Tick this off the Bucket List

[Quo Fan]

Since I started road cycling, I have always planned on riding a "century" ride, that is a distance of 100 miles in one day. Well yesterday, I finally ticked that item off my bucket list. It was a charity ride to raise money to fight MS. The group I rode with consisted of 9 at the start, but my wife had to drop out because of her asthma (it would have been her 5th or 6th century) and another dropped off the back and told us to continue without him. I was the slowest of the group, and they kindly waited for me at all the rest stops.I don't know the exact pedaling time, my cyclocomputer wasn't registering anything but cadence (speed of my pedals), but we started at 7am, and we finished at 2:17 pm. That is 7 hours and 17 minutes. I was hoping for 7 hours, but I'll take just finishing.

The forecast was for rain showers possible all day. At the start, it was just cloudy, and by the time we passed the first rest stop, it began to sprinkle. About 3 minutes later, it started raining harder. My wife dropped out after the first rest stop. I stayed with her until the Sag Wagon (support vehicle) stopped. They brought her back to the rest stop where she caught a ride back to the start. When I reached the second rest stop, the rest of the group was gathering to leave, and waited for me to grab a snack. The rain continued for the next 20 minutes or so, but we were already wet and committed to do at least 50 miles, we would make our decision at the 31.6 mile mark where the 100 mile route does a 50 mile loop. The weather had cleared to just cloudy, (which was good for me) so we pressed onto the 100 mile route. We lost our next rider at around the 39 mile mark when he just couldn't keep up with the pace. At the next rest stop, he told us to continue without him, as he would finish at his own pace. This is where I started to get slower.

Lunch came at the 56 mile mark, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (provided by the organizers). At this point, we began riding into the wind, and riding solo into the wind is no fun at all. I could keep up with the group on the flats, but I couldn't climb at their pace, so I kept falling off the back.

When I arrived at the last rest stop, they told me that they would ride at my pace. I told them bull crap (not my exact words, but this is a family-friendly site). I led the pace line for about half a mile until they could no longer stand the slow pace and left me again. We regrouped with about 6 miles to go, and there was very little climbing left, but some nice down hills.

I figure I went through about 120 oz of Gatorade, and about 100 oz of water, while eating 2 and a half packs of Cliff Shots, 3 energy gels and a peanut butter granola bar.

A meal was provided by the organizers, burgers and grilled chicken. The rain returned in earnest about 30 minutes after we returned, and while a few people were still out on the course. We sat and ate and relaxed while trying to ward off cramping.

I got home and showered and laid down for the rest of the day. I had a horrible cramp in both legs around 6, and I'm a little sore from the cramps.

I think I'll do this again next year.

[RLucas]

Man, that is awesome! I haven't done a century since I was about 16.(39 now). And for a great cause! This gets me kind of motivated to get back on a bike again. Glad you enjoyed it enough to do it again! Congratulations from a fat outta shape chain smoker!

[Murtasma]

Wow very impressive congrats I can't imagine how hard that was. I don't think I could bike 5 miles without falling off the bike and into a comma.

[Saralonde]

I'm impressed, too, both by your feat and the cameraderie of the group.

So after you recuperate, what's next on the bucket list?

[lputman]

That's awesome! Congratulations on being able to "check-off" a bucket list item

[BEGM83]

Huge congrats! Thats one of the things on my 'to do before i die' list too but not the 100 - to do the London-Brighton bike ride here in the UK either the official one or take myself off and do it when i want to do it

Very VERY worth cause too - one very dear to my heart.

Big congrats again

[PhotoPatzer]

QUO - Thats awesome... Great story!

My father-in-law decided to do a centery out of the blue and he did it on his mountain bike... Said it was worse than any marathon he has ever done... Kudos to you!

[Henry Wilt]

Amazing achievement, congrats.

[Quo Fan]

Originally Posted by PhotoPatzer

QUO - Thats awesome... Great story!

My father-in-law decided to do a centery out of the blue and he did it on his mountain bike... Said it was worse than any marathon he has ever done... Kudos to you!

One of the guys in my group was on a mountain bike, and he was one of the fastest of the group.