Taking time off from aviation to do a cycling diary. Of course two bicycle mechanics invented the airplane so it all works.
In cycling a ride of a hundred miles is referred to as a "Century".
It's the equivalent of a marathon in running, except I hate running. Plus the guy who ran the first marathon died. I think there's a lesson there.
Now a hundred miles may sound like a lot, but it's actually well within the reach of any cyclist in reasonable shape.
But Major! I already do one of those before breakfast every day! Across the Rockies! On weekends I ride to the West Coast and back!
OK, I'm not talking to you, but stick around. You probably know more about this than I do.
This is for the rest of us. The casual cyclists. The weekend warriors. The ones maybe looking for a new challenge.
Look, I am 53 years old and hardly the paragon of athleticism. If I can do it, you can probably do it.
First off we'll assume that you already ride a bike. What kind isn't really all that important, although if you have a road bike it will make your life easier. I've seen everything: mountain bikes, beach cruisers, recumbents, tandems. I've even seen a guy riding one of those old fashioned bikes with the giant wheel in front. That being said, you've probably got stronger legs than me if you can pedal a fat-tired beach cruiser a hundred miles.
Next you'll need to plan a ride. You can of course just go ride 100 miles on your own but the logistics are a little tougher. Either way it should be at least a couple months down the road so that you have time to train for it. Keep in mind that some organized rides are very popular and have to be signed up for in advance. There are probably some in or near where you live. Check online or with your local bike shop.
Here in Ohio we have a few. One of the more popular is the Tour of the Scioto River Valley or TOSRV. I've ridden it a couple times and probably won't do it again. Why? Because it's always on Mother's Day weekend. In Ohio the spring weather can be pretty crappy. To train for a ride in early May you really need to be out on the road in March when it's likely 40 degrees and raining. In early May we get everything from snow to high winds to heavy rain to thunderstorms - and that's just the first day.
Before signing up for an organized ride you might want to check how challenging it is. A hundred miles of hills or mountains is going to be a lot tougher than flat or rolling terrain. I'd stick with an easy one for your first time out.
Now comes the hard part. You have to train for this. Different people train differently. We all have different demands on our time. I'll tell you what's worked for me but I am not the expert by any means.
If I'm training for a century I try to ride at least three times a week. At least one of those needs to be a "long" ride. For me a normal ride is 15 miles. Since I average a blistering 13-15 mph, that takes me about an hour. My long ride is going to start at 20-25 miles early in the season and I'll try to add 5 miles every time I do it. That way over a two month period I can work up to 50-60 miles. I'll want to do a ride of at least 60-70 miles before I'll consider myself ready to tackle a full hundred. I usually vary my rides between bike paths and roads and try to include some hills occasionally.
Prior to the big day you'll want to:
1. Know the rules for the ride you'll be going on.
2. Know the route. This is important. At the start you'll be surrounded by other riders but as the day goes on people will separate and you may find yourself on your own. Don't assume you'll be able to follow somebody.
I missed a turn point once on a 50-mile ride and must have added 5-10 miles. By that point I was working my way back in torrential rain, bucking 20 mph winds and thinking "I wonder how much I could sell this damn bike for".
3. Check your equipment. Tires and brakes in good shape? Chain (lightly) oiled? Gears all shifting properly? I wouldn't make any major changes to my bike just before the big ride. This probably isn't the time to be testing out a new saddle. I'd go with what you know. If you carry a pump or an inflater make sure it actually works. Happened to me once.
4. Pack your gear. In addition to your usual gear I'd bring at least one extra inner tube. I'd pack two if you have room. Check the weather forecast to see if you need to bring rain gear or cold weather gear. If you're doing an organized ride they may provide food. Otherwise be sure to pack what you'll need.
Now the fun part. Everything is checked and you've gotten yourself to the starting point.
Set an easy pace. You've got a long way to go and you don't want to wear yourself out early. If you ride like me you'll be pedaling that bike for somewhere between 7 and 8 hours.
Don't try to keep up with the faster riders. I did that once (hey she was cute) and got a pulled achilles tendon for my trouble. Luckily I was only 10 miles from the finish so I made it under my own power.
Safety is paramount. You may be riding through some places that aren't used to seeing bicycles. Waverly Ohio I'm talking to you. Any more I run flashing LED lights all the time. Even on the bike path. They're cheap and effective. I have one of those dorky looking rear-view mirrors attached to my helmet as well. I need all the help I can get out there.
You not only have idiot drivers to worry about. You'll be around a bunch of other bikes as well. Watch for obstacles on the road and be sure to warn anyone riding behind you. Don't follow someone too closely, you don't want to touch wheels.
If you're a middle of the pack rider like myself, keep to the right so that faster riders can pass you. I've heard "on your left" so many times I started thinking it was my name. Likewise let people know when you're passing them.
The hardest part, for me at least, isn't pedaling a bike 100 miles. It's being on a bike for 100 miles. You will periodically want to raise up off the saddle and get circulation back to your posterior. If you're using clip-in pedals, unclip once in a while and rotate your ankle. Change position on the handlebars from time to time.
If you're doing an organized ride there will probably be planned rest stops every 25 miles or so. If you need a break before then, by all means take it. This isn't "ride or die!" - it's supposed to be fun. Stretch, eat, refill your water bottles, check your equipment.
Psychologically this helps because you can treat the whole thing as a series of shorter rides. You already know you can do a 25 mile ride, you're just doing four of them on the same day.
Be sure to stay hydrated. Especially on a hot day. Even on a cool day you may not realize just how much water you're losing. Drink before you're thirsty. The water will do more good in your body than it will in the bottle. Refill your water bottles every chance you get.
Likewise you need to keep eating. You're burning a lot of calories here and you don't want to "bonk" (run out of energy). Eat before you're hungry. If you're on an organized ride they will likely provide food at the rest stops. Otherwise you're on your own. Since diets are like religions these days I won't tell you what to eat - just make sure you eat something.
If you have a problem with your bike, find a safe spot off the road and assess the problem. Hopefully it's just a flat tire and you remembered to bring a spare tube. If it's worse than that, you may need tools to fix it. Organized rides will usually have a "SAG Wagon" that will follow along the route and provide assistance. Don't ask me what SAG stands for by the way.
You will get tired. You will get sore. Hey, I said you could do it, I didn't say it was easy. If it was easy everyone would be doing it. Just keep eating, drinking and pedaling and you'll get there eventually. Are we having fun yet?
After the ride you may want to soak in the tub for a while. Stretch those sore muscles. Drink a beer, maybe two. You're earned it.