So I decided to sign up for a Century ride yesterday... A century, for those of you who don't know, is 100 miles on a bicycle. Yes, that is a long way. This was going to be only my second century ever, and would quickly become known as the century that HURT.
For some reason, I woke up not feeling hungry at all, so I didn't really eat much. Mistake #1. When you are about to go ride 100 miles, which usually lasts for over 5 hours (yes, 5 hours of straight exercise), you generally want to start out with something in your stomach.
I was riding with a bunch of guys, so naturally, I wanted to show them that as a female, I could keep up the pace just as well as they could. Mistake #2. When starting out on a century, you might not want to start out with the pedal to the metal (no pun intended, well, actually, it was intended). I blew my glycogen stores right off the bat with the incredible pace we set.
Mistake #3 is a combo of being dehydrated after sweating for a week straight in Nicaragua and taking Malaria medicine, which just makes you feel really weird.
It wasn't 15 miles into the ride when I started to feel myself BONK. That is a term in the athletic world that means you have run out of energy, run out of juice, start feeling dizzy because you have no glycogen stores to fuel your muscles with anymore, and simply feel like you cannot go on.
That is not a good place to find yourself when you have 85 miles left to ride.
Thank goodness in organized rides like this, there are rest stops. These rest stops are like an oasis...you ride and ride and become tired, hungry, and thirsty and ride some more...then eventually you come to see a shining white tent on the horizon, offering hope, snacks and cold drinks to weary riders. People rest in the shade of nearby trees, taking a break from the blazing, hot sun and thick, Georgia humidity.
The best part is, the oasis is real and the snacks are great. Having bonked so early on in the ride, I ravishingly ate my weight in Whole Wheat Fig Newtons. Additionally, I delighted in graham crackers, topped with a dollop of peanut butter, and of course, a banana for added potassium. My original goal was to actually shed some lbs on this ride, but I pretty much blew it on that first rest stop. I didn't really care though, I was in heaven.
We took off from the rest stop and I was happy to have some sustenance in my belly. I started off this leg of the ride quite slow, since I already had 3 mistakes under my belt. The refueling stop proved to be the best remedy for bonking, as I gradually gained back the ability to ride at a steady pace. By mile 60 and 2 other rest stops under my belt, I was feeling great. The last 35-40 miles went very well and I was actually able to enjoy the scenery. We passed beautiful farms, rolling hills, cows, horses, and old barns. It truly was a wonderful way to see the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
I think it is safe to say I won't be doing it again any time soon though.... :) |
