# Options to consider for my first Century



## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

I have set for myself the goal that I will complete a century by the end of this year. Given that I'm in the Mid-Atlantic, Northern VA if you must know, that kind of means by the end of October. So far, I've stumbled across a handful of options and would appreciate any additions and/or feedback.

In order to make this meaningful, some background about me is probably a good idea. I'm 52, and this is my first year on a road bike. I've probalby put in 800-900 miles so far by commuting 2-3 times a week, 20 miles each way, plus longer weekend rides - although not usually more than the 40 miles round trip of the commuting. I'm not particularly fond of huge hills that I'm unfamiliar with, although now that I know the ones on my commute for example, I'm fine with them. I'm certainly no KOM.

My best average speed for my commute was last week, at just over 18 mph. 

I ride alone. I've never been in a group ride and would like to change that. I have hooked up occasionally with one or two others and I'd like to think I have a clue. Probably not really though, and get that. Half the battle?

These are the rides I'm aware of this Fall:

Sea Gull Century - I've heard both praise of this ride and disparaging remarks. Mainly that it is flat and relatively slow (both in praise and criticism.) September 27, 2014

St. Mary?s Century - I learned about this from this forum. Seems like a nice ride. I used to spend some time in St. Mary's county and it is generally flat but with some small rolling hills. It sounds like something I'd like. September 13, 2014

Harrisburg Bicycle Club - Three Creek Century - Harrisburg Bike Club's Three Creek Century. This ride consists of three loops, a 50 and two different 25s. I just rode (as my first half century, alone, the 50 mile loop of this event by following the route in Strava. I had fun although there are a couple of really not well designed pieces of the route. There are a couple of good hills and if you like cows and barns... At this point, this is probably my default one due to its convenient location a few miles from my in-laws'. September 21, 2014

https://restonbicycleclub.wildapricot.org/page-1805062 - Reston Bike Club 2014 Century. I am posting this for others' benefit, as I can't make this date. I'm not particularly saddened by this as the route covers some ground at later stages that I'm not sure I could handle. August 24, 2014


So that's what I know about. I would truly welcome any input or feedback. My plan, such as it is, is to gain some experience before participating doing some group rides if I can to learn how to ride with others and gain the benefit of doing so while not pissing people off or being a danger to myself and others. In terms of a goal, if I could ride with a similarly paced group, I'd like to average about what I've done on my commute, 18 mph, for the ride. Alone that would be impossible for me, but as part of a relatively fast (?) group I don't think so. I did the half century in PA at about 16. I'm not counting rest stops, of which I did two, for about 5 minutes each, so overall it was obviously slower.


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## mikejd (Jul 18, 2012)

Honestly, they're all probably going to be more or less the same when it comes to scenery with the exception of Sea Gull. 

i can only offer opinions on two of them: I've never ridden Sea Gull myself but a few of the guys I ride with have done it multiple times. It is pancake flat and HUGE in terms of people who show up to ride it. If you want to set a speed record for yourself, this is a good option. Get with a good group and you can really fly. Hitting your 18mph average would be easiest here.

I am a Harrisburg Bike Club member and I've done the 3 Creek. If you rode the 50 mile route, the 100 isn't much different. Like you said, cows and barns with some moderate climbs and rollers thrown in. That's central PA. Support was good.

Another possible choice is the Tour of Chocolate Town out of Hershey, PA (Tour de Chocolate Town | Event Overview). I did this once. Not much different than the 3 Creek but support was not as good.


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## KWL (Jan 31, 2005)

You may want to consider The Indian Head 100 put on by the Oxon Hill Bicycle & Trail Club. Southern Maryland has some nice riding.


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

KWL said:


> You may want to consider The Indian Head 100 put on by the Oxon Hill Bicycle & Trail Club. Southern Maryland has some nice riding.


The website is nice and the ride looks great. This may be my top choice so far, with the additional benefit of being two weeks in front of the 3 Creek Century, meaning that , in theory, I could do both.


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## KWL (Jan 31, 2005)

I haven't ridden with them for years, but the OHBTC folks have been pretty friendly.


