First metric century done!

berettafan · 09-12-2016, 06:22 AM

I know i'm setting the bar low vs what others here do on a regular basis and we have a very, very flat landscape but I am incredibly thrilled to have completed my first metric century this past weekend. Took about 4:18 moving time and averaged around 14.3 mph. Temps were around 80 at the start and got to low/mid 90's before the finish. The last 10 miles were a bit rough as the sun came out with a vengeance and the heat was intense but I finished!

The route was absolutely fantastic with lots of directional changes. Winds were maybe 8-11mph and there was never a point where I felt that 'sweet Jesus take me now' feeling you get looking at miles of straight road directly into a 15 mph wind.

Longest ride prior was a 30 mile organized ride a few years ago.

Have another one scheduled in October (Seagull Century....YUUUGE with 8k + riders) and will be doing the metric then as well. My goal will be to finish faster and stronger. I'm thinking with so many more riders i'll have company more often and the miles will pass easier. The toughest part of this past ride was sections of the last 10 miles where it got crazy hot and there were very few groups of riders to tag on to.

A pic just because threads with pics are more interesting:

Rich76_911s · Rich76_911s's Garage

Congrats! The ride in October should be much nicer. It was hot and humid this weekend!

berettafan · 09-12-2016, 06:41 AM

The health science behind this stuff is fascinating. I have a Garmin Edge 25 and use a HRM and cadence sensor hooked up with it. Very, very cool stuff to review. Average heart rate was 148, max was 170 (late in the ride, relatively steep but short hill I decided to stand for) and average cadence was 80m max of 100.

HRM shows I got a bit stressed towards the end. makes sense given the heat and more scattered nature of the crowd (much more solo work).

I drank approximately 6 24oz bottles of water. 3 had a nuun tablet in them for electrolyte replacement. I sweat a good amount and my hair afterwards was coated in more salt than mcdonalds French fries. breakfast was 2 bananas and water. food along the ride was 1 banana, a slice of apple pie (signature rest stop meal on this ride), 6 fig newtons, most of a cliff bar and 4 little energy/carb gels.

I was NOT hungry at the end of the ride at all but will be doing more careful analysis on the fluid and calorie intake when I get time.

Back, neck, feet and hands faired very well for the ride. no hand numbness at all (wore unpadded gloves that helped grip on bars a lot) and the arse felt fairly decent after as well. I did notice a case of numbnuts afterwards though. Never felt that before and frankly if my arse felt good i'm not sure I need to make a seat change. Legs were hurting towards the end (thighs) with slight pain in the back of my left knee.

Looking forward to the next ride and will try to make some very small changes to see if I can improve my feel at the end which will give me the confidence to attack 100 miles next!

VincentVega · 09-12-2016, 06:44 AM

Good times. I've done the seagull a bunch of times, great atmosphere. Flat as a board but there is always some wind, darned wind. Do the century, you can do it.

berettafan · 09-12-2016, 06:56 AM

Vinnie a week ago I was looking for more longish rides to sign up for....by the end of this ride I was like 'thank good the Seagull isn't till October!'.

Today i'm thinking I need to find another metric in the interim!

No way I could've done 100 this weekend though. I was either very under fueled or just plain ol' too out of shape. At one point towards the end I was passing a line of trees on a berm with beautifully manicured grass and lots of shade and I thought 'my goodness that looks like a pleasant place for a nap!'. A little further along I saw several folks who felt the same and were unable to resist the call!

I gotta say I was also very encouraged by the several very overweight people (almost all women...not sure if that means fat guys are chicken **** or what) who were pushing along the same route. Every single one was a reminder that I wasn't the hardest working person out there and I needed to bump the pace!

Just a great, great feeling to be spending part of my weekend challenging my body along with so many others.

wayner · 09-12-2016, 06:58 AM

Congrats!!

As someone new to this distance stuff as well, I know what an accomplishment it is t get thT first big one behind you.

herr_oberst · 09-12-2016, 07:03 AM

Well done! Congrtatulations!

VincentVega · 09-12-2016, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berettafan

Just a great, great feeling to be spending part of my weekend challenging my body along with so many others.

I hear you. I remember bonking near the airport and being passed by an old lady on a cruiser with a basket on the bars. One year I just about died at Assateague and laid in the parking lot for 30 min. I also remember the apple pie and band playing at the last stop. Also, the first ~20m goes through lots of shaded roads and its always cooler than you expect, good times trying to stay warm but not over do it. I have a ~2hr drive to get home so I figure a little pain isnt so bad since I have plenty of time to relax.

