Today was the second century bike ride I've done, and there were certainly some interesting takeaways and things to ponder.
For the route, I had debated between doing a modified Wachusett Reservoir loop, with multiple, possibly concentric loops around the reservoir. However, I ended up doing an out and back to Londonderry, NH. I do the Wachusett loop enough that I figured I mine as well take advantage of the opportunity to do something else - especially since a 50 mile radius provides for checking out new roads and routes I might do in the future.
Before I left, I had a couple scrambled eggs and a banana, plus some water to rehydrate after a nights sleep. This was something I was lax on during my last century ride - I didn't have much of anything to eat beforehand. The first 20 or so miles I was already somewhat familiar with, as I had ridden my bike along that route a few years ago once or twice, but after that I was dependant on my GPS HR monitor to tell me where to go based on the route I created and loaded the night before.
As is typical, I wasn't too great about hydrating during the first part of the ride. I feel plenty hydrated enough at the start, and I don't want to use up my water too quickly, especially on a route where I don't know how often I'll come upon a store where I can buy water. This is something I have to get better at, though - either via having more water with me, or eventually doing these real long rides on routes I've done before where I know about where stores are that I can leverage.
The trip up went by pretty well. I made sure to stop and eat half a protein bar at the 25 mile mark, but with todays course definitely being flatter than the previous 100 miler I did, I felt stronger. At the halfway mark, I stopped for a bit to rest up and refill my bottles. The return trip was where things became more of a roller coaster. I felt fine for the first 20 or so miles back, but stopped at about mile 73 to finish the protein bar, because I was getting pretty fatigued. That helped a bit, but I decided to stop at a general store I had passed at mile 25 on the way up - so I expected to see it around mile 75 on the way back. I started really looking forward to a bag of potato chips and a bottle of chocolate milk. The problem was that I thought I remembered seeing it at a different intersection. So, I ended up passing it without realizing it (but I didn't realize that yet). As I was going along, and the cyclometer was getting towards 77, 78, 79, 80 miles - I started wondering how on earth I hit it at mile 25 on the way up, but hadn't seen it on the way back yet. It then dawned on me that I must have passed it, and misremembered the intersection it was near. Fortunately I knew there was a Dunkin Donuts coming up in the next few miles. They wouldn't have the chips, but they'd have the chocolate milk. And with a 100 mile bike ride, I could afford the calories of a baked good. Actually, I was getting to the point I was depending on them.
After coming upon the Dunkin Donuts, I got my chocolate milk and a coffee roll. My taste buds were incredibly appreciative of the non-gatorade flavor beverage, and my stomach was grateful for the solid food. When I started up again, I just kept the legs moving to keep blood flowing - they were feeling really fatigued at this point and I was damn near out of the metaphorical matches - I needed to conserve whatever energy I could.
The other thing I should briefly mention was that on the way up, I tried to make a conscious effort to keep the legs spinning, especially in places where I'd normally coast (like on a downhill) - even if I wasn't providing propulsion. The reason for this I'll explain in my next post - because it touches on a philosophical approach to cycling and particular discipline, but it was something I wanted to experiment with today. Unfortunately, on the way back after I started becoming fatigued, that practice kinda went by the wayside. It's funny, and unfortunate, how when we are fatigued we abandon the form that is supposed to conserve energy.
So - the main takeaway from this ride is that I have to figure out nutrition and eating habits for these distances. Up to 70 miles, I can survive solely on gatorade. However, with longer distances, especially when considering that I'll have to add on 12 more miles and then do 26.2 more miles on foot - it is clear that gatorade and a protein/energy bar alone won't do the trick. I just hit a wall and my speed bogs down.
I can think of a few factors that might play into it:
(1) Hydration levels - the last ride (due to accelerade being annoying to drink) and this ride (due to just habit), I probably didn't drink enough water. Part of that is because I have this mental block against stopping on the first half of the ride. That may have to change.
(2) Food intake during the ride itself - I think this is a major contributor. I had been thinking that during the IM event, I'd have bananas offered at the aid stations throughout the bike ride, so perhaps when the day comes, the problem will just solve itself. However, I'd like to experiment and see, rather than just hope and cross my fingers.
(3) Weather - today was definitely warmer than my last ride. However, the weather will be what it'll be at Lake Placid, so I can't depend on the weather being in the 60's with cloudy skies.
(4) Too long a rest at the halfway point - both times I stopped for about an hour at the half way point. That might be causing part of the problem, or it might actually be helping to avoid a bigger problem. Only way to see is to do a ride without a big mid-way break.
I'm not sure what my solution will end up being, but I'm thinking my next century will be loops around Wachusett - that'll let me toy with the long rest at halfway point and hydration issues variables - as I can stop at a store each time I go around the loop.
No comments:
Post a Comment