1st Century

[BreezieD]

We are thinking about signing up for our 1st Century ride.
I'm just wonder how long it took any of you to complete your 1st ride?
The ride isn't until October but I'm already stressing over it.. Any words of wisdom would be GREAT!

[tulip]

How much are you riding now? What's the terrain of the century like compared to your usual riding? Physical training is necessary for a century, but the mental part, especially the last 25 miles, can be the hardest. Selene Yaeger has a couple of books that have detailed century training programs.

[indysteel]

When you say "how long" do you mean how long it took to actually complete the ride or how long had we been riding before we completed a century? It took me about 7.5 hours to do my first century, but it was hilly, and I made the mistake (or what I consider to be a mistake) of spending too much time at rest stops.

Which one did you sign up for and what kind of mileage are you currently able to ride comfortably?

My best advice is to gradually increase your mileage over the coming weeks until about a week or so before the event. Then rest that last week. If you can't get in xtra long training rides, think about doing back-to-back weekend rides. And if you can do both, then do that. When I was riding a bit more than I am now, I often did two 65 or so mile rides each weekend. That often provided sufficient mileage for far longer rides.

My longest training ride prior to doing my first century was about 75 miles if memory serves, and that was sufficient to get through the. But I'm not going to lie, the last 30 miles weren't easy. My first century was hillier than what I often ride, so the hills provided an additonal challenge. If your century is hilly, then obviously, the more you train on hilly terrain, the better off you'll be.

Training for a century isn't just about getting time in the saddle. It's about learning what and when to eat and drink. The longer the ride, the more disciplined you need to be about hydrating and staying on top of your nutritional needs. You'll likely discover along the way, that your stomach will tolerate some food and beverages better than others. It's better to work out those details prior to the event.

In October, you can also anticipate--depending on where you're riding--greatly fluctuating temperatures throughout the ride, along with less daylight hours. So, your training will also have to tackle the dilemma of what to wear. Think layers.

But have fun. Event rides can be a blast, and I would suggest trying to enjoy the scenery and comraderie that you'll likely encounter.

[ny biker]

I think my first century took around 11 hours from start to finish, including rest stops. We stopped a long time at most of the rest stops, way too long. Then I skipped the last one which was a mistake, because I should have stopped there to eat.

My second century was totally flat. I finished that in about 8 hours.

The third one was very hilly. I don't remember how long it took but I averaged about 13.5 mph. Out of 2000 riders I think I was 10th from last to finish, literally.

Then I decided I didn't really like rides longer that 65-70 miles so I don't do imperial centuries anymore.

The hardest thing for me was food, because they were all far enough from home to require a hotel stay, which meant restaurants for the pre-ride dinners and breakfasts, or improvising breakfast (smuggling a toaster oven into the hotel so I could make waffles which I brought with me and kept in a cooler). When you can't prepare the pre-ride meals in your own kitchen, it's harder to make sure you're eating the right foods. I had stomach issues during the first century I did due to the previous night's dinner, and then didn't have enough for breakfast before the ride.

[BreezieD]

Sorry, I should have been more clear...
I was asking how many hours it took you to ride your 1st century.
Our longest ride so far has been 50 miles. We are planning on adding more and more miles up to the century ride.
Looking at the map, it hilly but not too hilly. We have been riding bigger hills than what's on the map. We live close so I will be able to eat breakfast at home!

[kamikazejane]

A big thing that I think gets forgotten about is your nutrition and hydration the days leading up to the Century. I paid alot of attention to this and I think it really helped me get through the ride. I started to increase my carb intake 3 days ahead of my century. On the ride I made sure to drink every 20 minutes with sodium, magnesium, potassium electrolyte replacement tabs in my water and then eat every hour even while on the bike.

Make sure you keep your heart rate in a comfortable zone the entire ride so that you don't bonk. I think the recommendation is 75% of your maximum heart rate. I was passed early in the ride by alot of riders only to pass them back in the 2nd half of the ride because they overdid it, weren't hydrating or eating properly and were cramping. So setting a comfortable pace is important as well.

Most of all have fun and enjoy it.


Here is a link to some info I used to prepare for my 1st Century.
http://ultracycling.com/sections/art...ng_for_200.php

[indysteel]

There's some evidence to suggest that women don't benefit from carb loading like men do. I just eat normally in the days leading up to a big ride and limit myself to food that I know aren't going to bother my stomach. For sure, I stay well hydrated in the days leading up to a century. I start the morning of the ride off with a big glass of water. It means more frequent bathroom stops, especially that morning, but it's worth it. I, personally,
drink more frequently than every 20 minutes on a century. I try to do a 3:1 ratio of water to an electrolyte/calorie replacement drink. To encourage sufficient calorie intake, I put a bag of bite size food (often Paydays) in my top tube bag. That makes it easier for me to grab a bite while I'm pedaling. If I wait until set stops to eat, I'm often in a hole.

[tulip]

On long rides, I take a bite of powerbar, banana, beef jerkey or pbj every 15 minutes, and a big gulp or two between bites. I usually prefer G2 or Nuun. I also stop at every rest stop and eat and drink, but I don't linger.

Definitely eat and drink well leading up to the ride, and pay attention to your body. If you stop sweating, you have a problem and should stop riding.

Recovery is also important. I like potato chips and chocolate milk right after long rides.

Everyone and every century is different, so don't worry about how long it takes someone else. Ride your ride, be sure to eat and drink enough, and enjoy it.