preparing for century but running out of gas

[hooverone]

I am preparing for a century but around the 60 mile mark I am running out of gas is the best way to prepare to just do training rides that are longer and longer or is there more to it?

One problem is that I might be starting out in too fast of a group and esentailly wearing myself out to quick.

I went on a 75 mile training ride last sunday and at about 60 miles I felt like I had ridden a century.


Jim

[JohnS]

Are you eating enough while you're riding? Centuries should be done at a pace you're comfortable with, also.

[hooverone]

On the 60 mile ride I ate 2 cliff bars and drank 100 oz of water.


Jim

[Ozz]

I'm going with the "starting out in too fast a group" theory.

Are you riding with a HR monitor? These can help "reel in" your enthusiasm if you start out too fast.

If you can ride 60 miles, I am sure you can ride 100 miles...depending on how hilly the course might be. Pace yourself...use an energy drink rather than plain water. It gets sugar into your blood faster. I like gatorade cuz it's cheap, available and comes in lots of flavors. You can cut it with some water if it is too sweet for you.

If your goal is to just finish the century, who cares how long it takes. Take your time and enjoy it! :banana:

[Kevan]

the two century rides (mile/kilometer). Generally, for us less professional types who might only get one or two of these rides in a season, a different tact has to be taken. Usually after mile 80 I'm cussing at my bike and the progress I've made.

Best that you pace yourself, eat and drink more than you reported. Also, getting a couple 75 mile rides in just before hand helps loads too.

[vaxn8r]

First of all, if you can't ride at over a 20mph pace then face it, you really shouldn't even be training for a century. Come on folks! Once you get a fast enough pace going, say about 25 mph, you have the ride done in 4 hours. That's hardly even enough time to get hungry or thirsty.

[Bruce]

Sounds like you went out of the blocks too fast. Don't be deceived by fast riders. They can be several levels of fitness above you. You need to ride a century as a lower level than your normal riding if you want to finish strong.

I recommend doing fast as possible 50-60 miles rides as a good training base. Go all out on these. You should also warm up for about 10 of those miles, and cool down as well, so about 30 - 40 should be a complete hammerfest.

Then on the longer rides, take it easy and enjoy the ride. On a hammerfest you are only looking at the wheel in front of you. On a century, spend some time taking in the scenery and stopping at the food stops and chowing down. If you do the hammerfests at 20+, do the century at 17-18.

Good luck on the next one.

[Ozz]

First of all, if you can't ride at over a 20mph pace then face it, you really shouldn't even be training for a century. Come on folks! Once you get a fast enough pace going, say about 25 mph, you have the ride done in 4 hours. That's hardly even enough time to get hungry or thirsty.

What's the "Second of all"?

The smiley face I hope.... :) :) :) :) :) :cool:

"Endurance" does not mean "fast", and "fast" does not necessarily mean "fun". :banana: ;)

[vaxn8r]

Oh yeah, forgot the ......... ;)

Anyway, 100 oz in 60 miles seems excessive, I guess, depending upon how long you're on the bike. Eating once or twice seems reasonable.

I'm a firm believer that if you can ride 60 you can ride 100. First of all don't make all your rides long. Work on fast 25-40 mile rides. Mix in some 60-70 mile slower rides. Pace line sometimes behind some faster guys/women to get some speed work in. Set a date for the century and just the psych up alone will get you 35 miles further than what you thought you could do.

Finally, if you can't seem to get over the hump on your Serotta...maybe you need a Calfee. Yeah, that'll get it done for you. :)

[dauwhe]

First of all, if you can't ride at over a 20mph pace then face it, you really shouldn't even be training for a century. Come on folks! Once you get a fast enough pace going, say about 25 mph, you have the ride done in 4 hours. That's hardly even enough time to get hungry or thirsty.

Slow cyclists can enjoy centuries, too! I've ridden five this year; on the one flattish century (2,500 feet of climbing) I averaged a bit over 16mph, which was good for me! Last Sunday I rode 125 very hilly miles, with an average speed of 13.5 mph. Nothing like Mt. Terrible twice in a day!

