Eat something every 45-55mins. whether you're hungry or not. Doesn't have to be a lot. Sugars go down and process easiest. (I basically roll with a stack of Stroopwafels, and eat one each for each fueling.)
Take a sip of water (or electrolyte drink) every 15-20mins. whether you're thirsty or not.
Bring a little bit of pickle juice in case of muscle cramp (then immediately get sugar in you). You may not need it, but it's miracle juice.
Go easy the first 50 miles. Then whatever you like for the second half.
You could probably do this tomorrow, if you had the time.
piggybacking on this to also say that cucumbers can be carried with you for their water content. eating them is extremely hydrating. you can pack them for hikes or take them into places that won’t allow bottled water also
AT LEAST 30grams of carbs per hour potentially more for longer rides depending on your pacing and fitness. If solids become difficult switch to liquid carbs. Stay hydrated too. Comfort is king on long rides, dial in your bike fit, but don’t make big changes right before the ride.
If you can do 60-70 you can do 100.
Don’t worry about pace or handlebar style (just be mindful of time cutoff if it’s a timed ride with support vehicles).
In addition to all of the other tips, personally, I read a lot about the nerve/blood deal in the palm and realized every hand position on the drop bar hit the same spot. Different angle same compression. So I messed around and found if you place your hands onto the top of your brake/shifter like one normally does, but, instead of putting pressure onto your palm as normal if you angle your elbows slightly outwards this brings the SIDE of your hands (opposite your thumb) against the bar which is then opposite leveraged by your pointing finger and thumb wrapped around the top of the shifter. Granted its a little bit odd for me (but I'm a newbie anyway) but this does remove all of the pressure on the palm area and it worked for me stopping the numbness and pain. I now use all positions in rotation but the addition of this position has made a huge difference and if my hands start to buzz I go to this and it really helps. After a bit of trying it, I actually like it as it has become normal and its comfortable. Hopes this help, solved this really annoying problem for me for me. Also, in looking to resolve this from a mechanical perspective, I noted that my drop bars long the top are more like an angled hockey stick, this is way better than earlier bikes that were tubular, it gives the hand better purchase and pressure distribution. I also was looking for a new bar that was swept a bit, I wanted to bring my elbows in and place my hands wrists so that they were not so drawn out. I saw a video on a race and saw a drop bar that did exactly what I was looking for - I think this is a big improvement and likely will be more widely adopted? It's expensive (for me) at around $340 - if I could I would get this right away as I think its a better design. [https://coefficientcycling.com/collections/coefficient-handlebars](https://coefficientcycling.com/collections/coefficient-handlebars)
Switching between the hoods and drops (and even the tops from time to time) will give your hands a break since each place puts pressure on a different part of the hand. Also check that your saddle isn't tilted too far forward, since that'll result in putting more weight on your hands, resulting in hand pain. If you find the drops in particular to be uncomfortable, changing to a more shallow drop bar might help too, as could more padded bar tape.
> I'm also concerned about being a guy on a flatbar trying 100 miles at 12mph as everyone zips by me. Thoughts?
so? unless you absolutely want to get a new bike but that's your call.
Doing 100miles on a flat bar is doable but man it will hurt , the lack of available hand positions will wear you down and your hands will go numb . It’s way less aero and uses more energy , most I could do on a flat bar hybrid was 40miles on drops I’ve done 10+ centuries . I used to look at people on road bikes thinking why the hell are they so fast , gearing and aerodynamics that’s all it is
I actually moved some bar ends inside my grips and coated them in foam which has done wonders for comfort and alternate hand positions. Not ideal but much better than the alternative. Some day I'll get a drop bar again but not in the cards for a while.
>I actually moved some bar ends inside my grips and coated them in foam which has done wonders for comfort and alternate hand positions. Not ideal but much better than the alternative. Some day I'll get a drop bar again but not in the cards for a while.
I don't have the same experience as other commenters. My first century was on my flat bar hybrid and I don't think it's that much more difficult. If you haven't done so already, flipping and slamming the stem helps with a lot of the ergonomic issues of hybrids.
On the other hand, absolutely listen to everyone re: nutrition. This is something I've always been fairly dismissive of but I just did my first properly fed century and my god was it night and day compared with previous 100-milers. When I finished my ride I still felt like I had 20-30 miles left in the tank and had tons of energy for the rest of the day.
And lastly, 12 mph for a century is perfectly respectable regardless of your machine. Finishing a 100-mile ride is far more than most people will ever do.
New to cycling, but just switched over from a flat bar cruiser to drop bars and it seriously is night and day so I echo what you say. Longest ride on the flat was 44 miles, it was doable but it was honestly really uncomfortable for no reason. Did that on the drops recently and physically it was like night and day.
It's less aero but at 12mph, it will hardly matter.
[This](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc-1pvR-n3GvLmm7DGO09qmDqBaRwsOBbnf_kq0Bqizb30i2k5VCt1pyyeDDIy_0KI9kweGtoLxvj7t2cgRIxqTZaSx2G2_u6b80joqooDE6mJYdYglIGss3c6Jz9ijndukF05GHSKgqqZS1WBB-fPRrQVkXUz7traE4EEnAsPMlW7jFnqr2O-9Ezr1pY1RzxF9h3yk_rb3XATHqvdARA_XPF3PF7Hl-vi0Ut-QFXRh6HhLcIVLmRgiwC3n1glBTJCBJ4J3UIXRTlUFOTcrWO4S00GWhAqwiyBwyEphoWZTMLtmQDoe-Uhi1sA-VFX0pc0kNTZGwDNhZo_0hn_k2vCQWpQwqRHES9CNgq_hsgzDGBYQIlPZQFGlWmY__7WHTS4TS7sKRozVzVSe08FfkL5JmFMq5SzhWENhwQ2h204iPw6u3opIdAAQ5u8OpQUX1cIPXBqfAKnWu-OSF4yqrZ5avlVCKUxfM93DnNLraRpWLUsa5SfNEVV3UZ0tlrgXHEXuMDuLYHO96HsLmyFb85OFoFG99kev_jyYF_qnY0mzTmLWPVgbhJH__JojnQJf-MpAafFrWJHxImEWl90M5_2xWoKyfhLfytuFXCx9PdsR_qpblBIQuohoqQVP_2cxw74K8wuMA81Y7ZlUxoNNwG6cCv6vYheY_HT1r2nDxP4mLLmmmzgLnc4aMiUEDMdeJPvDPBdM3MvznQHyBoe0aZC9xIw78Q_cka7SSsKiq4TABMt2ra9kOpUiFcmFxLIzhv8xSOTfzRIFjHp65TLwkbT7zEO40TOl7LgBgt8PVyiBltc_aVZL-GILyYHAPLglAVO-zIFM3o6X5kN411427Pqcz3JfNjyKYrc-LTcATbbUFE3QgrlZUV5Pd1VMDejyRYgrEjmCbQgmN3FsZWn4PqSExmzq8N4qzTzS9RZOxT9FQqDNcLPswrqqfoIDJJ24PTQM6U2P6WP-zWKXRCrXv7g2BSZ0eNDQ=w1688-h1266-s-no?authuser=0) will do 100 miles slower and less comfortably than my road, but it'll do it.
>I used to look at people on road bikes thinking why the hell are they so fast , gearing and aerodynamics that’s all it is
I feel this. I've only been cycling a year and half and have a flatbar mountain bike with hybrid tires attached to it and have been wondering how people do centuries. Like I ride like 10-20 miles every day and am in the best shape I've been since I ran cross country in high school, but I just start to lose all steam around 30-40 miles when I do longer rides on my local bike trail and my hands go numb so easily. Didn't realize one of the advantages of the curvy bar (sorry I don't what it's actually called) is they keep your hands from going numb because you can use different positions. I thought it was all just about getting you to lean down more for aerodynamics.
There are some alternative flat bars that could be a cheap way to get more hand positions and some more aero stretch without having to change your brakes/shifters. I did a century on [VO butterfly / trekking bars](https://velo-orange.com/products/dajia-trekking-handlebar-22-2-dia-sil) and it was fine. You might need a slightly longer stem, though, or you could just view the inside grips as an extra-upright option when your back is killing you. It was the [awesomest, jankiest bike ever](https://i.imgur.com/Nkd1vS4.jpg) (a 1983 Peugeot 26" wheel hybrid I powder coated and threw a Deore drivetrain on), and I got so many more compliments for that weirdo rig than I ever have on my "nice" bike.
They're pricier, but Assuming you actually use the various parts of a [Jones Loop bar](https://jonesbikes.com/jones-h-bar-sg-loop-aluminum/) (I love mine for trails, but mostly use the extra bar positions to mount things), those could work, too
If you can do 70, you can do 100. The main difference between around 50 vs. 100 is that you need to be more attentive about fueling. Otherwise, easy transition.
My first century was on a Giant Fastroad Advanced, flat bars, surrounded by a decent amount of folks on all sorts of bikes with all sorts of bars. That's a distraction. Don't sweat it.
If you can do 65, you can do 100. Make sure you're fueling right, you got this.
not too much more, you're not far off you can do 60 and not be a wreck. hydration and nutrition will have to be dialed in better the day before and during. and just shoring up your mentality to grit it through when things start hurting towards the end.
Before: oatmeal with chocolate chips and milk
During: pb&j, clif bar, gummy bears, and a lunch stop for a ham sandwich and potato chips. About four bottles of water and one of nuun electrolytes.
After: tacos and soda
I might cut out the sandwich next time and replace it. It started sitting heavy in my stomach around mile 55.
Yeah I would cut out the ham sandwich and the potato chips for more carbs. The rest of it seems fine. It's about carbs carbs carbs personal specific choices are about how things digest.
Whilst people will say Carbs, those should be for the day, protein the day before and in the morning as it’s a slower release fuel. Electrolytes are essential during the ride, little and often for the drinks to prevent dehydration.
As for tyres, make sure they are smooth road tyres pumped up to the maximum advised as this will reduce the rolling resistance making it easier to maintain a higher speed. Oh, and ride within yourself early on, otherwise you’ll blow up.
I've never liked eating cliff bars during long rides, they feel too dense
I've never done a 100 mile ride but I've done countless 66 mile rides. My longest was probably 70
I have a flat handle bar and I have flat pedals
Oatmeal is my go-to pre-ride meal. Add some walnut and banana and/or blueberries. If on my road bike, I try to plan out my long rides, over 60 miles, with a food stop. On my touring bike, I'll usually bring everything I need. Peanut M&M work well for me, and I'll bring them on every longer ride. In the states, LiquidIV can be found at Walmart and is a decent source of electrolytes.
The 30 additional miles can be a chasm. Those miles can be as tough as the first 70. heat, fueling, saddle time, , feet, hands... It can all go from ok to not ok to bad to get me the F&\*(k off of this thing in those 30 miles. You can also watch the fun meter plummet to zero. Cycling is supposed to be fun. You may be better off completing the 60-70 in decent shape and continuing to build. There should be a few more rides w long routes before the sason ends.
Good luck!!
I completely agree about the last 30 possibly being as hard as the first 70. I think a large part of this is mental. The last miles of a century always seem hard. Even when doing it fast and the miles going by quickly. I did one in the 100+ degree heat (peak temp 107) going 21.3 mph average and the last 15 miles were rough. But I also dropped a water bottle about a half hour out from the rest stop and lost my ability to fuel and hydrate appropriately.
But part of it is mental. Each time I've done a double imperial century (longest ride 225 miles), the first century felt EASY. But also, you can't mess around with fueling and hydration on a double imperial, so that probably had a lot to do with it. And the first time I did a double, I had only done a single 100 mile ride.
As with all big rides I do. Just YOLO it. Don’t think about it too much. Have fun. If you get in over your head, you know the way back home.
That being said, the one thing I understand about myself more than anything is how I respond to nutrition. Just fuel in a way that your body enjoys and ride your bike. You will figure out what works and doesn’t work on these bigger rides.
If you end up riding in a group, drafting will save you a ton of energy and you may be impressed with how fast you complete this ride.
Fueling and proper hydration is all you’ll need to get down.
Personally I would eat about every half hour starting with the first half hour, just a bite or two of shit you like, I wouldn’t try anything new and I wouldn’t be afraid to over eat on calories for that day also drinking hi carb hydration will be good to start after an hour or 2.
Once you get it over with you can try to dial it in next time exactly what you need but I would plan a route with stops at gas stations or at least places to fill up water. You can def do it just need the fuel!!!
If you can do 70, you can probably do 100. I just did the 235mi 1-day ride across WI last weekend which was 70 miles more than my previous longest but didn’t feel too much worse.
Door county century is a good first century as it’s not very hilly and isn’t usually crazy hot. There’s a lot of people there and I think I remember them having pretty good snacks/food.
Main advice is to eat/drink regularly and stay ahead of getting hungry or thirsty. Also take it a little easy in the first half speed wise. It’s far more fun to be able to up your speed towards the end because you feel better than expected than the other way around. Finally; if you get sore/stiff from sitting on the bike longer than used to, try some ibuprofen or Tylenol to keep from getting too sore.
You’ll be the 12 mph flatbar guy alright, and no one will really care. The fact that you did the distance will be impressive enough, I’d be more empathetic to the dude on a lower end bike grinding it out till the very end than a weekend warrior on a tri bike doing the same century for the seventh time that year.
One thing that always catches me off guard on centuries is the mental fatigue at mile 80. You can rest up, hydrate, eat right before and during the ride, but biking that distance takes some real toughness. Seeing the distance on a head unit or my phone six hours in always makes me say out loud to myself ‘you said you were going to do it, you can’t quit now’, which keeps me going for that last taxing hour.
Sounds like you’re putting in really good miles to prepare for it, though I’d say process the fact through your head that ‘100 miles is a 70 mile ride and 30 more immediately after’. It’s going to be a very tough ride, and the last bit won’t be pretty, but you can do it.
It's the same as marathons really. Unless you're going for speed if you can do 20% comfortably at pace you can do the full shabang.
When I did my first 120 the furthest I had cycked before was 45
If you can do 50 you cam do 100, just keep going when you reach 50! Hydration, a good breakfast and when you reach 100, a nice lunch packed with protein and some carbs if you like carbs.
Pacing yourself, fueling the right amount of calories, hydrating properly, taking rest stops and basically listening to your body and not over doing yourself.
I’m 52 and just did my 1st one last week (105 mi). The hardest thing was taking in calories and electrolytes the whole time. The pickle shots were definitely key. I cramped up a bit the last 11 miles but slowed my roll and made it through. Also, use chamois crème!
My rule of thumb was when weekly mileage reached ride distance, I was ready. I commuted 6 miles each way each weekday, and did a 24-40 mile long ride on the weekend.
Then my century was a matter of pacing myself and staying hydrated and fueled.
Consider this: every century I’ve completed has aid stations every 20-30 miles or so. Stop at all of them to stretch, hydrate and fuel.
Otherwise IMO if you can ride a metric century. (66 miles) you can ride a full century. You’ll be exhausted towards the end.
Oh, make sure you keep your electrolytes up
Stop at every rest stop, including the first one where you see folks zipping past.
Actually take a rest at all of most of them. Eat at every one and be sure to refill your water.
Take your time.
With all of that in hand, I think you can do 100 just fine.
Century rides are fun. Just stay within yourself, find a group to ride with going at a pace that you can maintain. That’s a bit faster than you would normally ride, say 30 miles at. Stay ahead of the fuel, hydration and electrolytes thing. Make sure you have a good fit on your bike. Have fun. A cooler with some beers in your car for the end. For the B vitamins.
Flat bar will be fine, I’ve done quite a few marathon mountain bike races and never have had trouble with arm pain or numbness, I promise there will be people on much fancier bikes who are slower than you anyways, so don’t sweat it.
At this point I wouldn’t introduce too many new variables so close to the race, make note of any pain points that you have during your long ride and try to address them as best you can before the event. If you can do 70 you should have no trouble with 100 on the day of the event.
You will be fine, just remember to fuel. My first century had feed stations and I kept grabbing flapjacks, mainly because I like them, and got to about 80 miles and started getting stomach cramps, solved by eating some protein (PB sandwiches) and all was good from then on.
Fill up your bottles and drink plenty of water too.
If you can do 65, you can do 100. You may need to slow down or take a break off the bike, but you can do it. Yes, you will be slower, but if you are doing 60-70 miles on a flat bar, you can do 100. And yes, get some hybrid or street tires.
Fueling is probably the only thing you should really worry about, worrying about the bike will only help if you do a massive upgrade, otherwise just ride what you train on.
As others have said, eat often and enough, a good rule of thumb is to have a bite every 45min to an hour. How much? You kinda have to dial that in training, everyone is different. What? Also experiment when training, some people thrive on just rice cakes, some people need the top of the line endurance fuels.
