Mike Connolly: First Century of the Year

Well I really wasn't planning on it, but yesterday I got my first century of the year. If someone would have asked me in the morning (or even throughout most of the afternoon) if I was going to ride 100 miles yesterday, I would have told them they were crazy.

Saturday February 7 the temps were supposed to be in the upper 40s in the afternoon (unseasonably balmy for MI in February) and I was feeling pretty good in the morning so I had decided that I was going to do the whole WRCS ride which I was hoping was going to get me 70 miles on the day. That includes 13 miles to the start of the ride, 13 miles home from the ride, and then was hoping for about a 45 mile actual ride. Well the actual ride ended up being about 37 miles so as I was heading back into Royal Oak with a few others I decided that I would go a few extra miles to get my 70. So after everyone else peeled off I headed into downtown Royal Oak with Robert and Alex but instead of turning off once I was close to 70 I decided I would keep going and try for 75 miles instead. So after Robert peeled off I rode Alex home and then decided to head around the Zoo for a few extra miles to get my 75.

I should also interject at this point that earlier as Robert, Alex and I were riding into Royal Oak I jokingly mentioned that if we went down to Detroit to check out the Winter Blast we'd get 100 miles... but then Robert pointed out that lights would be required since it would be getting dark in a couple of hours and I didnt have mine so that pretty much ended that talk.

Also during that portion of the ride Robert let me in on a training secret (ok not really much of a secret but strangely enough a great suggestion) he said that when he is shooting for a certain mileage on a ride and he's close to wrapping up the ride a few miles short of the goal that he would ride past his house and then keep going till he gets half the miles he needs, then turn around. The simplicity of the logic is brilliant really LOL! By the way, there is a reason I am mentioning this.

So back to the ride... I guess that loop around the Zoo was further than I thought, so I ended up with a few more miles than I thought by the time I got back into downtown Royal Oak, so at that point I figured Id keep going to get an even 80 for the day. It was when I was within 2 miles from my house that I started thinking that it might not be this nice out for a while again, I feel good, Ive got nothing I have to do immediately when I get home.... so why not.

I rode into my driveway miles (had 80.4 miles at that point), leaned my bike against my car, went inside and grabbed a warmer hat since temps were starting to fall, had a banana and a clif bar, filled up my water bottle and grabbed my light and headed out the door for a 20 mile ride. I heeded Roberts advice and rode out 10 miles and then turned around and came home. Wouldn't ya know it, his theory worked like a charm!

100.27 miles

6:33:23 ride time

15.2 average speed