For me, the key to feeling strong is to eat and drink constantly. I've felt much better on rides up to ten hours with a little handlebar bag (Rivendell Banana Bag) filled with snacks. I also drink gatorade rather than water.

I hope to do Boston-Montreal-Boston some day, 750 miles in less than 90 hours. But I don't think I'll ever be able to average 25mph even for one hour!

[vaxn8r]

It was an attempt at sarcasm. Humor, if you will.

[dauwhe]

It was an attempt at sarcasm. Humor, if you will.

I thought so :)

But I'm always happy to advocate slowness, not to mention eating a lot!

[Bradford]

I love distance and have been doing centuries for years, including on my tandem, my single, and my touring bike (loaded and unloaded). Don’t get too down on yourself; you’ll be able to do it if you want. I’m amazed every year at the PMC to see how many people can ride 192 miles in two days when they are properly motivated.

Here is my advice, some of which repeats other comments.

First, don't get too caught up in a group that is too fast. In a group century, you can usually find some people to ride with at your pace. You don’t always have to ride fast. I love Ozz’s comment that “"Endurance" does not mean "fast", and "fast" does not necessarily mean "fun.” I’ve never bought into the hammerhead philosophy often espoused on this board. My life and career are competitive enough, I don’t need to prove anything on my bike, I just ride because I enjoy it. Ride your ride, whether that is fast or slow, but don’t ride someone else’s ride if you want to enjoy yourself.

Second, make sure you eat and drink plenty before and during the ride. If it isn't supported, bring your own food. Even if it is supported, bring at least some of your own food. I probably drink about 1 ½ ounce per mile, with a mix of Gatorade and water on rides over 30 miles. Supported rides will give you PB&J and bananas, and I bring Cliff or Power bars as well. When I go out and do a century by myself without support, I like to stop for a bagel or breakfast sandwich about 20 miles, get a pizza at about 50 miles, and then a snack at 75 or so, with maybe a power bar somewhere in the middle. When I’m on a 60-75 mile group ride, your two Cliff bars sounds about right.

Third, take breaks. Most group centuries have breaks every 25 miles; take them to eat, rest, and relax. If the breaks aren't built in, take them yourself. I just did 115 miles by myself and stopped every 25 miles for the first 100, then halfway through the last 15. At the Pan Mass Challenge, which is full of people who don't ride distance and are going 110 on day one and 82 on day two, the stops are every 20 miles or so.

Fourth, I’ve found a consistent rule for distance over 50 miles. Regardless of how long the ride is, you’re body will want to be done 5-10 miles before the ride is over. It is all in your head. If I ride 60, my body is done at 55. If I ride 100, my body is done at 90. If I ride 120, I feel just dandy until 110. I don’t know why, but it always happens to me.

And finally, you are riding 100 miles on a bike, it is supposed to hurt. As president Kennedy once said about something else, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Embrace the pain, enjoy the pain – if it didn’t hurt, it wouldn’t be such an accomplishment. According to Lance, he feels as much pain as the other guys, he just doesn’t let it stop him. Just make sure you can recognize the kind of pain that is telling you are riding a century and the kind of pain that is telling you if you don’t stop you are going to need knee surgery. You don’t want to make that mistake.

Good luck and keep plugging away. For me, riding a century is the biggest thrill in cycling.

[Dekonick]

Food is the key. Gotta have fuel for the entire ride...eat constantly - and drink before you are thirsty.

This is just from what I have read...I dont have weekends to ride (wife time) thus no centuries for me. (somehow they organize em on weekends! Whats wrong with a Tuesday??)

Today, Super Serotta Sandy was telling me how he usually has to pull Kevin for at least the last 60 miles. While discussing this we agreed that it probably is because of the calfee. If he rode a Serotta, well - need I say more?

[pbbob]

I use mostly liquid nutrition on a 100 miler. usually 250 or so calories per 25 miles, plus gatorade which I drink more concentrated than standard. and I usually carry one of these too :banana: but don't always eat it.

[Too Tall]

"On the 60 mile ride I ate 2 cliff bars and drank 100 oz of water."

Not enough calories / hr. and too much water.

