What I learned this year



Six Centuries, The Monkey, The Argyle Jersey, and
The Wine We Drink When We Meet The Goal.

I have a friend who will ask, typically after the second beer, "What did we learn today?"  With my goal of five centuries met and exceeded by one last month, it seems an appropriate time for a bit of reflection on what it was all about and what I learned from the experience of riding this year.

First, I learned that I could do it.  When I started riding two years ago, a hundred mile ride seemed far beyond my reach.  Now I know that I can ride a that distance, and the only limiting factor is the amount of climbing.  A century with 4,000’ of climbing is within my range, and I’m thinking that 5,000’ may be doable within a year.  That would bring many centuries (excepting the He-Man/Deathride types) possibilities for me.  That’s pretty cool.

Second, I figured out that eating during a ride is a big damn deal.  I knew that intellectually, but I didn't really know it until the century became the goal.  Having a sandwich (and I don't mean peanut butter and jelly) near the midpoint of a ride is a huge boost.  Add a Diet Coke to that and I'm invincible for at least a few miles.  A good lunch stop is one of the big things that separates an okay ride from a great ride on my list.  It's no coincidence that the Chico Wildflower and the SLOBC Lighthouse are at the top of my list of favorite century rides--they have outstanding lunch stops.  But even small things help a ton.  A bag of Fritos provided a major boost the Spooktacular. 

Third, I learned that the mental aspect of the ride is probably more critical than the physical aspect.  It's certainly a more fickle factor.  My sense is that, if one can ride 60-70 miles with a certain level of climbing, going 100 isn’t hugely different.  But factor in things that can really demoralize, such as wind and heat, not eating or drinking right, or a particularly tough climb, and the game changes enormously.  Knowing (or, perhaps more appropriately, believing) that completing a ride is possible makes completing it physically that much easier.  Doubt increases the challenge immeasurably.

Fourth, I learned that even though I’m a slow rider, the folks that passs me during the first 25 miles are often the same ones that are on the road with me when I finish.  I don’t mean the guys flying down the road in pacelines, or the pairs zipping down the road, or the single riders who clearly know what they’re doing and how to do it fast.  I do mean the folks who are probably recreational weekend riders like I am but who are definitely faster on level ground that I am.  My take on this is that I don’t spend a whole lot of time at the rest stops while others probably tend to socialize and take longer at the stops and take time occasionally to regroup on the side of the road, and it kinda works out evenly at the end.  So, I get passed by the same folks who are going 3-4 mph faster than I am four, five times during the ride.  And we end up at the finish pretty much at the same time.  I know I’m slow, and I know that I’m going to be one of the guys who starts when the course opens and finishes pretty close to when the course closes. I’m good with that, because I know that I’m going to finish (barring mechanical failures or injury), and I know that I’m going to enjoy the challenge that the ride presents rather than a challenge from others.  And I know that, although I'm among the slowest riders on any given course, I’m not the slowest person out there.

It's been a challenging year in a number of ways.  I did complete the five centuries, plus one more for good measure.  I also rode six metrics.  I did have my first DNF at the Giro Bello, where I broke my hand and broke a leg brace.  In separate crashes on my mountain bike, I sprained my wrist and broke another leg brace.  (The mountain bike still scares me silly sometimes.)  This was also my first year in a new and strange job (I was a high school principal, and now I'm an area superintendent for a school district).  But it's been a good riding season, and I'm looking forward to the "off season" rides locally in the cold and wet weather that comes with fall and winter. 

Next year's goal will be to complete at least six centuries, and I'm thinking that at least one of those should present a significant challenge for climbing, (which means, for me, 4000'+ of climbing).  In addition, I'm going to do at least one challenging metric (Levi's King Ridge GranFondo comes to mind).  I do have the thought of ten centuries buzzing around in the back of my head, but we'll have to see what the schedule looks like and how ambitious I am when I take on the first ride of 2012, which should be the Tour de Palm Springs in February.

Allez! Allez! Allez!