# 1 Day STP Rides



## redlude97 (Jun 29, 2010)

Since we are 1 week away, I figured I would just throw up a thread to see who's riding, and how your training is going etc.

First time I've ridden STP, been riding for 2 years.

I've only done about 800-900 miles since April with 2 centuries and a couple 7-80 mile rides and a few 50 mile along with a bunch of 20-30 mile rides mixed in. Well off of the 1 day training pace recommended by Cascade so Saturday could be rough. Expecting to take our group ~14 hours to finish. Hopefully we survive


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## dlhillius (Mar 21, 2011)

redlude97 said:


> Since we are 1 week away, I figured I would just throw up a thread to see who's riding, and how your training is going etc.
> 
> First time I've ridden STP, been riding for 2 years.
> 
> I've only done about 800-900 miles since April with 2 centuries and a couple 7-80 mile rides and a few 50 mile along with a bunch of 20-30 mile rides mixed in. Well off of the 1 day training pace recommended by Cascade so Saturday could be rough. Expecting to take our group ~14 hours to finish. Hopefully we survive



Make yourself out a schedule of times and locations you need to be at to maintain your pace and you'll be fine. My first year ever on a road bike was last year and I did it in a day. 

With the exception of "the hill" (which is right down the street from me), the first 100 is fairly easy. It's the second half you'll have to wrap your head around; nothing much to see and a bit boring. Just stay focused, drink plenty of water and keep your nutrition going so you don't bonk especially on the second half.

Best of luck to you and enjoy the ride


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## Nob (Nov 24, 2006)

Curious how it went for you? Hopefully it was an awesome ride! Great cool and damp weather for the first half and little wind the entire route for us. 9:23 ride time and 11hrs on the road. Thank goodness for all the fast "trains" we tagged onto. Always a fun time but the finish line has become such a crazy place even on the one day ride.


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## redlude97 (Jun 29, 2010)

It went pretty well for our group of 6, the fast trains definitely helped although we missed most of the early fast ones because we got a late start. 18.5mph avg moving time, ~14 total time. Averaged ~20mph over the first 150 until a friend in our group started having a major hip issue so we decided to split our group up, 4 finished in ~13 hours, and I dragged my friend across the line around 8pm.


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## dlhillius (Mar 21, 2011)

The day went pretty well with only a couple of issues. First half was outstanding....my girlfriend was riding at about 18-20mph and she NEVER does that. I think having so many trains kept her motivated and subconsciously wanting to keep up. Hit the halfway point by ~10:15am feeling good and crazy proud of her. 

About 15miles outside of St. Helens HS, I was having issues with my RD jumping between gears so I pulled over after telling the GF to keep going and I'd catch up.....bad call. Two minutes later, I broke my chain. Lucky I found the pin but spent 20 minutes trying to hammer it back in with a rock like a caveman until a SAG vehicle came by with some pliers. Nursed it until the HS where I had a tech loan me a brake tool so I could set the pin. Lost probably an hour dealing with it but at least I was on the road again. 

Girlfriend bonked in Scappoose and pulled over for a sandwich and to recover. Considering she's been three weeks in recovery from a bad illness and Cowgirl-ed up, I'm proud as hell of her. Third year of cycling for her and second year of one-day riding the STP. My second year ever on a bike and same for one-daying the STP. Knocked off 3 hours and 45 minutes from last years time and looking forward to next year.

First year for the RSVP too and can't wait. Hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as we did and hopefully some of us will cross paths and share some stories in person.

All the best


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## redlude97 (Jun 29, 2010)

dlhillius said:


> The day went pretty well with only a couple of issues. First half was outstanding....my girlfriend was riding at about 18-20mph and she NEVER does that. I think having so many trains kept her motivated and subconsciously wanting to keep up. Hit the halfway point by ~10:15am feeling good and crazy proud of her.
> 
> About 15miles outside of St. Helens HS, I was having issues with my RD jumping between gears so I pulled over after telling the GF to keep going and I'd catch up.....bad call. Two minutes later, I broke my chain. Lucky I found the pin but spent 20 minutes trying to hammer it back in with a rock like a caveman until a SAG vehicle came by with some pliers. Nursed it until the HS where I had a tech loan me a brake tool so I could set the pin. Lost probably an hour dealing with it but at least I was on the road again.
> 
> ...


Sucks to hear, my friend broke a chain last year also and had to hobble something together with a paperclip, it only worked because he was a on fixie and he nursed it into the next stop. Ride was a lot of fun overall, and I'm glad to hear you weren't a part of the many accidents we witnessed.


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## pmpski_1 (Oct 7, 2009)

I did the 2 day, but rode 150 the first day. I was thinking before the ride that I could do the 1 day, but I had hotels booked and plans made with my wife and kid to meet me at the hotels for the two day. 

Good thing I didn't try the 1 day. I was absolutely beat by mile 140 and was barely able to make it the last ten miles of my first day. I slacked the last 4 weeks of training, so I'm not surprised. Next year I may try for 1.

No mechanical issues other than a loose stem that Bothell Ski and Bike tightened up for me at Castle Rock. No flats. 

Favorite thing about the ride was the random people in the middle of nowhere cheering us on like it was thier job. Oh, and the banana bread.


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## dlhillius (Mar 21, 2011)

pmpski_1 said:


> I did the 2 day, but rode 150 the first day. I was thinking before the ride that I could do the 1 day, but I had hotels booked and plans made with my wife and kid to meet me at the hotels for the two day.
> 
> Good thing I didn't try the 1 day. I was absolutely beat by mile 140 and was barely able to make it the last ten miles of my first day. I slacked the last 4 weeks of training, so I'm not surprised. Next year I may try for 1.
> 
> ...


Uh...did you say banana bread? :mad2: Musta missed that [email protected]!

As for the random cheering folks......made me and the GF's day. You couldn't help but smile and wave back. Really was a great sight to see.

Good to hear you enjoyed the ride and made the right choice to stop and not hurt yourself. You'll nail the one-day next year:thumbsup:


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## Nob (Nov 24, 2006)

My buddy went down hard when a goof ball in the back of the train clipped his rear wheel. Road rash and some bike damage but he cowboyed up and finished really strong. Another guy 2nd back from heading a train clipped a wheel at 25+mph and took a few somersaults. Didn't look good. Thank God there wasn't a car coming. His crash killed the train but we continued. They had pleanty of help. A car clipped a guy in Oregon getting on the highway. We also had two flats but that was expected. We brought 5 spare tubes and 2 extra tires

Great ride!


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## pmpski_1 (Oct 7, 2009)

dlhillius said:


> Uh...did you say banana bread? :mad2: Musta missed that [email protected]!


Banana bread at the top of the Napavine hill. It looked good to me so I stopped. Supposedly he's there with bread every year - it's some sort of tradition. This was my first year and I'll definitely stop for banana bread again every time I ride it.


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## redlude97 (Jun 29, 2010)

banana bread and potatoes in vader hit the spot!


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