If you want a target try: 250/cals. per hr. with 17-22 oz clear water and sufficient electrolytes. A good strategy is to keep eating complex carbs throughout the ride after the first 20 mins. or so and NO simple sugars dot period.

[Sandy]

Don't energy drinks like Gatorade have simple sugars that readily go into your bloodstream for energy? Are you saying that energy drinks are not very good? Why?


Gulping Gatorade,

Snandy

[Too Tall]

I can't 'splain it here Sandy. This discussion is nearly as passionate as Crampy vs S****mano.

[hooverone]

"If you want a target try: 250/cals. per hr. with 17-22 oz clear water and sufficient electrolytes. A good strategy is to keep eating complex carbs throughout the ride after the first 20 mins. or so and NO simple sugars dot period.

Maybe a camelback is not the best way to go then since I really never know how much water I have until it is all gone.....

Bottles would be a better way to measure how much water is left then.



Jim

[Too Tall]

Not hardly dood. Do what I did and get a read on your camelback sippage ;) Pour 1 watter bottle into the camelback and see about how many sips it takes to drain it. Mark your camelback with tape so you know what's going in. Why abandon what works, just learn to work with it k?

[Orin]

Jim,

I don't think we have enough information...

What rides do you regularly do - how fast, what kind of terrain? How does this compare to the 60 mile ride?

It does sound like you are starting too fast. Take breaks. Find what food works for you (may not be fancy energy bars/drinks).

Read some randonneuring articles - a century is a warmup for those guys - and their eating habits never cease to amaze.

BTW, you might want to buy and read "The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling : Build the Strength, Skills, and Confidence to Ride as Far as You Want
" by Edmund R. Burke and Ed Pavelka. They have a training schedule for centuries and beyond...

Orin.

[BigMac]

I would agree with Orin, way too little info from original poster. What exactly are you feeling that prevents you from completing the ride? Is it lactic acid build-up. Physical fatigue, if so describe exact areas of fatigue. Mental fatigue?

I don't necessarily agree with "too much water" theory. Depends upon many factors such as heat, humidity, elevation... If you are getting severe muscle cramping, this can indicate over-hydration reducing salts, which can be supplemented by more Gatorade or similar drink. I would recommend 1-2 bottles of energy drink which may be consumed at 1:2 rate with pure water from Camelback. I would also encourage a bit more food, perhaps Cliffshot or similar and/or bananas which provide both energy and all important potasium which too can prevent cramping.

I would suggest that in most cases, the limiting factor in athletic endeavors is mental fatigue. If you approach a ride feeling uncomfortable beyond 60 miles, you will struggle past 60 miles. There are numerous techniques to overcome these mental barriers, you just need to find what will work best for you. In addition to Orin's suggested reading, I can recommend Dave Scott's book and most definitely that of Mark Allen, the Zen Master. He writes exhaustively of his trevails in completing the marathon leg at Kona. He later became the greatest marathoner in triathalon history, once running a 2:30 marathon leg which of course has much to do with genetics, but never-the-less he too struggled terribly to finish at Kona until he found his mental saber. Worth a read.

Ride on! :banana: :banana: :banana:

[Andreu]

If you are fit and trained well throughout the year and can normally do 100 miles fairly comfortably then you need to rest. I have gone through a similar process racing here in high milage events and then burnt.
Apart from that I agree with Orin....not enough info.
A :beer:

[hooverone]

Most of my rides have been between 20 and 50 miles so the 75 was a stretch.


Jim

[Andreu]

This is a big jump. Work up to the distance adding between 10 and 20 % each week or two. And take the miles slowly (suck wheels if necessary) if your not racing just make sure you can do the distance comfortably and worry about average speed later. (plus all the other advice about drinking and eating enough still stand).
A
And good luck! :beer:

[M_A_Martin]

I believe fueling for a century has been gone over before. Do a search and see.

And just what did you have for breakfast and dinner the night before?

You will find that you can go out on a 20-40 mile ride and and survive fairly well without paying atttention to nutrition on a daily basis. When you're doing 100 you need to pay attention to your intake the whole day, and the evening before.

