Category Archives: 100 mile bike ride

Recovery and return to normal.

Thanks for all the comments on my 100 mile day!  I definitely am still recovering.  Yesterday I walked for 2 miles and that felt fine.  I noticed some wrist soreness still and then when John and I went out on the scooter yesterday, I had soreness in my saddle area!  That is pretty unusual for me, but really not unexpected.  Even breaking the ride into chunks, it is still a lot of miles.  It took me a day to get fully hydrated again, too.

I woke up this morning contemplating a short ride to test the waters, but then decided not to.  I certainly could use another day off from the bike. I made up some breakfast after being productive with vacuuming and scrubbing the back porch to prep for painting.  Not sure where all that energy came from, but whatever.

1-minute muffin (applesauce version)

Had a nice work morning today.  It feels relaxed.  I think just having my ride over makes me relaxed.  Even though it was not a formal event, I still put some pressure on myself for training as if it were.

Our temps are starting to warm up around here, but certainly not as hot as the south!  I made up a nice cool lunch to eat on the porch.

Greek yogurt, berries, and Newman’s Own Honey Flax flakes.

I had some questions on the ride that I thought I might answer here today.

1. Flat tire issues. I did not get a chance to get the super puncture resistant tire as they did not have my size at the bike shop (who says size problems only happen with clothes??).  Almost all of our flats can be traced to a foreign object in the tire, so we just seem to have a string of incredibly bad luck going on.  I’ll take a flat tire over a crash any day, though.

2. The stops at home. The original plan for the 100 mile day a few months ago was basically for both of us to bike 50 miles away and back.  There were several reasons I did loops closer to home.  One was being by myself. For safety reasons, I wanted to be on known roads and accessible to a family member if need be.  The other was the tire issue.  I didn’t want to get stranded really far from home if I had something disastrous happen.  The side benefit to coming home was being able to restock my water and fuel and not have to carry tons of stuff with me. Leaving the house the first time was not a problem.  I had trouble before the last 15 miles and did not stay inside longer than to grab water and try to use the bathroom.

3.  What do I carry all of said snacks in? I have a bike rack on the back of my bike with a removable bag.  I cannot stand to wear a backpack when I bike.  I get too sweaty and it tires out my shoulders.  We have the Topeak system, which I adore.  Lots of interchangeable components to it.

The cool thing about this bag is that it has a detachable shoulder strap so I can slide it out of the rack and take it with me when off the bike like a purse.

4. How do I know what snacks to bring? This has been trial and error of the last couple of years.  We always plan our rides around some sort of food, whether that is lunch, dinner, cupcakes, coffee, whatever.  So we always know where we will be stopping for that snack.  What I bring with to eat depends on how long it takes to get there.  I like to have about 100 – 200 calories every 15 miles or so.  The best way to get that is in the form of dried fruit (or regular fruit) or bars.  I don’t do gels or stuff like that.  Can’t stomach them.  I do love coconut water, though.  I have a large insulated water bottle that I fill up at most every stop we make, too.  I drink a good amount when riding, but could probably do better.

5. What’s next? Really, nothing is next. LOL!  That was my big fitness goal for the year since running is out for now.  This ride was easier than last year’s 100 miles.  For one, because I actually knew this was the day I was to do that ride, and I was very well trained for it.  We do have a group ride this weekend which will be fun.  It’s about 35 miles.  Other than that, I am going to enjoy my summer rides and not worry about having to get in X number of miles for training.  Not to mention all the other things that need to get done around here that I have put off (cleaning, painting, weeding, going to the library, that stuff). I can also get back to eating more normally instead of having this constant hunger (or I hope that goes away at any rate).

Speaking of eating, I had a refreshing iced latte for a snack today.  (Note I still have not done my caffeine free week yet.  Must roast my decaf).

Plus some blueberries.

John cooked up extra chicken on the grill last night, so you know what I had to have for dinner tonight!

Are you getting tired of seeing this salad on my blog?  I have to get more experimental again.

I have noticed that I am less hungry today.  Yesterday I was still fairly hungry and let myself eat when I was really wanting something.  I was really craving salt, likely from sweating so much the day before.

I have a snack of some fresh pineapple and a side of peanuts for tonight.

This pineapple is soooo good!  I just can’t ever go back to canned unless I am cooking with it.

Feels good to be back to normal eating.  I am taking Shelley’s example of doing the right thing this week and working on my next goal of moving the scale.

Question:  Do you like pineapple?

100-mile ride. AKA I am a centurian again!

Finished!  My summer goal complete.  No peloton, no lead out train, just me in my own private break away doing 100 miles.

Let’s ride, shall we?  I was up early to get an early start on the ride.  I did my standard fuel of banana custard oats with jam and coconut butter.

What a pretty day, right?  One of the reasons I chose to go for it today.  Since John has decided he didn’t need to do 100 miles again this year (smart guy), not to mention that his bike is out of commission right now,  I just wanted to finish it out.  I packed up my bike bag and got ready to roll.

I left at 8:00 a.m.

Went north first and it was a good start other than a pretty stiff head wind, which was going to annoy me a few times today.  I passed through farm country:

Moo!

Hi Bessie, thanks for the milk and butter 😀

The traffic was heavier than I would have liked, and this road is 55 mph.  Most of the time there is a really wide shoulder, but I got to where it was more narrow.  It was starting to bother me.  I stopped at mile 17 for a pear.

This road looks peaceful, but the traffic was heavy.  I think a lot of people were going up to Whitehall to launch their boats.

The road got curvier up ahead, and I decided to turn around since the traffic was bothering me.  I was extra conscious of safety today being out by myself.

At mile 25, I stopped for another fruit fillup and to text John with my whereabouts.

Red plum!

I was making good time and feeling strong in the morning. Mile 35 was time for some more fuel. Approximately 5 miles from home.

I wanted more frequent smaller 100-200 calorie fuel ups today as that seems to be what works the best.  I ate 2 medjool dates here.

I rolled in to home for a lunch stop at mile 40.5.  Average speed for the first 40 miles was 13.6 mph. I could have eaten out, but figured I would just go home.  This was Heritage Days weekend and look what was going by the house just as I got home.

Parade!  They must have known I was doing 100 miles.  How nice of them 😀 I love bagpipes.

After chugging a bunch of water, I made a quick lunch.  Baked potato with laughing cow and ground pork with BBQ sauce – and my 4th serving of fruit for the day.

It felt good to get a real meal in.  Snacks are good and all, but sometimes you just want more.  I also had a couple handfuls of cashews.  I was home for about 45 minutes or so, then I headed back out after a 2nd application of sunscreen. Now I had the tailwind, and that was nice!  I was noticing the hills a bit in my quads at this point.  I stopped at mile 51 for refreshment – halfway done:

Coconut water love. I need them to sponsor me.

It was feeling pretty warm today.  Even though the temps were in the low 80s, it was sunny with a capital S!  And it was around 1:30 during this time.  John was actually coming down to Saratoga on his scooter to meet me after giving me an hour head start.  He passed me after I had been on the road about an hour.  I was surprised to see him, but it was a nice surprise when he pulled off the side of the road in front of me.  I forgot to take his picture.  I felt secure knowing that he was only going to be a few miles in front of me.

I was really feeling good.  I felt well prepared for this ride and it was going by fast!  I was surprised at how far along I was by the time I arrived to cupcakes!  Mile 62.  John was already in town, so I texted him to let him know I was there and I got my snack.

I had a large iced coffee with a macaroon.  I definitely like the pistachio one better, but they were out.

Also on board – a peanut butter cupcake!  This was really good.  The frosting was not super sweet or really heavy like peanut butter frosting can be.

My body was loving the instant carb hit from these.  I think I had burned 1800 calories by this point or so.  I actually was a little sad when I finished these because I wasn’t ready to be done LOL.

This was maybe a half hour break or so?  I lathered up with sunscreen again. Then, John walked me out to the bike and said the most horrible thing to me.  He said “So everything okay and no flats?”  Nooooo!!!!  I knew he jinxed me.

