Rode my first Century today.

[dd74]

Started at 7AM, and put 7000 ft of climbing under my cleats. This took place in the Thousand Oaks area, which was beautiful. Completed that very long and sometimes steep Rock Store climb. Climbs up Kanan-Dume, Mulholland and Encinal were also in the mix. Also rode harrowing descents down roads that had, as I was told, a 20% decline, and on the flats riding against headwinds through Camarillo among the massive spinach crops, was stunning in itself. The ride ended for us at around 3:30 PM.

After taking electrolyte pills, drinking lots of water and electrolyte mix in water, eating bananas, pretzels and whatever else the support staff offered at the rest stops, damn it if I still cramped up. Fortunately, though, this happened after the 80th mile, so I just sucked it up and continued. By the end, I was toast, but well-buttered and happy.

Cyclists: you have to try a century. Man, they're fun. And the sense of accomplishment that you survived 100 miles on a bicycle is really extraordinary.

[mikester]

watch out for my sister.

[nostatic]

Congrats. Next try a metric century on a mtn bike offroad. That'll give you some electrolyte challenges

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by dd74

Started at 7AM, and put 7000 ft of climbing under my cleats. This took place in the Thousand Oaks area, which was beautiful. Completed that very long and sometimes steep Rock Store climb. Climbs up Kanan-Dume, Mulholland and Encinal were also in the mix. Also rode harrowing descents down roads that had, as I was told, a 20% decline, and on the flats riding against headwinds through Camarillo among the massive spinach crops, was stunning in itself. The ride ended for us at around 3:30 PM.

After taking electrolyte pills, drinking lots of water and electrolyte mix in water, eating bananas, pretzels and whatever else the support staff offered at the rest stops, damn it if I still cramped up. Fortunately, though, this happened after the 80th mile, so I just sucked it up and continued. By the end, I was toast, but well-buttered and happy.

Cyclists: you have to try a century. Man, they're fun. And the sense of accomplishment that you survived 100 miles on a bicycle is really extraordinary.

Try Sports-Legs

Originally Posted by mikester

watch out for my sister.

mmmmmmmm Mike's cazy sister

[Jagshund]

Congrats! Now try a double century or b2b in consecutive days. Either'll leave you a few pounds lighter; I haven't cycled in any serious capacity since my second cervical fusion a few years back but I used to love the straight line rides to other states- loops depress me.

[David]

Congrats! I've only done one and it was a week before I went to UT in 1985. A friend and I took off early in the morning and a few wrong turns turned it into about 120. Unfortunately I never got into riding in Austin like I'd planned, so I've never ridden as much as I did back then.

I've been getting back into it the last few months. I even bought a new pair of shorts today. Boy has the technology changed!

[John Rogers]

Back on the 70s and 80s when I was racing bicycles I would do 2 or 3 century rides a year and I found the answer to prevent cramping was to eat while riding and drink a bottle of water every 30 to 45 minutes. I would put a pinch or salt and sugar in each bottle and maybe use one of tea also. I stayed away from any of the energy drinks as did most racers. We would also eat nearly continuous after the 1st hour usually bananas, fig newtons and some home made stuff. In the race season I usually rode 450 or more miles a week as did most veteran class riders so the legs got ready easily.

[BGCarrera32]

Well done.

My personal best was 4.25 hours, 105 mi
My personal worst was like 7 1/2... low 40's, raining, last 20 straight into a headwind- 112 miles total.

I cannot, however, claim to have done the elevation change that you just completed. Nice work...!

[BGCarrera32]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Congrats. Next try a metric century on a mtn bike offroad. That'll give you some electrolyte challenges

Have you actually done that? Just the thought of that makes my back hurt... Good on you if you've pulled it off...yikes.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by dd74

Cyclists: you have to try a century. Man, they're fun. And the sense of accomplishment that you survived 100 miles on a bicycle is really extraordinary.

When I was a pup and racing every week, we would do 150-175 mile races.

Once you get used to it, you are in really good shape. Running 18-20 mph for this distance really required pacing. Other thing is that it really did wonders for my cardio system.

[pwd72s]

Wow...