If you've never done 100 miles, you don't know how far it is so the training can be a bit unnerving. Especially when you get to the 60 mile rides. I'm a firm believer that you can ride three times as far as your furthest training ride if you make sure you pace yourself. It isn't wise, but it is do-able. (A buddy of mine proved it this summer...not wise, but do-able) You might not be able to ride with the paceline's you'd prefer, but you can do the 100.

I can do 70 mile rides on potatoes, eggs, and milk for breakfast (I'm celiac, I can't have my favorite oatmeal before the ride) three bananas, a gatorade, and water, but it isn't pretty...I usually eat about 3-4 gluten free energy bars along with the bananas for a century depending on the pace. And I start those within a half hour of the start...and just eat bits the whole time I'm riding. (Its not..."eating again" its "eating still") Seems to work.

I prefer to stay away from the gatorade as it turns my stomach. But I'll have two bottles of it over the 100 miles.

[Too Tall]

Props to Ed and Ed but their book really is more of a story. Great read, don't ge me wrong...but don't you want the one that I am quoted on the front cover (wink wink)....don't yah? Other than the lame plug, Simon does a proper job revealing facts about long riding.

The Long Distance
Cyclist's Handbook (Cycling); Paperback ~ Simon Doughty; ...

[chuck]

Lots of good input from others. Potential physical problems aside, it sounds like you're about ready to "break through" that 60-70 mile barrier. The last 10 miles of your first couple of centuries may feel almost unbearable, but hang in there and just visualize the finish. There are often mental barriers that we need to break through, and after you've reached a new level your confidence in knowing you can do it will help greatly. Randonneurs and ultra-distance riders have all broken through various distances and degrees of difficulty. Some tips that have probably been covered already: eat a decent breakfast before heading out to that century - 1,000 calories isn't unreasonable. Hydrate before the ride - a nice big helping of water after breakfast is good. Eat something on the bike every 20 minutes or so (not easy at first but force yourself to do it - bagels, bananas, sports bars, cookies, trail mix, sandwiches, whatever feels right). If you're beginning to yawn a lot after a couple of hours, you need food. Eat real food during the ride if possible (your system may be telling you this naturally if in the latter part of the ride bananas and sports drinks have zero appeal). Also later in the ride, some salt helps - a few chips for example. If the century is an organized event, view it as a series of shorter distances from checkpoint to checkpoint. Pace yourself and ride your ride, and pretty soon you'll be passing hammerheads around the 80 mile mark who are lying on the grass in agony stretching every muscle they've got - some of them will have passed you earlier in the ride. Enjoy the rest stops but don't spend too much time at them. On the clothing side, don't overdress, but if it's rainy and cold it's better to be warm than shivering. Stretching helps after a long ride, including elevating feet.

Chuck

[JohnS]

Centuries that were actually 105 miles always drove me crazy. You reach the magic 100 mile mark and you're still nowhere near the finish.

[vaxn8r]

Fill your bottles/camel back with Code Red and ride hard and ride fast :)

[M_A_Martin]

Some people don't contemplate that if you stay at a stop long enough to cool down, you have to warm up each time you ride out of a rest stop. If you ride with a group that dallys, then hammers out of the stop, you're probably gonna get hurt sooner or later.

I used to dally at the supported ride century stops (other than lunch) for 20 minutes or more. Now I get in, get off the bike, grab a banana covered in peanut butter if they have it, fill up the water bottles, use the bathroom, and get back on the bike usually in less than 10 minutes...15 tops if I'm with the club (more riders to get through all the issues) and I my legs feel much better down the road than they used to. My legs are happier, my hip is happier, my knees are not sore after the century now, and I don't lag for 5 miles as I warm back up after the stop.

[RABikes2]

My turn to chime in...This year I've done over 20 rides that were 100+ miles (10 of the rides were over 200 miles). I do randonneuring riding, done the brevet series, and went to BMB 2004. I completed 464 miles of BMB and had to get off my bike due to saddle bruising and saddle sores. Talk about mental...I knew I had trained properly to do the 750 miles yet I couldn't sit on my saddle any more. I couldn't figure out how to stand (especially with my knees) and ride through rain and the mountains for another 280 miles.

