Things not to do when riding a century

[Archaea]

1. Don't stay off the bike one month before riding,

2. Don't stay up until 2:00 am.

3. Don't tell yourself it's only 100 miles and follow the leader group at break neck pac,

4. Don't forget to eat or drink before or during.

5. Don't order 25 mph winds.

I did all of those things and blew up. A very slow century for me. Yikes it hurt, I need to get back in shape. Some gals even beat me. I suck.

[MikeWaters]

what's worse is fat gals beat you.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b311/mikewaters1992/fatbottom_thumb.jpg

[Archaea]

but I counted six racer chicks who beat me. Face it, I blew up without enough miles.

It was embarrassing, I actually got beat up a hill. Back to the drawing board.

I did ride the a.. I mean wheel of one cute gal though. So being slow isn't all bad.

[creekster]

centuries since I turned 40, except I never forget to eat.

In my last century I got beat by perhaps hundreds of people. But does a duck care when it rains? I figure my role is to make other people (like you) feel good. THat's why I'm there. In fact, you can stay on the couch all winter, becasue I'll be providing that service to everyone at Solvang!

[Archaea]

I saw that too long ago.

[bluegoose]

Forget to eat???

That is like the unpardonable sin of cycling.

What was it - not hungry, bad food at the rest stops, no time to stop?

I eat like a horse on a century. Granted its usually fig newtons and wheat thins, and I often have to gag myself to make it go down. Even still, you can never make up the calorie deficit from a century and it can be real easy to bonk.

I feel your pain brother.

[Archaea]

not something I can do very well while exercising. Afterwards, no problem.

It plagues me during Ironman competitions as well. I'm just not hungry, but I forgot my electrolytes as well. So by mile 80 I was grumpy and by mile 90 I had a cute gal and old guy pulling for me. It was embarrassing. Legs had no energy.

[bluegoose]

I'm the opposite as you - I eat well during competition, but am flat afterward. Last one I did there was a nice chicken and potato dinner. I ate exactly 3 bites and called it good. What a waste.

My father-in-law is an ultra runner. He did a 5 day race in Morocco 3 years ago that was 150 miles total across the Sahara. His downfall is always food.

2 years ago I paced him for 15 miles during the Wasatch 100. he couldn't eat a thing. Not even water, gatorade, cola, goo. Kidneys totally shut down. Listless, no energy. Barely walking. Sounds like fun , eh. Only made it to mile 85 before they made him stop.

Now I'm a big advocate of eating early and often on a tough ride.