Auction Flyer

BID IT TO BEAT IT: AUCTION ITEMS FOR ASHLEIGH FUNDRAISER

Greetings, one and all! We are still accepting donations for the auction we are hosting on Sunday, Dec. 7th (just in time for holiday shopping). To date, here is a sampling of some of the items that will be up for auction:

ITEM                                                                                      RETAIL VALUE

Pair of ceramic Mexican canisters

Signed, matted and framed Artists Lithograph                        $350

Dutch handpainted ceramic tiles (4)                                        $20/each

Quilt (wall hanging)

National Geographic DVD set

Complete DVD set “The West Wing”

Hand beaded pouch                                                                $165

Waterford crystal vase

Waterford crystal candleholder

Waterford crystal

Pewter beer stein

Rudy “Sterling” bicycle helmet                                              $250

Bicycle saddle                                                                        $90

Vase                                                                                       $25

Personal training with Heather Rider (2 avail)                       $100/each

Glittery golden holiday wreaths w/lights (2 avail)                 $40/each

Armani “Maui Jim” Sunglasses in Case                                $250

Texas sampler: salsa, Texas pecans, etc                                $32

90-Minute massage (Areena)                                                $85

Espresso machine

Ceramic dishes: 2 bowls, teapot

Hitch rack, 2 bicycle

Massage (Rachel Samuels)                                                    $100

Moroccan chair                                                                      $125

Coleman stove

Hand-crank radio

Roof Racks for kayaks

Wild Birds Unlimited bird seed coupon                                $25

Computer bag

Moroccan “poof” (small floor pillow)

Private bellydance lesson for one or two students

Tennis rackets (2)

Gray wool coat

Assorted handbags/purses

Wine rack, wooden

Small wood dresser

Set of photos, NM churches, beautifully framed

Handmade glass plate, large                                                 $50

Handmade glass plate, small                                                $25

Glass coasters with bicycle image, set of 4                           $35/set

Assorted new cookbooks

Normal Rockwell plates, perfect condition

Martha Washington plate, perfect condition

Glass/tile art piece                                                                 $220

Met. Museum of Art framed horse poster

Backpack

Kid's Desk

Mahogany Headboard

Jewelry (assorted)

Baby/Toddler items in excellent condition

Brand new Fuji Silhouette 1.9 Disc, 17" Bicycle                $489

More items come in daily, and many are not listed above. The auction will be Sunday, December 7th at La Plancha, in the La Tienda Center in Eldorado. Doors open at 5:00 PM; if you would like to have dinner, you must RSVP to Chandler at the shop (466-4181) or on her cell (603-6112). La Plancha is donating proceeds from the evening to the fundraising efforts.  Entertainment will be provided by the Khans and Beth of the band Sadaqah and a variety of raqs sharki belly dancers. Come one, come all, and join us in this celebration of life!

VIVA CROSS VEGAS!

Whew -- I think that was one of the hardest -- if not the hardest -- races I have ever raced. Certainly the most intimidating. Nothing like riding at Cross Vegas!

Kirk raced last year; his race was the men's open which started at about 5:00 PM in roughly 103 degree Las Vegas heat. The grass was dry and thick, and I am fairly certain half of it was plastered to his face when he finished. He had fun, but the heat was terrible -- terrible enough that he opted to race the industry-only Wheelers and Dealers race this year. Race time was a considerably cooler 7:00 PM.

I didn't race last year. I remember watching with a mixture of relief and a little disappointment. Only a little though; it was hot just standing at the sidelines watching. (Well, no, one doesn't stand in one place -- one clambers all over the course watching from different vantage points and being at the side of the course at your racer's passing as much as possible to yell encouragement.) Plus I never would consider riding the women's open category, and that was the only option for women.

Until this year. This year a women's category was added to the Wheeler and Dealers race. How could I not? After all, I don't really race; I just go for a bike ride with people I know (or in this case, don't and most likely will never see again.) And for me it's just a matter of riding the features better and hopefully faster with each lap. So on the day registration opened, we both signed up. Race day was roughly six weeks out.

In the interim a couple things happened. First, I remembered that the prior year's course had at least one flyer-over in it. A fly-over is a man-made structure with either a ramp up one side and down the other, or stairs up one side and a ramp down the other. Either way, the mere idea of a fly-over became an insomnia-generating monolith. It was huge in my 3 AM brain -- more like a half pipe the Xtreme sports competitors ride on snowboards or skate boards.  In my mind the top was a vertical wall with a 90 degree angle at the top, and I knew that couldn't be how they were because the bike would hit the corner at the bottom bracket. . . but at 3 AM, semantics are not negotiable. My worry was (of all things) the ride up; stairs up, no prob. The ride down -- well, hopefully I would survive. It was the ride up that was the worry.

