First Century this Saturday !! *Completed*

Tjgoodhew

I have decided to ride my first hundred miler on Saturday for no other reason than I want to tick it off the list. I will be riding solo and am aiming for around 6 hours. I live in Essex so the ride will be pretty flat

I have read through numerous posts about how to tackle it, food, meals before, hydration etc.... and im pretty confident i will be able to manage the distance. I did a 75 mile ride a month ago and was in a world of pain by the end but my fitness has def improved. And the route i have planned the last 25/30 miles is pretty much pan flat so worst case i can just spin my legs over slowly to make it home

But i wanted to ask others how their first century was. Did you find it easier / tougher than expected ? And any pointers you could give me other than the usual stuff about eating regularly etc...

Wish me Luck !!!!!

lakesluddite

My first was a very hilly 'Ride with Brad' sportive a couple of years ago, and it peed it down for a fair amount of time, my quads were beyond pain, just numb by the end, and I limped home in just under 8 hours. I think your goals in relation to time need to reflect the increase in distance - if you've suffered on a 75 miler, then add another 30% and you will definitely need to alter your 'normal' pace - don't (as I have done in the past) try to keep pace with those bombing off at the front, you'll pay for it later.

I'm doing the Fred Whitton Challenge next month (112 miles over all the Lakes highest passes), and I have no time expectations at all, I'll just be looking to get round in one piece, so I'll be dialling down the pace more than ever. I'm also hoping to do a 115 miler in North Lancs/South Lakes on sunday (Wrynose or Bust), just to get used to being in the saddle for that amount of time, because I know that along with the legs, it will be my back and neck that will feel it.

Schoie81

LakesLuddite wrote:

I'm doing the Fred Whitton Challenge next month (112 miles over all the Lakes highest passes), and I have no time expectations at all, I'll just be looking to get round in one piece, so I'll be dialling down the pace more than ever. I'm also hoping to do a 115 miler in North Lancs/South Lakes on sunday (Wrynose or Bust), just to get used to being in the saddle for that amount of time, because I know that along with the legs, it will be my back and neck that will feel it.

Do you have any tips on how to do this? I tackle all rides the same at the start - like I'm doing a 1mile sprint, and then on longer rides I really pay for it later on, but I just can't figure out how to slow down at the start when I feel fresh and I'm raring to go!!

Bozman

I can remember getting up and feeling good and saying to the wife that I was going to do a ton today, the reply was - " of course you are!"
Poached egg on toast for breakfast and off I went, I got in to a good rhythm, ate little and often(flapjack), two 750ml bottles of electrolyte and a couple of gels for just in case. All went well but my legs felt like wood after about 85 miles, they still did their job because I averaged 20mph over the last ten but they just felt odd, I'd didn't stop for a break just a pee once or twice.

100.33 miles in 5h.42m with about 4800' of climbing.

I'd eaten well the night before too and that's something that I stick with if I'm off out on a long ride.

StillGoing

Tjgoodhew wrote:

I have decided to ride my first hundred miler on Saturday for no other reason than I want to tick it off the list. I will be riding solo and am aiming for around 6 hours. I live in Essex so the ride will be pretty flat

I have read through numerous posts about how to tackle it, food, meals before, hydration etc.... and im pretty confident i will be able to manage the distance. I did a 75 mile ride a month ago and was in a world of pain by the end but my fitness has def improved. And the route i have planned the last 25/30 miles is pretty much pan flat so worst case i can just spin my legs over slowly to make it home

But i wanted to ask others how their first century was. Did you find it easier / tougher than expected ? And any pointers you could give me other than the usual stuff about eating regularly etc...

Wish me Luck !!!!!

Don't assume because it's flat it's easy. A flat road means you get little or no respite and will need to keep turning the pedals. No downhill coasting for a few minutes. Remembering my first true century, I'd done 68 a week or two before and suffered with aching legs afterwards and the next day, which was odd because I'd done that kind of distance before. Then a week later I just decided with my riding buddy we were going to do the ton. I paced it all the way and at the end didn't feel anywhere near as knackered as I did after the 68 coming in in just over 6 hours. Nothing brilliant in the time, but that wasn't the goal.

lakesluddite

Schoie81 wrote:

LakesLuddite wrote:

I'm doing the Fred Whitton Challenge next month (112 miles over all the Lakes highest passes), and I have no time expectations at all, I'll just be looking to get round in one piece, so I'll be dialling down the pace more than ever. I'm also hoping to do a 115 miler in North Lancs/South Lakes on sunday (Wrynose or Bust), just to get used to being in the saddle for that amount of time, because I know that along with the legs, it will be my back and neck that will feel it.

