Capital-to-Capital Century - CycleCentury

This is my first Century. Susan wouldn't let me rest more than 5 minutes at any rest stop. I took time to stretch well--especially on the back half coming home.

What I ate...rest stop 1 banana witgh2 cups water
rest stop 2 the gu I opened right before the stop
rest stop 3 half a bagel, a choclate chip cookie--refilled bottle 1 that had started out with G2 now filled with water
rest stop 4 gu, 2 servings of trail; mix, 2 bottles water
rest stop 5 chocolate chip cookie and mixed nuts
before rest stop 6 another gu, finished second bottle of G2
final rest stop clif bar, filled a bottle with powerade

HRM said I burned 3798 cal or something crazy like that....

Finish lemonade, half a vegetarian sub, baked beans and pulled BBQ meat, little piece of brownie

It was so cool starting off seeing so many bikes together in one place. The line must have gone on forever. First couple roads were blocked off for us since it was a huge pack. Once we got out on the road it thinned out quickly. The scent of honeysuckle is all I remember the first few miles, never saw the bushes but sure could smell them!
Christian and Susan kept a hard pace the first half. They were always waiting for me at rest stops. I hung back with Melanie a lot then pulled ahead of her around 45 miles. Wind picked up there...ugh.
I was so glad to hit Jamestown! Real bathooms and everything! (I hate portapotties). All I wanted was ice on my butt, I was hurting. Okay...refuel, pee...gotta ride back now. I'm thinking I'll take it mile by mile. The first 10 miles back out were HORRIBLE. I was feeling awful and the wind was nasty. We finally got around 70 miles and I had caught up to Christian and Susan--that was some hard work on my part! Hit a store cause Susan wanted fresh gatorade and I started more stretching. A few miles later we got to the rest stop and more stretching.
I remember calling my husband at the last rest stop to let him know I had 12 miles or so left. Felt AWFUL, didn't think I would make it. Forced myself to eat that clif bar cause I knew I needed something but it was like glue. We headed back out and within a few miles I found some legs and took off. For the first time all day I rode in front of Susan and Christian.
Played a little cat and mouse with a kid who would silently ride past me and nod...He laughed when I found my legs and commented that I felt good! Hell, I was at mile 95 and actually felt GOOD!
I watched the odometer on my bike turn to 100 miles and started crying. I realized what I had done....Three years ago I hated riding, it was a necessary part of triathlon...that was it. Here I was 3 years later finishing a century ride and enjoying the pain and process!
The last few miles (course was long) were hard because the firetrucks flew past and I had no where to pull over. Just stayed as far inside the white line as I could and gritted my teeth when the sirens got next to me.
I saw my husband waiting for me as I rode back into the finish area. Almost started crying again. What a sap!


Eat more. Never bonked but the offerings didn't seem to fit me...even though I ate all day. Now I know why rstocks calls IM a 12 hr smorgasboard!

Stretch, eat, hang with Susan, Christian and Melanie...we fussed about the fire engines that blew past us the last couple miles. Christian is a paramedic/FF and he knew who to complain to about the sirens. (car fire not a house) and that section of road left us NOWHERE to pull over so we stayed as far to the side inside the white line as possible.


wind
Never did a full century before, I wanted to pace it carefully to finish


Well organized and well supported. Course was clearly marked. Food at the rest stops could have been better