# my century ride plan: how much water to carry?



## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

i'm going to ride my 1st century ride in Oct. 16, "The Foxy Falls" in Davis, CA.

I'm going to treat it as a 100 mile "time trial" with expectations of 5 or so hours to complete. kind of a "practice road race"
i need to carry enough water
(two large water bottles, 1 cyctomax standard bottle), 
and food
(cliff shots & builder bars, panini, banannas) ...

would stopping for the sag station(s) to re-fill the three water bottles take up negliable amout of time?

should i wear a calmel pack (50 oz) also?


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## bimini (Jul 2, 2003)

*If it is hot*

plan on one quart per hour (2 small 16oz bottles per quart). Even with 5 large 20oz bottles you will need more fluids than you can carry (2 on the bike, 3 in the jersey). 

If it is good support, they may have the smaller Gateraid bottles and bottled watter you can grab and go with, without loosing much time. 

PS: with that hickory stick for the dogs, you might not have any room left for the water bottles and food.



TrailNut said:


> i'm going to ride my 1st century ride in Oct. 16, "The Foxy Falls" in Davis, CA.
> 
> I'm going to treat it as a 100 mile "time trial" with expectations of 5 or so hours to complete. kind of a "practice road race"
> i need to carry enough water
> ...


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

bimini said:


> plan on one quart per hour (2 small 16oz bottles per quart). Even with 5 large 20oz bottles you will need more fluids than you can carry (2 on the bike, 3 in the jersey).
> 
> If it is good support, they may have the smaller Gateraid bottles and bottled watter you can grab and go with, without loosing much time.
> 
> PS: with that hickory stick for the dogs, you might not have any room left for the water bottles and food.



eh thanks, i've got room for four water bottles and eight cliff shots. 

i may have to leave that hickory tooth pick behind "this" time..


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

Trailnut have you ridden 100 miles at one time yet? Also, do you have a group of people you are riding with?

If not, I would consider re-setting my expectations just a little if I were you. I'm sure you are a great rider, but there's a saying - anyone can ride 70 miles, it's the last 30 that kill you.

Go for the timetrial if you like, just know that you'll be on a SAG van if you burn too fast. Better to ride the ride, enjoy the PB&J's at the stops, and see where you're at physically come mile 70.


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

*"last 30 that kill you" - got ya*



denversean said:


> anyone can ride 70 miles, it's the last 30 that kill you..


good obvious point and i plan to gradually increase my weekend milage to go for 110 miles, East Bay - San Francisco area: i've done 75 miles here on the hills (and Davis tends to be mostly flat and maybe windy)


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

I know a lot of folks who ride from San Jose to Gilroy and back. It's supposed to be fairly safe road and you can pull about 80 miles on the loop.

Hmmm - EastBay... TrailNut... are you a big fan of Chapperal and Cinderella???


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## TrailNut (May 11, 2004)

denversean said:


> ... fan of Chapperal and Cinderella? in East Bay


is Cinderella that gnarly dh trail in Joaquim Miller park, next to Redwood Park? if so, that's some scary trail to descend on my hardtail. Another trail nearly by, however i get their names mixed up, is a real blast to ride down.

I'm new to road riding. got myself lost around Layfayette this past weekend which was cool cause i found out how swanky Orinda area is: wow, wealth has its priviledges. 

Riding flat terrain around Davis is great for a road sprinter, but East Bay's blessed with lots of good road hills and MTB hills.

yes! time to go home and ride 50 miles before dark


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

Yep - both trails in Joaquin Miller - excellent place to ride and a nice climb in if you start at Telegraph and University.

I'm new to road as well and haven't done anything on the East Bay yet. I spend most of my time leaving out of Los Altos or Woodside...

Good luck with your century!


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*It's not a race*



TrailNut said:


> ...would stopping for the sag station(s) to re-fill the three water bottles take up negliable amout of time?
> 
> should i wear a calmel pack (50 oz) also?


Stopping at the SAGs will be a neglible amount of time. This way you wont be tempted to conserve water since you know you will be stopping for a refill. You control how long you spend at the SAG, just use your time efficiently.

Since you are carrying three bottles then get four at the SAG. Fill the first bottle and start drinking it while you fill the other two then go back and top off the first. You ride away with three full bottles on your bike plus a partial fourth bottle in your belly.

Unless you are a camelbak fan I would skip the pack and stick with bottles.

Good luck with your first century.


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## R.Rice (Aug 23, 2004)

TrailNut said:


> good obvious point and i plan to gradually increase my weekend milage to go for 110 miles, East Bay - San Francisco area: i've done 75 miles here on the hills (and Davis tends to be mostly flat and maybe windy)



Just wondering,all this riding you are talking about I am assuming is solo?If so, I don't see why you would have any trouble completing a century in a reasonable amount of time with a group.


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## aliensporebomb (Jul 2, 2002)

*Thoughts..........*



TrailNut said:


> i'm going to ride my 1st century ride in Oct. 16, "The Foxy Falls" in Davis, CA.
> 
> I'm going to treat it as a 100 mile "time trial" with expectations of 5 or so hours to complete. kind of a "practice road race"
> i need to carry enough water
> ...


I did a solo century at the end of July and I simply wore a 96 ounce Camelbak
with storage space for my GUs, energy bars, etc. about 40 miles out I found a 
state park with a fresh water spigot and refilled there and continued. I did not 
need to get more water until about 25 miles before the end courtesy of a 
coffee shops' bathroom spigot. 

Anyway, good luck - sounds like you'll do fine. Make sure your bike is
mechanically okay (no brake rubbing, okay?)


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