First century FAIL!

[NoNo]

On Sunday I attempted my first century, a route for the MS Society in northern CT. I knew it wasn't too torturously hilly, as I've done the 50 mile route the past few years. Unfortunately, between my schedule and the crappy weather, I didn't train nearly as much as I wanted to. Despite that, I was determined to give it a try.

Weather could not have been nicer. We pushed off at 7, and immediately fell behind the main pack. Whatever, we were determined to keep our own pace and conserve our energy. For once in my life, I was keeping up with my brother and his friends! At the rest stop near mile 30, I had the mechanic look at my seat placement. Things were sore and my lower back was killing me. He pushed it forward a bit, and that seemed to make my back happy.

Pushed on, a little achy, and the sun was getting more intense. Nearly got hit by a car when they decided to pull along side me and then make a right! They weren't even a foot from my tire and I didn't have time to unclip, I was either going to crash or somehow escape. Fortunately, the latter happened, though I'm not sure how. As we rode, my legs started to get sore. My hips weren't happy, my quads ached, and my knees hurt oh so much. Every pedal was agony. Made it to the next rest stop and contemplated dropping out. But my furthest ride ever was a metric, and I wanted to beat that. Stretched, had some PB&J, and rolled on. Within a mile or two the pains returned. Pulled over, stretched some more, and plugged on. The next rest stop was at 70 and I was determined to make it.

By this point I was falling behind my teamates. Between not wanting to hold them up, and the knowledge that the last 20 miles were mostly uphill, I decided to drop out at the rest stop. I pulled in, had them call the SAG van, and wished my team luck. Everything hurt, my pride most of all. I really wanted to finish this and felt awful about dropping out. It took my teamates over 2 more hours to finish, and I know there's no way I could have made it that long.

Positives from the ride: I did my furthest ride ever. I averaged 13.6mph. I was able to stay pretty close to my team. I wasn't crippled the next day. And I did it all on a bike that didn't fit me! Had to bring mom's bike to her LBS to get it looked at, and decided to see why my knees hurt. The mechanic said the seat was too far forward. It was also too high, which is where my LBS had set it. He gave me a fitting, which was nothing like the "fitting" my LBS gave. This guy had tape measures, plumb bobs, and a thing to measure the angle between my hip and leg. My LBS just eyeballed everything and had me out in 15min. This guy spent a good hour with me, constantly making adjustments, and even swapped out my stem twice. I now have a much shorter stem that feels lightyears better! I also learned my LBS had swapped out my carbon seatpost with an aluminum one when they attached my rack. Would have been nice if they told me. I've decided it's time to find a new shop, mine just doesn't cut it.

[Iris616]

I'm sorry you weren't able to finish. It sounds like you walked away with some positives, which is great!

Will you try for another, or is it too soon to tell?

[arielmoon]

Positives from the ride: I did my furthest ride ever. I averaged 13.6mph. I was able to stay pretty close to my team. I wasn't crippled the next day. And I did it all on a bike that didn't fit me! Had to bring mom's bike to her LBS to get it looked at, and decided to see why my knees hurt. The mechanic said the seat was too far forward. It was also too high, which is where my LBS had set it. He gave me a fitting, which was nothing like the "fitting" my LBS gave. This guy had tape measures, plumb bobs, and a thing to measure the angle between my hip and leg. My LBS just eyeballed everything and had me out in 15min. This guy spent a good hour with me, constantly making adjustments, and even swapped out my stem twice. I now have a much shorter stem that feels lightyears better! I also learned my LBS had swapped out my carbon seatpost with an aluminum one when they attached my rack. Would have been nice if they told me. I've decided it's time to find a new shop, mine just doesn't cut it.

Looks like more positives came from this experience than negative. Good for you!

[NoNo]

I'm sorry you weren't able to finish. It sounds like you walked away with some positives, which is great!

Will you try for another, or is it too soon to tell?

I was in tears most of Sunday night, I was so disappointed. I definitely want to try again, but it'll be a bit. We leave for Italy next week, and won't be back until July 3. Maybe by the end of summer I can give it another shot. If I can do 70 with no real training on a bike that didn't fit right, I bet I could do 100 if I prepped and was comfortable. Now if I could get my speed up so it didn't take 7 hours

[KathiCville]

Well, in spite of the fact that you didn't make it the whole way to the 100-mi finish line, I think your first shot at doing a century sounds great! You learned a bunch of really useful stuff about your bike fit (or, better, lack of fit!) Knowing now what needs to be tweaked will pay dividends the next time you set out to do any long ride.