I knew the next 20 miles were going to be really tough.  It was right into the headwind and I had already done 60 miles on the day.  And it was tough.  And then at mile 70, there was this:

Yep.  I noticed I was getting a bit of a shimmy while riding (and not in my hips…) and checked my tire.  Not completely flat, but really soft.  That meant a slow leak.  I had thought about trying to keep it pumped up and keep going, but then I decided to just change it.  Cause  I am a rockstar and don’t need anyone to do it for me!  I had 2 people stop and ask me if I needed help, both of which when I was pretty much done and just adjusting the chain.

Now – I can change my tube, but it does take me a while.  That was more what bothered me than anything else was losing about 25 minutes with all that messing around.  I had texted John to update him, but I didn’t need him to come rescue me.

Back on the road and I had to stop 5 miles later  at mile 75 for another dried fruit hit.  Pineapple and dates.

That 25 minute stop used up some of my calorie stores.  I love the dried fruit, although I probably consumed some chain grease as well because my hands were dirty.

My original plan was to not stop at home for the rest of the ride, but I wanted to get another spare tube and properly fill up this tire.  I have a Schwinn portable pump, which actually doesn’t work the best.  John has a Pocket Rocket pump (Yes, please commence to laugh and snicker, because I am always making jokes about it),which I meant to take, but forgot. So I swung by home.

This was mile 85.5. Home pit stop meant dropping my bike lock, saving about a pound in my bag, plus grabbing another coconut water!  And a pointless potty stop.  I was just sweating it out before anything got to my bladder today, and I drank *a lot*.

It was about 5:15 at this point.  I really needed some pep talk to get out there and finish. I knew it was just a little over an hour left.

I have to admit that I struggled for the next 10 miles.  I was tired in funny places, like my wrists and my shoulders.  My legs felt pretty good.  I was also mentally fatigued.  That is really the hardest thing on the long rides.  I was losing some sharpness.  I would hit bumps that normally I would miss because my reaction time was delayed. And the last bit seemed to go on for-ever!

I stopped at mile 95 at a real wall.  I got off the bike and ate this granola bar.

I really just wanted to be done.  I didn’t want to go any further, yet I was so close. And I wanted some real food!  I had seen  some candy in the road, something like M&Ms, and there was a thought to stop and eat it.  5-second rule, right? Only who knows how long it was there.  That set off a giggling fit, so I knew I was really tired 😯

My quads ached when I stopped riding, so that was impetus enough to keep going.  I was so close.  The next couple of miles seemed interminably long.  Then when I was 3 miles from home and on the last bit, I got energized again.  I started pedaling faster to get home.  I watched the odometer roll over 100 miles and with a half mile to go,  then I thought “Hmmmm…. I should just keep going a little more to make it 101 miles.”  Was I insane?? I think so.  Obviously I reeled it in and just stopped.

I made it!

That, my friends, is delirium.  So, so glad to be done.  It was tough.  I physically could have gone further, but I was toast mentally.  I started the day at 8 a.m. and finished at about 6:40 p.m.  Not bad, really, with breaks and a flat tire change.

Ride stats:

Distance:  100.6 miles (161 km)

Ride time:  7 hours 30 minutes

Average speed 13.4 mph

Top speed: 27.4 mph

Calories burned: 3100 😯 😯

I took the most fabulous shower and then we went out to dinner.

I do actually clean up fairly well:

Then we hit up Olive Garden for a bigass pasta dinner!  I told the server I wanted a lot of water and this is what he brought me:

He said I sounded really serious LOL!

After scarfing bread sticks and salad, I had a big plate of ravioli:

Then I came home and ate M&Ms while watching the Tour.

Yay – I am done!  It felt good, but after doing this twice – no more.  I don’t need to be riding 100 miles again.  40 to 50 miles is plenty long enough.

So much more I could say, but this post is long enough for now. Thanks for reading!

100 mile ride recap

Happy Independence Day everyone!  Woo Hoo!  I actually am working today, but sneaking in a picnic.  Long post ahead, fyi.

So, the 100-mile ride yesterday.  Surprised?  So were we!  The plan was for 85 miles.  We started the day with a good brekkie.  I had banana custard oats topped with some extra almond butter and fluff.  I wanted to boost the calories a little bit.

Plus 2 cups of cafe au lait!  We then headed out at about 9 am.  We headed south this time on a nice bike lane for the first 25 miles.  Saw an Osprey, too – how cool!

