Cartersville Century - CycleCentury

our group started a little after the peleton and on the very first downhill I flatted. Johnathan and Felix hung back to help me change the tube. got it changed and psst- flatted right away. Fortunately the SAG guy pulls up, changes it yet again, and before he even takes it down it flats again! He found a cut in the tire so he replaced the tire and tube again- Felix move on at that point, so Johnathan and I finally began the next 98 miles.
On the way to the first rest stop we saw an ambulance and fire truck, then Beps bike on the SAG truck. Stopped and looked in the ambulance the there was Bep with her arm in a sling and Neal in the back of the ambulance. Thoughts going out to Bep for a speedy recovery- turns out she broke her elbow on a spill.
Got to stop 1 shortly after and ran into Ken Cooksey. We were about 10 minutes behind Felix and Brett.
Johnathan and I pressed on to the next stop at a fun and moderate pace, but somewhere along the line the temps really started creeping up. We got to the next stop and found Felix and Brett. Brett's crew was having some problems with their tubulars, so they went on with the 55 mile route- which went a different direction than the 100 miler from stop 2.
So Felix, Johnathan, and Myself went on the point of no return 100 miler and this is when the suffering begins. It was a Getting really hot, our pace was slowing, and saddle soreness was setting in. This was also the longest stretch without a rest stop. By the time I got to the 55 mile rest stop I was roasting and the little bit of liquid I had was hot enough to brew coffee!
After composing ourselves and hydrating I believe the toughest stretch was from 55-75. It was hilly, hot and broke a lot of the riders that were left. We were not seeing many riders at all anymore (plus were were an hour behind from the start) I ended up moving ahead and the three of us spread out by about a mile apart- it was just getting to the next point- pure survivalism. Finally got to the 75 mile stop, and about 7 riders were being pulled from the course. It was 100 plus on some of the non shaded dark pavement roads and impossible to stay hydrated. One of the girls that was ready to quit ended up joining us for the remainder.
I felt fine physically, but was starting to get challenged mentally with the hot temps, and general discomfort. I rolled into the 90 mile pit stop a few minuted ahead of Johnathan and Felix, and the girl that joined us at mile 75 was severely dehydrated. She stopped sweating and had the goosebumps. She had to pack it in.
We hydrated up and stayed together the last 10 miles.

I wanted to make sure the three musketeers rode in on our horses together for our grand entrance back into the park.

No such entrance. the group was packing up, pretty much no one left at the park, no burgers or dogs left- so we congratulated each other- got some encouragement by people leaving the park as we came in. Johnathan's odometer read 99.5- so we rode around in the park for a half mile to make it official. Mission accomplished

Endurolytes will be on my menu next time. Other than that- don't buy cheap ass tires from performance- you get what you pay for

packed it in and went home and drank a couple of fosters and ate a burger


Hydration- t.i.t.s.


Couldn't rate the post race- I guess the party was more around the bulk of the riders which were the 55 milers and the 100 milers that started on time. Volunteers were awesome and I will do this ride again next year