volosong

Absolute fact! The mental part has really taken a hold of me. Before I retired and moved, I had a nice, fairly flat century route mapped out that I would ride several times a year. In SoCal, would leave the car parked at a city park in an inland valley and ride through an agricultural valley to the ocean. Then return. (Central Park in Santa Clarita, out the 126 to the beach in Ventura, then retrace.)

No hills of worthy note. Nice afternoon on-shore breeze to aid in the return trip. Would take a snack break in the orange orchards at 25 miles, lunch at the beach at 50 miles, another break at 70-75 miles, then finish. Safe route, little traffic except for the state highway.

What I found so difficult to overcome is "the wall" that I hit right at the 80 mile marker. I just wanted to be done and finished. But I still had an hour plus to finish up. It turned into agony and a mental nightmare. Especially if that last stretch had any type of headwind.


These days, I fear my century runs are over and now confine myself to metric centuries, which I still find quite enjoyable. Several years ago, on my birthday ride, which that year was riding 124 miles, I had to make the "call of shame" at the century marker and have my lady friend come fetch me. I just couldn't move anymore and got to a stretch when it just got dark and had to ride through a notoriously known anti-bicycle horse area.

However, I arose early the next day and got in that last 24 miles. So, I rode the 124 miles within a 24-hour period, so I count that as good. These years, for my birthday ride, I'll start at noon and ride my age. Get up early enough the next day to ride my age again and finish by noon. Double my age, in miles, in a 24-hour period. That's good enough for me! This year, I'll be riding 138 miles for my birthday ride. August days are long up here in North Idaho.