toss your Cookies" on the jersey I stay away from

You had me convinced at "Death..."

[rij73]

My favorite thing about that story is that it was a man asking you, a woman, whether the ride was really hard. I think a lot of men would be too proud to ask a woman that question. Must be a nice guy!

[maillotpois]

Good point. Yeah, he seemed super nice. Not the "race-y" type, and I probably seemed approachable.

[MM_QFC!]

Up here ("here" being the PNW), there's the Seattle to Portland. 206 miles over two days, or all of it in one day. Mostly flat and not horrendously difficult... Unless some part of your body decides it's done and you're still 60 miles from the finish.

I agree...if you're planning to ride the STP in 1 day, it's best to train for mileage, not hills. There are rollers, so I've heard from plenty of first-timers who said (post-ride), "I thought you said it was flat?!!" Well, it is flat - for a double century in the Northwest! And, regardless whether it's 60 or 30 miles from the finish line, it's a long day in the saddle, so I usually kept myself motivated from the Lexington/Riverside park rest stop all the way in, with constant encouraging and incenting thoughts of [hot shower, cold beer, hot shower, cold beer, oh yeah!]...
(5x1-day here and whew! finally got it outta my system, so no mas!)