[cantdrv55]

I've done one century, a couple of metrics and a few 50+ milers with friends on a club ride. I definitely prefer metrics over the 100 mile. Centuries are just too long. After mile 70 or so, everything in my crotch area and behind start complaining. I've tried a few different bibs and shorts to no avail. I was going to spring for expensive Assos but I've got 4 bibs and 5 shorts already. Also, because I'm only a 13 - 14 mpg cyclist, I find I can't drink enough to keep hydrated on the longer rides. I too cramp up even though I pop Endurolytes before and during the rides.

[herr_oberst]

Nice job.

[greglepore]

Haven't done one for a few years. A guy I know turned me on to eating a bullion cube or two for the minerals to prevent cramps.

My issue was always a "lull" around 50-60 mi in - after which I'd recover a bit.

Went sub 5 only once, but that was in a group of about 10, fun riding a smooth paceline for that distance.

[red-beard]

Seriously!

www.sportlegs.com

1 caplet per 50 lbs of bodyweight. My first time using them I didn't take enough. I used this on day 2 of the MS 150 this year and no cramps! The MS150 is, depending on the route you take, 165-180 miles over 2 days. For me, day 1 was 89 miles and day 2 was 69 miles.

I will be riding a century here in Houston, in July. The Katy Flatland 100. Lot's of people talk about the Hotter'n Hell Hundred, but the KFC is much worse. Dewpoint is usually around 81-83 degrees. The temp will max out around 102.

[DonDavis]

Friggin' SWEET! Very happy for you! And c'mon man, where's the pics?! I want to see your tired ass grinning like a foo, yo!

[mjohnson]

Regarding an offroad metric century...

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

Have you actually done that? Just the thought of that makes my back hurt... Good on you if you've pulled it off...yikes.

My first mountain bike race ever was the '08 Chupacabras in Juarez. 105 km of 2-track, single track and 7 or 8 of multi-kilofoot high hike-a-bikes. I'm happy to say that I finished in less than twice the time of the (world class) winners. I've got the Yeti ASR full suspension (4", 25 lbs) and got passed by lots of guys with running shoes/flat pedals/1998-era hardtails -- but I'm OK with that. No place for pride there...

Treating it like a long training ride, not for finishing time, and focusing more on eating/drinking than anything else, it wasn't _that_ bad. Tried to focus on starting slowly and finishing strong.

Wear and tear on the undercarriage wasn't an issue until I realized that the tiny ring of foam, along the "chamois" perimeter where the sandwich of material was cut had, like a razor, cut deep into the flesh wherever it touched over those 7 hours. Didn't feel it until I hit the shower and those pounds of dirt and sweat flowed. Burnt those shorts and stayed off the bike for a week or so after that one.

Hoping to do a road century and a few long (50+) recreational mtb rides this summer...

[Jagshund]

Assos cream is well worth the cost. Used to smear it on and forget about it.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

Have you actually done that? Just the thought of that makes my back hurt... Good on you if you've pulled it off...yikes.

I have indeed. Back in grad school I was racing both Cat3 on the road and sport class mtn bikes (late 80's/early 90's). I was in a mtn bike club (PMBC) that was notorious for weekend club rides that were "death marches." We had a King of the Mountain series that would get between 8-25 riders on any given day. It was a "race" to the summit, then a group ride back down (usually a loop). Our club president was a double century rider, and firmly believed that it wasn't a mtn bike ride without hike-a-bike sections. And this was before suspension - we did these on full rigid bikes.

The metric century was a loop through the Los Padres natl forest starting and ending in Frazier Park. About 12 hours, and I had 3 bottles on the bike as well as a camelback. Generally no sag support on our rides - we carried tools, spares and food. For the century though we had someone meet us at the halfway point with lunch. The only other supported ride we ever did was a 2-day Gorman to Santa Barbara ride where the support cars carried out tents and food to the campsite halfway in-between. Over a couple of years we bagged a lot of summits in the Angeles and Los Padres Natl Forests.

I used to be a contender...

[cantdrv55]

No sag support on an offroad metric? Hardcore for sure.

Great job, btw DD.