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## Mcfarton (May 23, 2014)

I may join in one or more as I have similar goals.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

tour de cure is a very good ride for beginners. it already passed but i think they added an event in september of this year. seagull is great - 7000 riders or something - one of the best i have done. BRC (back roads century) is great and it is in berryville so about 45-50 mins from great falls/sterling. if you can raise some money ($950 min) the best buddies ride from the washington monument is incredible. 
bike to the beach looks good but also looks like a pain in the rear with a 430 am start 

the reston century has some tough hills so you may be lucky to miss that one

the st mary's century looks good


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

Donn12 said:


> tour de cure is a very good ride for beginners. it already passed but i think they added an event in september of this year. seagull is great - 7000 riders or something - one of the best i have done. BRC (back roads century) is great and it is in berryville so about 45-50 mins from great falls/sterling. if you can raise some money ($950 min) the best buddies ride from the washington monument is incredible.
> bike to the beach looks good but also looks like a pain in the rear with a 430 am start
> 
> the reston century has some tough hills so you may be lucky to miss that one
> ...


I came very close to doing the tour de cure (out of Reston) but only found out about it that week. I didn't see a way to raise the minimum and I wasn't going to pay $300 or so to do that ride. I rode to Mt Vernon and back instead. I do plan on doing it next year though. 

I'm thinking plan A is going to be St Mary's. Plan B is may be the 3 Creek Century up in central PA.

I'll look into the BRC.


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## scottma (May 18, 2012)

Of what has been listed, I've ridden Tour deCure, RBC, Seagull, Backroads. Done them all at least a few times. Seagull is flat, windy and impossible to get a hotel if you need one. Tons of riders with huge pelotons. RBC has a few steep climbs. I ride those roads regularly. Backroads is far and away my favorite. Very nice scenery, rolling hills, best food of any ride I've ever been on. Highly recommended!


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## Nubster (Jul 8, 2009)

There's one coming up in Cumberland, MD in August that's decent. It's a new one only 7 years old I think so it's improving. Roads are nice and not too difficult but there is around 6000+ feet of climbing. Then there's the Civil War Century in Gettysburg in September which is supposed to be fantastic but may be sold out. I'm doing both this year.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I live in Vienna VA and used to do a century every weekend in the fall. Then my wife and I had kids an that all ended. There are lots to choose from around here. Look on the Potomac Peddlers site for alternatives:

Ride Schedule - Events: Regional Events - Potomac Pedalers

Since the Reston ride is 5 miles away, I've done that a few times. A significant part of it is on the W&OD bike path. And last year, they put riders on this really busy highway with no shoulder. It was only for a mile or two, but unpleasant. They put you up some significant hills. 

Frankly, I think the Seagull Century is a perfect first time century. It's the first one I ever did, and I've been doing it every year since. This year will be the 22-nd one in a row. Its dead flat, but can be windy. There's a lot of people (5000 or so) and its crowded to start. I usually take it easy for the first 10 miles and then it spreads out. Start time is spread out over several hours. People who want to set personal records start at sun up to avoid the crowds. I usually start at 8:00 with the masses. There are two courses. The traditional course that runs down to Assateague Island is the more popular one. I've done the alternate the last few years. Its less crowded and a little nicer. No beach rest stop though. You can stay at Ocean City the night before, which is kind of nice.


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

pmf said:


> I live in Vienna VA and used to do a century every weekend in the fall. Then my wife and I had kids an that all ended. There are lots to choose from around here. Look on the Potomac Peddlers site for alternatives:
> 
> Ride Schedule - Events: Regional Events - Potomac Pedalers
> 
> ...


I live just East of you, City of Falls Church. I ride through Vienna on my commute out to Ashburn. 

I have decided against the Seagull, mainly because it would involve a bigger imposition on my wife, as we have 4 year old twin boys and she would not find that fun. I might do it in the future though, just to have done it. 

As I indicated in my other thread I am planning on doing the Indian Head 100 on the 7th of September and I will try to do either the BRC or the one up in central PA two weeks later. We will see how it goes on the 7th before I commit to either though. I typically hit a pretty hard wall (so far) not too far beyond 50 miles, although I suspect riding with a group is a bit easier than going it alone. I also usually pace myself for the disatnce I'm going, which is to say that I intentionally ride to exhaustion at my distance (well, sort of intentionally.)


