My first 50 :)

[Packerbacker]

Hello everyone well after 2 months of training this past Saturday was the tell all if I had trained enough and the right way in order to 1 accomplish my goal and ride 50 miles and 2 do it without injury I did both It was supposed to rain 70% chance I figured Id wake up get soaked before I even put my mt bike in my truck but to my surprise it was muggy but no wet stuff. I road to the high school where the even was being held spoke to the person in charge said went fm 70% to 40% over nite and the temp perfect high 60's and cloudy. This wasnt a race but a cherity ride the money went to scholorships for deserving hs students. I had my mindset on how I was going to accomplish this ride. I needed to ride my ride inother words no racing even for kicks so had to hold my competative spirit in check Keep my average speed as I have for the past 2 months and have fun enjoy the scenery sights sounds smells if I did this not only woud 50 be acheived but Id also have a ball doing it.

We had to start off in groups so I road with 3 other people Looking at the map I knew the 1st 20 was going to be ez since I road this section all the time 2 hills that were relatively difficult but did them pretty easily down shifted twice. After 20 I cked in for a quick bladder break lol then onto the nxt 30 on mile 26 one of the people I had started out with had blown a tire so I pulled over and assisted him took abt 10min then he sent me on his way needed more tools than either of us had time to call the sage wagon. The course was set into the country of central Wisconsin lots of trees fields of corn and wilderness inother words perfect: ) There was a section of the course that I road for atleast 20min without seeing a car/truck.

Around mi 35 there was a rest area I noticed a bunch of rode bikes about ready to leave I was still fresh so deciced I'd tag along they made room for me in their pack which was cool I was the only mt bike so felt like a black sheep in a field of cotton lol but all was good vy friendly group several from Chicago. They were asking me question about the magnetic mount antenna I had on my back rack Told them I was a ham radio operator and nxt sat (this sat 20th) I was following the last bike in a triatholon and would radio back to the officials if there were problems. The also asked if was fm this area etc etc. 1 said I was doing well keeping up with them Note they werent kicking it into gear nice 18mph my ave is abt 13 - 15. But when they did pick it up a bit I knuckled down on the peddals and gave er hell to keep up did ok even managed to make a few nice passes. at about mi 40 - 42 they kicked it and left me behind lol Oh well I had my fun even got a kick out of drafting another bike didnt realize that was possible but turns out it is :vy cool

At about mi 48 i realized this wasnt a 50 mi it was about 55 mi and the demons were starting to try and take hold of me You know the ones Hmmmm 48 ull never make 55 u getting tired ur legs are starting to cramp u dying of thirst. Bastards leave me along and I kicked the demonds ass took a couple of swigs of G2 and hauled ass to the finish. My total distance? 54.14 time? 4hrs 42 min and I felt great


So what are my thoughts after this and what did I learn or what would I do diffrently? Well
Mind over matter I set a goal the day I signed up for this even milage and how I was going to train. I stuck to it not only did my leg work running cycling but also lifting weights working upper body as well. I kept my pace cept for those few miles when I had to show the rode bikers I cud hang lol I beat the demons no way was I going to give up when i was that close. And I had fun like I wanted. It was a total success I exceeded everything miles time and even got a bit of respect fm the rode bikers which was an added bonus I think Id work a bit more on core training in other words I didnt do alot of sprints of going balls out for long distances had I done that my time would have been better but riding the hills all the time where I live did have a huge advantage I didnt tire out like some when we did have to ride them in the event.

I ate right the nite before pasta and didnt eat anything b4 the race that helpd me as well. After the race banannas and some penut butter and jelly and downed the G2 with lots of water. Then called the wife and made a McDonalds run LOL I never ate so much meat big burger then a tenderloin sandwich that evening cud tell my body needed it and lots of milk. Wife was pretty proud of me as well nice to hear fm her

So what about next year? If I can swing it mayb a diff style of bike love the mt bike but would like to hit 75 mi nxt year dont think I wanna try it on my 50.00 20 year old mt bike lol Either way I will deff do this event next year along with some half triatholons a duatholon and some toughmudder events. Yeah Im hooked LOL

Thanks to those folks who helped me with ? about training for this and nutrition I took most of the advice and applied it to my training it worked so thank you guys much appreciated.

Now does 54 rank as long milage or is this still medium? lol tc all thanks again Keep peddling and dont let the demons get ya tell em to ******** and find sum1 els to bug ur busy enjoying the ride

.

 

[64Paramount]

Good for you, Packerbacker. Great job! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon14.gif

 

[concord]

Job well done my man. I mountain bike too but I only use it to train when I need a super workout. I use a road bike for my long distance rides. So your goal should be... a road bike! You will cover more ground in less time and the demons won't seem to be as aggressive. Keep having fun.

 

[oldbobcat]

Well done, especially if you're having fun.

 

[Reid2]

That's a great story, a great accounting, You make me think again of Pat,
a sailor buddy on pier-bound, USS ORION, nearly forty years ago.
Pat had legs like sequoia trees. He had one passion: biking.
He never cycled less than a century when we were in port, and he was off duty.
Charleston is flat land.

When we steamed, one time, Pat, who was a simple-minded but fierce sportsman,
begged his chief for "swim call". "Swim call, Chief?" We were in the middle of the Gulfstream,
a hundred miles out. The Chief got tired of Pat constantly begging for a "swim call", which is when
the ship stops and sailors can swim in the vast blue by the ship.

Orion was fully underway. "Chief? Swim call?" grinned Pat.
The Chief was tired of the badgering from Pat. He joked, "Sure".

Orion was doing eight or twelve knots, all six hundred feet of her.

Pat dove from B deck into the warm water.

It took a half hour to stop Orion, turn about, and recover Pat,
who thought himself just grand. It was the Chief's disappointment, not Pat's.

Go for the gusto. Go for the blue.
__________________________

Packerbacker? 54 is a lot of miles on a mountain bike. Yes, you are a certified stud.
Ask your wife for verification? (grin). You are dealing with fat "knobbly" tires, very inefficient for distance work.
You probably have grades, so, the heavier bike is that much more to "escalate" even minor grades.
You are strong and into your sport. So, while I like my slow cruiser bike, all young strong guys like speed and distance.
Enjoy your progress. You are a furnace and have to stoke yourself while young and be a male. That's what it's about.
That was what it was about for Pat. I bet he's still knocking out centuries, hopefully on dry land and not dog paddling in the Atlantic.