My first 4 hour ride today.
<thank you, thank you, cyber high fives please>
Planning my first century ride in September. We made 65 miles today with some hills. At that point my ass was in such pain that I could not fathom another 35. I think I am going to be impotent for 3 days. Tell me this improves with more time in the saddle please. What other things should I be working on? Standing up more, positioning work???
** I think I am going to be impotent for 3 days. Tell me this improves with more time in the saddle please.**
Oh, sure it will. Next time out, you’ll probably be impotent for five days.
Are you riding solo or with a group?
I’ve always found centuries with a roadie group are a lot more fun and go a lot smoother than solo or ones with just another rider. They’re also faster since you have the advantage of group aerodynamics. It’s also great to have other like minded people around you throughout the ride.
I’ve always found miles 75-90 the toughest. That’s when I’m sometimes incoherently babbling to myself. The last ten you’ll get a second wind and pick up the pace since you’re on the home stretch.
There is no such thing as a cake walk century, but my recommendation is definately do the first one with a group since the physical/emotional support makes a big difference.
C-guy thanks. Half was with a 15 - 20 sized group. New group we have never been with so it was a blast. Half was with 2-3 riders. The part with the group definitely sailed faster. Sailing the group, 20-21 MPH was easy. Coming back by ourselves in the wind was not fun. It was mostly flat and I was not staniding up much. Should I be doing that more?
I’m going to do an 85miler tomorrow if the weather holds up. If it rains, I’ll probably do 4:00 on the trainer. shiver I’ll be brining that thing in front of the TV for sure.
Trae
PS. Congrats on your long ride! (last Saturday was my first 70miler, and of course, this Sunday will be my first 85miler. Going to shoot for 100 the following Saturday. Sadly, I’ll be doing all of mine solo as there aren’t any people here (Macon, GA) interested in doing long rides.
All by yourself–I couldn’t do it. That’s tough. We have to drive 30 - 40 minutes to find a club or group to ride with but it was well worth it today.
Good luck on your 85 miler!
It’s the old adage - “practise makes perfect”. The more you ride the easier it gets.
Also the big thing about a century is proper hydration and nutrition. Bring lots of food - banana, power bars, etc. I always also bring a big bag of ju-jubes in my jersey pocket and eat them along the way. If you don’t eat/drink properly you’ll bonk for sure
Just as I suspected. More time in the saddle and all the pain goes away…
Congrats on the long ride
I switched to Assos Bibs for IM prep this year and I will never wear anything else.
I have done several solo 100+ rides over the last 6 weeks and The old twig and berries are felling comfortable the entire time.
I am suprised that more folks are not doing their long rides solo. I just figured eveyone did. HUH go figure.
K
Way to go Tim!
The pain will go away thru time.
For now spread some Body Glide " Down" there…it helps a lot.
Befor you know it you’ll be able to do a 100+ in tri shorts which have no real padding to speak of.
Solo rides are the only way to fly IMO!!!
Fish
lots and lots and lots of Assos cream seems to help me on the long rides. nicely done!
I’ve been doing my rides in my LG tri-shorts. 70 miles in a pair of those things and the “twigs and berries” turn into mushed noodles and squashed peas.
Ouch. I am thinking of breaking out the thickly padded Peal Izumi bike shorts for the 85 miler. Maybe it’ll be worth it to put those on for IMFL. I ain’t going to win, might as well be comfy as possible.
Trae
More time in the saddle and all the pain goes away… <<
Well, maybe not goes totally away… 
Good job!
I did 3:45 in the winds and hills, all solo, all aero except for the 11 mile climb.
clm
That’s awesome. Great job. I’m hurting too, but in the joints not the notcha.
I did my first 75 miler today in 4:20 on my road bike in prep for a 70.3. Pinched nerve in neck, so my P2K would have killed me after 10 miles.
Points to note:
As **super clyde **points out above, he used Assos Bibs. I used them too (for the first time today) based upon recommendations here and YES, they’re worth the money. I never got out of the saddle the whole time because of pain. No cream either. Look into them seriously.
Sucked down a Cliff Bar 1/2 way through. Great treat and fuel in the tank. Try it.
good job again.
"Oh, sure it will. Next time out, you’ll probably be impotent for five days. "
I got a good laugh out of that one. Thanks.
last tri in 83,
Much of your “pain” most likely has to do with pacing. This is very common for experienced as well as novice long distance riders.
There is a very real tendency to ride too hard or fast in the beginning only to discover this in the last half of the ride. This is where the suffering begins for those who have fallen victim to these urges to go fast or hard too early. These rides can often be termed “death” rides after they are over.
One feels great at the beginning and starts by riding fast. Over the course of the ride, as one begins to tire and as the effects of riding fast (too fast) in the beginning take their toll, one slows down over the remainder of the ride or works even harder to “keep” up with everyone else. This only compounds the problem and causes the “death” spiral. Ultimately, one can usually review the riding time for each quarter of the ride and see clearly how it progressively declined for each successive quarter of the ride.
What may help you more than anything else, is starting a little easier and keeping a lid on the urge to go faster when you know you can. You need to try and restrain yourself like this for the first quarter of your distance. This period will allow you and everyone else to get loosened up and comfortable with the pace and effort. Remember, its going to be a long day in the saddle. Its not a race, but a ride.
As the next quarter begins, if you desire, ease the pace up modestly making sure no one is working too hard. Remember, you still have a long way to go.
On the third quarter, if you are still feeling great, you may wish to simply continue at your current pace or to inch up the pace some more. This is okay, but the operative word here is inch up the pace, not jump up the pace.
Now you have reached the last quarter and you feel good and there is gas in the tank. You are ready to bring it home fast and hard if you feel like it and you will still feel great when you reach the end as well as later in the day and on into tomorrow.
So here is your pacing formula, 1st quarter easy, 2nd quarter moderate, 3rd quarter strong, last quarter fast if you like. After the ride, you will feel great! Now mind you, this all presupposes that you are mindful of nutrition and hydration. Ride smart and enjoy rather than carelessly/foolishly and suffer.
Plan your ride and ride your plan.
I hope this can help. Good luck.
what type and brand of seat are you using?
what is your approx. body wt?