# Finished My First Century, too!



## Spanky_88007 (Aug 28, 2008)

Just got back home from Santa Fe, where I participated in and COMPLETED(woohoo!) my first century. What an unbelievable experience. We went through the town where "Wild Hogs" was filmed, then down through Golden, before hitting the much talked about Heartbreak Hill around mile 39. Holy cow, what a hill. It's only half a mile of a ridiculous grade, but dayamn! I was proud of myself for not having to walk up it, though I did stop for two 30 second breaks to catch my breath. After Heartbreak Hill was the most rewarding descent I have ever had the pleasure of descending. From there, the road was relatively easy between Cedar Grove and Stanley. It was also insanely straight which, for me, was the one of the hardest stretches of the whole ride. Then after the food stop at Stanley(mile 64) my buddy and I started feeling it, and by the next stop at mile 82, we were _really_ feeling it, let me tell you. The food at the stop at Galisteo must have had the anecdote in it. Perhaps it was the Advil provided by the gal who must have been an angel. I've read so many places that the 80 mile mark is the killer, but I think I'll have to disagree. Maybe it was the goodies at the food stop, or the fact that we knew a friend was waiting just up the road to cheer us on. Maybe it was the knowledge that we were almost done... At any rate, we really perked up to the next food stop, and after that one at mile 94, we rocketed the last 10 miles as if they weren't even there... 

I have to say that the ride was one of the most incredible things I've ever done. When I first started cycling I scoffed at the idea of ever trying to ride 100 miles in one day. Not for me, I said. Way too hard, I thought. Oh, what a foolish thought. Anyone else who has had those thoughts, stifle them. I saw a rider with one leg there. I saw a rider with one arm there. I saw a kid doing it. I saw a few overweight people busting it up some of the gnarliest hills. I saw seniors whupping said hills, as well. All of those folks out there giving it their all. It was very inspiring and really touched me. Now I can't wait for next year.

All that having been said, the folks who set up the Santa Fe Century have done one heck of a good job. The food stops were placed at great spots. The SAG Wagons were Johnny on the Spot when needed. There were mechanics at each stop. Very, very well put together ride. A HUGE thank you to those folks for such an awesome job.

Oh, and to Audrey and #381, you two were such cuties.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Good job, but don't stop at just one per year.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

Glad you enjoyed our little local ride. It was my first one too, many moons ago. Sometimes I get annoyed at the shear number of people, and some of the jerkier ones have ticked me off in the past. This year I elected to do my own 100+ up here at the north end of the county. Maybe if I had met you it would have brightened my day. Way to go, great ride.

Where's home?


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## Spanky_88007 (Aug 28, 2008)

I may do the WSMR Century later in the year. It can't be any harder than the Santa Fe at 3000' less in elevation. Home is Las Cruces. Just took a little spin and realize I now have to get used to the heat again. HEHE 

Yeah, there should be a "No Jerks" policy regarding some of the riders, but for the most part everyone was real nice to each other. 

Thanks for the kudos, Ridge & Breeze. 

I'm going to be stoked about this for a long time. Quite a milestone for a guy who before yesterday had never ridden more than 60 miles in one day.


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## merckx_rider (Aug 20, 2008)

Cool!


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## jgar477 (Mar 4, 2008)

great job Spanky. i really wanted to do this one but couldn't make it this year. just talked to a friend who drove 14hrs to do this one and he had a blast!


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Now that you've finished Santa Fe, you need to go to the Enchanted Circle which starts/finishes in Red River, NM.

http://www.redrivernewmex.com/Bike Race and Tour Description.htm

That's one of my favorite rides. 

You'll be in the mountains more and once you get to mile 96, it's all downhill to the finish!


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## Andy69 (Jun 14, 2008)

good job! I'll be trying my first sometime in the next month or so


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## Spanky_88007 (Aug 28, 2008)

*All I can tell you is...*



Andy69 said:


> good job! I'll be trying my first sometime in the next month or so


Thank you, and HAVE FUN!!! Eat before you get hungry, drink before you get thirsty. I'd often get headaches from lack of one or the other before this century. I stopped at 5 of the 6 stops for about 10 minutes per stop and I ate, and ate, and ate some more(and drank a lot of gatorade). I suppose the 20 degree temperature difference may have helped, as well. OH, one biggie... if you have a friend that you think you can talk into doing the century with you, by all means, do just that. It's one heck of a spirit booster when someone has your back. Plus, it's really cool to cross the finish line with a great friend. 

