Where do I start? I have a feeling this is going to be a long ride report. The first 31 miles were mostly flat with some rollers and a couple nice hills thrown in. We had some great scenery in the morning, crossing a lake with the sun rising out of the fog. Sun rising over the tree tops. It was a really pretty ride. I got off to a bad start early on though, it was something that our coaches never really talked about with us. If someone has a flat-even if it is your roommate, I should have kept going (everyone else did!). Most of us were all still in a paceline/riding together, this was about mile 10 or so-I see my roommate, Lori, slowing down because of a flat. I don't even think about it, but pull out of the group to stop and help her (she mentioned that she'd never changed a flat before). We are starting to take the tire off, and one of the coaches pulls up. The coach helps her get the tire off (and mentions that her tires are so old they're starting to rot-she said she'd gone 6 years without a flat on the back tire). I found the nail in the tire, while the coach was starting to get the tubes out. As we're standing there, several of the slower riders passed us-so all the Southern OH TNTers had passed us. We discover that she was carrying the wrong size tubes, as the other coach pulls up. He says I can go on, that I don't need to wait, but I was really nervous to continue on by myself! It wasn't like we were on familiar roads (he later told me that he had no worries that I would catch up to other riders). I was unsure what to do, I didn't want to leave Lori, but I was getting cold, and wasn't helping since there were two coaches there. So, I decided to get going. I rode the next 10-15 miles by myself, pushing too hard-that was dumb, but I wanted to catch up to someone that I knew! I ate a gel at about 40 minutes into the ride. I just didn't feel like I had much energy. I eventually saw some green jersys in front of me, and caught up to some of our slower riders. I stayed with them until the first food stop at about mile 31. As I pulled in to the food stop, some folks that I normally rode with on training days were almost ready to pull out. So, instead of hanging around, eating and refilling my bottles, I quickly used the bathroom, grabbed a bananna and a small Dixie cup of trail mix, and got back on my bike. I was probably there for 3-4 minutes. I felt okay at that point, although my stomach was starting to cause me a bit of problem-felt crampy and uncomfortable. And I think I pushed too hard to try to catch up with the group...The next 15 or so miles was what the race director described as the "hilly" portion. Was it ever! I have to say, we trained on alot of hills here in SW OH. But, we never trained on constant hills for 15 miles. It was a neverending ride of hills-and my stomach was just feeling worse and worse. I had half a gel during this portion, hoping for some more energy, but I really couldn't stomach it. I was drinking mostly gatorade, because my water bottle was a 17 oz one that I keep in my back jersey pocket (it was harder to reach). This was a mistake. I'd never had stomach issues before-even during the 75 mile ride, I felt fine. My energy was lagging, and my stomach troubles were all I was focusing on. There was one last hill before the second food stop (almost halfway through), named "THE WALL" if that tells you anything. It was seriuosly the hardest hill we've done yet. That's not an exaggeration. It was steep-and long. We trained on some steep hills, but they were shorter and we trained on some long hills, but they weren't as steep. this hill was a combination! I was already in my low gear (I only have a double in the front) because of the hills before, and my legs already felt exhausted. As soon as I hit it, I slowed down almost to a stop. I was not moving. I knew I'd have to get off or fall over :) So, I ended up walking. I was feeling pretty bad about walking up it, but I talked with a couple other TNTers who have similar gearing to mine, and said they did the same thing. So, I felt a little better. At the second food stop, several folks recommened that I sip water and eat some salty potato chips. I refilled my 17 oz water bottle and my two 20 oz gatorade bottles. I'd had about 30-35 oz of gatorade and about 17 oz of water when I stopped. I really don't think I was drinking enough (especially water), I'm sure that contributed to my stomach woes. I ate 2 cookies and a couple handfuls of salty potato chips. I saw one lady pouring a salt packet into her gatorade, which was interesting. I've never had a problem with salt intake until today (if that's what was going on). My legs were dead, but that's to be expected, I think, after those hills. So, I spent about 10-15 minutes there, eating and stretching. At this point, I was riding with my mentor, Doug. We started out at the first food stop together and rode the rest of the way together. Various people joined us along the way and then either dropped us or slowed down. The third portion of the course was mostly rolling with some flat portions. Although, Doug and I decided that rolling wasn't the right word. To me, Rolling describes hills that you can pedal fast down, and get enough momentum to carry you to the top, or almost to the top of the next hill. These were hills you climbed, then coasted down, then climbed again. Not bad ones, but they were there! Especially after 50+ miles. The next food stop was around 65 miles. It was our lunch stop. My stomach was starting to feel a little better-I was trying to balance my water and gatorade drinking. In fact, my 17 oz of water was empty by the time we got to the lunch stop. Lunch was 1/2 a pb&j sanwich and salty potato chips and a couple of orange slices. I didn't really feel like eating too much. At this point, I dumped out one bottle of gatorade and refilled with water. So, I had one water and one gatorade. The next (and last!!!!!) rest stop was supposed to be 15 miles from the lunch stop. So, we rode...and rode...and rode...it was actually around 25. I ate about 1/2 a gel again. At this point (we were close to 90 miles) every hill we saw someone said, "I can't believe it, another #*$#@*& hill!" or something along those lines. There were three of us riding together at this point, and all of us desperately needed a bathroom stop. The last rest stop was great, mostly because it was the last stop, but I was feeling 100% better, stomach problems had gone away, so I ate 1/2 bananna and some cookies. Homemade cookies were what this ride was known for! Yum!!! So, from this last stop, there were only 14 miles left to go! It was pretty flat, a couple hills that would have been pretty easy, had it been at the beginning of the ride, but felt tough at this point. Coming in to the finish was the greatest feeling-I really can't explain it. I don't know if it was the fact that I finished 100 miles, that I was riding with some great people and had fun! even on the tough hills, or that I overcame some mental and physical challenges-or a combination of them! But it was the best feeling, I was cheering and yelling!!! And a crowd was welcoming us back. I got a medal and a 100 mile pin. It was amazing!


Come up with some fundraising brainstorm so I can do many more events!

Not leave the half eaten gel in my back jersey pocket so that when I sat in my car it smushed against the seat!

Charge my phone so I wouldn't have to buy a car charger.

Cheered and ate some snacks. Went back and showered, then went to the victory party and ate some great food!


If I keep riding courses/distances like this, I'm considering a granny gear. It would have been nice to shift down on that crazy hill.


I can't describe the feeling that I had completing that ride. The camaraderie and friendship was great. I felt like I really accomplished something amazing-not only the fundraising, but completing that distance! It was a great feeling!
The Westerville Bicycle Club did a great job of marking the course-I didn't have to pull out my map once and a great job of manning the rest stops as well. I loved the trail mix!