Centurian

[europa]

Just got in from completing my first century (metric - I don't even want to think about an imperial century). My previous max dist was 70km so this was a bit of a step up. There are bits of me that hurt that I didn't even realise could hurt

Nah, I feel good actually, though I am a tad weary for some reason

Rode down to watch my son play soccer, then out to Outer Harbour, back along the beach to Glenelg, along the Sturt River to the bottom of the Expressway, up that damned hill (not as steep as Flagstaff Hill but longer and higher and still pretty darned steep) - I reached that hill at the 80 km stage so I wasn't real interested in riding it but really had no choice. Then along the Expressway to the old railway path, headed south for another five kms, across to Panalatinga Rd and home.

Total distance 103 km
5 hr 20 m riding, plus the stop for the game and a few feed stops on the way
Ave Speed of 19.4 km/hr - I was working on keeping my HR below 140 and I must have succeeded because the ave HR was 138
Max HR 170 (I was a good boy today)

Burned 3,500 calories Now busily trying to stuff some of them back into my body.

Carried three water bottles on the bike (got that nifty third cage under the frame) and refilled all of them at least once.

Man I feel chuffed ... and stuffed. And the worst part is, I've been home 20 mins and have to jump in the car, drive across town and pick up my son from his mother's.

Richard
legend in his own lunchbox ... trouble is, I need a bigger lunchbox now

[mikesbytes]

Great riding Richard. Sleep well tonight.

Burn plenty of Glycogen
training log

[TriggerFish]

Awesome! Well done. I stand in awe.

[gdl_gdl]

Well done, give it a few days rest and you'll have the urge to do it again.

Cheers,

Gary

[Mulger bill]

Well done! Nice hot bath before bed, methinks

And if course if anybody transgresses.......

"Stwike him Centurian! Vewwy woughly!"

"Oh and throw 'im to the floor, Sir?"

Shaun

[europa]

Well done! Nice hot bath before bed, methinks

And if course if anybody transgresses.......

"Stwike him Centurian! Vewwy woughly!"

"Oh and throw 'im to the floor, Sir?"

Shaun

Where's that quote from Shaun? It sounds a bit Pythonesque

As for me. Rather stiff and tired, but still chuffed. Wore Netti Basic Shy Shorts and they worked very well (my bottom endorses them ).

Richard

[Mulger bill]

Python indeed, Life of Brian.

Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate while interrogating Brian.

Shy shorts? Go the baggies

I take it you were on the beast?

[europa]

I take it you were on the beast?

Ohhhh yeah. I'm not doing a century on the fixie ... yet

Richard

[pugsly]

Good work - well done!

You know, on that ride - if your average cadence was 90, you would have spun your legs around about 29,000 times.

I am in awe. One day I'll be there, one day...

[MichaelB]

to the bottom of the Expressway, up that damned hill (not as steep as Flagstaff Hill but longer and higher and still pretty darned steep) -


Total distance 103 km

Phenomenal !!! I just did my longest ride of 60km this weekend, and I thought I did good and there were no hills !!!

What is the Expressway like to get up ?

Cheers

Michael B

[europa]

What is the Expressway like to get up ?

It's not bad. Its biggest issue is that there's so darned much of it, it just keeps going and going. Minor flattenings in the grade here and there to give you some recovery. The ride along the expressway itself is good but it's all hills and few of them friendly hills - you've only got to drive it and look at the cuttings to realise what the country's like and the bike path follows the roll of the hills.

I used a different climbing technique this time. I worked my way down into bottom gear fairly early and just sat on a comfy cadence of 90. This meant that the effort slowly built as I was riding easy to start with, then increased with the hill. Normally, I keep that going as long as I can. Standing induces quite a large increase in effort, an almost instant 10bpm, so for this sort of climb (where you are going to be near your limit), especially when you're tired, I don't consider it a good idea - different on hills where that extra effort might give you a chance to recover or to go over the crest.

Anyway, this time I worked my hr up to 170 - it didn't rocket up because I started in the lower gears earlier than I normally do. My max is 185 and usually I'd fight my way to that before considering stopping. At about the 170 mark though, my breathing takes on the first hint of a distress, which is fair enough considering the zone I'm heading into. Rembering that this was 80km into the ride and I just couldn't be bothered fighting hills. So I stopped, leant on the bars and had a therapeutic gasp Let my HR fall, which it did in stages - it'd sit at a level, then drop 5 or 10 beats, then sit, then drop, etc. Once in the 130's (only a few minutes), it fell away like crazy. I had a good drink and started off again.

