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I don't think there is a real barrier between 100km and 200+. It's more a conditioning problem. I have seen many people who don't look especially fit successf

by downut 5y ago

I don't think there is a real barrier between 100km and 200+. It's more a conditioning problem. I have seen many people who don't look especially fit successfully complete 100 mile rides here ("centuries"). A big part of the conditioning is teaching your body to burn both resident fat and the easy to eat things you get on the ride, either from the sag stops or from what you carry (or buy). I taught my body to do this every year, for many years, by going on a long ride in the spring and deliberately provoking a bonk. After that, I was good to go for the rest of the 8 month season. Now, for not necessarily thin people, this requires mostly flat terrain, but in the Eastern US that's not uncommon. If the route has a lot of vertical gain, well, you need to be fairly thin. Then it is pacing, staging your eating, and mindfulness. If you examine the times posted in every Tour de Tucson, for example you'll see many excellent times by people into their 70s and beyond. I am very admiring of your mom, BTW. There is, probably everybody knows, a community that embraces the contradiction of your observation with a tremendous gusto that is its very reason for existing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randonneuring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randonneuring

jacquesm 5y ago
From that article: "and receive equal recognition regardless of their finishing order" I really like that. Much nicer than the behavior you get when the finishing order matters, especially when on public roads, and I don't see how you could do trips that long without doing them on public roads and still have something interesting.
- downut 5y ago
  But the riding on public roads is what all of us ever did. Not "especially". For 45 years I have been a member of the cyclists who just ride on public roads. Since COVID I have not done a century but I feel an overwhelming need to do several now, on public roads. The amount of time it takes to complete whatever distance it is is immaterial.
  - jacquesm 5y ago
    Cycling tracks are boring as hell. I've tried that a couple of times but it really isn't for me. The upsides (no other traffic, safety) do not begin to offset the downsides. The same goes for digital solutions. But what I probably should have written better, is that on public roads means 'open to the public' as well, and the way groups that are on racing bikes tend to upset traffic even though the roads are open can be quite irritating. I've seen groups of guys on fancy bikes block traffic, make the bike paths very unsafe for oncoming traffic and cycle on the main roads as though other traffic did not exist. That's fine on a closed course but not when the roads are open.

by downut 5y ago

jacquesm 5y ago

From that article: "and receive equal recognition regardless of their finishing order" I really like that. Much nicer than the behavior you get when the finishing order matters, especially when on public roads, and I don't see how you could do trips that long without doing them on public roads and still have something interesting.

downut 5y ago
But the riding on public roads is what all of us ever did. Not "especially". For 45 years I have been a member of the cyclists who just ride on public roads. Since COVID I have not done a century but I feel an overwhelming need to do several now, on public roads. The amount of time it takes to complete whatever distance it is is immaterial.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  Cycling tracks are boring as hell. I've tried that a couple of times but it really isn't for me. The upsides (no other traffic, safety) do not begin to offset the downsides. The same goes for digital solutions. But what I probably should have written better, is that on public roads means 'open to the public' as well, and the way groups that are on racing bikes tend to upset traffic even though the roads are open can be quite irritating. I've seen groups of guys on fancy bikes block traffic, make the bike paths very unsafe for oncoming traffic and cycle on the main roads as though other traffic did not exist. That's fine on a closed course but not when the roads are open.