They put a nest box on the top of telephone pole, and it got put to use!  Yay for being green :mrgreen:

After 15 miles, we took our first snack stop:

There was a lot of food consumed on this ride, I will say….

More long road.  It was nice and quiet today, too.  Must be the holiday weekend.  This is looking behind me, not ahead.

We were feeling pretty good, but I was starting to get hungry around mile 30.  We knew it would be a while before we hit lunch, so we stopped and had more food.

I love pears during biking.  I always get a boost from them and say I am powered by pear!  Ate this while waiting for a train to pass.

Never had that happen before!

I was really fatigued around mile 38 or so.  I actually was wondering about how to get through the rest of the day at this point.  40-ish miles tends to be some kind of sticking point for me.  It also was longer than we normally go without a larger meal.  This wasn’t totally planned to go this far without lunch, but there was no place to eat!

We finally arrived at Clifton Park at mile 42 and hangry for lunch.  We just happened to pass an Indian restaurant featuring a lunch buffet.  Perfect!  I knew I could eat just as much as I wanted without worrying about how big a portion was.

My plate:

I had another plate like this and a bit of rice pudding.  I tried to have mostly carbs and avoid anything greasy or oily.  So good!  I wish this place were closer to home.  (Mom, you need to come to this buffet).

After lunch and a carb fill up, we picked up a few snacks at the grocery store.  We forgot to get coconut water (booo!) and this store didn’t have any, so we got some vitamin water.  Not bad, but not my coconut water.  We headed through some nice towns and on some bike path for another 20 miles to Saratoga.  We knew we wanted to hit the Cupcake Lab again, so that is where we stopped.  With a giant iced coffee!

This was at mile 63.  I inhaled that coffee.  Amazing how much liquid you consume on these long rides, and yet no potty needs!  The nice people at this cafe filled up my water bottle with filtered water, too.  I look surprisingly fresh here after 60+ miles….

While eating the cupcakes, we started making noises about going for the whole 100 miles during this ride.  We were 20 miles from home, so that would have been about 85 anyway.  This ride had hills, but not as many as some of our previous rides, so we were feeling really good.  Plus the nice wide bike lanes we rode and the ones we knew coming up were very relaxing to be on.  We decided to assess a bit later.

Top of a big hill (again looking back).  Our stops started to become more frequent just to get a little more fuel:

By this point, I really wanted to go all 100 miles.  I had my 2nd wind at this point, I was feeling good.  Not to mention the thought of going out and doing this *again* with more miles was enough to make me want to keep going.

John wanted something a little more substantial to eat, so we hit up Mr. Bills (drive-in type place) around mile 85 or so.  He had shrimp and fries, but that was so unappealing to me at this point.   I had my 2nd pear of the day (pear power!) and nibbled on some of his fries for the salt factor.  We solidified our decision to do the whole ride here:

Note the late setting sun.  We were a little worried about running out of daylight, so no dawdling now!

We pressed on and I started singing and generally really enjoying myself.  Was that delirium? I don’t know….

Here is a little video from the path

You can’t hear me very well, but I was babbling on about being tired and seeing through time.  The odometer was reading 7 hours and 15 minutes and the distance was 89 miles.  So close at this point!  We’ll just ignore the safety factor of biking and taking a simultaneous video….

We finally rolled to home taking a few loops to get to 100 miles.

John super happy!

Ride stats:

Distance:  100.2 miles

Time:  8 hours and 9 minutes of ride time (not including stops)

Speed:  12.4 mph

Calories burned:  2975 – Holy frijole!

Assessment:  This was hard, but funny that the 70 mile ride we did a couple weeks ago seemed harder for some reason.  We had perfect conditions today and going that extra bit just made sense to us.  I am so proud of both of us.  Amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it!

Would I do it again?  Maybe.  I certainly could.  However, it just takes up so much time.  8 hours of riding plus stops and we were gone for about 12 hours.  Can’t do much else on a day like that.  It will be nice to settle down to lesser distance rides.  I think 40 to 50 miles is enough for me.

Oh, we walked and had some ice cream at 10 pm last night LOL!  My legs are a little tired today, but really not bad at all,  although  my butt hurts today :mrgreen: