First Century

Did my first 100 mile ride this weekend.
Felt pretty good. I had to keep adding a few miles towards the end to get all the way to 100. I could have added lots of flat stuff, but I wasn't afraid to add some hills. Including one that's a 6% grade over 1.6 miles. I know it's not a lot to some of you....but twice in one day is a lot...and one of those was at 90 miles.

Only one hill....at mile 75...did I think I might have been beat. I knew it was going to be bad when I thought about it when I figured to include it on my route. It's only a half mile at 6%, but it starts off with a quarter mile of 10%. I don't think I've ever done more than 6% or so. Just not that much around here. For about .1 of a mile I thought...I might have to get off and walk. But, then I figured someone would drive by and see me and I would be so ashamed. I probably shouldn't have filled my water bottles down there at the bottom where there's a park.

It was really a telling day. For one, if I ever decide to go for a more than a half.....

I learned:
-I can subsist on Clif bars, Payday, and gel. I thought I'd need a ham sandwich somewhere in there. I am not ruling out a ham sandwich for future reference.
-I might currently be able to run a few miles after something like that. How many? I don't know. But I'd have some time to add to that number. I did 78 miles a few weeks ago, and didn't really relish the thought of running, crawling, walking a marathon. A lot better this week.
-It was also very interesting looking at the clock. Knowing that I finished the ride about the time I would in a full 140.3 race. Thinking of starting a 'marathon' at that time of day.....it was a bit of a paradigm shift from Olympics...and even a half. A full, for a guy like me is not....finish the race early afternoon at the latest.....have a late lunch and drive home.