I want to try for 100 miles in a day

[ColinJ]

You felt fine after 60 miles so 100 should be doable if you eat and drink plenty, pace yourself well, avoid excessive hills and don't try it in foul weather.

I think the laps would do your head in. Your mind would give up before your body!

Giving yourself a bailout option implies doubt in your ability. You can do it, so just do it!

I suggest one of these 2 options:

1. Catch a train to somewhere a 100 mile ride from home and ride back. That is much better than riding out and catching the train home because every pedal stroke brings you closer rather than taking you further away. Also, you don't have to wait for the train at the far end and travel back tired and sweaty.
2. Do a loop centred on home. You could do a smaller loop twice, once in each direction. That would not feel like you were repeating yourself.

It might help you to have company for the ride. Somebody from CC would be happy to join you if you wanted company. Where in Yorkshire are you?

true, but its sign posted as well which helps if you don't know the area.

For the cost of entering a few sportives you could buy a GPS device which would solve that problem forever!

 

[S.Giles]

Thankyou for all the well-considered replies.

The consensus is definitely against the idea as it stands. Although I understand the thinking regarding the repetition/boredom aspect, going round in circles is a feature of many sports, and yet plenty of people are passionate about them (F1, anyone?), and this is a scenic run in the Yorkshire Wolds we are talking about with an exhilarating downhill run right at the end of each 'lap'. I also only have to 'tolerate' it once - I won't be doing this every week.

The comment about 25% tea-drinking made me smile. I have many days that are 100% tea-drinking, so that's a 75% reduction straight away! I have no doubt whatsoever that my tea-drinking capacity is up to the challenge :-)!

What I like about the idea is the complete lack of A roads and traffic lights, very little traffic, 100% nature and nice scenery, and the ten opportunities to rest in comfort throughout the ride. As suggested above, there are variations on the basic route that could be introduced if things get too repetitive.

Here's what I propose to do by way of 'dipping my toes in the water'. I'm going to try doing two laps, then a break, and then another two laps. If after that I'm bored out of my mind, I'll abandon the idea. If, on the other hand, I'm encouraged, I'll set a date and give it a go. Sound reasonable?

Steve

 

[MikeG]

....... I'm going to try doing two laps, then a break, and then another two laps............ I'll set a date and give it a go. Sound reasonable?

It sounds like you'd already made up your mind. So I am not really sure why you asked us.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

For my first (and only to date) 100miles last year I did a local 50 mile sportive, moderately hilly that lots of friends attended, so plenty of company even though I kept my pace, not really riding with anybody in particular.
Made my way back on a different route, a totally flat one then got lost near home, so ended up over the target.
Tip: if you decide to venture further for this, take some lights with you in case you're still on the road by sundown.

 

[jay clock]

+1 for sounds dull. If you can do 60, do another of 75, then for the 100. Persnally I think doing the 60 and then doing laps is a bad idea too as you will get home then have to keep going

 

[S.Giles]

Well, I decided at about 1:00pm yesterday to give my trial a go. Did two laps, drank tea (and ate a banana sandwich, FYI:-), then another two laps (another tea, another banana sandwich, and a whiskey). It seemed a shame to stop at this point (the cycling, that is, not the whiskey), so I kept on going, this time doing three laps before the next break. To cut a long story short, I finished at about 15 mins after midnight, having done 102.55 miles (according to my computer). Total ride time was 8 hrs and 51 mins, so I'm not exactly speedy (in my defence, there was quite a headwind on some parts of the circuit early on in the day, and lots of hills).

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The scenery is so nice I didn't mind it looping every 9 miles. The last few laps were done in darkness (and it gets very dark at night on the Yorkshire Wolds). The perception of speed is totally different when chasing a puddle of light. I actually found the hills easier in the dark, because it's difficult to gauge how steep they are, so it's just a case of selecting the best gear and pedalling like you would on the flat (you're just not going as fast, but can't really tell). This has the effect of seeming to 'flatten out' the gradients. It does require a much greater degree of concentration not to end up in a hedge at night, though.

Wildlife spotted included a deer and some bats (and a lot of flies, some of which resembled flying pebbles when in collision with my head!).

My wrists are feeling the strain, but the rest of me could have carried on if I'd needed to. After about 40 miles, I seemed to have gone through some kind of barrier, and knew I was going to finish.

Steve

 

[Edwardoka]

Congratulations, you proved us all wrong!

 

[S.Giles]

Thankyou. I'm nothing if not contrary.

Please pardon me for asking advice and then completely ignoring it!

Steve

 

[The Jogger]

Well done Steve on completing the century and keeping to your plan, I think it was a great idea so if you needed to bail out it wouldn't of been a problem. Also it will now give you the confidence to do a different route if you want.
I might try this method. Well done again.

 

[Cuchilo]

Nice one !

 

[uclown2002]

 

[Big Nick]

Good effort!

 

[jay clock]

Extremely impressed. And well done for ignoring us! A nice mental barrier to have broken. The sort of thing to recall next time you do something difficult on the bike

 

[jay clock]

Also just spotted that you posted it at 0153 and edited at 0222!

 

[ayceejay]

I was going to suggest doing half in one direction and half the other way round but since the job is done and dusted I won't bother.
Well done that man.