We're doing a 150K bike ride for MS!!!

[daner94]

I just had to tell you all about this bike event we are doing. It is a 150K (that's about 110 miles!!!!) to raise $ for MS. It is at the end of September, over 2 days. I am so excited. I have always wanted to do something like this.

One of my buddies from my cooking club asked me to join her. We have been training for the past couple of weeks at this park that has a paved path thats about 37 miles long. It has been exhilarating. Another reason to put down the cigarettes! (it's been 11 days since my last one :D)

We did about 35 miles on Saturday morning and will be adding more miles every weekend until the race.

Has anyone done anything like this, and have any words of wisdom?

Dana

[emilycat]

Dana, that's so awesome! I unfortunately don't have any advice to give -- I would so love to do a really long ride someday, but haven't as of yet. I just wanted to tell you how cool I thought that was that you're doing it! Where's the ride you're doing?

[Kimbercook]

I have done the MS ride three times ('93-95). It sounds like you are already dedicated to training so that is the biggest step. I don't know what kind of start you will have, but we always liked to be one of the first ones to go. Mentally, it makes you feel better. Wear good bike shorts!!! At the end of our first day, they had complimentary massages you could sign up for which you may need. There was also a big dinner & dance Saturday night. If you have the same, eat lightly and go to bed early. Getting back on your bike the next morning is always painful. Enjoy yourself! :)

[Mary G]

way to go Dana! I, too, am training for a big ride. Mine is the National Bike Ride for the Family, raising $ for Focus on the Family, and is 250 miles over 3 days. I've been trying to get rides in for training as well, and the ride is coming up at the end of August. (wow, that's fast!)

Anyway, in my (brief) experience (...I also, have not done a ride like this before!) you are doing it right! Get those rides in. Also, it's important that after a long day of riding, to get back on that bike the next day...even if it's only for 10 miles.

As for all the sports drinks and such, I haven't really gotten into all that. Hopefully, that won't come back to haunt me!:eek: Just the good ol' water, and perhaps some snacks (dried fruit and choc chips for me!). I have found that since I have to commute and hour to work and back, if I get the rides in early in the morning, I'm more likely to do them. Otherwise, in the evening, it's time for dinner, and then before you know it, time for bed!

Hope that helps...I think you are going to be more ready for your ride than I am for mine! Keep it up! ;)

[SusanT]

The MS150 is a blast! Make sure you do a couple of long rides back to back to get used to doing long mileages in a short time span. You might also want to do some regular road riding so you get used to riding around traffic.

I also second investing in good bike shorts. Buy yourself a couple of really cute jerseys.

Have a great time!

[daner94]

Emily- its from Conyers to Athens and back. We have been training at the Silver Comet Trail- have you been? It's in Cobb, and its a paved over railroad line-- very peaceful and beautiful. You might enjoy it if and when you train for your next marathon!

Mary G- wow- 250 miles, that is incredible, good luck and let us know how it goes! I bought some Gatorade for the 1st time ever and after 25 miles it helped a lot, I felt sooo much better. Water alone is just not enough. I also have been eating Luna bars afterward. I am wary about straight sugary snacks, want a little protein.

Kimbercook- we were hoping that there were massages afterwards! And there is a big dinner that night as well.

I am going to look for good biking shorts and a gel cover for my seat- my legs are fine, not really sore, but my poor tush is aching. I have to sit on something padded the whole next day. Also, we are going to do back to back rides on Labor Day weekend to see how it feels.

I can't wait to hit 50 miles in one day.

[food girl]

Dana,
Way to go! You will have so much fun! I have done several of these types of rides and I always have fun though sometimes the fun part is at the finish :)


As far as seats go, the main mistake many people make is to buy a soft, squishy seat. Your body should be supported on your sit bones or more technically, your ichium. If you rely on your soft tissues, as you will with a soft seat, you will end up sore as can be. But you can also have a seat that is too hard and too wide.
I am now on my 4th different seat after about 5000 miles of riding so I consider myself somewhat of an expert on tush pain!

The first seat was a gel seat . . . so nice . . . so soft . . . but my bottom stilll hurt.

New bike and a new seat that came with the bike . . . so small . . . so very hard . . . now the front and the back hurt ifyaknowwhatamean!

Seat # 3 a Terry seat, firm but with the hole in the middle. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah - until I started chafing like crazy. The seat was more for "touring" i.e. short rides like <30 miles

Seat # 4 Terry butterfly (the $70 version, not the $100 version) True relief....finally.

So, go to a bike shop, plunk your bike on a trainer and try out some seats. You will get lots more joy from your rides!

Lisa

[MaryH]

:cool:

Having completed 111 miles in Tucson last November for the Leukemia Society, here are my humble tips. Eat, eat, eat while you ride. Power bars, gels, hard boiled eggs, whatever it takes. Even if your stomach doesn't really want it, get in the habit now so it won't be new on the big ride.

Second, make your last long ride at least 2 weeks before the event and only do about 110-120 miles (if your big ride is 150). If you do more or you do it a week before the event you won't give your body the time it needs to recover. Two weeks will help you "peak" at the right time. And let me tell you, when you finish that 110 or 120 miles, you'll know you can do it, and 150 will seem like "nothing" (mentally that is, your rear might feel a bit different).

Third, ride, ride, ride and drink lots of water. The more training you do now, the easier it will be later.

Finally, when the hills just seem really bad start singing (either out loud or to yourself depending on your riding parteners) 99 beers on the wall as you pedal up and see how far down you get when you reach the top!!

Good luck!