BUT, and this is the difference, I felt strong and refreshed. I didn't feel like I'd just missed out on a heart attack and was having another go at it. I felt strong. Powered away. Instead of shooting back up, my HR built steadily and I was even able to peg it back a bit when the slope flattened slightly (this is a relative use of the term 'flattened'). I had to stop once more, but stopped at the same point and experienced the same recovery.

Instead of attacking the hill like I normally do and refusing to stop which is the only thing you ever hear about on forums, I chose to stop early, just as the effort changed from intense to distressing. I then rested properly, used the HRM to make sure I had recovered (indicated by the HR just plumeting once it hit the 130 mark), then headed off again. Not only was I more powerful on that hill, I stopped no more often than I normally would (maybe less), but powered over the top faster than I normally would be and was able to attack the rolling hills beyond with confidence and strength.

This I contend, is more efficient and more sensible technique than the 'I won't let this hill beat me' attitude, and I'm someone who, in the past, hasn't minded stopping if I had to. The thing was, in the past, I wasn't stopping early enough.

Richard

[MichaelB]

Good advice indeed.

Planning on doing a trip to McLaren vale soon (the bosses will met us there to make the trip back easier) so will give the Expressway hill a few trials before that.

Cheers

Michael B

[europa]

The McLaren Vale run is good ... easier for me because I'm already on top of the hill

The roadie types always go along the expressway and join the old railway reserve at the end of it. However, that railway reserve goes right up to Reynella. It's smooth, gradual climbs (it was a railway reserve remember) and a far better choice for someone out near their distance limits. You get onto it at the Panalatinga Rd exit.

It does, however, have quite a stretch of gravel path. It's smooth gravel - you have a better ride than much of the bitumen expressway path. I cruise along it at 30km/hr and don't have a problem with it, but I've got the slightly wider tyres. I've never seen a racing bike on it nor signs of one and the only time I've seen roadie types near it, they were all worried about the gravel and turned away from it. Silly attitude really because it's a good run and because the grades are steady, it makes the trip much more enjoyable than the expressway - a darned good option for the return trip if nothing else.

Richard

[LuckyPierre]

Well done Richard!
I'm meant to be on my way back from a similar length ride, but there's this funny wet stuff falling out of the sky and I was too afraid to go out in it. Do you know what it's called?
100kms is a big milestone. I think that it will make other rides easier, both physically and mentally. Now, what's the next one? A day trip to Victor Harbour sounds like a good idea (especially from this distance! )

[Mulger bill]

.............if your average cadence was 90, you would have spun your legs around about 29,000 times.

You trying to scare people off?

[europa]

I've often thought of Victor, but there are all these big lumpy things in the way ... and the traffic is dreadful.

The lad's with his mother ever second weekend but I always go watch him play. I reckon I'll ride to those matches and then push on to make a day of it.
We'll see.

Richard

[Halfanewb]

excellent effort Richard !!

i had no motivation at all to ride this morning , but reading about your century got the old juices flowing and gave me that kick along i needed to get over the mental hump.

Grats!

[europa]

excellent effort Richard !!

i had no motivation at all to ride this morning , but reading about your century got the old juices flowing and gave me that kick along i needed to get over the mental hump.

Grats!

Oh no, I'm seducing the innocent

Thanks

Richard

[europa]

Peter, you have a lot to answer for. I'm now getting images of a doable overnighter

Richard

[LuckyPierre]

... I'm now getting images of a doable overnighter ...

Blame biker-4-fun's trip from Canberra to Bega and back, and Peter's (531db) preparations for France later this year, because I've got the same problem.

[LuckyPierre]

I've often thought of Victor, but there are all these big lumpy things in the way ... and the traffic is dreadful.

Having been a part of the traffic a few times, I have to agree.
Is there a 'low traffic' route to Victor?

[tuco]

I only wish we had places we could ride to. We've got 3 roads in and out of town, north, south and west - boring, boring and boring.

They're all major highways and not safe for riders.

[Halfanewb]

I only wish we had places we could ride to. We've got 3 roads in and out of town, north, south and west - boring, boring and boring.

They're all major highways and not safe for riders.

Yea i hear that , ive been wondering about doing a ride from my place to Lowood but that means quite a few highway miles through a section of queensland that is notorious for its hoons. Could be overreaction but my sisters brother in law (an avid cyclist) was killed riding south of bundy a few years ago and i've heard enough horror stories to make me feel like i would have a huge target painted on me .

[sogood]

I only wish we had places we could ride to. We've got 3 roads in and out of town, north, south and west - boring, boring and boring.

Go east! A floatation device might be in order.