Do you have any tips on how to do this? I tackle all rides the same at the start - like I'm doing a 1mile sprint, and then on longer rides I really pay for it later on, but I just can't figure out how to slow down at the start when I feel fresh and I'm raring to go!!

Well for me it's just a case of spinning a lower gear, or reducing the cadence. I tend to be a bit of one for grinding out a higher gear, so I have to fight the instict to churn it out and just try to spin a bit, and also relax a bit more, which helps the neck/back issues a little.
I usually attend these things on my own (yeah, Billy-no-mates), so there's not usually a group that I can work with. Saying that, the last Sportive I did I got working with someone on a log section of headwind, and stayed with them for the second half of the ride, which also helps.
Basically it's just a case of discipline -let the racers go off ahead and not be tempted to try and match them - they will tend to be from the same club or a bunch of mates anyway and will spend all day drafting each other. At the beginning just keep reminding yourself "six hours to go, six hours to go...keep it steady" rather than "great! lets 'ave it!"

markhewitt1978

You just need to learn how to monitor your own effort level, which is easier on your own as you dictate your own pace. Try riding such that you are putting in no more effort than you would on a brisk walk, coast down the hills, take it easy on the flat, having to put in effort up hill is unavoidable.

Perhaps ditch your cycle computer so you're no obsessing about what speed you're doing at the time and just ride your bike.

Tjgoodhew

markhewitt1978 wrote:

You just need to learn how to monitor your own effort level, which is easier on your own as you dictate your own pace. Try riding such that you are putting in no more effort than you would on a brisk walk, coast down the hills, take it easy on the flat, having to put in effort up hill is unavoidable.

Perhaps ditch your cycle computer so you're no obsessing about what speed you're doing at the time and just ride your bike.

This is going to be my biggest problem. I obsess about speed and average speed and i ALWAYS hammer it downhill. Iv learnt to just spin away uphill instead of trying to speed up as quickly as possible but i will need to make a real effort to take it easy on the downhills

ai_1

Schoie81 wrote:

LakesLuddite wrote:

I'm doing the Fred Whitton Challenge next month (112 miles over all the Lakes highest passes), and I have no time expectations at all, I'll just be looking to get round in one piece, so I'll be dialling down the pace more than ever. I'm also hoping to do a 115 miler in North Lancs/South Lakes on sunday (Wrynose or Bust), just to get used to being in the saddle for that amount of time, because I know that along with the legs, it will be my back and neck that will feel it.

Do you have any tips on how to do this? I tackle all rides the same at the start - like I'm doing a 1mile sprint, and then on longer rides I really pay for it later on, but I just can't figure out how to slow down at the start when I feel fresh and I'm raring to go!!

It's hard to know how to give useful tips on how NOT to ride hard early on. It's simply a case of sitting back and not rushing things. If you go for a stroll do you automatically start running? It really seems pretty obvious that the way to not start every cycle like it's a 1 mile sprint is to simply not start every cycle like it's a 1 mile sprint.

If you're obsessed with pushing your average speed because you've got a bike computer in front of you then maybe do as Mark suggests and leave it behind/turn it off. But really the issue is you're continually thinking faster is better so it might be better to set yourself a new goal to replace this. If you use a heart rate monitor - chose a sensible upper HR limit and just be disciplined enough to stick to it. So for example if your max HR is say 190bpm you might decide never to exceed say 155bpm and maybe aim for an average HR of about 140, 135 or lower. If you're thinking of it as a race or looking forward to the end you may find you keep pushing whenever you lose concentration so really you need to change your mindset for longer events but in the mean time try setting an alert on your computer to let you know when you exceed the chosen HR limit (if your computer has that option).

chrisaonabike

Ai_1 wrote:

useful tips on how NOT to ride hard early on.

Use a HRM.

My only 100 to date was the RLS100 last August. I had already noticed during my training that if I kept my HR below about 135, I could go on more or less forever, with no fatigue at all (obviously not literally true)

So I just kept HR about there until Newlands Corner, which was the first gradient of any significance.