In addition, I got a new "A" bike, a Fuji. (In cross, the serious racers try to have two bikes, "A" and "B". The "A" bike is your primary racing bike; your "B" bike is set in the pit for an fast bike change should you flat or have some other mechanical.) It's a beauty; black with some turquoise and red details, it is a 1x11 speed, light weight, hydraulic disc brakes. It arrived in the shop on Saturday. My first ride on it was at the cross clinic Sunday. We left for Vegas on Monday. I noticed immediately how different the center of gravity was on it, compared to my Redline -- now my "B" bike. The Fuji is a smaller frame and fits me better. Once I figured out the subtle differences, it was an easy, joyful transition. At the clinic I played with it, got the "feel" for it. Then we hit the road.

My next ride on the Fuji was Tuesday morning in Flagstaff, Arizona. Kirk found a lovely, easy trail for us to ride, getting us a little saddle time the day before the race. Swoopy, non-technical single track on a fabulous solid surface, it was a wonderful way to get some more time in on the the new bike.

Then it was race time.  Mike, our rep from Polar Bottle, pulled up next to us in the parking lot (surprise!), every one got their bikes ready, changed into kit, pinned race numbers, and headed over to the course. Kirk knew I was apprehensive about the fly-overs, so the plan was to ride the course in a leisurely manner. We put the "B" bikes in the pit, and entered the course from that point.

Grass, lots n lots of grass. So far, so good -- up some hills, down some, nothing I can't handle. On the back there was a fairly steep grassy hill. I am usually pretty good at climbing but even on the pre-ride I got off to run it. We got to the first fly-over, and voila! Keeping up some speed and looking at the top -- where I wanted to go -- it was no prob. It didn't even make me nervous. Whew. Relief! We kept pre-riding, and I was very aware of how hard I was working, how hot it was, how much grass there was.

Lots n lots n lots of grass.  . .

We rode about 3/4 of the course, then pulled off to get some water. I was feeling pretty apprehensive as we sat on the grass and drank cold water, and started noticing that most of the gals that I saw on bikes were pretty young. Like the age of my oldest daughter. Like 20. Hmmm.

Then it was time to gather at the start. The men's Wheelers & eaters group was maxed out at 150 riders.  That's a lot of guys on bikes. All ages. All types, fitness levels, experience levels. Generally more fit and experienced than not, but quite the variety. The ladies gathered at the back, and I quickly took a head count (19 including me) and guessed average age (20, except two gals who were probably early 30s). I was very much the mom at the race. That's fine by me, I just asked them to be kind as they passed me! That's what is so awesome about cross: they were all so nice, ready to chat, and happy to mollify me by telling me I'd probably leave them in the dust. Hah! So NOT true!

It seemed like Kirk would never get his call up! He waited, and I waited, and we waited, and finally -- at place 135 or something -- he got his call up. I am unsure how those call-ups worked, but assume it was the prior year's points, years in the sport, greasing the palm (it IS Las Vegas!!) -- who knows.

Just a few guys at the start line…can you say sardines?

I learned later that some of those guys are former cross champions, mountain bike champions, etc. who have retired and become bike shop owners, managers, distributors, anything in the industry. Wow. The competition was pretty fierce.

The guys got their count and did a mini-lap to start their race, sending them past us and out onto the course. We quickly lined up -- no call ups for the 19 of us -- and were sent off on our race fairly unceremoniously with me happily at the back of the pack.

I took off as hard as I could, and was genuinely dismayed to find myself immediately off the back. I really hit it as hard as I could -- but no good. Oh well, I figured I'd just ride my own ride, as always.

So far, so good as I hit the part of the course we didn't pre-ride (mistake!!!!). Up and down rollers, towards a man-made plywood banked turn, but I knew from Kirk that there was flat grass at the bottom at was legal to ride, so I stayed low. Past that there was a run up and some stairs. The pros would ride up those… they were more step ups with sand behind them. I dismounted and started up them, running-- at the top was a hairpin turn, back down the hill -- and I quickly discovered I was so tapped out that I had to pause before I could even consider remounting the bike. I was off the back, so I took the moment, got on the bike, and rode down the hill. It was never to be the same.

