# Three rides totalling 100 miles = century?



## Grumparoo (Nov 10, 2009)

So yesterday I got up and went for a 25 miler solo. After about an hour or so, the wife and I went on a 40 mile "pie ride". Then later in the afternoon I went on another ride of 37 miles. The total of these 3 rides was 102 miles. 

Did I ride a century? I think I did. What do you think?


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

It is what it is. Call it anything you'd like.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Grumparoo said:


> So yesterday I got up and went for a 25 miler solo. After about an hour or so, the wife and I went on a 40 mile "pie ride". Then later in the afternoon I went on another ride of 37 miles. The total of these 3 rides was 102 miles.
> 
> *Did I ride a century? I think I did. What do you think*?


I think you did 102 miles in a day, but (IMO) a century is done in one ride. Granted, stops/ breaks are acceptable, but from what you offered (I'm assuming) there were some lapses between your rides that might not be considered cycling related. 

It's still a worthwhile effort, just not literally a century to my way of thinking.


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> I think you did 102 miles in a day, but (IMO) a century is done in one ride. Granted, stops/ breaks are acceptable, but from what you offered (I'm assuming) there were some lapses between your rides that might not be considered cycling related.
> 
> It's still a worthwhile effort, just not literally a century to my way of thinking.


To my way of thinking, as well.

To me, a century (proper) is a designated 100 mile route that you complete in however long of a time it takes you... not 3 unrelated rides in one day.

On the plus side, you did ride 100 miles in one day, which is nothing to be ashamed of. But not a "century". Just 100 miles. Great job, though. :thumbsup:


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

I guess if you're going to call it a century you'd want to hope who ever you tell doesn't ask your time because you'd have to say it took you 12 hours (or how ever long this day was). So if this is for bragging rights you might want to hold off on slapping the century label on this ride(s) for that reason.

What is a 'pie ride' by the way?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I guess if you're going to call it a century you'd want to hope who ever you tell doesn't ask your time because you'd have to say it took you 12 hours (or how ever long this day was). So if this is for bragging rights you might want to hold off on slapping the century label on this ride(s) for that reason.
> 
> *What is a 'pie ride' by the way*?


Eating a dessert pie during or after a bike ride is a tradition that goes back decades in some parts of the USA. Prominent (and maybe even rooted) in Wisconsin, cyclists have joined in this tradition going back to the 1960s, AFAIK.

Riders of all ages participate and it's not necessarily a planned event. Rather, it's an option on every ride, but more frequently it's on weekend rides.

Here's an excerpt I've found when searching:
_In both Wisconsin and Minnesota there are bakeries and pie shops that have been located on popular bike trails specifically to cater to the biking community. Several communities, in the Midwest and in other regions, sponsor annual Pie Ride events. Here's a link to a page about a cycling club in Clinton, Iowa that organized around pie rides in the mid-70s:_
http://www.rbbcclinton.org/history.html

I've seen references to pie rides in Massachusetts, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and other states.


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## Grumparoo (Nov 10, 2009)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I guess if you're going to call it a century you'd want to hope who ever you tell doesn't ask your time because you'd have to say it took you 12 hours (or how ever long this day was). So if this is for bragging rights you might want to hold off on slapping the century label on this ride(s) for that reason.
> 
> What is a 'pie ride' by the way?


No bragging rights involved, other than the satisfaction gained from a sense of self-accomplishment. I've done centuries in the classic sense several times, though I was much younger at the time. Riding one has been on my list of goals since getting back into cycling a year ago. I'm on the lookout for a good one in my area, but I suspect I'll do one in YOYO fashion before finding an organized ride. (My club's June century was a candidate, but got cancelled.)

PJ352 covered pie rides. In this case the pie was from the Pie Lady in Lenexa, KS. The missus had apple, while I couldn't resist the french silk.


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## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

What if you don't like pie?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

frpax said:


> What if you don't like pie?


If you're familiar with the now infamous soup Nazi of the Seinfeld era, you'll know that not following the rules results in banishment.

*NEXT!! *


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## Ibashii (Oct 23, 2002)

Hell, man, call it what you want, it's quite a bit of effort in a single day! For me it would be psychologically more difficult than doing it all at once: I am capable of riding a very, very long ways in one 'sitting', but there's not much chance of me going out again that day after I get out of my kit and take a shower.

BTW, is this whole midwest pie/cycling connection the reason that my RAGBRAI jersey from last year has the names of about 70 types of pie written on it in shadowy letters that I didn't even notice until last month?? Now that I think about it there was an awful lot of good pie for sale along the route...


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## roscoe (Mar 9, 2010)

heck, it shouldn't be called a century if you stop


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

Normally, I'd call 100 miles in one day a century, but I'll admit, this one sounds a little strange. But I say go for it. You did a century.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

a century is a 'single' ride of 100 miles.

in my experience, it is also located somewhere that requires waking 3 hours before the crack of dawn to get there in time to ride, has designated start / finish lines.a crapload of participants, a 'name,' an entrance fee, an ugly t-shirt that will probably get used to wash the car, and a pasta feed somewhere before or after the event.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Simple, while not a "Century Ride" it was a "Century Day" for you. No shame in that. Feel free to call it a century if you like.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Oxtox said:


> a century is a 'single' ride of 100 miles.
> 
> in my experience, it is also located somewhere that requires waking 3 hours before the crack of dawn to get there in time to ride, has designated start / finish lines.a crapload of participants, a 'name,' an entrance fee, an ugly t-shirt that will probably get used to wash the car, and a pasta feed somewhere before or after the event.


You mean the 110 mile solo ride I did Saturday from my house to my sister-in-law's house doesn't count as a century? Dang.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

Blue CheeseHead said:


> You mean the 110 mile solo ride I did Saturday from my house to my sister-in-law's house doesn't count as a century? Dang.


maybe...if she fed you pasta and charged you for it.

did you ride home the same day? if you did, you're pretty hardy.