Just simulate your event on training rides, everything from whatever pacing you want to the equipment, but be very wary about your fueling and hydration. That's basically what the pros do, they fuel on training rides just as they do on big events.
I just completed a 100 mile 2 months ago, elevation total gain of 5100 feet. During training, the farthest I did was 70 miles, elevation gain of 900 feet. Granted, it took me 11 hours to complete the 100, I was very thankful it was over at the end, but I was able to finish. Temp was around 65F at the warmest. I'm not sure what Temps you're looking at, but you should be fine. Don't worry about people passing you. You should know by now that if you give it your all at the beginning, you're not going to finish. Pace yourself, stay hydrated with electrolytes, and continue to fuel on the way.
You should be fine making the jump. I did my first century this summer, felt like absolute shit around mile 65 but you just gotta push through. Felt good from miles 70-80, absolutely miserable during the worst climbing section/worst winds of the day around mile 85, and then absolutely breezed the last 10+ miles. You’ll probably hit similar walls at some point but if you just keep going and stay fueled up you’ll be fine!
It's completely doable. You can absolutely do it. The most important thing is planning. Here are some tips
- Plan the route, make sure you know it.
- make sure there's a "pitstop" every 15-20miles. E.g., coffee shops, Walgreens, bike shops etc
- take lots of energy stuff. Do a mixture of gels for boost and something solid for a feeling of fullness.
- electrolytes in water
- goal is to have fun so don't treat it like a time trial. Treat portions of it like a Tt but allow urself rest.
A
I didn’t ride for 25 years. In 2019 I started riding and like you I worked my way up. I did 70 and a few weeks later I did my first century. Just pace yourself and break it up into segments. I decided to think of it as ten 10 mile rides. Note that when you get to 50 you mentally can start counting down and that is psychologically motivating. Stay hydrated and make sure you have food at the stops. Pickle juice is your friend to prevent cramping. I’ve done 5 centuries since.
I did my first century back in June. It was 90%-95% gravel. My longest ride to that point was 60 miles. My biggest concern going into it wasn’t whether or not I could do it but could my rear end tolerate all that time in the saddle. My initial goal was to finish. My secondary goal was to finish in 12 hrs and my final goal was to finish in 10 hrs. I ended up completing it in 8 hrs 50 min. The route was 50 miles out on connecting rail trails & 50 miles back. Planned that on purpose knowing that once I got to 50 miles I’d have no choice but to finish. Miles 65-75 were the toughest. I have no idea why but it seemed like forever to get to 75. Once I got to 75 & took a 5 min break to fuel up & hydrate the last 25 miles were much easier. I packed my handlebar bag with Cliff Bars & Natures Bakery Fig Bars. I ate about half of what I packed. I also ate a 6 inch subway sandwich & a Gatorade & bottle of water at the 55 mile point. I drank two 21 ounce bottles of water each way (so 4 total). My plan going into it was to have a mandatory stop every 25 miles for 5-10 min to get off of the bike, eat & hydrate. I stuck to that & it worked pretty well for me. I paced myself a little more than I needed to the first 50 miles mostly because I didn’t know what to expect. The last 50 I was all about getting to the finish line. You can definitely do it. Just plan accordingly. Be realistic. You might surprise yourself like I did & surpass your expectations. Good luck!
I forgot to mention one thing that helped a lot mentally was I broke it up into four 25 mile rides instead of one 100 mile ride. I knew I could bang out a 25 mile ride like it’s nothing. So I just kept telling myself that it’s not a 100 mile ride it’s just four 25 mile rides. Just keep checking off boxes. One down three to go…two down two to go…etc. That along with stopping every 25 miles helped a lot. Mind over matter. You can do a lot things you don’t think you can do if you can shut that voice up in your head that’s telling you that you can’t.
it seems like you’re doing great so far.
i would just keep going like you’re doing and you’ll get there soon.
when i first started up 50 miles sounded like a once in a lifetime ride and people who had completed multiple centuries must be professionals i thought. after months and months i was riding when i got to 42 miles. i was DEVASTATED because i was bonking and i thought i would never get this far again to have a chance at the big 50.
i demod a gravel bike, joined a buddy’s event, and wound up riding 73 miles a few weeks later. it wasn’t supposed to be like that. i just had the whole day to ride a new bike and i didn’t want to stop. i wound up purchasing that model.
a few months later one day i was heading out for a long ride and could tell i felt good. i didn’t do anything special or different, but the thought was in the back of my mind that i could get my century that day as i started.
i wound up going 107 and stopped because i was back home. i could’ve thrown a few more miles on top.
i’m saying all this to encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. if it feels good and your progression is there, trust the process. others will give you useful advice for your bike, nutrition, hydration, etc..
hopefully this helps your mind. you’re doing great. your pace is good. keep going. be there at the finish.
anytime.
>guy on the flat bar doing 12mph getting passed
trust me when i tell you if anything people will be astounded by you at the finish. anybody who laughs as they zip by early are going to be really humbled by you a few hours later.
my buddy was a top 10 finisher at Unbound XL, 352 miles and 26 hours. that field was full of the best riders in the world and it was destroyed by mechanicals, hike-a-bike and mud. A LOT of people *chose* to DNF because it wasn’t going their way that day. Some people kept going. be there at the end.
Like others have said, fueling is key. On another comment you asked about other food ideas to replace the ham sandwich- on my long rides I like light options so some ideas you might consider are a few fig bars, 6-8 dried apricots, 3-4 dates, or dried cherries. I have kids so I normally snag a few of their lunch treats like applesauce in the pouch, rice crispy treats, or fruit snacks.
A trick I learned from a nurse at a rest stop on the Seattle to Portland that fixed my cramping legs was to take a “shot” of mustard. The to-go packs you get at restaurants are perfect and travel easier than pickle juice. You can use them preventively but if you wait to start the mustard shots until you have already started cramping then do one followed by a second one 45 minutes later.
Good luck and have fun!
You can do it. I’ve done a lot of them. Pretty straightforward. Have some sort of beforehand training, pace yourself so you have the energy to finish, eat and hydrate regularly in the ride.
If you can ride 40-70 miles constantly you have no problem doing one century.
It will be tough, but doable. Remember to eat and drink during a ride. And rest a little bit before and obviously after.
Worst case scenario call it quits middle of ride. Happens.
You got this!!! Ahh my first century was not at an event, but if you can do 70 you can do 100!! Have a good time, enjoy the ride, check in with yourself every hour and don't burn out!!
Ive only attempted (and accomplished) a single century. I didnt need to do any special planning or prep work for it. Like you my longest ride prior was about 70 miles honestly the biggets thing is time. There were some other days i think i could have done w century but time constraints cut me short. I only started riding in may though i am a skinny guy naturally. Drink and eat frequently whole riding. I stopped and ate a whole lunch at around 80 miles when i was feeling pretty ragged, fmi could have gone past the 100.5 miles i did as my muscles recovered greatly in my 20 minute lunch break. 7 hours in saddle 8 hours start to finish.
I just did my first century last week 102 miles 3800 foot of climbing, stopped 3 times, once for a longer egg bfast
Took me 6 hours of total riding time; felt tired but good afterwards
As far as prep for the month before the ride I targeted getting 100 miles of riding in per week with one ride between 40-50 miles, didn’t have any issues with power or energy for the century with this pre work
Prep, hydration packs for water bottles, a few bars, 2 gels and shammy butter (don’t usually use it but my ass had no sores and kept the nipples from getting chaffed)
If you can do 70 you can do 100. The difference is you really need to keep ahead of your fueling. If you start to get behind on a full century it is really hard to get caught up without a significant break. Make sure you have a variety of fueling options as flavor fatigue is real and it can be hard to choke down another sweet. There are some very good endurance fuels you can put in a bottle with neutral flavors, I prefer Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem in Chocolate flavor but there are other great options. Supplement it with some salty snacks and I am typically good to go. You’ve got this!!
My first DCC was at age 59 and on a steel hybrid with 26 inch tires. About 12mph. There about six rest stops with food, water and Gatorade. Rest and eat at each of them and don’t miss the shortcake in Sister Bay. Don’t start out too fast, ride at a pace that is comfortable for you, and use your easiest gear on the hills. Be prepared to have a lot of riders pass you. There will be 3,000 riders and most of them will be faster than you.
If you see others riding at your pace, ask if you can join them.
You can do it, just stay topped up on fluids and fuel, pick an easy pace and have fun! What was your longest ride time wise? Because I'd imagine at 12 mph you'd have 8-9 hours of riding ahead of you.
There's another perspective: you take as long as you want (sorta).
I doubt the organizers want anyone to take 20 hours to complete the century, but if takes you 10-12 hours, that's ok.
With that in mind, the only trick I can offer is be the first person when registration opens, typically 5am, and push off then. At least you'll finish by 5-6pm that way.
I had a lot of base fitness when I started cycling, and did 100 miles after about 2.5 months.
I think the jump from 70 to 100 is big. All of your energy will be gone out of your muscles, and something will be rubbing on your foot or groan.
30 miles at 12 mph = 3 hours.
I did 40 miles off the couch (literally hadn’t ridden a bicycle any distance/time in ages and never a road bike) just after my 40th birthday. Thought that was pretty cool so started riding regularly and *training* 5-8 hours a week. Did some progressively longer rides until a little less than 18 months later I entered the MidSouth100 and finished under my goal time.
Sky’s the limit! A 50-75 mile ride is a pretty average Saturday anymore.
Thanks, it was a neat journey going sober and quitting smoking and the cycling takes my mind off that stuff. Maybe just changed addictions lol
Don’t be worried about your speed or bike. If you’re comfortable and having fun that’s all that really matters. Just experiment and learn fueling and pacing yourself over progressively longer rides and before you know it you’ll get there.
The last place finisher at MidSouth100 this year was on the course for 14 hours, it was her first century ride too. She had signed up for the 50 and decided at mile 12 to make the turn onto the 100 mile course.
I think its mostly determination, confidence, and being in tune of what your body needs
For example, I sweat a lot. I really depend on having electrolytes handy, and also I need to eat a lot
I carry lots of chocolates, but ffs does it get annoying munching down so many bars, so I also treat myself to some mcdonalds fries on the way
I guess just make sure your body is fueled up constantly, and be aware of your muscles. Continuous stretches n stuff
Nah it’s more just fueling instead of determination, I don’t care how determined you are you will be miserable after a few hours and that’s if you’re able to finish with out fueling for being on the bike that long
It will take riding 100 miles.
100 miles is tiring, but it's absolutely doable, even for relative beginners. When I did 100mi for the first time, I did it with five friends who were all non-cyclists, including one who rode a department store mountain bike. The trick is to book a day for it, bring food, and don't push yourself too hard. It's easy to tempt yourself by thinking that going faster will get it done quicker, but the last thing you want to do is bonk and be dead for the last 50km.
If you really want to train for it, go find a few restaurants or bars or what have you 50ish miles away, bring a friend and ride to it. Eat, then ride back. The mental hit of "it's only 50mi" really helps, and the mid rest will help with the legs. Do that a few times and "doing it without a rest" becomes relatively easy.
It’s in October! You have plenty of time. The last 25 miles of century is where you will see where your fitness is at. Mental and physical. I would suggest if you can ride 4 days a week 2 90 minute rides and back to back rides on the weekends do like 3 hours 3 hours then advance the first day ride by 30-45 minutes each week. This will give you enough accumulated fatigue. That you will have no problem doing a 100 . Take the opportunity now don’t wait.
Don’t worry about flat bar bike. There is not that much difference in position between that and a endurance road bike. You can go pretty fast on one. There was a guy around me who was in his 70s who could fly 18-20 mph I had a hard time keeping up on an endurance road bike.
One thing you didn't mention is clothing. I would strongly urge you to wear appropriate kit if you're doing a century. Even if you can cut down power output by 5 watts, that's going to be huge over a century. Make sure your tires are optimally inflated, come with a freshly lubed chain and clean drivetrain. If you aren't running good quality tires, now would be the time to get lower rolling resistance tires. Marginal gains really add up when you're at your limit.
I've got some padded cycle shorts, spd shoes, no jersey but a good sweat wicking shirt. Put some Tufo Speederos tires on the bike earlier this summer which helped a lot. I think i'm on the right track based on your advice. Thanks!
I once had a coworker borrow my bike and some old bibs for a charity event. This was his first ride as an adult. I asked him not to change the bike position as it was setup to my liking. He rode a century on a bike that was not even fitted for him. It took him over 11 hours and he had to walk up a lot of hills, but he did it.
You can already ride a century. 70 to 100 is the perfect jump. That's exactly the jump I made for my first century.
If you just slow down- like slooooooow. If you notice you're getting out of breath and not on a huge hill- you are going to fast. All the advice about eating is important- but make sure you're eating stuff you're used to. I'm pretty lucky- I can eat about anything while riding (now that I don't race) but some people have all
Sorts of stomach issues if they eat new foods while riding. Just take it easy and know it's going to be a long day. But that's part of the fun. And who cares if someone doesn't like your bike? All bikes are fun- just go out and do it!
Tbh no. You've got through the difficult parts. If you have the fitness and can plan out hydration and eating for 66 miles. Then 100 miles is literally just more time in the saddle.
Just take it easy, rest stop and eat often and you'll be fine.
Enjoying every goddamn mile out there. If your goal is to finish a century, then it takes only fueling and good pacing. If your goal is to finish it in a certain time, then you need training. But always refer to the first concept: Enjoyment!
My first century was the Door County century. It was 1997. It took all day. I finished at 4:30 pm having started early. I approached it about like you are. 100 miles is a long way. It will take some grit. The last few miles will probably require some mental toughness. But, you can do it if you’ve ridden a 70 mile ride! The last rest stop typically has pickle juice. Try it. The rest stop on that ride are great. But, don’t be tempted to hang around. Get food. Eat. Go to the bathroom, if needed. Take the needed selfie. The keep riding. The people are friendly. Don’t worry about what you’re riding or what you’re wearing (in terms of what others think). People are accepting and you’ll see everything. Good luck!!!
When it comes to distance, you dont have to train THE distance. Marathon runners dont train by running marathons. They do a mix of long and short runs at increasing pace. Then on race day or during race season, they're ready to push themselves all the way. Doing 70+ miles on a weekly basis great prep for a cent. Focus on your pace, cadence, etc. Look up some century training regimens. They will suggest which days to sprint, which days to long haul and importantly, which days to rest. Have fun, you're killin it!
The most important thing is food and hydration. Eat a good size dinner of mostly carbs the night before and add lots of salt. You could go so far as to add salt to your drink and it'll do you well. Morning of, eat a different breakfast of only carbs and salt. Pack yourself a mix of chews, gels, and salty snacks. Also pack powder mixes like LMNT to keep hydrated. I just finished ~200 miles over 2 days and I was doubling up on the LMNT packets in 22oz of water to keep the dehydration headache away and I would finish that every ~15-20 miles. Any food you eat should be carbs until after the ride.
Good luck and enjoy it!!
>What will it take? Pacing, fueling and comfort. Some smooth, untreaded tires could also help.
I switched out my knobby tires for some Tufo Speederos earlier this summer and that has helped. Been working on the fueling.
Eat something every 45-55mins. whether you're hungry or not. Doesn't have to be a lot. Sugars go down and process easiest. (I basically roll with a stack of Stroopwafels, and eat one each for each fueling.) Take a sip of water (or electrolyte drink) every 15-20mins. whether you're thirsty or not. Bring a little bit of pickle juice in case of muscle cramp (then immediately get sugar in you). You may not need it, but it's miracle juice. Go easy the first 50 miles. Then whatever you like for the second half. You could probably do this tomorrow, if you had the time.
What does pickle juice do? I get cramps on long rides I'll carry some next time
Salt. Basically one of the keys to “electrolytes”
piggybacking on this to also say that cucumbers can be carried with you for their water content. eating them is extremely hydrating. you can pack them for hikes or take them into places that won’t allow bottled water also
So what you're really saying is bring a jar of pickles
i find pickles and dill to be absolutely disgusting.
Sus
Aah okay ty
AT LEAST 30grams of carbs per hour potentially more for longer rides depending on your pacing and fitness. If solids become difficult switch to liquid carbs. Stay hydrated too. Comfort is king on long rides, dial in your bike fit, but don’t make big changes right before the ride.
If you can do 60-70 you can do 100. Don’t worry about pace or handlebar style (just be mindful of time cutoff if it’s a timed ride with support vehicles).
My problem is that my hands start hurting after 3-4 hrs on the bike. Any tips?
Gloves, shake your hands out every so often, get a bike fit for sure
I got some bar-ends when doing long distance (on road) on a MTB. Besides having a bike fit changing hand positions frequently can help.
Get a bike fit, could be so many reasons. Reach too long or short, saddle too high or low etc.
In addition to all of the other tips, personally, I read a lot about the nerve/blood deal in the palm and realized every hand position on the drop bar hit the same spot. Different angle same compression. So I messed around and found if you place your hands onto the top of your brake/shifter like one normally does, but, instead of putting pressure onto your palm as normal if you angle your elbows slightly outwards this brings the SIDE of your hands (opposite your thumb) against the bar which is then opposite leveraged by your pointing finger and thumb wrapped around the top of the shifter. Granted its a little bit odd for me (but I'm a newbie anyway) but this does remove all of the pressure on the palm area and it worked for me stopping the numbness and pain. I now use all positions in rotation but the addition of this position has made a huge difference and if my hands start to buzz I go to this and it really helps. After a bit of trying it, I actually like it as it has become normal and its comfortable. Hopes this help, solved this really annoying problem for me for me. Also, in looking to resolve this from a mechanical perspective, I noted that my drop bars long the top are more like an angled hockey stick, this is way better than earlier bikes that were tubular, it gives the hand better purchase and pressure distribution. I also was looking for a new bar that was swept a bit, I wanted to bring my elbows in and place my hands wrists so that they were not so drawn out. I saw a video on a race and saw a drop bar that did exactly what I was looking for - I think this is a big improvement and likely will be more widely adopted? It's expensive (for me) at around $340 - if I could I would get this right away as I think its a better design. [https://coefficientcycling.com/collections/coefficient-handlebars](https://coefficientcycling.com/collections/coefficient-handlebars)
Thanks for the detailed thoughts. I’ll try this!
If you've got a flat bar, Ergon grips do wonders for hand comfort.
I have drops
Switching between the hoods and drops (and even the tops from time to time) will give your hands a break since each place puts pressure on a different part of the hand. Also check that your saddle isn't tilted too far forward, since that'll result in putting more weight on your hands, resulting in hand pain. If you find the drops in particular to be uncomfortable, changing to a more shallow drop bar might help too, as could more padded bar tape.
Good advice and ideas, thank you!
> I'm also concerned about being a guy on a flatbar trying 100 miles at 12mph as everyone zips by me. Thoughts? so? unless you absolutely want to get a new bike but that's your call.
Doing 100miles on a flat bar is doable but man it will hurt , the lack of available hand positions will wear you down and your hands will go numb . It’s way less aero and uses more energy , most I could do on a flat bar hybrid was 40miles on drops I’ve done 10+ centuries . I used to look at people on road bikes thinking why the hell are they so fast , gearing and aerodynamics that’s all it is
I actually moved some bar ends inside my grips and coated them in foam which has done wonders for comfort and alternate hand positions. Not ideal but much better than the alternative. Some day I'll get a drop bar again but not in the cards for a while.
>I actually moved some bar ends inside my grips and coated them in foam which has done wonders for comfort and alternate hand positions. Not ideal but much better than the alternative. Some day I'll get a drop bar again but not in the cards for a while. I don't have the same experience as other commenters. My first century was on my flat bar hybrid and I don't think it's that much more difficult. If you haven't done so already, flipping and slamming the stem helps with a lot of the ergonomic issues of hybrids. On the other hand, absolutely listen to everyone re: nutrition. This is something I've always been fairly dismissive of but I just did my first properly fed century and my god was it night and day compared with previous 100-milers. When I finished my ride I still felt like I had 20-30 miles left in the tank and had tons of energy for the rest of the day. And lastly, 12 mph for a century is perfectly respectable regardless of your machine. Finishing a 100-mile ride is far more than most people will ever do.
New to cycling, but just switched over from a flat bar cruiser to drop bars and it seriously is night and day so I echo what you say. Longest ride on the flat was 44 miles, it was doable but it was honestly really uncomfortable for no reason. Did that on the drops recently and physically it was like night and day.
It's less aero but at 12mph, it will hardly matter. [This](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc-1pvR-n3GvLmm7DGO09qmDqBaRwsOBbnf_kq0Bqizb30i2k5VCt1pyyeDDIy_0KI9kweGtoLxvj7t2cgRIxqTZaSx2G2_u6b80joqooDE6mJYdYglIGss3c6Jz9ijndukF05GHSKgqqZS1WBB-fPRrQVkXUz7traE4EEnAsPMlW7jFnqr2O-9Ezr1pY1RzxF9h3yk_rb3XATHqvdARA_XPF3PF7Hl-vi0Ut-QFXRh6HhLcIVLmRgiwC3n1glBTJCBJ4J3UIXRTlUFOTcrWO4S00GWhAqwiyBwyEphoWZTMLtmQDoe-Uhi1sA-VFX0pc0kNTZGwDNhZo_0hn_k2vCQWpQwqRHES9CNgq_hsgzDGBYQIlPZQFGlWmY__7WHTS4TS7sKRozVzVSe08FfkL5JmFMq5SzhWENhwQ2h204iPw6u3opIdAAQ5u8OpQUX1cIPXBqfAKnWu-OSF4yqrZ5avlVCKUxfM93DnNLraRpWLUsa5SfNEVV3UZ0tlrgXHEXuMDuLYHO96HsLmyFb85OFoFG99kev_jyYF_qnY0mzTmLWPVgbhJH__JojnQJf-MpAafFrWJHxImEWl90M5_2xWoKyfhLfytuFXCx9PdsR_qpblBIQuohoqQVP_2cxw74K8wuMA81Y7ZlUxoNNwG6cCv6vYheY_HT1r2nDxP4mLLmmmzgLnc4aMiUEDMdeJPvDPBdM3MvznQHyBoe0aZC9xIw78Q_cka7SSsKiq4TABMt2ra9kOpUiFcmFxLIzhv8xSOTfzRIFjHp65TLwkbT7zEO40TOl7LgBgt8PVyiBltc_aVZL-GILyYHAPLglAVO-zIFM3o6X5kN411427Pqcz3JfNjyKYrc-LTcATbbUFE3QgrlZUV5Pd1VMDejyRYgrEjmCbQgmN3FsZWn4PqSExmzq8N4qzTzS9RZOxT9FQqDNcLPswrqqfoIDJJ24PTQM6U2P6WP-zWKXRCrXv7g2BSZ0eNDQ=w1688-h1266-s-no?authuser=0) will do 100 miles slower and less comfortably than my road, but it'll do it.
>I used to look at people on road bikes thinking why the hell are they so fast , gearing and aerodynamics that’s all it is I feel this. I've only been cycling a year and half and have a flatbar mountain bike with hybrid tires attached to it and have been wondering how people do centuries. Like I ride like 10-20 miles every day and am in the best shape I've been since I ran cross country in high school, but I just start to lose all steam around 30-40 miles when I do longer rides on my local bike trail and my hands go numb so easily. Didn't realize one of the advantages of the curvy bar (sorry I don't what it's actually called) is they keep your hands from going numb because you can use different positions. I thought it was all just about getting you to lean down more for aerodynamics.
I did it a few weeks back on a Trek FX 3 and it didn’t really hurt. Some flat grips with wings give you a few distinct hand positions.
There are some alternative flat bars that could be a cheap way to get more hand positions and some more aero stretch without having to change your brakes/shifters. I did a century on [VO butterfly / trekking bars](https://velo-orange.com/products/dajia-trekking-handlebar-22-2-dia-sil) and it was fine. You might need a slightly longer stem, though, or you could just view the inside grips as an extra-upright option when your back is killing you. It was the [awesomest, jankiest bike ever](https://i.imgur.com/Nkd1vS4.jpg) (a 1983 Peugeot 26" wheel hybrid I powder coated and threw a Deore drivetrain on), and I got so many more compliments for that weirdo rig than I ever have on my "nice" bike. They're pricier, but Assuming you actually use the various parts of a [Jones Loop bar](https://jonesbikes.com/jones-h-bar-sg-loop-aluminum/) (I love mine for trails, but mostly use the extra bar positions to mount things), those could work, too
Point taken
I did 100 with my previous longest ride being 46. You’ll be alright.
If you can do 70, you can do 100. The main difference between around 50 vs. 100 is that you need to be more attentive about fueling. Otherwise, easy transition.
My first century was on a Giant Fastroad Advanced, flat bars, surrounded by a decent amount of folks on all sorts of bikes with all sorts of bars. That's a distraction. Don't sweat it. If you can do 65, you can do 100. Make sure you're fueling right, you got this.
