100 Miles? What's the Big Deal ?

ThatBikeGuy

supersonic wrote:

How long does it usually take? 100 miles over a day at a relaxed pace would be ok for me: 100 miles in the pissing rain, 40mph headwinds and 1 in 3 climbs, not so!

Done that on the moors last year, i think the weather drained me more than the miles.

rubertoe

Not done a 100 miler yet, done a few 100kms, so its not like its much more on top of that.

My problem is finding time do fit in long rides, Mrs Rubertoe likes to fill my weekends for me and work gets in the way of the rest.

Another problem is I am a soloist (thinking of joining a club) and I have no sense of direction so I would probably get lost and I don't fancy doing a 1 mile loop 100 times.

Might see if i can get a mate on board and do London-Cambridge-London over the summer.

iPete

Two years ago me and a mate, having never done more than 65 miles, cycled 810 miles in 8 days with fully laden bikes and eventually did 1400 miles in 17 days.

Once my body was broken in it became largely mental. Had a nicely swollen ankle after 3 days mind, small cleat adjustments make a huge difference over such distance!

SBezza

100 miles can be very physically demanding, it all depends on your fitness and how hard you pedal. Whilst I admit if you took all day no doubt the most unfit person could do it, especially if within a group, but they are not easy distances for some. You can make them more enjoyable/acheivable with cafe stops etc

I can do them back to back on my own without any thought (I only stop to get more fluids at a shop), but others might find a single one very difficult. It is very mentally challenging for some, and even some that race and do lots of training very rarely do that sort of distance. Now racing 100 miles is a completely different ball game

okgo

Without other people I struggle to do more than 40 miles, I get bored, and also have no clue about where I'm going. I think we're lucky with our club that there is a good contingent of seriously quick riders, so there's always a 70-100 mile fast (20 mph avg~) ride each weekend. Its important to chose your club wisely to suit your needs, as 60 miles at 17 mph wouldn't classify as a training ride in mine or any of the others book, and outside of the odd event, I don't think I've done more than one clubrun this year.

meanredspider

Never done 100 miles either but feel, after finishing the Etape Caledonia with plenty (too much?) in the tank, I'd have no trouble doing 100 miles at an OK pace. I'm doing Malin to Mizen Head (430 miles) in August. That's going to be at a steady pace (7 days-ish) but will give me some idea how I am with that type of ride.

vorsprung

It doesn't matter how many miles you can do comfortably, there is always someone that can do more

Conversely there will always be people saying "I am doing 100km, what should I eat, what training should I do?" to which I'd reply not very helpfully "Do what you like, it's only 100km"

Topaxci

I did a 100 mile charity ride a fortnight ago and I would never take that distance lightly.

Though it was never a case of not being able to complete the distance, and I'm not competitive enough to worry about times but to me it's more the condition I'm in at the end of the ride.
Was pretty happy with 5hr 50 for a mainly solo ride but realise there will always be people faster and those who would collapse at just the thought of getting on a bike (I work with some of the latter).

Each to thier own, to some people 100 miles is a herculian challenge to others its a pleasant morning out.
I fall somewhere in the middle and will resume my 50-60 mile Saturday morning rides till next years 100 miler.

Kieran_Burns

Never done 100 miles before, done 100K several times (just last week was the last one) and I've just been given this link:

http://www.greatnottsbikeride.com/sportive.aspx

100 mile sportive which happens to go right past where I work. I can do 100K on a Tricross, I should sure as hell be able to 100 miles on my Madone

okgo

Not sure I follow that logic...a tricross is much more comfortable than a madone!

roger_merriman

My wife's nan as a young lady used to in the summer ride down to brighton with her friends, getting on for 90 years ago.

with sit up and beg bikes, and central london and back. probably down the A23 apparently legs like jelly on way back but was a common enough thing to do on a summer weekend.

Kieran_Burns

okgo wrote:

Not sure I follow that logic...a tricross is much more comfortable than a madone!

and twice the weight.

okgo

Weight is not relevant really.

The position of the madone I would say would make it harder than the sit up and beg tri cross.

SmellTheGlove

I don't think riding 100 could ever be a letdown.
After doing a 100 miler you'll know where certain limits lie, whether you could perhaps have given it more, what part of your body is going to hurt like buggery for a week, whether you could do centuries back to back, like on a LEJOG. Also don't forget there's no flat terrain out there, that much we all know, but it's relative. You find out whether you can eat on the go or whether you need to stop every 25 and wolf down half a chicken and a barrel of Lucozade.
Speaking for myself here but I now know I have to respect the distance; I want to enjoy a ride of that length because for me the opportunities don't often come up.
For all those reasons and more I'd rate it a middle-sized deal, perhaps not truly big in the scheme of things, but definitely a kind of mental trophy.

Santa cruzing

SmellTheGlove wrote:

I don't think riding 100 could ever be a letdown.
After doing a 100 miler you'll know where certain limits lie, whether you could perhaps have given it more, what part of your body is going to hurt like buggery for a week, whether you could do centuries back to back, like on a LEJOG.

Speaking for myself here but I now know I have to respect the distance

definitely a kind of mental trophy.

These bits sum it up well for me. My intentions often outweigh my abilities and I have grand designs of doing L2P or London Revolution or something simmilar next year. However, I did my first 50mile on Tuesday. Great ride and I was happy with the pace, but another 50 at simmilar pace would not have been easy!