To my surprise, this was the hardest part of the course for me. It looked much steeper going down it that night!

From there, one road much grass up a  slight hill, down a left hander onto concrete (I remembered many racers crashing on that bit of concrete the prior year, and the transition from grass to concrete looked sketchy to me, so I took it at a controlled speed and did okay). Once on the pavement, there was a sharp right turn onto grass, and more rollers -- past the pit, more rollers, up that steep climb -- the one I'd dismounted and run on the warm up. From here, one hit the two fly-overs, sand (no prob!!!) and some off-camber slopes.  I was good on all that, and even felt I kept some speed. But damn! It was hard. I was breathing really hard, I was going as hard as I could, and there was no place on the course that allowed any recovery.

One of those 20 year olds I was up against.

My goal went from "not finishing last" to "finishing."

I went through the start/finish and the spectators yelled encouragement. I wanted to yell, "I'm old enough to be any of their mothers!" but knew that only meant something to me. As they say, "no excuses!"

Lap two -- keep going. Shut up, legs! I suddenly saw a guy in front of me. He could have been in ZZ Top. I passed him on a climb -- that's where I usually catch riders if I'm going to -- then he passed me on the descent and turns. We played tag briefly, then I passed him for once and for all.  Okay, I'm not last -- even though he's not actually in my race.

I kept going, very aware of the load I was feeling in my quads. I was pushing so hard! The bike felt great, the handling was great, there was no point on the course where I really was uncomfortable -- except the hairpin on the hill -- but I couldn't seem to make a dent on the gap between me and the last gals, no matter how I tried.

I approach the hairpin turn on lap 3. I am about used up. I dismount, run the steps up to the top, get there, and can't compute getting back on the bike. I am at the top, facing the roll down and manage to get on the bike. And -- my bad -- I had stopped and was kind of frozen at the top of the hill, right in the best line for other racers. Sure enough, a guy comes up and plows straight into me. I was jolted back into action, sat down on the top tube and rolled down the hill, just to get out of the way. I felt so bad, impacting that guy's race as I did.  I was too brain dead to function there for a moment. Once at the bottom of the hill, I was able to find my pedals, and lift myself up onto the saddle and get rolling.  Geez, that was a drag, to realize how poorly I handled segment of course and that situation.

Slowly I did start to close the gap as the gal ahead of me was losing steam. We started playing tag. As we find so often in cyclocross, as I passed her the first time on a climb, she said to me, "Good job!" These racers are generally so friendly and mutually supportive. On the descent, she catches and passes me. I catch her on the next bit, and then she catches me on the next turn.

Next comes the steep uphill; nearly if not all of the ladies were running it, and I had long decided it was the best way to go for me. I knew it was the best place to catch and pass her, hopefully for the last time. Stick with the strategy: run the bill. I approach the hill, swing my right leg over the saddle, and BAM! I hit a guy right in his chest with my right foot. This guy, right behind me and on my wheel (I was so focused I didn't even know he was there) assumed I was riding the hill (and maybe thought he could draft me as I pulled him along). My dismount was a total surprise to him, and I caught him as I swung my leg over my saddle and his front wheel solidly collided with my rear wheel. He was very apologetic -- but the crash nearly took us both down after the impact. Keeping upright, he passed me and I continued up the hill. The gal I was on the verge of passing was long gone. At the top I remounted, and carried on toward the first fly-over.

The pros riding one of the fly-overs.

As I approach the last section of course, a guy rides past me through the switch-back section and laughing, calls out that I should block the way of the guys behind him. I called back that I doubted I'd be much of a foil -- kept pedaling on, and learned as I approached that with this crossing of the finish I was done. I tried to finish strong with whatever energy was left. As I pedaled down, after being done, spectators held their hands out one after another to give me high fives -- it was so nice to even be acknowledged for being there, and doing that. Thanks, spectators!

I pulled off the course and there was Kirk, talking to one of our local racers, Andrew, who works at Santa Fe distributor BTI. I was so happy to stand there and catch my breath, and listen to them talk about their races.

Kirk's race was challenging from the get-go since he started so far back. He immediately passed a good number of people and plowed onward, through turns, the hairpin,  up the grass, and onto the concrete. It was a place he figured others might grab some recovery and therefore decided to continue going hard, increasing his lead. He hit the concrete, made the right turn and woosh! the rear wheel slid right out. He landed so hard on his right hip he was initially afraid he had broken his pelvis. He sat for a moment to clear his head, then gingerly moved towards standing. Getting back on the bike, and finding he could pedal, he jumped back in.