Its been a few years, and more than a few lbs, since I've done it. I really need to get back. One of the best events on 2 wheels you can do.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 09-12-2016, 07:06 AM

congrats!
Reminds me of a story of a girlfriend I knew in school. She had a bike and would take it out for exactly one ride a year- seagull century- which she would finish, and then let the bike sit another 364 days until the next seagull century. Amazing.

This weekend was brutal weatherwise. The weather should be much nicer next month. You should finish a very strong metric- and VincentVega isn't kidding- you should consider the century. Seagull is the place to do it.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Congratulations!!

Schrup · Schrup's Garage

You have the right equipment, nice ride. No better way to burn 5 or 6K calories.

Deschodt · 09-12-2016, 09:46 AM

Metric century ??? You could not say 100 KM ? No wonder we'll never make it on the metric system ;-) (joke - well done )

Rich76_911s · Rich76_911s's Garage

Did you ride on Saturday or Sunday? My guess is you rode on Saturday, and if your weather was like mine on Saturday, it doesn't surprise me you were tired at the end. It wasn't just 90 degrees but also extremely high humidity.

Your heart rate shows a pretty linear increase over the duration of the ride, that I'm assuming wasn't caused by increased intensity of riding. If that is the case you could have potentially been getting too hot towards the end of the ride, which caused the increased heart rate and fatigue. It may also have been dehydration, but it sounded like you drank a fair amount of water. With the super high humidity your body probably wasn't cooling off adequately. At least that is my wild a$$ guess. I'm no doctor, but I did study exercise physiology in college 15 years ago

Averaging over 14 mph over 60 miles in 90 degree heat and humidity so thick you could cut it with a knife is no task most out of shapers would accomplish.

intakexhaust · intakexhaust's Garage

Congrats but keep in mind its not a race, go your own pace.

I too just yesterday rode a club invitational century / miler. Lots of scary riders bunching in pacelines. STEER clear of them!

Lastly, one sadly checked out. Heart attack. Gone.

wayner · 11:57 AM

I've lost some people in my life over the last wile.

I've decided that the only one that a heart attach is sad for is the people left behind.
Let me check out that way. Turn off the lights and say goodnight. None of this lingering that is painful to everyone including the person checking out.

I've lived life on the edge, racing motorcycles, playing hard at sports, you name it. I bought insurance for anyone left behind and then I said that if I go I hope that it is quick!

Be smart though. (Not that I am recommending not to listen to your body's signals)

berettafan · 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich76_911s

Your heart rate shows a pretty linear increase over the duration of the ride, that I'm assuming wasn't caused by increased intensity of riding. If that is the case you could have potentially been getting too hot towards the end of the ride, which caused the increased heart rate and fatigue. It may also have been dehydration, but it sounded like you drank a fair amount of water. With the super high humidity your body probably wasn't cooling off adequately. At least that is my wild a$$ guess.

Yes I rode Saturday. To a point I like riding in the heat. All that sweating makes me feel like i'm accomplishing something. Definitely wasn't speed related. Speed (and cadence) was very consistent throughout the ride. The last leg of the ride was definitely MUCH hotter and in retrospect I'm not sure my body was able to keep up with the heat via sweat as you have said.

Peed right before the start and then not again until about an hour after the ride. And that was after post ride drinking of 32oz of water and maybe 16 oz of sprite.

Wayner i'm with you on taking the MI bus out of town.

HardDrive · 09-12-2016, 01:07 PM

I started using the gel packs on long rides. I was surprised at how effective they were.

berettafan · 09-12-2016, 01:33 PM

Easier than the chews? Found those to be tough to chew riding.

VincentVega · 09-12-2016, 01:33 PM

One of the cool things about the seagull are the great stops every ~20m. All the food and drink you can stuff down. I think I actually gained weight a couple years during the ride. How many newtons can I stuff in my pocket?

herr_oberst · 09-12-2016, 05:20 PM

I like the chews. My go-to have become the Stinger Orange. Whenever I feel the slightest pang of hunger or fatigue, I pop a couple in my mouth. Just suck on them for a while, they soften up enough to swallow without much chewing. They really do work. Any ride over 30 miles or so, I grab at least two bags.

Plus a couple tabs of NUUN in a water bottle. Another bottle of still water.

I drink the electrolyte water first, then move over to the still water. I drink water constantly and I'm always on the lookout for places to keep the bottles filled; I've asked people watering their lawns if I can fill from the hose! I have no shame because I don't like to bonk...