I'll go a bit harder this year - last year I felt good all the way round and had loads left in the tank at the end. Not that I was fast by any means; this year I hope to do a bit better than 6:53, although even that was a lot quicker than I was expecting.

markhewitt1978

You don't necessarily need a heart rate monitor in order to do that however, just learn to listen to what your body is telling you in terms of how much effort you are putting in and if it's too much, back off.

chrisaonabike

markhewitt1978 wrote:

You don't necessarily need a heart rate monitor in order to do that however, just learn to listen to what your body is telling you in terms of how much effort you are putting in and if it's too much, back off.

I'm sure this is true if you have experience, though at least the HRM gives an objective measure.

It was a huge novelty for me - my first sportive, first century, first year of riding, etc etc, and was so pumped up with the excitement of the occasion that I found it really hard to rein myself back for the first 50 miles or so. Without the HRM I reckon I'd have gone a lot faster for the first (flat) 50, and then maybe struggled a lot more for the second half.

homers_double

I've completed 100km (HONC) mountain bike ride on a 6" full suss Santa Cruz and am quiety thinking a 100 mile road ride is achievable. Problem is I'd be on my own as the guys I ride with are fairly new to cycling and the 40 miler last weekend almost finished them off.

One weekend I'll (maybe we'll) take it on but untill then it's a few rides away.

CiB

Do you know the roads? Pacing is easier if you always have an idea of where you are and how far there is to go. As for not being able to rein yourself in, that's easy - if you go at it like a bull at a gate you'll probably blow up at about 80+ miles and either not finish or take an hour & half to do the last 6 miles. Either way not a problem as you'll know next time. Or just remind yourself in the first 20 miles that you've hardly started so hold back a bit. It's not that difficult really.

If it's not a group ride, take time for 2 or three rests of about 15-20 minutes, and top up with edible food (sandwich, stodgy cake maybe) and a pint of milk from a village shop. That's way better than squeezing 3 gels down your neck. Refill your water bottles, chuck a couple of Nuun tabs or similar in for the last 30 miles and you're as good as done. It'll still be tough though, esp that last 8 miles - they never end. The computer taunts you taking eons to get below 7 miles to go and then the same to get to 6 left. You'll be close to tears, you'll want to get off & walk or just stop but your pride won't let you and next thing you'll be doing 3mph on a gentle incline wishing you were at home. Probably.

Enjoy it.

ai_1

markhewitt1978 wrote:

You don't necessarily need a heart rate monitor in order to do that however, just learn to listen to what your body is telling you in terms of how much effort you are putting in and if it's too much, back off.

I agree that's the case for most of us but if he says he can't prevent himself from sprinting from the start no matter what the ride distance he probably needs something objective to work off until he gets some feel for taking cues from his body.
Personally I don't quite understand how it's difficult to go slowly. Judging it so you arrive at the end just as you run out of steam is the tricky bit! I think most of us find it pretty easy to pick a conservative pace - Just back off if you feel any lactic building or if you start getting the least bit out of breath. If you can easily hold an unbroken conversation you're probably doing a very sustainable pace.

mpatts

Ignore the time, just ride out at a nice leisurely pace. Look over the hedges, stop and take photos. Generally enjoy it. It will take you forever but you'll have a day to remember.

First century I did with a mate he was intent on hitting a certain average. He blew up, hated it, and missed the average.

Remember, cycling is fun - it can be a challenge, but it should always be fun.

markhewitt1978

mpatts wrote:

Ignore the time, just ride out at a nice leisurely pace. Look over the hedges, stop and take photos. Generally enjoy it. It will take you forever but you'll have a day to remember.

First century I did with a mate he was intent on hitting a certain average. He blew up, hated it, and missed the average.

Remember, cycling is fun - it can be a challenge, but it should always be fun.

That's what I'm coming to realise, I like going fast and pushing myself, but I've decided I like doing decent distances more, 14mph average is fine for me!

whoof

I would start by ditching the 6 hour target. Start slower than you think you should be going and if you feel good in the last 25 miles you can pick your pace up. When you finish you can note the time (this might be 6 hours, could be 7 or 5!) and use this as a bench mark for future 100 mile rides. It will feel a lot better than the '"world of pain" you had riding 75 miles. A month is not a lot of time to improve endurance. I was chatting to guy on a ride the other week, he was on the last bit of a 200km (125 km) loop. He was late 60's, about 5' 4" and quite rotund it's just a matter of practice, no short cuts.

markhewitt1978

whoof wrote:

I would start by ditching the 6 hour target.

