| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
99.97 miles
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Altitude Gain:
5,934 ft
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Avg Speed:
18.50 mph
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Route:
Shenendoah Century
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Rolling
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 65 F NW wind @ 7 mph |
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Stayed in Harrisonburg, VA last night for today's century in and around the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. It was a little on the cool side at the 8:00 AM start being a little below sixty. Yesterday's heavy rain had passed and forecast today was for bright sunshine and high's in the sixties. Even the wind was predicted to be mild so it looked like a good day for a hundred miles of rollers. The ride is limited to three hundred riders and the roster had been full for a couple of weeks. The promoter did accept day of entries to fill the slots of people who pre-registered but couldn't make it. This year was the thirtyth running of the event. I've gone down for it for the last three years and had hit it once or twice several years ago. Thought it would be a long day after getting worked over at yesterday's race but it was the first morning in a while that I didn't feel sick, though I did feel pretty worn down. Planned on touring today and staying with a group as much as possible. The course is set in a cloverleaf pattern with four twenty five mile loops that have a small park\rest stop at the center. The ride loops around and you get to stop three times at the same rest area if you ride the hundred. A dozen riders went off the front early but I stayed tucked into the main group of a hundred or so. The first two or three miles passes through the suburbs of the city and the main group caught up to the leaders due to delays caused by traffic lights. Pace was fairly easy with speeds around eighteen for the most part. Pack broke up on a small climb when a rider slipped his chain and caused a gap in the peloton. I was behind the rider and had to do some work on the climb to bridge back to the front. Front group was down to around twenty five after a few miles of rollers and was for the most part smooth riding as no one was really doing any hammering. We did have a problem with a tandem that got dropped on almost every climb and would blow back by the peloton on the downhills only to get to the front and slow up. There were also several riders that appeared to be tandem worshipers who would wait for the tandem on the hills and then sit in the draft on the downhills. So we had the tandem occasionally blowing by, usually on the wrong side of the yellow line, with four or five riders in tow. I thought of them as remora fish scavenging a shark, but the locals just called them tandem sucks. Had some really spectacular views of the mountains while cruising down the country roads. Around mile eighteen we hit the first real climb of the day and we were rid of the tandem and tandem sucks for good. I was able to hang on in the climb which was probably a result of me doing absolutely no work in the front and just hanging off the back. There were a dozen of us left after we hammered the long downhill and rolled into the rest stop for the first time. The reststop was well stocked with candy, pretzels, granola bars and muffins and rivaled the Tour de Shunk in non-wholesome and desirable goodies. Missed the group taking off for the second loop as I waited in line for the bathroom but was able to catch back on after a couple of miles of climb. The group broke up again on a small climb as a couple of riders ahead of me lost thier wheels and gave it up. I decided that that to was as good as place as any for me to give up as had little confidence in my stamina after yesterday's collapse. So I returned to touring mode and rubbernecked on the second lap. Second lap didn't have as much climbing as the first but was still hilly. It also had good veiws of the mountain and narrow low traffic country lanes. Rolled into the rest stop just as the front group was leaving and caught on to the back of the line for the third loop. I believe the third loop has the most climbing as the first ten miles are up a near constant one percent grade. The long grind is followed by a few miles of short steep rollers and then a long fast downhill back into town. Only lasted a couple of miles on the long grind that the pack was pulling at around eighteen miles an hour. I could only hold seventeen for a bit and my speed dropped as my battery wore out. It seemed every mile I went I would lose a mile an hour off my speed. Finally got to the top of the grind and could only hold fourteen. Felt a little better through the rollers as I could rest on the backsides and let my legs recharge. Enjoyed the rollers and downhill though the scenery isn't as good as the first two laps. Drank quite a bit at the rest stop and ate a bunch of gummi bears to prepare me for the final loop. Headed out with three other riders and shared the work for the first ten miles but left them when they got confused over the markings from another ride. The course seemed to be the same as the last two years, so I trusted my memory and rode on as they tried to decide what to do. Started to run into some riders from the fifty mile course who were having a much worse time then I was getting over the final climbs and offered them words of encouragement. Final couple of miles of the course are the worst part as the ride weaves in and out of some hilly suburbs and starts to hit some heavy traffic areas. Finished the course with an eighteen five average that was much slower than last year but was delighted that I didn't suffer nearly as much as I did on yesterday's twenty-eight mile ride. Was also happy that the muscle I damaged in my calf didn't bother me at all during the ride and only appears to hurt when I walk. Another terrific scenic ride in Virginia. Not sure if I will get down here next year as the price of gas makes this an expensive outing. The fee for the ride is the best around though with fourteen dollars getting a T-shirt and all you can eat goodie bar and sag support.
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