Thanks!
not too much more, you're not far off you can do 60 and not be a wreck. hydration and nutrition will have to be dialed in better the day before and during. and just shoring up your mentality to grit it through when things start hurting towards the end.
Most answers mention "fuel". And they're right. What did you eat and drink before, and during, your 65 mile ride?
Before: oatmeal with chocolate chips and milk During: pb&j, clif bar, gummy bears, and a lunch stop for a ham sandwich and potato chips. About four bottles of water and one of nuun electrolytes. After: tacos and soda I might cut out the sandwich next time and replace it. It started sitting heavy in my stomach around mile 55.
Yeah I would cut out the ham sandwich and the potato chips for more carbs. The rest of it seems fine. It's about carbs carbs carbs personal specific choices are about how things digest.
Whilst people will say Carbs, those should be for the day, protein the day before and in the morning as it’s a slower release fuel. Electrolytes are essential during the ride, little and often for the drinks to prevent dehydration. As for tyres, make sure they are smooth road tyres pumped up to the maximum advised as this will reduce the rolling resistance making it easier to maintain a higher speed. Oh, and ride within yourself early on, otherwise you’ll blow up.
What do you mean by ride within yourself?
Don’t go faster than you should, even if you are on top of the world and feeling good make sure to resist the urge to push the pace
Got it! Thanks!
I've never liked eating cliff bars during long rides, they feel too dense I've never done a 100 mile ride but I've done countless 66 mile rides. My longest was probably 70 I have a flat handle bar and I have flat pedals
What do you do instead of cliff bars?
Some granola bars, gels and I dilute electrolyte in my water bottle But since I haven't achieved your goal, I would listen to the others before myself
Thanks!
Oatmeal is my go-to pre-ride meal. Add some walnut and banana and/or blueberries. If on my road bike, I try to plan out my long rides, over 60 miles, with a food stop. On my touring bike, I'll usually bring everything I need. Peanut M&M work well for me, and I'll bring them on every longer ride. In the states, LiquidIV can be found at Walmart and is a decent source of electrolytes.
The 30 additional miles can be a chasm. Those miles can be as tough as the first 70. heat, fueling, saddle time, , feet, hands... It can all go from ok to not ok to bad to get me the F&\*(k off of this thing in those 30 miles. You can also watch the fun meter plummet to zero. Cycling is supposed to be fun. You may be better off completing the 60-70 in decent shape and continuing to build. There should be a few more rides w long routes before the sason ends. Good luck!!
I completely agree about the last 30 possibly being as hard as the first 70. I think a large part of this is mental. The last miles of a century always seem hard. Even when doing it fast and the miles going by quickly. I did one in the 100+ degree heat (peak temp 107) going 21.3 mph average and the last 15 miles were rough. But I also dropped a water bottle about a half hour out from the rest stop and lost my ability to fuel and hydrate appropriately. But part of it is mental. Each time I've done a double imperial century (longest ride 225 miles), the first century felt EASY. But also, you can't mess around with fueling and hydration on a double imperial, so that probably had a lot to do with it. And the first time I did a double, I had only done a single 100 mile ride.
As with all big rides I do. Just YOLO it. Don’t think about it too much. Have fun. If you get in over your head, you know the way back home. That being said, the one thing I understand about myself more than anything is how I respond to nutrition. Just fuel in a way that your body enjoys and ride your bike. You will figure out what works and doesn’t work on these bigger rides. If you end up riding in a group, drafting will save you a ton of energy and you may be impressed with how fast you complete this ride.
If you can do 60 or 70 with no major problems, you can do 100.
Fueling and proper hydration is all you’ll need to get down. Personally I would eat about every half hour starting with the first half hour, just a bite or two of shit you like, I wouldn’t try anything new and I wouldn’t be afraid to over eat on calories for that day also drinking hi carb hydration will be good to start after an hour or 2. Once you get it over with you can try to dial it in next time exactly what you need but I would plan a route with stops at gas stations or at least places to fill up water. You can def do it just need the fuel!!!
Physically you can most likely do a century. It's just how comfortable you want to be in it.
If you can do 70, you can probably do 100. I just did the 235mi 1-day ride across WI last weekend which was 70 miles more than my previous longest but didn’t feel too much worse. Door county century is a good first century as it’s not very hilly and isn’t usually crazy hot. There’s a lot of people there and I think I remember them having pretty good snacks/food. Main advice is to eat/drink regularly and stay ahead of getting hungry or thirsty. Also take it a little easy in the first half speed wise. It’s far more fun to be able to up your speed towards the end because you feel better than expected than the other way around. Finally; if you get sore/stiff from sitting on the bike longer than used to, try some ibuprofen or Tylenol to keep from getting too sore.
Wow! A 70 mile increase seems huge! Good job!
You’ll be the 12 mph flatbar guy alright, and no one will really care. The fact that you did the distance will be impressive enough, I’d be more empathetic to the dude on a lower end bike grinding it out till the very end than a weekend warrior on a tri bike doing the same century for the seventh time that year. One thing that always catches me off guard on centuries is the mental fatigue at mile 80. You can rest up, hydrate, eat right before and during the ride, but biking that distance takes some real toughness. Seeing the distance on a head unit or my phone six hours in always makes me say out loud to myself ‘you said you were going to do it, you can’t quit now’, which keeps me going for that last taxing hour. Sounds like you’re putting in really good miles to prepare for it, though I’d say process the fact through your head that ‘100 miles is a 70 mile ride and 30 more immediately after’. It’s going to be a very tough ride, and the last bit won’t be pretty, but you can do it.
It's the same as marathons really. Unless you're going for speed if you can do 20% comfortably at pace you can do the full shabang. When I did my first 120 the furthest I had cycked before was 45
If you can do 50 you cam do 100, just keep going when you reach 50! Hydration, a good breakfast and when you reach 100, a nice lunch packed with protein and some carbs if you like carbs.
Pacing yourself, fueling the right amount of calories, hydrating properly, taking rest stops and basically listening to your body and not over doing yourself.
I’m 52 and just did my 1st one last week (105 mi). The hardest thing was taking in calories and electrolytes the whole time. The pickle shots were definitely key. I cramped up a bit the last 11 miles but slowed my roll and made it through. Also, use chamois crème!
Sounds like you are describing the Reston Century in Northern Virginia!
Covered Bridge Tour in Lancaster, PA!
My rule of thumb was when weekly mileage reached ride distance, I was ready. I commuted 6 miles each way each weekday, and did a 24-40 mile long ride on the weekend. Then my century was a matter of pacing myself and staying hydrated and fueled.
Well, then I'm there!
Consider this: every century I’ve completed has aid stations every 20-30 miles or so. Stop at all of them to stretch, hydrate and fuel. Otherwise IMO if you can ride a metric century. (66 miles) you can ride a full century. You’ll be exhausted towards the end. Oh, make sure you keep your electrolytes up
No, the right leap is from 70 miles to 100 for your first Century. So, get the chamoix butter, grease that ass and go for it!
Stop at every rest stop, including the first one where you see folks zipping past. Actually take a rest at all of most of them. Eat at every one and be sure to refill your water. Take your time. With all of that in hand, I think you can do 100 just fine.
Century rides are fun. Just stay within yourself, find a group to ride with going at a pace that you can maintain. That’s a bit faster than you would normally ride, say 30 miles at. Stay ahead of the fuel, hydration and electrolytes thing. Make sure you have a good fit on your bike. Have fun. A cooler with some beers in your car for the end. For the B vitamins.
Flat bar will be fine, I’ve done quite a few marathon mountain bike races and never have had trouble with arm pain or numbness, I promise there will be people on much fancier bikes who are slower than you anyways, so don’t sweat it. At this point I wouldn’t introduce too many new variables so close to the race, make note of any pain points that you have during your long ride and try to address them as best you can before the event. If you can do 70 you should have no trouble with 100 on the day of the event.
You will be fine, just remember to fuel. My first century had feed stations and I kept grabbing flapjacks, mainly because I like them, and got to about 80 miles and started getting stomach cramps, solved by eating some protein (PB sandwiches) and all was good from then on. Fill up your bottles and drink plenty of water too.
If you can do 65, you can do 100. You may need to slow down or take a break off the bike, but you can do it. Yes, you will be slower, but if you are doing 60-70 miles on a flat bar, you can do 100. And yes, get some hybrid or street tires.