That's pretty ambitious as it is. 16.6mph average - ok it's flat that might be achievable but for that length of ride I'd be wanting to factor in 45-60 minutes of stoppage time, which pushes it up to 20mph average which unless you're really fit isn't going to work.

mpatts

Tjgoodhew wrote:

markhewitt1978 wrote:

You just need to learn how to monitor your own effort level, which is easier on your own as you dictate your own pace. Try riding such that you are putting in no more effort than you would on a brisk walk, coast down the hills, take it easy on the flat, having to put in effort up hill is unavoidable.

Perhaps ditch your cycle computer so you're no obsessing about what speed you're doing at the time and just ride your bike.

This is going to be my biggest problem. I obsess about speed and average speed and i ALWAYS hammer it downhill. Iv learnt to just spin away uphill instead of trying to speed up as quickly as possible but i will need to make a real effort to take it easy on the downhills

My guess (and it is just a guess) is that the downhills aren't causing the fatigue - I am always surprised when looking at my heart rate how low it is on fast downhills when I perceive I've pushed it (for example, yesterdays 18mph ride, my lowest HR is always on the fast downhills (30mph+).

The best way to avoid blowing up is to make the same mistake a few hundred times

khisanth

Having a time you want to meet might make you ride faster than you want to as you are mentally trying to meet that target. Pacing all the way is key for me and be properly fuelled.

I also used to start off too quickly and then pay for it halfway !

markhewitt1978

khisanth wrote:

Having a time you want to meet might make you ride faster than you want to as you are mentally trying to meet that target. Pacing all the way is key for me and be properly fuelled.

I also used to start off too quickly and then pay for it halfway !

Yes; I find that if I'm arranging to meet my wife for example, the ride out is that little bit more stressed as I know I have to hit a particular time of arrival, whereas the ride back home is different as it's just get back whenever.

simona75

In addition to the above I would also try and plot a route that gives you a tailwind home. If you're tired even a gentle push will assist

dee4life2005

If you're using a cycle computer that uses a speed/cadence sensor, e.g. a Garmin or Bryton etc., another tip I would give would be to add a couple of miles as a buffer (so do e.g. 102-104 miles), this way if the wheel size configured in your cycle computer is slightly out for whatever reason then you wont find out when you upload it that you've only done 99.5 miles - like I did :evil:

As much as it may be tempting to gun it from the off, pacing is key for a ride of this distance - especially when it's an increase to what you're used to. The first time I did a century, I forced myself to keep to an average of about 2-3mph less than I would normally ride. The goal after all was to complete 100 miles, not necessarily how long it took, that would come on subsequent attempts.

If you're not doing a sportive with a fixed route, I would plan a couple of routes so that I had a choice on the day which to take, hopefully giving the benefit of any tailwind on the 75-100 mile stretch.

Lastly, enjoy it.

markhewitt1978

simona75 wrote:

In addition to the above I would also try and plot a route that gives you a tailwind home. If you're tired even a gentle push will assist

For rides of a few hours where you aren't at your limits it doesn't matter, but for longer rides where you're likely to tire, even the smallest headwind is going to tire you out, worse on flat land where the wind whips up and you've got no descents to rest. Back when I was going 30 miles per ride I took no notice of the wind direction, now it's critical!

daxplusplus

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Ai_1 wrote:

useful tips on how NOT to ride hard early on.

Use a HRM.

+1

It's a good way to reach a better understanding\awareness of what your body is actually doing rather than what you think it's doing.

It's not rocket science. To do a flat 100 miles is not too difficult if you take your time and pace yourself .. however the problems\challenges all start when you want to do it quickly or it's not flat.

Having better self awareness means your better able to make those pacing choices.