And even with that crash, he finished 26 in his group (we have no way of knowing relative to the entire 150-strong field where he finished, as they started en mass but finishing placement was broken down into groupings).

Viva Cross Vegas! Will I do it again? Ask me next year. Right now the answer would certainly be no. Unless I learn how to handle that hairpin on the hill. . .

Post Script: So what was the big deal about my Fuji? The gearing. The bike was shipped with, as Kirk put it, gearing for 'a very strong young rider' (imagine that in an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice). It was comparable to taking away the small chain ring on my Redline, and riding with only the big chainring on the front and roughly the same setup on the cassette. In other words, my lowest gear on the Fuji was much, much, much harder than on the Redline.  Since I had not ridden it on any of our usual turf, I had nothing to compare it to, and simply did not notice the difference -- but sure felt it after Cross Vegas. Once I realized that I really DID work that hard at the race, I was pretty proud.  Once home we rode the rail trail, and I was finally able to compare apples to apples by riding a trail I knew well and knew I could ride -- and discovering truly how much hard the Fuji made me work. That'll make ya strong! Did we change it? You better believe it, sheriff.

Pat and Jim Wright's Century Report

Santa Fe Century Ride May 19^th, 2013

At 5:45 Sunday I checked the latest Santa Fe forecast and it looked promising. Zero percent chance of rain, seventy degree temperature and winds only up to 22mph. Next I looked at our outdoor thermometer and it read a reassuring 50 F. When I stepped outside to get our bikes ready I noticed how calm the morning was.

At 6:00 Pat my wife and I road over to SpinDoc to see who was there. We met two riders who were waiting for Kirk to go riding with him. I informed them that Kirk was leaving with a group at 7:00.  So the four of us got onto Interstate 25; once on the Highway we saw a long line of riders ahead of us. I wondered, how can this be it’s only a few minutes after 6:00 and just getting light. The line of riders ahead of us exited onto Old Pecos Trail and went towards St. Vincent Hospital where the official start of the Santa Fe Century is. Pat and I decided to skip the official starting point and coasted down Rodeo Road. We now felt the thrill of being on our way.

The first thing we noticed when we merged with the riders coming from the hospital was there were fewer riders than we saw last year. Also nobody was peddling outdated machinery as they sped along at a fast pace. I saw a lot more police stationed at hazardous intersections. This was reassuring for us because motorists behave better with a large presence of the law.

It was a perfect 31 miles to Madrid, and at the Madrid food stop we met up with some fellow riders who we trained with for the century with last year. The Madrid food stop is the most festive place on the entire ride. Nobody is tired yet and the town of Madrid is like no other, maybe in the whole country. It’s always tempting for me to stay too long just looking at the place -- which is not smart because we know on the day of the century time speeds up.

Fifteen minutes later we started plodding the five mile climb out of Madrid on Highway 14, going next to Golden, New Mexico. “This is one of the most dreaded parts of the trip,” one avid rider said. “I’ll only do this once a year.” From the top of the climb to Heart Break Hill was a lot of easy fast riding. At the Heart Break food stop we took a short rest and visited with some friends. Then we partly rode up the half mile very steep incline of Heart Break.

The ride to Cedar Grove was mostly downhill with a tail wind. This was fantastic until Kirk and Chandler passed us by just a few miles before Cedar Grove; we were then hit in the face with a wall of fast moving air.  By the time we inched our way into the Cedar Grove food stop, dust and sand were blowing over the trail mix and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but no one seemed to notice or care. The good news was after we made our way out of Cedar Grove and turned left the wind was at our backs again all the way to Stanley. It was another fast, easy ride even though it was raining a little as we watched a gigantic dust storm underway to the north of us.

The Stanley food stop was a repeat of what we had in Cedar Grove so we didn’t spent much time visiting or eating dust-covered sandwiches. Upon leaving Stanley tumble weeds were blowing across the road and getting caught in riders’ wheels. Shortly out of Stanley there was a sign that read 18 miles to Galisteo. This was the most challenging part of the ride and when I forgot Chandler’s pace line rule, (don’t stop suddenly without signaling) Pat bumped into me and almost fell over while I was trying to grab the number off my helmet as the wind whisked it away.