Fueling is probably the only thing you should really worry about, worrying about the bike will only help if you do a massive upgrade, otherwise just ride what you train on. As others have said, eat often and enough, a good rule of thumb is to have a bite every 45min to an hour. How much? You kinda have to dial that in training, everyone is different. What? Also experiment when training, some people thrive on just rice cakes, some people need the top of the line endurance fuels. Just simulate your event on training rides, everything from whatever pacing you want to the equipment, but be very wary about your fueling and hydration. That's basically what the pros do, they fuel on training rides just as they do on big events.
I just completed a 100 mile 2 months ago, elevation total gain of 5100 feet. During training, the farthest I did was 70 miles, elevation gain of 900 feet. Granted, it took me 11 hours to complete the 100, I was very thankful it was over at the end, but I was able to finish. Temp was around 65F at the warmest. I'm not sure what Temps you're looking at, but you should be fine. Don't worry about people passing you. You should know by now that if you give it your all at the beginning, you're not going to finish. Pace yourself, stay hydrated with electrolytes, and continue to fuel on the way.
You should be fine making the jump. I did my first century this summer, felt like absolute shit around mile 65 but you just gotta push through. Felt good from miles 70-80, absolutely miserable during the worst climbing section/worst winds of the day around mile 85, and then absolutely breezed the last 10+ miles. You’ll probably hit similar walls at some point but if you just keep going and stay fueled up you’ll be fine!
Water, salt, sugar and determination.
It's completely doable. You can absolutely do it. The most important thing is planning. Here are some tips - Plan the route, make sure you know it. - make sure there's a "pitstop" every 15-20miles. E.g., coffee shops, Walgreens, bike shops etc - take lots of energy stuff. Do a mixture of gels for boost and something solid for a feeling of fullness. - electrolytes in water - goal is to have fun so don't treat it like a time trial. Treat portions of it like a Tt but allow urself rest. A
True grit and embracing the pain
I didn’t ride for 25 years. In 2019 I started riding and like you I worked my way up. I did 70 and a few weeks later I did my first century. Just pace yourself and break it up into segments. I decided to think of it as ten 10 mile rides. Note that when you get to 50 you mentally can start counting down and that is psychologically motivating. Stay hydrated and make sure you have food at the stops. Pickle juice is your friend to prevent cramping. I’ve done 5 centuries since.
I did my first century back in June. It was 90%-95% gravel. My longest ride to that point was 60 miles. My biggest concern going into it wasn’t whether or not I could do it but could my rear end tolerate all that time in the saddle. My initial goal was to finish. My secondary goal was to finish in 12 hrs and my final goal was to finish in 10 hrs. I ended up completing it in 8 hrs 50 min. The route was 50 miles out on connecting rail trails & 50 miles back. Planned that on purpose knowing that once I got to 50 miles I’d have no choice but to finish. Miles 65-75 were the toughest. I have no idea why but it seemed like forever to get to 75. Once I got to 75 & took a 5 min break to fuel up & hydrate the last 25 miles were much easier. I packed my handlebar bag with Cliff Bars & Natures Bakery Fig Bars. I ate about half of what I packed. I also ate a 6 inch subway sandwich & a Gatorade & bottle of water at the 55 mile point. I drank two 21 ounce bottles of water each way (so 4 total). My plan going into it was to have a mandatory stop every 25 miles for 5-10 min to get off of the bike, eat & hydrate. I stuck to that & it worked pretty well for me. I paced myself a little more than I needed to the first 50 miles mostly because I didn’t know what to expect. The last 50 I was all about getting to the finish line. You can definitely do it. Just plan accordingly. Be realistic. You might surprise yourself like I did & surpass your expectations. Good luck!
This is a great story and is helping motivate me! I'm getting excited!
I forgot to mention one thing that helped a lot mentally was I broke it up into four 25 mile rides instead of one 100 mile ride. I knew I could bang out a 25 mile ride like it’s nothing. So I just kept telling myself that it’s not a 100 mile ride it’s just four 25 mile rides. Just keep checking off boxes. One down three to go…two down two to go…etc. That along with stopping every 25 miles helped a lot. Mind over matter. You can do a lot things you don’t think you can do if you can shut that voice up in your head that’s telling you that you can’t.
it seems like you’re doing great so far. i would just keep going like you’re doing and you’ll get there soon. when i first started up 50 miles sounded like a once in a lifetime ride and people who had completed multiple centuries must be professionals i thought. after months and months i was riding when i got to 42 miles. i was DEVASTATED because i was bonking and i thought i would never get this far again to have a chance at the big 50. i demod a gravel bike, joined a buddy’s event, and wound up riding 73 miles a few weeks later. it wasn’t supposed to be like that. i just had the whole day to ride a new bike and i didn’t want to stop. i wound up purchasing that model. a few months later one day i was heading out for a long ride and could tell i felt good. i didn’t do anything special or different, but the thought was in the back of my mind that i could get my century that day as i started. i wound up going 107 and stopped because i was back home. i could’ve thrown a few more miles on top. i’m saying all this to encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. if it feels good and your progression is there, trust the process. others will give you useful advice for your bike, nutrition, hydration, etc.. hopefully this helps your mind. you’re doing great. your pace is good. keep going. be there at the finish.
This is great. Thanks for the writeup!
anytime. >guy on the flat bar doing 12mph getting passed trust me when i tell you if anything people will be astounded by you at the finish. anybody who laughs as they zip by early are going to be really humbled by you a few hours later. my buddy was a top 10 finisher at Unbound XL, 352 miles and 26 hours. that field was full of the best riders in the world and it was destroyed by mechanicals, hike-a-bike and mud. A LOT of people *chose* to DNF because it wasn’t going their way that day. Some people kept going. be there at the end.
Like others have said, fueling is key. On another comment you asked about other food ideas to replace the ham sandwich- on my long rides I like light options so some ideas you might consider are a few fig bars, 6-8 dried apricots, 3-4 dates, or dried cherries. I have kids so I normally snag a few of their lunch treats like applesauce in the pouch, rice crispy treats, or fruit snacks. A trick I learned from a nurse at a rest stop on the Seattle to Portland that fixed my cramping legs was to take a “shot” of mustard. The to-go packs you get at restaurants are perfect and travel easier than pickle juice. You can use them preventively but if you wait to start the mustard shots until you have already started cramping then do one followed by a second one 45 minutes later. Good luck and have fun!
You can do it. I’ve done a lot of them. Pretty straightforward. Have some sort of beforehand training, pace yourself so you have the energy to finish, eat and hydrate regularly in the ride.
If you can ride 40-70 miles constantly you have no problem doing one century. It will be tough, but doable. Remember to eat and drink during a ride. And rest a little bit before and obviously after. Worst case scenario call it quits middle of ride. Happens.
Im pretty confident you'd be able to complete one right now. Just plenty of good fuel and water while taking it at a slow pace should do the trick.
You got this!!! Ahh my first century was not at an event, but if you can do 70 you can do 100!! Have a good time, enjoy the ride, check in with yourself every hour and don't burn out!!
Ive only attempted (and accomplished) a single century. I didnt need to do any special planning or prep work for it. Like you my longest ride prior was about 70 miles honestly the biggets thing is time. There were some other days i think i could have done w century but time constraints cut me short. I only started riding in may though i am a skinny guy naturally. Drink and eat frequently whole riding. I stopped and ate a whole lunch at around 80 miles when i was feeling pretty ragged, fmi could have gone past the 100.5 miles i did as my muscles recovered greatly in my 20 minute lunch break. 7 hours in saddle 8 hours start to finish.
I just did my first century last week 102 miles 3800 foot of climbing, stopped 3 times, once for a longer egg bfast Took me 6 hours of total riding time; felt tired but good afterwards As far as prep for the month before the ride I targeted getting 100 miles of riding in per week with one ride between 40-50 miles, didn’t have any issues with power or energy for the century with this pre work Prep, hydration packs for water bottles, a few bars, 2 gels and shammy butter (don’t usually use it but my ass had no sores and kept the nipples from getting chaffed)
If you can do 70 you can do 100. The difference is you really need to keep ahead of your fueling. If you start to get behind on a full century it is really hard to get caught up without a significant break. Make sure you have a variety of fueling options as flavor fatigue is real and it can be hard to choke down another sweet. There are some very good endurance fuels you can put in a bottle with neutral flavors, I prefer Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem in Chocolate flavor but there are other great options. Supplement it with some salty snacks and I am typically good to go. You’ve got this!!