Good luck.

bianchimoon

CiB wrote:

If it's not a group ride, take time for 2 or three rests of about 15-20 minutes, and top up with edible food (sandwich, stodgy cake maybe) and a pint of milk from a village shop. That's way better than squeezing 3 gels down your neck. Refill your water bottles, chuck a couple of Nuun tabs or similar in for the last 30 miles and you're as good as done. Enjoy it.

definitely, good solid food such as sandwiches on a long ride even if you have no appetite, and with 10 miles to go fill your water bottle with flat - full fat coke give you a little lift towards the end - good luck

ai_1

DaxPlusPlus wrote:

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Ai_1 wrote:

useful tips on how NOT to ride hard early on.

Use a HRM.

+1

It's a good way to reach a better understanding\awareness of what your body is actually doing rather than what you think it's doing.

It's not rocket science. To do a flat 100 miles is not too difficult if you take your time and pace yourself .. however the problems\challenges all start when you want to do it quickly or it's not flat.

Having better self awareness means your better able to make those pacing choices.

Good luck.

How'd I end up quoted like I was asking the question? :?

Anyway - I agree a HRM is the best way to go to stop yourself over-reaching.
You can take exercise without one, but they are very useful and I'd be pretty lost without mine. Perhaps i over-use mine!
But they are very powerful tools: for example, I did my first half marathon on Sunday (I know it's a cycling forum, forgive me!) having only ever run one 10km race previously to use as a benchmark. I'd done long runs in training in preparation for the race but not at race effort. However from training I knew I could fairly comfortably sustain a HR around 160 for at least 15km. During the race I ran to a pace that felt fast but sustainable and used my HR to judge whether I was pushing too hard or not. I was able to pace myself so that I was confident I would get to the finish in decent shape and within a minute or so of the best time I was capable of. Similarly last year I wanted to see how fast I could do a particular 100 mile sportive and from previous sportives I new what sort of heart rate I could sustain for 5hrs+. So I used this info to gauge my effort and finished exhausted but without having blown up and confident I couldn't have gone faster.
I think it takes a lot of experience to pace yourself accurately on feel alone and I wouldn't have done as well on either of these without the HRM. For me and for anyone who needs to ask, a HRM is almost certainly the best approach. The HR numbers won't mean much to you until you've used it a while but once you understand your effort levels it's a powerful, though not infallible, tool.

For your first long ride, especially if you have a tendency to overcook it early on, just make sure you sit back and relax at the start. Like others have said, don't have any preconceptions about the time you expect to take and certainly don't tell anyone you're trying to do it fast. You're taking a tour, not racing.

CiB

Ai_1 wrote:

Anyway - I agree a HRM is the best way to go to stop yourself over-reaching.

No surely not. How about just pausing to think for a moment before setting off? It's hardly a brain-stretcher - prob close to 7 hours on the bike, might need to hold something back to have enough left for the end? Nah - just go for it: chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarge and set off at 110 cadence / 28mph for the first 4 miles? HRMs have their uses but a simple bit of thought up front is just as easy, and much after halfway it won't matter anyway as he'll have blown himself up going off too quick, or will have paced it and realised that trying to up it at this stage isn't sensible or likely to happen.

Best thing is to ignore the time / avg speeds etc and enjoy it for what it is - a day out on the bike with no pressure.

markhewitt1978

^ This

Always easy to come up with a highly technical answer when the solution is really easy, just don't go as fast!

ai_1

CiB wrote:

Ai_1 wrote:

Anyway - I agree a HRM is the best way to go to stop yourself over-reaching.

No surely not. How about just pausing to think for a moment before setting off? It's hardly a brain-stretcher - prob close to 7 hours on the bike, might need to hold something back to have enough left for the end? Nah - just go for it: chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarge and set off at 110 cadence / 28mph for the first 4 miles? HRMs have their uses but a simple bit of thought up front is just as easy, and much after halfway it won't matter anyway as he'll have blown himself up going off too quick, or will have paced it and realised that trying to up it at this stage isn't sensible or likely to happen.

Best thing is to ignore the time / avg speeds etc and enjoy it for what it is - a day out on the bike with no pressure.

Most of my last post is about using a HRM to manage your effort when you ARE trying to go as fast as possible but as you can see from the last paragraph I'm not suggesting the OP does this until he's already done some long rides and figured out how to take it easy. As you say, that's not very complicated. Just remember you're out for a day in the saddle and don't rush it. Hardly needs explaining I would have thought!
Not every ride is a race, sometimes it's nice to just roll along and enjoy the scenery. Not much use for a HRM on those rides.