It was hard to stay upright let alone make any time, and it was close to three o’clock when we reached Galisteo with the wind still howling. Pat and many others decided to call it quits and sag back. I decided to continue and this was the right decision. The wind riding out of Galisteo was at my back. I smiled to myself as I peddled along at a good clip watching a parade of vehicles passing me by and almost every one of them had a collection of bikes packed in them. When I made the turn onto 285 going north the wind was to my left and had subsided to about 15 miles an hour; there were no tumble weeds blowing across the road to dodge any more. I got back to Spin Doc at 4:25.

How Was Your Century?

We had a great ride yesterday, in spite of the wind.  Saturday was crazy busy both at the shop and at packet pick-up, where Ashleigh and I set up the SpinDoc vendor booth.  Sunday found us feeling a little "flat," and I admit I thought about turning around after passing the half-century turn-off and taking it.

We had a good-sized group leave the shop at 7:00 AM, many doing the half, some doing the full. It was cool so most donned windbreakers as we prepared to leave, but the wind wasn't bad yet and clouds were just rolling in.

After fueling up in Madrid, I felt a little better. I was determined to stay ahead of the curve, and ate and drank at each stop whether I felt like it or not. Shortly after Madrid, we came across a couple having mechanical problems with one of the bikes. Thankfully it was an easy fix; one of our ride companions, Tom, had a multi-tool so Kirk made the repair and before long everyone was back on the road.

The long climb out of Madrid wasn't nearly as tough as I found it last year, but the descent was unnerving as the crosswinds had really picked up. The next challenge was Heartbreak; Kirk rode straight up, Knute made it a bit farther than I before staring to serpentine. I made it about half way, then serpentined the remainder. I think Heartbreak got Tom off finally, and he walked the last bit.

From there we rode to the next aid station, got yet another PB&J, and jumped back on the bikes in anticipation of the one bit of push we were going to get from the wind at that next left turn. Sure enough, we had an amazing, fast and easy ride across to Stanley. It was amazing to be able to ride so fast without any real effort. At that point, too, I was appreciative of the miles passing quickly and easily.

We made the next stop as short as possible -- mostly just topping off bottles, and then keeping the legs moving. Lauren had texted that she had finished the half century, and was resting up at the shop before riding another 10 miles to her dad's house. We were pleased to see it was only shortly after 12 noon at that point.

The wind was tough; it was a full on cross-wind as we took the next left, but as the road curved to the right on occasion we'd get a bit of a push. By the time we got to Galisteo, we were catching up with more and more riders. It was quite the party at Galisteo. As people were petering out, they were resting longer and longer at each stop. We ran into one of the out-of-towners who had rented a bike from us for the ride and snagged one of the few new SpinDoc jerseys that had come in; we had our shop friend Ramon take a picture of us in our new (and original) jerseys.

                                         Tom, Me, Kirk, Knute and new shop friend Craig

The final push from Galisteo to 285 was pretty easy; with it being such a frequent ride, it was nice to know we were on the last leg of the route.  At the bottom of Lamy Hill Kirk and Knute both claimed popsickles, but I didn't feel confident grabbing and eating one on the fly. I felt too tired by then, and that would have required an extra bit of concentration that I was afraid I might not have.

I admit Lamy Hill felt hard, but the descent helped with the final push up 285. It was by far the hardest part of the ride for me. By the time I got to the vet's office I was pretty much used up. Knowing Knute's wife Beth was waiting at the shop with margaritas for us was just the "carrot" I needed for those last few miles.

I am so thankful I got the training I did this year; it made the ride so much more fun. And how was your Century? Please post an entry and let us know!

CENTURY RIDE PREPARATION

CENTURY RIDE PREPARATION

Whether you are riding the 25, the 50 or the entire 100 miles of the Century, the following preparations and suggestions apply.

PREPARE YOURSELF

Practice good nutrition leading into the ride (see the Nutrition hand-out).

Get those miles in leading up to the ride. If you are riding the full Century, you should be able to complete a 70-mile ride before riding the Century.

Plan to get a good night’s sleep Friday night.  Then you won’t feel sleep deprived if nervousness makes sleep difficult the night before.

Of course, do your best to get a good night of sleep the night before. It is not a race so don’t be nervous!

Don’t test ride new clothing or shoes on the ride itself. Tried and true gear is your safest bet.

Make sure your helmet fits properly. If you have had a hard crash in it, it is best to replace it.

The week leading into the Century should be a taper.

For a Sunday Century, we recommend taking Friday off the bike, and doing an easy, short, fun ride Saturday.

It may be cool at the start. If you can ride without leg warmers go without. If you need arm warmers, make sure you have reserved space for them in your jersey pockets when it comes time to stow them.

