First Century of the year knocked out and suffering galore

One Man And His Bike

It did not all go to plan, some lessons need to be learned the hard way.

Zachariah

That's an impressive average speed though, well done! But I imagine hills are abstract ideas down your way, so probably less of a trial to keep up a decent pace.

kettrinboy

Good read, your not the first and you wont be the last to cane it too hard on the outrun and pay for it on the way back,been there done that, on a first century ride you are better off doing a circular ride around your home as then at any point in the loop if you feel wrecked you have only 20 ish miles to get back, on an out and back if disaster strikes at halfway you,ve got 50 miles to go,good job you were on a flat route or you would have been fooked.

rick_chasey

Zachariah wrote:

That's an impressive average speed though, well done! But I imagine hills are abstract ideas down your way, so probably less of a trial to keep up a decent pace.

You'd be surprised how fatiguing having to constantly keep tension in the chain is - never a freewheel moment.

inseine

I didn't quite manage a 100 on Sunday, doing 150k, but what was pleasing was that by taking it steady it really was an easy ride. I've been riding with the club at around 30kph and 100 but although there were only two of us Sunday (so always at the front!) and the speed was a very steady 26.2 it was pretty effortless. Obvious really, but slow down and it's easier!

One Man And His Bike

kettrinboy wrote:

Good read, your not the first and you wont be the last to cane it too hard on the outrun and pay for it on the way back,been there done that, on a first century ride you are better off doing a circular ride around your home as then at any point in the loop if you feel wrecked you have only 20 ish miles to get back, on an out and back if disaster strikes at halfway you,ve got 50 miles to go,good job you were on a flat route or you would have been fooked.

I wasn't caning it on the outbound, it's just good roads and a lot of cover from what little wind there was meant a decent pace, I was averaging about 150 or so BPM.

I did ride my first century around a circuit, that was last year, though fairly wide to avoid having to do laps on my home town which would have been dull, this was just the first century this year, and the first of many as it's training for my September Sportive challenge.

As Rick Chasey points out, people underestimate how easy living in flatland is, it's little respite and vast open areas are just huge wind funnels without anywhere to hide, even the Sportive Flatout in the Fens warns people "Flat doesn't mean easy - you try it!" Not to try and indicate I am some lean mountain goat by all means, I dream of long flat smooth roads. 8)

Thanks for taking the time to read the post though, the feedback is welcome and I hope my screw ups can go towards helping someone avoid them.