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## waterobert (Nov 24, 2009)

Now all you have to do is pay $60-90 fee for century...you can send it to me. LOL


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

i agree with most of the others. A century is one continuous ride with some rest stops or lunch stop along the way.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Century schmentury. The important thing is, who won?


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## nearptr (Mar 18, 2009)

Bullshit. One hundred miles in the course of a single day (24 hrs) is a century. If not, all sorts of decisions have to be made with regard to the permitted lengths of breaks, etc., and WHO, exactly, has the authority to make those decisions which would amount, in the end, to an already agreed upon definition of something so simple???? I'd love to see those who disagree start proposing precise definitions of the term! Should be real amusing...

Grumparoo, congrats, you rode a century  Anyone who insists otherwise has got serious issues and ought to seek treatment.


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## Ibashii (Oct 23, 2002)

nearptr said:


> Bullshit. One hundred miles in the course of a single day (24 hrs) is a century. If not, all sorts of decisions have to be made with regard to the permitted lengths of breaks, etc., and WHO, exactly, has the authority to make those decisions which would amount, in the end, to an already agreed upon definition of something so simple???? I'd love to see those who disagree start proposing precise definitions of the term! Should be real amusing...
> 
> Grumparoo, congrats, you rode a century  Anyone who insists otherwise has got serious issues and ought to seek treatment.


Hey don't hold back, why don't you tell us how you really feel.:wink:


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

nearptr said:


> Bullshit. One hundred miles in the course of a single day (24 hrs) is a century. If not, all sorts of decisions have to be made with regard to the permitted lengths of breaks, etc., and WHO, exactly, has the authority to make those decisions which would amount, in the end, to an already agreed upon definition of something so simple???? I'd love to see those who disagree start proposing precise definitions of the term! Should be real amusing...
> 
> Grumparoo, congrats, you rode a century  Anyone who insists otherwise has got serious issues and ought to seek treatment.



Easy killer.
Who has the authority is the person describing their ride. 
Like the first response says it is what it is. Call it a ham sandwich if you'd like but don't force your definition on to others. Note the irony of your post in that regard.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

nearptr said:


> Bullshit. One hundred miles in the course of a single day (24 hrs) is a century. If not, all sorts of decisions have to be made with regard to the permitted lengths of breaks, etc., and WHO, exactly, has the authority to make those decisions which would amount, in the end, to an already agreed upon *definition* of something so simple???? I'd love to see those who disagree start *proposing precise definitions *of the term! Should be real amusing...
> 
> Grumparoo, congrats, you rode a century  Anyone who insists otherwise has got serious issues and ought to seek treatment.


A statement that a century is accomplished in one ride isn't a _definition_, it's a widely held belief. There's no saying you have to subscribe to it.


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## roscoe (Mar 9, 2010)

nearptr said:


> Bullshit. One hundred miles in the course of a single day (24 hrs) is a century. If not, all sorts of decisions have to be made with regard to the permitted lengths of breaks, etc., and WHO, exactly, has the authority to make those decisions which would amount, in the end, to an already agreed upon definition of something so simple???? I'd love to see those who disagree start proposing precise definitions of the term! Should be real amusing...
> 
> Grumparoo, congrats, you rode a century  Anyone who insists otherwise has got serious issues and ought to seek treatment.



wait, so I can ride 51 miles saturday starting at 1pm, and finish the last 49 sunday morning

SWEET! that's within 24 hours


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## f3rg (May 11, 2008)

roscoe said:


> wait, so I can ride 51 miles saturday starting at 1pm, and finish the last 49 sunday morning
> 
> SWEET! that's within 24 hours


Right, that was my thought, too. I'd like to say 100 miles on a single date would equal a century, no matter if you had separate rides or not, only if you started at 11pm and rode until 5am, that would fall outside the rules of doing it on a single date.

How about this: 100mi at any time from when you wake up and fall asleep, no naps or long-term sleeping in between, but take all the breaks--no matter the length--that you want.


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## snippy (Dec 27, 2009)

If you insist on calling it a century, you MUST pronounce it with three distinct syllables, ie:

Cen - tu - ry

or Cen - _tri_ - ry to reflect three rides.


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## serious (May 2, 2006)

f3rg: *How about this: 100mi at any time from when you wake [until you] fall asleep, no naps or long-term sleeping in between, but take all the breaks--no matter the length--that you want.*

Well you are far more generous than I would be, but based on your definition the OP did a century.


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## dgeesaman (Jun 9, 2010)

If you change your shorts or take off your shoes it's not the same ride. 

David


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

dgeesaman said:


> If you change your shorts or take off your shoes it's not the same ride.
> 
> David


That's the best observation so far. 
BTW - we always did pie rides in the fall when we were through with serious training for the year. We thought "we" invented the idea, although obviously not. We ate our pie at a legendary cafe on Route 66.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

I did a ride yesterday where I had a flat at the 50 mile mark. My spare valve failed and I wasted my CO2, so I had to hitch a ride to a location where I could fix my bike. It was six hours from flat to getting back on the road and buzzing home. The total distance was about 100 miles, but my legs felt better after my bike was fixed and it just felt like two rides. Century?


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

Well you know riding 100 miles is a good ride in my eyes. However, a hardcore 60+ training ride suits me just as good if not better. Not to mention its nothing but training and hardcore, instead of the leisure deal.
I have been riding since I started road riding with my local race team/club which are considered an A group. Even the 40 or so mile rides are worth every second for my training, so I would rather a good shorter hardcore ride than a longer leisure one. But get out there and ride how ever far you can and enjoy and be safe........peace


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