First Century.......
Discussion
107.8 to be exact but I'll get back to that.
Having got the bug and buying my first road bike ever back in April I have been pounding the streets in a bid to loose some weight and get fitter. (Long term goal is an Ironman but thats another story)
I try to ride 120-150 miles a week and as my average speed over 40 miles is now quite respectable (for me anyway) decided to go for a 100 miler.
As this was unknown territory for me (longest previous ride was 63 miles) I decided to ride a combination of 3 routes I ride on a regular basis and that would loop me back to the house (at 27 and 77 miles). I also decided to ride on my heart rate rather than pace so set an upper limit of 160 for the climbs and 140 on the flats, with a max rate of 193 I guess thats zone 4 and 5?
0530 I'm wheels turning and having a great time, it was a little too cold to ride without a jacket so I was a little overheated but nothing I couldn't handle.
First loop back my OH had a replacement 1L bottle and a 500ml plus some banannas and nutrigrain bars for the long loop which is quite hilly (2 are Cat 4 it says on Strava but I have no idea what that means)
By the 50Mile mark I am finding it hard going and my heart rate is av 160, legs still felt good though. I wasn't really eating enough so forced myself to eat 3 bars and a bananna at one "sitting" which seemed to do the trick. After that I ate much more often and by the return to the house for the last loop I was feeling really strong.
Having called ahead again, Sophie (the OH) was waiting with another 1L bottle and some more bars. As well as her own stuff as the plan was to ride the final loop together.
Off we went, she always starts like a rat out of a drainpipe so for the first few miles I was lagging behind, but eventually she gets tired and I was able to catch her....just as she got a puncture (which was her second in 2 days, both small stones that have written off the 4000s's she has on).
She wobbles to a stop and its blindingly obvious that the tyres scrap, fortunately I have a spare set of Mavick Aksiums with tyres at home ( well the rear anyway as Sophs Boardman was already sporting the front) so quick as a flash I whip off the rear wheel and turn back for home.
I had elected to carry the wheel in my right hand and realised that I was now riding a fixie one handed, which clearly wouldn't do. I sat back and swapped the wheel from my right to my left hand... problem was I missed the catch with my left and I can now vouch for the fact that its really not possible to get 2 wheels inside your front forks.
The best way to describe it is the bloody bike bucked me off, it was quick and violent and it bloody hurt. The water bottle went spinning in one direction and the Garmin edge in another. I remained clipped in untill the bike was above me and then it jumped off into the road also.
As its a busy road I decided to get the f**k up as quickly as possible, rounded up all the strays checked the bike over for damage and then rode off (hoping that not too many people had witnessed my stupidity, which I put down to tiredness) wheel firmly grasped in my left hand now.
By the time I got home my left leg and shoe was the colour of claret and I had a total of 11 seperate injuries(Soph counted later)
None serious I hasten to add (well in my mind)
When I got back Soph wanted to fuss but I really didn't even want to look so off we went again.
The spare wheel has a 12 27 which is slightly taller than the 11 29 that Soph has so she found the hills a little bit harder and the pace slowed to a crawl.
By the time I got home everything hurt and I was core cold ( I had lost the jacket for the last loop)
But I did it
Average pace of 14.8mph. (moving 15.7) with 4700ft elevation.
My left knee needed stitches and I am sitting here writing this eating a huge pile of biscuits that I earned today.
Moral of the story is when you are tired, stop to do what you have to do
Having got the bug and buying my first road bike ever back in April I have been pounding the streets in a bid to loose some weight and get fitter. (Long term goal is an Ironman but thats another story)
I try to ride 120-150 miles a week and as my average speed over 40 miles is now quite respectable (for me anyway) decided to go for a 100 miler.
As this was unknown territory for me (longest previous ride was 63 miles) I decided to ride a combination of 3 routes I ride on a regular basis and that would loop me back to the house (at 27 and 77 miles). I also decided to ride on my heart rate rather than pace so set an upper limit of 160 for the climbs and 140 on the flats, with a max rate of 193 I guess thats zone 4 and 5?
0530 I'm wheels turning and having a great time, it was a little too cold to ride without a jacket so I was a little overheated but nothing I couldn't handle.
First loop back my OH had a replacement 1L bottle and a 500ml plus some banannas and nutrigrain bars for the long loop which is quite hilly (2 are Cat 4 it says on Strava but I have no idea what that means)
By the 50Mile mark I am finding it hard going and my heart rate is av 160, legs still felt good though. I wasn't really eating enough so forced myself to eat 3 bars and a bananna at one "sitting" which seemed to do the trick. After that I ate much more often and by the return to the house for the last loop I was feeling really strong.
Having called ahead again, Sophie (the OH) was waiting with another 1L bottle and some more bars. As well as her own stuff as the plan was to ride the final loop together.
Off we went, she always starts like a rat out of a drainpipe so for the first few miles I was lagging behind, but eventually she gets tired and I was able to catch her....just as she got a puncture (which was her second in 2 days, both small stones that have written off the 4000s's she has on).
She wobbles to a stop and its blindingly obvious that the tyres scrap, fortunately I have a spare set of Mavick Aksiums with tyres at home ( well the rear anyway as Sophs Boardman was already sporting the front) so quick as a flash I whip off the rear wheel and turn back for home.
I had elected to carry the wheel in my right hand and realised that I was now riding a fixie one handed, which clearly wouldn't do. I sat back and swapped the wheel from my right to my left hand... problem was I missed the catch with my left and I can now vouch for the fact that its really not possible to get 2 wheels inside your front forks.
The best way to describe it is the bloody bike bucked me off, it was quick and violent and it bloody hurt. The water bottle went spinning in one direction and the Garmin edge in another. I remained clipped in untill the bike was above me and then it jumped off into the road also.
As its a busy road I decided to get the f**k up as quickly as possible, rounded up all the strays checked the bike over for damage and then rode off (hoping that not too many people had witnessed my stupidity, which I put down to tiredness) wheel firmly grasped in my left hand now.
By the time I got home my left leg and shoe was the colour of claret and I had a total of 11 seperate injuries(Soph counted later)
None serious I hasten to add (well in my mind)
When I got back Soph wanted to fuss but I really didn't even want to look so off we went again.
The spare wheel has a 12 27 which is slightly taller than the 11 29 that Soph has so she found the hills a little bit harder and the pace slowed to a crawl.
By the time I got home everything hurt and I was core cold ( I had lost the jacket for the last loop)
But I did it
Average pace of 14.8mph. (moving 15.7) with 4700ft elevation.My left knee needed stitches and I am sitting here writing this eating a huge pile of biscuits that I earned today.
Moral of the story is when you are tired, stop to do what you have to do
Edited by crisisjez on Tuesday 7th August 23:45
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff