| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
99.52 miles
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Altitude Gain:
5,253 ft
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Avg Speed:
17.30 mph
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Route:
Horrible Hilly Hundred
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 157 bpm
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Avg HR: 128 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Rolling
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Bike: Look Blade RS 795 Iconic Ltd Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 73 F W wind @ 10 mph |
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Drove to Clermont for a century in the Florida Alps. Did this ride over twenty years age and it is still going strong. There were several hundred riders at the event and it started out fairly chaotic. Had to get up before five for a the drive with an incentive of getting there well before the seven-thirty AM start was finding a parking spot. Although they did provide a map of free public parking it was pretty much useless driving around an unfamiliar town in the dark. Did find a parking spot not too far from the start and successfully picked up my wristband and T-Shirt. The course had a couple of dozen climbs most of which were well under a mile long but with a half dozen with grades in the low teens. Unfortunately I wasn't in my best form as still suffering from a sinus infection that has also moved down into my lungs. Thought seriously about opting for one of the shorter courses but decided to wait and see if my health improved in the warm sunshine. My health generally improves later in the day so did have some hope. Rode out with a few hundred riders with all the big Florida Clubs present including scores of very fast fit looking young ones. Started out working through the crowd before hitting the first steep climb five miles into the ride. Chains were dropping as many riders shifted into the small chainring that probably is never used by ninety percent of the riders in Florida. Got pushed out into the oncoming traffic by the swerving mass of cyclists. Pretty much lost my momentum and had to grunt it out. Found I could only take shallow breathes without disturbing the stuff in my lungs and going into a coughing fit. So ended up with an alternating dripping nose or a painful sinus headache in addition to occasional coughing. Can't say it was what I had in mind when I signed up for this event. On the plus side it was a beautiful sunny day and snowing at home in NY. Decided to tough it out as would be traveling north soon enough as this is my last event of the season. After the first couple of climbs I actually settled into a routine of pushing the climbs, coasting the downhills, and soft pedaling the few flat sections. Had a few opportunities to hop onto groups, but with the shallow breathing, I couldn't maintain enough speed to keep up for long as my legs kept running out of go juice. Ended up riding most of the course by myself but would occasionally contest the climbs with the other mediocre climbers as the big guns were far up the road. Good thing about the ride was there were always riders up the road as well as behind me. Did pass a couple dozen riders with flat tires that seemed strange, as I really couldn't see anything that would cause ones as the roads were pristine with only occasional road kill. There were dozens of turns on the course but all the major intersections had a police presence that would stop traffic for the cyclists. First and last quarters of the ride contained all the big climbs with the middle two only having lesser grades and flatter terrain. Did fairly well through the first section but couldn't come close to competing with the drafting groups that soon disappeared up the road. Started to feel a little better after sixty miles health wise and was happy to see my average over eighteen. Last forty miles though were rough as my legs were now fatigued. Did start to recognize a few riders as we entered into the final twenty-five miles with more climbs including the famous Sugarloaf. Didn't really ride with them as would drop them on the climbs and then have them catch and pass me on the downgrades and transition sections. We repeated that over that last several hills. Passed quite a few riders that were walking up Sugarloaf that was only two-hundred and ten feet of elevation with an eleven percent grade. Finished the hundred with less than an impressive ride. Felt bad that I had ridden very well last week but had nothing today. Sucks to get old. Great novelty course though and highly recommended. Time now to start working my way back north.
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