As for keeping up with your team mates, next time you might think about simply 'riding your own ride' at a pace that works for you. When I started riding a couple of years ago and realized (quickly) that I'm a fairly slow rider, I gave myself permission---yay!---not to feel pressured to keep up with anybody else, particularly on long jaunts.

I'm doing the MS150 this weekend and my half dozen team mates all know that I'll be waving a cheerful goodbye to them less than two minutes after we pull out together as a group. Their average is easily 4-5mph faster than mine! I wouldn't make it 10 miles at their pace!

Congrats on your first effort!! (And thank heaven that ditzy driver didn't do you in!)

[Crankin]

It's only a ride and you did more than 99% of the population could do. Plus, now your bike will fit correctly!
My suggestion would be to try a flatter route for a century, don't try to keep up with anyone, and enjoy. I did a flattish century with no special training, other than my usual hilly rides and a few 65 mile rides. Very few. While there were no big hills, there was a vicious headwind, rain, and thunder. Our goal was to finish in 7 hours and we did it in 6.5, about the same average as you had. If you can find one person who you can ride with, at *your* speed.

[Andrea]

Just kidding... no big deal- you'll get it next time!

[NoNo]

Thanks for the encouragement ladies! I definitely want to try again, but I think I should get in a few more long rides beforehand. I am very excited about my bike finally fitting right. In two years, it's never felt just right.

I didn't feel like I was overexerting myself to keep up with them, and I definitely think they were holding back to conserve their energy. It's just that in past years when we've done rides, they usually disappear and I'm riding by myself for several hours. Even my brother (whose friend noticed would leave me for dead on the side of the road) commented on how well I rode. But it would be nice to find someone that was more at my pace and also a hill slug so I'd have some companionship on these long rides. Oh, and the route wasn't too horribly hilly. It's about as flat a ride as you're going to get in Connecticut. I've always thought New Jersey would be a great place to try a century

[tulip]

NoNo--congratulations on a Great Ride! You made a supreme effort, and on an ill-fitting bike, no less. I'm so glad you gave it your all. You should be very proud of yourself.

Can you ride your bike (or a bike) in Italy? Wow, there for three weeks--gotta go for a few bike rides, you know!?

[Cataboo]

Nono, you made 70 some miles on a bike that didn't fit - I get incredibly whiny going 10 miles on a bike that doesn't fit or feel right.

Did your rack attach to your seatpost? I don't think you're supposed to clamp racks to carbon seatposts, but I could be wrong.

[Crankin]

Why don't you try the Seacoast Century? It starts in Hampton Beach NH, backtracks into MA for 20 miles, and then goes up to Ogonquit and back to NH.
It's in September and you can do it on Saturday or Sunday.

[Eden]

Did your rack attach to your seatpost? I don't think you're supposed to clamp racks to carbon seatposts, but I could be wrong.

That is probably why they changed it *but*, they should have told her and she should be sure that the value/quality of the post they put on is good. They shop probably kept the old CF one to resell.... (no they wouldn't get new value from it, but still...I'm not saying they did this as I don't have all the details, but it would be kind of unscrupulous of them if they took a nice CF post and replaced it with a $20 cheapie aluminum one and didn't bother to tell the customer....)

[alpinerabbit]

It's a DNF, not a failure. Next time get your buddies to adjust to your speed, not the other way round.

[smilingcat]

We all DNF at some point in our lives. It's nothing to be ashamed or be upset at yourself. Things like this happen more times than not.

Lot of qudos for riding as long as you did with all the aches and pain. When you get over your aches and pain, I think you'll find yourself to be lot stronger and have lot more endurance than before the ride.

keep riding and enjoy your rides.

[berkeley]

Ha! I could have totally written this post!

Same day, same ride, nearly same result! Except I got dropped by my team, got LOST and ended up on the 50 mile route somehow and didn't realize it until I was nearly back to the start.

I had myself a good cry too. When I got lost, when I got home... pretty much the whole afternoon I was in a pissy mood.
'
Don't worry, you'll get your chance to do it! I'm determined to get a century done this season now.