Last Saturday I participated in the "Capital to Capital Century" for the second year in a row. The course is beautiful in a way I can only describe as "Southern" in terrain and spring scents. The 100 mile route ventures along portions of the James River, passing colonial plantations and civil war battlefields. Huge portions of it feel like you're passing through a forest. At 8 AM sharp, several hundred of us who were doing the century left Rocketts Landing on the Richmond waterfront heading towards Williamsburg, Virginia's colonial era capital. Rides of 50 and 25 miles left later that morning. Over 1300 cyclists signed up for the various rides.
There's a lot that goes into preparation for a century (if you want everything to go smoothly). Thursday I cleaned the drive train on my bike and did some minor adjustments. I didn't want any "mechanicals" to ruin my ride. Friday night I loaded up the Honda with all the gear I might need and mixed my water bottles (Hammer Nutrition supplements are the best!). The forecast was for the low 80's and probable thunderstorms. Last year was a bit on the cool side and we had a light rain at times. Carol, Jillian, and I got up very early Saturday morning and hit the road. It was nice to have "my girls" there to see me off.
This year I was very prepared, having about 1,100 miles in my legs. In fact, I'd already done rides of 45 (Monday), 40 (Tuesday), and 28 (Thursday) last week to keep my legs loose. So I felt ready for the challenge. My goal was to have a decent time and finish comfortably.
The first 25 was great. I warmed up and jumped into a great paceline of about 15 cyclists and we were clipping along pretty good. I took some fairly long pulls at the front and my computer said I was between 21 to 25 mph. When I'd slide over to let someone else have a go at the front it was really cool to watch the line move past me. I'd slide down until I saw a gap and then move into the line. On the down side; at about mile 20 or so we ran into some pretty rough road. In fact one stretch of chuck holes caused total chaos! The gal next to me bumped wheels with another cyclist and they both went down very hard. Several of us stopped to help. They both had some nasty road rash, but remarkably decided to continue riding! I saw both of them after the ride, bandaged up and happily chatting with their friends. That's pretty hardcore in my book!
During the second 25 I hooked up with 4 0r 5 riders from Rowlett's, a local shop team (They did all the work, I was invited to sit in). We were flying and I rolled into the Williamsburg rest area in good shape! I ate a Clif Bar and banana. Refilled my bottles and rested in the shade for about 15 minutes. I didn't want to sit for too long, when you do that your legs can get pretty stiff. Plus, it was really starting to heat up so I decided to start the trek back towards Richmond.
Miles 50 to 75 were pretty good. Once again I jumped into a pace line and was able to take some long pulls at the front. By now the temp was in the high 80's and it was very humid. I'm a fanatic when it comes to hydration, so I wasn't having any problems, but I started to notice a number of people sitting on the side of the road rubbing their calves, etc. To their credit, the organizer's did provide a "broomwagon" you could call if you had any problems, so I'm sure they were busy.
The last 25 weren't all that bad. My legs were tired, but not destroyed. I backed it down a bit the last 15 miles or so. I had some great company when I teamed up with Craig, a Rowlett's team member. Craig is on their mountain bike team and riding a friend's road bike (A sweet Litespeed!). We were able to pace each other along whilst chatting. Having someone to suffer with makes it go quicker (thanks Craig!) and is part of the experience as far as I'm concerned.
When I crossed the finish line I had a tremendous sense of accomplishment (and I really wanted to park myself in the shade). I grabbed some food and relaxed with "my girls" and fellow cyclists. We swapped tales and just enjoyed each others company. I got a free massage! I absolutely love cycling! Physically, I don't think there's a harder sport from an anaerobic standpoint. It's a great way to stay in shape and it helps you burn stress. I sleep better and it makes me want to watch what I eat. Not only that, I get some of my best ideas for work presentations while I'm riding! It has its own unique "community" and with its rich history it's a great sport to follow as well. I'm hoping to find another century to do later this year. Who knows, maybe I'll just go out and do one on my own...
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