You've been given some pretty good advice from the others here. Some of the advice was way too technical for me. I don't agree with the fact you "drank too much water". Sorry Too Tall, nope, don't agree with you. And it's getting too technical with measuring how many sips, etc... :confused: One of my training partners can easily drink 100 oz. Camelbak in a two hour ride on a warm day. I have been known to do a 50 oz. Camelbak and 1-2 large H2o bottles of Accelerade on a 40 mile ride.

I started having some tough rides this summer with the heat here in Florida. Doing a 600k in 95+ heat can make for a hmmmm....a rough ride. I did a 208 mile, one-day ride in July that the temperature was just over 100 degrees. :p An experienced randonneur friend turned me on to Emer'gen-C packets (health food stores carry them). There are quite a variety of choices in "flavors". I use the Triple Power that has 1,000mg of Vitamin C w/ 500mg Glucosamine and 400mg Chondroitin. The other one is Electro Mix that helps to keep my electrolites balanced. I mix them in either water (and I have put them in Gatorade). I also started having to watch my nutrition. I was craving protein. I couldn't eat enough on the bike, and when I did eat, I was getting heartburn. I tried a few different products and most of them were totally YUCK! I would gag to get them in. I then found "Accelerade" to work wonderfully (I had to mix it weaker) and I convinced myself that it tasted like Key Lime Pie. I carried pre-made packages on distance rides to mix w/ water as needed.

Again, we don't have enough information regarding what is stopping you; mental, physical, or conditions. Ginger said it great that if you can do a 60-70 miler, you CAN do a 100 miler. I've been so amazed over the last 20 years how much of what we do IS mental. You must do your "homework", don't ever cheat yourself there, but your mind still has to be set and properly trained to accomplish what goals you have set for yourself. Start working on visualization. When I have an "event", I will visualize myself through most every step w/ imagery; from the start until I'm crossing the finish line.

From your post, I do believe you are starting out too fast. RIDE YOUR OWN PACE! Best advice I was ever given by experienced randonneurs. Distance is learning how to "pace" oneself. Yes, I can go out from the start and blast a 100 miler out averaging 20 mph and then feel like depleted dog do-do when finished, but I've trained to start out doing a 17-18 mph consistent pace and gradually increase speed as the miles go by (it takes me every bit of 35 miles to feel "warmed-up"). On the last 15-20 miles of a 100 miler, I feel I've got energy to push and have the "horse to the barn" ride...faster to the finish. So try not to "fry" yourself by starting out with too fast riders. I agree with making your stops as quick as possible; have your needs organized in your head prior to the stop, get them done, and get back on the bike so your legs don't need to warm up so much again.

Be positive and you will achieve your century ride goal. Live by; "Positive thoughts bring positive results." ;) Ride like the wind, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the experience, and have a BLAST!! :banana: Let us know how you do. Best wishes! :)

RA

[Needs Help]

It sounds to me like you aren't systematically training for a century. The first time I trained to do a century, I found that the fairly simple schedules published every year in Bicycling or other magazines work well. On some days, you are required to do shorter, faster rides, and on other days you do longer, slower rides, and your mileage increases every week. It takes a lot of time and commitment, but if you stick to the training schedule, you'll be able to do a century. If you don't have the time to train everyday, then it will be a struggle. I believe the schedules I used were 10 weeks long.

Good luck.

[hooverone]

OK well I ate well the night before, not as good as a breakfast as I would have liked; had 2 pouches of Quaker oatmeal.

On sundays 82 mile group ride I drank cytomax instead of just water, in 82 miles I went through 100 oz of cytomax not as strong as the directions say but I have to drink this stuff :) and two gels and about 3/4 of a cliff bar.

I got up until about 73 miles stong and the last few miles to 82 were some of the longest, slowest miles I have ridden but I finished the ride.

What made it the tought was about mile 40 I went to unclip from my speedplay zeros and I twisted my knee wierd and it hurt a little after that but my mile 78 or so it was uncomfortable. I am not sure what I did to twist it out wierd seemed normal but I knew when it happened it was sore from that.


Thanks everyone.



Jim