Chitown_Mike

So I set out today to go for a 50 miler (SOLO) with the goal of doing it under 3 hours (moving time). I am determined to ride the Sub 5 Century next year and I want to push myself this summer and train over the winter to do it. So I wanted to give myself a base line since my last 50 mile ride this year was an organized ride and at a not too screaming pace I got it done in 3 hours and 40-ish minutes.

So today I was coming up on 3 hours and with a leg that I just stretched a cramp out of, ran out of water, and was ready to be done I had just under 3 minutes to go the remaining mile. So what does one do in such sad shape? SPRINT THAT! I rolled up at the back of my place at 3:00:01 and come to find out I went 51.9 miles in that time frame. HEHE.....averaged 17.29 mph moving speed, and I only took with stops about 3:15:00 if even that (my phone quit on me regards to recording my ride).

So that gives me a decent base line for this season and will use that to improve upon.

Oh and this is on the 36 lbs steel lugged frame Schwinn you see listed in my sig. I had several comments made by clubs as I went past, nothing mean spirited but they all seemed surprised I was clicking along at the pace I was for "an old relic"

volosong

Well done! With the hills and wind in my area, I can only ride like that in my dreams.

Chitown_Mike

No hills but plenty of windy in this area, just rather light today so I won out.

jsigone

sweet!! I always strive for that time/mile too...I always have hills and always have wind so time doesn't always play nice

DoninIN

Congrats! It's always great to hit your targets, exceed them.

gyozadude

Very nice! That's some power output you performed for that one!

bbeasley

Wow that's great! 17.9 for 50, strong. Keep training and pushing that pace!

mrkm

That's fantastic, congratulations. That's a goal I strive towards for sure- far from it now, but slowly building up.

bigfred 

Kudos to you! Well done.

contango 

Nice one... round here it's hard to maintain much speed because of the traffic and endless junctions. Good effort!

Pamestique 

Never in my wildest! Great effort!

Null66

Awesome!

stevenlsmith87

Awesome!!! I have yet to brave riding 50 miles....heck....I have yet to do 20. Congrats on the ride!!

MikeRides

Congratulations! I'm currently working up to my first 50 mile ride, hopefully to be completed in less than three hours, but I'm a slow rider so that won't happen for awhile.

Mr. Beanz

Dude, you are awesome! Someday I will achieve speeds of this magnitude.

kc0bbq

Congratulations!

I may have made a sub 3 hour 50, 51.1 in 3:01:20. It's close. You're that much better of a human being than me!

Chitown_Mike

You totally just wanted to use the thumb, I understand.

Wanderer

I can do 30 miles in 2 hours, but not 45 in 3. Awesome job, now I have an aiming point.....................

longbeachgary

Well done.

Condorita

But what did you see? (See my sig line.)

digibud

50 mi in three hours? That's NOTHING ! At least it's nothing if you are a pro or a serious 20yr old cyclist in great shape. Personally I doubt I'll ever pull it off so HUGE congrats!

MikeRides

OP, one thing you didn't mention was what size (if any) hills did you climb and if the wind direction was in your favor during this 50 miler?

I just got back from a 35 mile ride, which I completed in 2 hours and 45 minutes, mostly flat but with headwind the whole way. I would have been faster but the last five miles or so I ran out of water (the one time I decided to go on a long ride without my camelback!) and it was 95 degrees so I think I was starting to get dehydrated towards the "finish line". I like setting goals for myself, whether its related to weight loss, biking, or life in general. I started out with one biking goal, being a 50 mile finale to complete by the end of the summer - Now it seems like just completing 50 miles isn't enough, but I would like to complete it within three hours.

Chitown_Mike

Blurred trees and yellow lines

Actually I ride the same trail all the time and so there really isn't much to "see" persay, I grew up riding the trail so there really isn't anything new or enjoyable in regards to that. I did watch an unfortunate gentleman get target fixated on the side of the trail when he ended up off the trail in the grass. Short distance later and he was face first into the ground. He got up and refused any help despite my pleas.

At the beginning of my ride I got to watch a small herd of deer prance across the path, and pass my raccoon friend at the same spot in the trail I see him at usually. And also the ambulance working on a fellow cyclist who I am guessing bonked real hard since there wasn't any indication of an accident and where he was at was a place I have seen several other people bonk.

I guess I am a bit too fidgety to ride slow, however next year there will be plenty of slow rides. Can't ride fast with a youngster in a trailer!




Mike, in Chicago "hills" are a foreign word. I maybe had 500 ft over that entire distance of rise and fall, however I had to tango with a NW wind that was about 5-10 MPH on a mostly direct north trail so going up it was hard, coming back was a little easier but the way the trail runs it creates a "wind tunnel" in spots and I might as well have been heading into the wind. So I know my times would be way off if let's say I tried a Cali trail like the GMR or something. However I plan on getting a chance to ride some mountains when the money is there to travel in the near future.

Chitown_Mike

Does it make sense I am a 29 year old cyclist? Hehe.....For at least another 6 months or so. And thanks!

digibud

Enjoy the next 6 months because you'll become suddenly slow and lethargic on your 30th birthday.