I know ya didn't ask for advice, but what the heck... I'll be high all week from this.


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## barelfly (Nov 7, 2008)

congrats!

I thought about doing the Santa Fe ride in prep for the Tour de Cure, but my calendar wouldn't allow. So, in two weeks, I do my first 75 mile ride and can't wait!

May I ask what type of riding you did in preparation for this ride? Just curious. I'm a little nervous for 75 miles, but hopefully it goes well!

congrats again!


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## Spanky_88007 (Aug 28, 2008)

*You'll do great!*



barelfly said:


> congrats!
> 
> I thought about doing the Santa Fe ride in prep for the Tour de Cure, but my calendar wouldn't allow. So, in two weeks, I do my first 75 mile ride and can't wait!
> 
> ...


I didn't go into it wanting to make a race out of it, so I never "trained" so hard that it stopped being fun. I did a 50 miler with a good hill and lots of spinning(as I said, the hills were hard, at least to me) every week for the 3 or 4 weeks leading up to the century. Except for one week when I found some rollers to do. In addition, I'd sneak in some 30 milers here, 20 milers there. Those rides were usually all out(for me). As a bonus, it's been the windy season here, so even if I wasn't on a hill, it felt like I was, hehe. I work a goofy schedule, so it was hard to stick to anything concrete. I also(gasp) mountain biked here and there. Don't believe everything you read trying to convince you that you should be able to do 70 before you try to do 100. I'm sure that it would help but, personally, I'd never ridden farther than 60 miles in one day before the century. I didn't ride at all 4 days before the century.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

I did the spring version of White Sands a few years ago. Interesting ride. Sand, sage and unexploded ordinance! No seriously. At one point some guys from the missle base were stopping riders to let them know that between two checkpoints we were NOT to get off the road because of unexploded ordinance. I think I was riding with terryb at that point. The main thing about WSMR century is "if you didn't drop it, dont pick it up!" And watch where you throw your banana peels.


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## Spanky_88007 (Aug 28, 2008)

*Watch out for that... BOOM!*



theBreeze said:


> I did the spring version of White Sands a few years ago. Interesting ride. Sand, sage and unexploded ordinance! No seriously. At one point some guys from the missle base were stopping riders to let them know that between two checkpoints we were NOT to get off the road because of unexploded ordinance. I think I was riding with terryb at that point. The main thing about WSMR century is "if you didn't drop it, dont pick it up!" And watch where you throw your banana peels.


We did the Tumbleweed Ride(an MTB ride on the same route as the Bataan Death March Memorial walk/run) in February, 2008 out there. 26 miles. Lots of sand. Sand going uphill, sand going downhill. And wind. Wind going uphill, wind going downhill. And cold all day. I was telling my friends that did the century with me who also did the Tumbleweed that I think the Tumbleweed was harder. It took us 3-4 hours because we weren't in the greatest shape yet. Oh, and did I mention the wind? I got a kick out of people's reactions during the unexploded ordinance speech. Once, blue moons ago, there was a story about a hunter that was out there for Oryx who tried to mess with some of that stuff. That was the end of not only his hunting career, but also the end of his breathing career. Of course, who knows how true that is. I'd be more worried about the Oryx. HEHE Them suckers are BIG and MEAN.


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## Dutch77 (Jan 3, 2009)

This was my first century too! I have to say the organization was top notch indeed. Beautiful ride, awesome people.

I did it with a friend that flew in from CT. I live in Abq, the century here is june 6th - I'll probably do that one as well.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

I was really hoping to see an Oryx on the ride. No luck.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Congrats! The more you do, the more fun they become.


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## barkbeetle (Sep 22, 2008)

Happy to hear you enjoyed it -- I rode it and it was my first century as well. Now you'll have to head back up i-25 in June for the Albuquerque Century!


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