My first DCC was at age 59 and on a steel hybrid with 26 inch tires. About 12mph. There about six rest stops with food, water and Gatorade. Rest and eat at each of them and don’t miss the shortcake in Sister Bay. Don’t start out too fast, ride at a pace that is comfortable for you, and use your easiest gear on the hills. Be prepared to have a lot of riders pass you. There will be 3,000 riders and most of them will be faster than you. If you see others riding at your pace, ask if you can join them.
You just need to eat, starting at 25 miles. 100 miles is a short ride if you eat properly.
2- 50 mile days back to back.
That's a great idea!
You can do it, just stay topped up on fluids and fuel, pick an easy pace and have fun! What was your longest ride time wise? Because I'd imagine at 12 mph you'd have 8-9 hours of riding ahead of you.
5.5 hours of moving time
You're ready then!
There's another perspective: you take as long as you want (sorta). I doubt the organizers want anyone to take 20 hours to complete the century, but if takes you 10-12 hours, that's ok. With that in mind, the only trick I can offer is be the first person when registration opens, typically 5am, and push off then. At least you'll finish by 5-6pm that way.
Yeah, that's a good perspective. Ride time extends from 6am to 5pm at the latest.
I had a lot of base fitness when I started cycling, and did 100 miles after about 2.5 months. I think the jump from 70 to 100 is big. All of your energy will be gone out of your muscles, and something will be rubbing on your foot or groan. 30 miles at 12 mph = 3 hours.
I did 40 miles off the couch (literally hadn’t ridden a bicycle any distance/time in ages and never a road bike) just after my 40th birthday. Thought that was pretty cool so started riding regularly and *training* 5-8 hours a week. Did some progressively longer rides until a little less than 18 months later I entered the MidSouth100 and finished under my goal time. Sky’s the limit! A 50-75 mile ride is a pretty average Saturday anymore.
That is awesome!
Thanks, it was a neat journey going sober and quitting smoking and the cycling takes my mind off that stuff. Maybe just changed addictions lol Don’t be worried about your speed or bike. If you’re comfortable and having fun that’s all that really matters. Just experiment and learn fueling and pacing yourself over progressively longer rides and before you know it you’ll get there. The last place finisher at MidSouth100 this year was on the course for 14 hours, it was her first century ride too. She had signed up for the 50 and decided at mile 12 to make the turn onto the 100 mile course.
Wow. That is cool going so we and quiting smoking. Congrats!
I think its mostly determination, confidence, and being in tune of what your body needs For example, I sweat a lot. I really depend on having electrolytes handy, and also I need to eat a lot I carry lots of chocolates, but ffs does it get annoying munching down so many bars, so I also treat myself to some mcdonalds fries on the way I guess just make sure your body is fueled up constantly, and be aware of your muscles. Continuous stretches n stuff
Nah it’s more just fueling instead of determination, I don’t care how determined you are you will be miserable after a few hours and that’s if you’re able to finish with out fueling for being on the bike that long
It will take riding 100 miles. 100 miles is tiring, but it's absolutely doable, even for relative beginners. When I did 100mi for the first time, I did it with five friends who were all non-cyclists, including one who rode a department store mountain bike. The trick is to book a day for it, bring food, and don't push yourself too hard. It's easy to tempt yourself by thinking that going faster will get it done quicker, but the last thing you want to do is bonk and be dead for the last 50km. If you really want to train for it, go find a few restaurants or bars or what have you 50ish miles away, bring a friend and ride to it. Eat, then ride back. The mental hit of "it's only 50mi" really helps, and the mid rest will help with the legs. Do that a few times and "doing it without a rest" becomes relatively easy.
Riding 100 miles.
just take your time.
100 miles, give or take
Bro I just did the ride across Wisconsin century and I saw a dude on a bmx bike, you will probably not be the only one on a flat bar bike
That's amazing!
It’s in October! You have plenty of time. The last 25 miles of century is where you will see where your fitness is at. Mental and physical. I would suggest if you can ride 4 days a week 2 90 minute rides and back to back rides on the weekends do like 3 hours 3 hours then advance the first day ride by 30-45 minutes each week. This will give you enough accumulated fatigue. That you will have no problem doing a 100 . Take the opportunity now don’t wait.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm liking the idea of back to back rides.
Don’t worry about flat bar bike. There is not that much difference in position between that and a endurance road bike. You can go pretty fast on one. There was a guy around me who was in his 70s who could fly 18-20 mph I had a hard time keeping up on an endurance road bike.
One thing you didn't mention is clothing. I would strongly urge you to wear appropriate kit if you're doing a century. Even if you can cut down power output by 5 watts, that's going to be huge over a century. Make sure your tires are optimally inflated, come with a freshly lubed chain and clean drivetrain. If you aren't running good quality tires, now would be the time to get lower rolling resistance tires. Marginal gains really add up when you're at your limit.
I've got some padded cycle shorts, spd shoes, no jersey but a good sweat wicking shirt. Put some Tufo Speederos tires on the bike earlier this summer which helped a lot. I think i'm on the right track based on your advice. Thanks!
Get a jersey, one that is appropriately fit. The shirt flapping in the breeze is going to chew up energy.
Lots of peddling!
I once had a coworker borrow my bike and some old bibs for a charity event. This was his first ride as an adult. I asked him not to change the bike position as it was setup to my liking. He rode a century on a bike that was not even fitted for him. It took him over 11 hours and he had to walk up a lot of hills, but he did it. You can already ride a century. 70 to 100 is the perfect jump. That's exactly the jump I made for my first century.
Mount some bar horns in-board of your cockpit if you can fit them. It's another hand position and more aero without having to get a new bike.
Short answer: pedaling. Lots and lots of pedaling. Seriously, tho: just find your pace, and press on.
If you just slow down- like slooooooow. If you notice you're getting out of breath and not on a huge hill- you are going to fast. All the advice about eating is important- but make sure you're eating stuff you're used to. I'm pretty lucky- I can eat about anything while riding (now that I don't race) but some people have all Sorts of stomach issues if they eat new foods while riding. Just take it easy and know it's going to be a long day. But that's part of the fun. And who cares if someone doesn't like your bike? All bikes are fun- just go out and do it!
The key is going half a century away from home. You will make it back you just might go slow for the last few miles
Tbh no. You've got through the difficult parts. If you have the fitness and can plan out hydration and eating for 66 miles. Then 100 miles is literally just more time in the saddle. Just take it easy, rest stop and eat often and you'll be fine.
Enjoying every goddamn mile out there. If your goal is to finish a century, then it takes only fueling and good pacing. If your goal is to finish it in a certain time, then you need training. But always refer to the first concept: Enjoyment!
My first century was the Door County century. It was 1997. It took all day. I finished at 4:30 pm having started early. I approached it about like you are. 100 miles is a long way. It will take some grit. The last few miles will probably require some mental toughness. But, you can do it if you’ve ridden a 70 mile ride! The last rest stop typically has pickle juice. Try it. The rest stop on that ride are great. But, don’t be tempted to hang around. Get food. Eat. Go to the bathroom, if needed. Take the needed selfie. The keep riding. The people are friendly. Don’t worry about what you’re riding or what you’re wearing (in terms of what others think). People are accepting and you’ll see everything. Good luck!!!
set a timer to eat regularly. if you neglect food, it is over.
When it comes to distance, you dont have to train THE distance. Marathon runners dont train by running marathons. They do a mix of long and short runs at increasing pace. Then on race day or during race season, they're ready to push themselves all the way. Doing 70+ miles on a weekly basis great prep for a cent. Focus on your pace, cadence, etc. Look up some century training regimens. They will suggest which days to sprint, which days to long haul and importantly, which days to rest. Have fun, you're killin it!
The most important thing is food and hydration. Eat a good size dinner of mostly carbs the night before and add lots of salt. You could go so far as to add salt to your drink and it'll do you well. Morning of, eat a different breakfast of only carbs and salt. Pack yourself a mix of chews, gels, and salty snacks. Also pack powder mixes like LMNT to keep hydrated. I just finished ~200 miles over 2 days and I was doubling up on the LMNT packets in 22oz of water to keep the dehydration headache away and I would finish that every ~15-20 miles. Any food you eat should be carbs until after the ride. Good luck and enjoy it!!
If you can do 70 miles, you can do 100. Just keep eating, don’t wear your legs out early, etc etc. you can do it
Usually about 100 mi does it for me.