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

nsfbr said:


> I live just East of you, City of Falls Church. I ride through Vienna on my commute out to Ashburn.
> 
> I have decided against the Seagull, mainly because it would involve a bigger imposition on my wife, as we have 4 year old twin boys and she would not find that fun. I might do it in the future though, just to have done it.
> 
> As I indicated in my other thread I am planning on doing the Indian Head 100 on the 7th of September and I will try to do either the BRC or the one up in central PA two weeks later. We will see how it goes on the 7th before I commit to either though. I typically hit a pretty hard wall (so far) not too far beyond 50 miles, although I suspect riding with a group is a bit easier than going it alone. I also usually pace myself for the disatnce I'm going, which is to say that I intentionally ride to exhaustion at my distance (well, sort of intentionally.)


I probably pass you on my ride from Vienna to DC every morning. I used to live in Falls Church near the Haycock elementary school. 

You can do the Seagull in a day, but its a long one. I got up early and drove three hours, did the ride and drove back once. Once your kids get older, you could do a weekend at the beach. You do the ride, wife and kids hang out at the beach. 

Riding 100 miles is more of a mental challenge than anything else. I just take it one rest stop at a time rather than thinking "I've got 65 miles to go and I'm feeling tired". Riding with other folks helps, be it in a pace line, or just riding and talking. If you feel really iffy, maybe you should do a metric century first.


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

pmf said:


> If you feel really iffy, maybe you should do a metric century first.


I am planning on riding one of my own making by cutting off some of the course for the century I'm doing. I figure if I can do 67 miles on my own over roughly the same terrain, I can do 100 with pit stops and other riders. My longest ride to date, again solo, was 54 miles and I'm progressing in terms of fitness and form on the bike. 

It will be really great to achieve one of my two first year riding goals. The other is to do one of my commutes of 19.2 miles (according to Strava) in under an hour. I suspect that one will be harder. My best is just under 1:03, and 3 minutes is a whole lot I've learned.


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## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

This is a good one to start with (1973):










But, seriously, for the first one, I would recommend one you have no doubt you could complete.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

nsfbr said:


> I am planning on riding one of my own making by cutting off some of the course for the century I'm doing. I figure if I can do 67 miles on my own over roughly the same terrain, I can do 100 with pit stops and other riders. My longest ride to date, again solo, was 54 miles and I'm progressing in terms of fitness and form on the bike.
> 
> It will be really great to achieve one of my two first year riding goals. The other is to do one of my commutes of 19.2 miles (according to Strava) in under an hour. I suspect that one will be harder. My best is just under 1:03, and 3 minutes is a whole lot I've learned.


It's funny how the difference between hauling butt and taking it easy can be just a few minutes. My commute is 33 miles round trip. My best time is 1:52. I typically am over 2 hours round trip. I can't go fast and be comfortable riding 4-5 days a week. 

One thing for sure -- compared to driving a car, or taking the metro, biking is the most reliable mode of transportation to get to work. Its plus or minus five minutes usually.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

If you can do 60 solo you will be fine for a century. Get some hammer or Nuun tablets for your water bottles. Eat plenty of food so you don't bonk . Soon you will pi$$edmoff if you don't break 5 hours!


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

Try also the Amish century in dover, de.

Pretty much a flat ride


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

tednugent said:


> Try also the Amish century in dover, de.
> 
> Pretty much a flat ride


Looks interesting apart from the date, which is the day before the Indian Head 100 and I'm already registered for that. Thanks though. It seems like there are many to choose from Labor Day forward. It's good information to have for next year, and the year after, ...


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

nsfbr said:


> Looks interesting apart from the date, which is the day before the Indian Head 100 and I'm already registered for that. Thanks though. It seems like there are many to choose from Labor Day forward. It's good information to have for next year, and the year after, ...


Around here, you can easily find a century every weekend in September. Before kids, I would pick out one weekend and do back to back century rides. Those days are long gone ...

Good luck on the Indian Head ride. That's put on by the Oxon Hill bike club, right? I did that one a couple of times. Its got some hills on it, but nothing too bad. The Reston ride is harder.


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## Duane Gran (Feb 3, 2004)

Another good option in your area is the Boys & Girls Club Cycling Challenge on September 14. It is based out of Crozet, VA and is a marvelous event and a good cause.


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## nsfbr (May 23, 2014)

Duane Gran said:


> Another good option in your area is the Boys & Girls Club Cycling Challenge on September 14. It is based out of Crozet, VA and is a marvelous event and a good cause.


It does look like a wortwhile event, and a ride to aspire to. However, at over 6400 feet of total climbing, I'm pretty sure I'm not there yet. I do look to be able to do that kind of thing without worry in the future, but not 2014. Not by a wide margin.


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