Every one has differing abilities and goals, and we all have to start somwhere. I think the 100mile is a great target/benchmark to aim for and not something that should be knocked.

maddernj

I would have to agree with most that if you can do 25-50miles then 100 is just a mental barrier. I did a ride from Wandsworth to Salcombe (Devon) 2 years ago with a couple of 100 + training rides and a few 50-75 miler's.

The actual distance ridden was 226 miles in 16hours (22 hrs with stops), TBH riding 226 miles was no worse than the 100+ we did in the training sessions. after 6 hours in the saddle the pain plateaux's and you just get on with it...just turn your legs and you move forward.

Its not like your legs will fall off....

Gussio

jds_1981 wrote:

I think the terrain will also make a big distance - hitting a big hill after any reasonable distance can be quite disheartening.

This. And temperature. And wind. And solo vs group. Etc. etc..

I think that 100miles is a long way. Have done two century rides this year - London-Brighton-London which was OK; Chilterns 100 which was sweltering hot and pretty lumpy. The latter was much harder. Both provided a good sense of achievement.

mtb-idle

me and alansd1980 off this ere forum did a 100 miler (160 km) yesterday.

From Ashtead Surrey to Eastbourne. Off-road taking in the North Downs Way, Ranmore Common, Surrey Hills (Leith, Holmbury and Pitch), Cranleigh, Downs Link and then the SDW to Eastbourne.

Circa 10,000 ft of climbing, most of it at the end.

We did it in 14 hours including stops etc. (07:42 to 21:42). A cracking day out.

Yes it was very hard. No I wasn't phased by it. No special preparation other than my normal cycle commuting as training and made sure I carried enough liquid, food and energy bars and gels and ate every hour or so to prevent the bonk coming on.

Stone Glider

Did 111.32K the Monday before last. 80%+ off-road, it took over eleven hours on one of the hottest days of the year. Inadequate food, fluids and route planning resulted in a, minor, collapse after eight hours but everything got put back together and a fine time was had

Frankly, the distance is only a number; what matters is the way you approach it. If you are content to accept that it will take time and you are being educated, then the stress is relieved. If you are on a 'mission' then be prepared

veronese68

MTB-Idle wrote:

me and alansd1980 off this ere forum did a 100 yesterday.

From Ashtead Surrey to Eastbourne. Off-road taking in the North Downs Way, Ranmore Common, Surrey Hills (Leith, Holmbury and Pitch), Cranleigh, Downs Link and then the SDW to Eastbourne.

Circa 10,000 ft of climbing, most of it at the end.

We did it in 14 hours including stops etc. (07:42 to 21:42). A cracking day out.

Yes it was very hard. No I wasn't phased by it. No special preparation other than my normal cycle commuting as training and made sure I carried enough liquid, food and energy bars and gels and ate every hour or so to prevent the bonk coming on.

Wow! That's a good ride. Sounds like a lot of fun.

mtb-idle

cheers Veronese, it was indeed fun. More detailed report and more pics on my site

ride report

Kieran_Burns

I'm looking very hard at doing this: http://www.greatnottsbikeride.com/sportive.aspx next month.

Convince me

veronese68

MTB-Idle wrote:

cheers Veronese, it was indeed fun. More detailed report and more pics on my site

ride report

That does look like an epic ride. I've done London to Brighton off road which was good fun. I really should try to make time to do a few more like that.

optimisticbiker

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I'm looking very hard at doing this: http://www.greatnottsbikeride.com/sportive.aspx next month.

Convince me

Looks interesting... couldn't find the profile though... I guess its hilly?

Jay dubbleU

Last 100 mile event I did was through the New Forest at the end of April - pissing down all day, water up to the axles in several locations and wind gusting to 50+ mph - still grinning at the end [*]


[*]I could conceivably be insane

benno68

I dunno, but my mum posted on Facebook about how proud she was that I completed the Dragon Ride :roll:

I think that completing ones first 100 is a milestone but the more one does, the less special they become.

CiB

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I'm looking very hard at doing this: http://www.greatnottsbikeride.com/sportive.aspx next month.

Convince me

There's one that starts on your doorstep, on Saturday - Leicestershire Super Tour - starts at Sutton Bonnington. I can provide you with a route to there from your house if you need it. £25 online. I'm in.

112 miles round Leicestershire, with an optional 5K run afterwards for those that do that sort of thing. I might do a detour around halfway to drop into The Anchor or the Keys for a swift pint & see my old mukkahs again.

Kieran_Burns

CiB wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I'm looking very hard at doing this: http://www.greatnottsbikeride.com/sportive.aspx next month.

Convince me

There's one that starts on your doorstep, on Saturday - Leicestershire Super Tour - starts at Sutton Bonnington. I can provide you with a route to there from your house if you need it. £25 online. I'm in.

112 miles round Leicestershire, with an optional 5K run afterwards for those that do that sort of thing. I might do a detour around halfway to drop into The Anchor or the Keys for a swift pint & see my old mukkahs again.

Have you SEEN the hills on that???? :shock: I have. In person. :shock:

and why didn't you say you were in? If I'd known I would've actually trained for it!

CiB

I vaguely recall the area as being a bit hilly from my time up there, but it's Leics not Buxton to Glossop. How hard can it be?

I should have said but the reality is I booked my slot a few weeks ago and sort of forgot about it, what with other excitement coming and going. Training would seem to involve not drinking too much on Friday watching England v Sweden, and getting up early enough to get up there from down here.

Kieran_Burns

Damn, entries are closed now

Incidentally - that cross roads just to the North of start line? I commute over that every day I cycle in and it's been in a couple of my vids.

(and if you need somewhere to park the car nearby give me a shout, I live on a quiet back street which is literally 1.5 miles from the start)