# First 100 in two weeks. Tips?



## EDRN (Jul 23, 2013)

I am planning to participate in the Portland Century in two weeks. 
It will be my first. About me: enthusiastic Clydesdale riding about 150 a week. 240# 6'5" 63cm Caad 10 105 set up. Mavic cxp33/WI T11 hubs/alpha III triple butted 33ct spokes. 
I rode the "big east loop" the other day which netted me 58 miles and I felt really good. Started to lose steam at about 40 but stopped and hydrated/nutritionist up at lbs. did my normal climbs with little trouble. 
I would really like to participate in this fully supported event. ANY TIPS ON HOW I SHOULD PREP THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. Thank you in advance.


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## Tupelo (Apr 29, 2012)

You are doing 150 miles/wk, yet "pooped" at 60 miles? Q: do you monitor your HR currently? Do you know what your HR is at LT, roughly? If you do then absolutely try to stay under your HR at LT. What you described, to me sounds like you may have gone out too hard too fast and don't have the base to hold that kind of pace. Do NOT get sucked in to trying to go faster than can withstand over the course of 100 miles. Pace yourself. Eat and drink well and often. Don't stop for too long at the feed stations. Get your food, water, pee and get the heck out. Have fun and enjoy your ride. It's a nice one.


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## Carverbiker (Mar 6, 2013)

For the most part your fitness is already in the can. Doing high miles is only goingto tire you out for game day. Focus your efforts on getting rested and keeping sharp. 2 weeks out I like to do some hard hill repeats or high intensity intervals but keep the duration shorter than normal training (50-60%) followed by an active recovery/day off andthen a very easy ride (zone 1-2) at about half of typical training duration. Repeat the cycle if training everyday. Try to simulate the event requirements during the hard workouts (ie: find the grade/distance of hills to practice etc.)

Week before the event is stupid easy! You should feel guilty for not riding your bike. Only easy spinning maybe two or three days. The rest of yourtime should be spent making sure your bike is in good shape and other ride logistics. Plan your ride/pace/nutrition strategies based on your training and stick to it. Natural tendency is to start too fast due to adrenaline and it can really bite you in the end. Plan to Eat and drink often from the beginning and do not try anything you have not done in training failing to do either will really bite you at the end.

Good luck!


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## rutabega (Aug 1, 2013)

The first thing is to get a comfortable seat! I read the crazyguyonabike blog and discovered the Carbon Comfort bike seat by RideOut Technologies. Bought one and totally love it. I have doubled my distance!! I broke 80 miles and going for 100.


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## EDRN (Jul 23, 2013)

Thank you for the replies. You guys are right about my pace. I am known for blowing out of the gates at a 18-20 mph pace then around mile 30 I find my rhythm at 15-17. Then by mile 45 down the 13-14 (without nutrition just liquids). I do not monitor my HR. With other sports in the past I have only obsessed over the numbers. But perhaps I should start up again. Finding a saddle is certainly on my list but so far I am pretty satisfied with the stock saddle on the CAAD 10. Today I will take your advice and hit a 30 mile loop with good gains about 4900ft. Pace myself eat and come home. I also need to look into the weird whooshing noise coming from my BB30 that I so want to get rid of.


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## Mace2180 (Nov 12, 2012)

Don't change your saddle this close to a big ride! You might look into some electrolyte tabs if its over a century. I also take sweet tarts to keep your sugar up at the end of the ride. Some say you don't need sugar but it seems to help. I'm fairly new to riding. Most tell me to do what helps you personally. I use hammer electrolytes eat four an hour minimum if I'm sweating a ton. A century isn't all physical after you get one down you'll see. Just keep you eyes on the rim in front of you. Tell you legs to keep spinning. Good luck to ya! Ride safe


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

EDRN said:


> Thank you for the replies. You guys are right about my pace. I am known for blowing out of the gates at a 18-20 mph pace then around mile 30 I find my rhythm at 15-17. Then by mile 45 down the 13-14 (without nutrition just liquids). I do not monitor my HR. With other sports in the past I have only obsessed over the numbers. But perhaps I should start up again. Finding a saddle is certainly on my list but so far I am pretty satisfied with the stock saddle on the CAAD 10. Today I will take your advice and hit a 30 mile loop with good gains about 4900ft. Pace myself eat and come home. I also need to look into the weird whooshing noise coming from my BB30 that I so want to get rid of.



pace yourself is the whole key. The first 50 will be easy. The last 25 would be the hardest. 

"Slow and Steady" will get to you the finish line, instead of DNF. 

Looking at the route:
The 100 Mile : Portland Century

miles 91 to 97.5: you have a big long climb, so you need to save as much energy as possible for it. Depending on how hot it is that day, you may need to pack extra water, just so you don't dehydrate yourself.

Of course, the other subject is "nutrition and hydration" during the ride.


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## blueapplepaste (Mar 20, 2012)

Not sure how big this ride is. But if you tend to start "hot out of the gates" and gradually slow as you go, you'll be tempted to do it even more so when you are getting passed by the hot shots near the beginning of the race. It's important to stick to your pace and not get sucked into trying to faster than you can. 

Especially true when you get burned by some grossly out of shape old guy on a mountain bike. Tempting to chase after him. 

But inevitably in every century I've done I will get passed by the wannabe hot shots and will see then sagged out 20 miles later. Don't let yourself get over excited and fall into that camp. 

I would try to ride a negative split so you can pace yourself and have a healthy reserve at the end. Better to have some extra gas in the tank with 30 miles to go and be able to push the pace knowing you'll finish strong than to have 30 miles left barely hanging on and dreading every mile. 

It's your first century - I'd just focus on finishing. Absolutely no shame in a 14 mph century that you finish. Better than a 20mph only going 60 miles and sag out the rest of the ride. Don't worry about reading about Internet try-hards who say they ride 3hr centuries solo in a 25mph headwind. Everyone is fast on the Internet. Just focus on doing what you can do and not getting caught up in the distractions. 

You'll do great and have a blast. Notch one in your belt first and then go from there.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

Definately pace your self. But remember to eat, especially when your tired. Some times it will feel like your tired but its because you need food. Have a good plan for food. If it's hot pace yourself a little slower and use your computers speedometer. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

I just looked at the website. Looks like a great ride. Thats a nice jolt at the end. 4 miles of sustained climbing. If you get over that you deserve a cold beer.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

evs said:


> Definately pace your self. But remember to eat, especially when your tired.


As they taught us in Boy Scouts - "Eat _before_ you are hungry. Drink _before_ you are thirsty."

Waiting until you tire to eat is like waiting until your car runs out of gas before you start looking for a place to fill up.

Good rule of thumb is to consume about 100 calories every 30-45min of riding.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

*Yeah, thats what I meant...*

but sometimes, especially at the end of a long century when you are tired, its easy to think it's only about being tired from the long ride, when in reality, one needs some nourishment and it's easy to forget to eat when you have your sites set on the finish. I agree with what you said though. Eat before you are hungry. Drink before you are thirsty. Since it's his first century, hopefully he'll remember this.  The Boy Scout moto... Be Prepared 





RJP Diver said:


> As they taught us in Boy Scouts - "Eat _before_ you are hungry. Drink _before_ you are thirsty."
> 
> Waiting until you tire to eat is like waiting until your car runs out of gas before you start looking for a place to fill up.
> 
> Good rule of thumb is to consume about 100 calories every 30-45min of riding.


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