Santa Fe Prep’s Bike TAP (Teen Action Program) will be providing a valet service to transport personal belongings from Madrid to the finish line at the hospital; anything you might want to unload can be turned over at that time. Don’t forget to reclaim your belongings at the end of the ride!

Use sunscreen at home before putting on arm warmers and/or leg warmers. Don’t forget your face, neck, and the tops of your ears! More is available at all aid stations.

PREPARE YOUR BIKE AND EQUIPMENT

Make sure your bike is ready to go; if you have any doubts, get it serviced.

Don’t plan on riding a new or borrowed bike.

Make certain you have a spare tube, tire levers, and a pump or CO2 and know how to use them.

Inspect your tires for signs of wear.

Lube your bike before you leave home that morning.

THINGS TO TAKE ON THE RIDE

Two water bottles, filled from home

Snacks, a sandwich or two, electrolyte tabs, shots, etc.

Lip balm

In a small zip lock put your cell phone, an ID, a credit card, and a small amount of cash.

THINGS NOT TO TAKE ON THE RIDE

We strongly suggest against using a camel back or other back pack on the Century. It adds a lot of weight to your back and pulls on your shoulders. No matter how adapted to it you are, your body will compensate for carrying it. Over the course of 100 miles, those compensations will start to show up in potentially very uncomfortable areas. Since this ride is supported, you don’t need to carry 8 hours of food and drink for yourself.

You want to carry as little as possible on your body. What you do carry can be stowed as follows:

Saddle bag: spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, CO2 and/or small pump

Bottle cages: two for two bottles, or if on a small frame, plan on stowing one in a jersey pocket or purchase a bar-mount or seat-post mount for a second cage

Bento box: if you need to carry a lot of extra food/nutrition, purchase a bento box for your top tube

Jersey pockets: a sandwich or two, snacks, the zip lock with phone/cash/card/ID (unless it fits in your saddle bag), and lip balm, leaving a pocket or two for a bottle or clothing as it is shed

You do not need a tool kit beyond tire levers and possibly a small multi-tool. Every aid stop is manned by mechanics with a good range of tools. If you break down between aide stops, a SAG wagon will come by and drive you to the next aide station, unless you are opting out of the rest of the ride in which case they will transport your and your bike to the start/finish at the Hospital.

TIPS

Get a good night’s sleep.

Ease into the ride. It is not a race! Pace yourself.

Change your position on the bike often: move your hands around, move your butt around on the saddle. Stand up.

Don’t be surprised when you get back on the bike after a rest stop and your legs feel stiff and heavy. They will warm back up and feel fine in no time.

Always refill your bottles at the rest stops even if they only need a top-off.

Don’t forget your sunglasses!

Apply a high SPF sunscreen before you leave your house.

Lube your chain before you take off on the ride.

Enjoy the ride! You are well trained and prepared, so now sit back and enjoy the scenery and your accomplishment.

NUTRITION: Pre-Ride and During the Santa Fe Century

NUTRITION

Pre-Ride and During the Century

PRE-RIDE NUTRITION

Several days before the Century, you will want to start hydrating. Drink water frequently to ensure hydration on ride day.

Practice good eating habits leading into the Century. You do not need to start consuming lots of extra calories before the ride. Instead, eat a well-rounded diet, supplementing calories on the days of training rides without going overboard. You can use the following chart to get an estimate of calories burned per hour of riding:

Average Speed                                    Coefficient

(mph)                                                            (cal./lb./min.)

15                                                            0.0561

16                                                            0.0615

17                                                            0.0675

18                                                            0.0740

19                                                            0.0811

20                                                            0.0891

21                                                            0.0975

23                                                            0.1173

25                                                            0.1411

Multiply your average speed coefficient by your body weight; multiply that figure by 60 minutes. This is your estimated hourly calorie expenditure. This of course is based on a flat course; you will burn more with climbing.  But it will give you an idea of what you are burning, and therefore what you need to consume in addition to your regular diet on training days. Although you don’t want to go on an aggressive weight loss regimen leading into the Century, you don’t want to add pounds, either. The closer to your ideal weight you are, the better you will perform during your Century ride.

It’s imperative that you practice good nutrition during your training, so your body is counting on those habits come ride day. Your training rides are your opportunity to determine what works for you in terms of consumables. Some people don’t like to eat anything solid, and take in all their calories in drinks. If this includes you, look for energy drinks that include carbohydrates, a little sodium and other electrolytes. If you prefer solid foods, energy bars or protein ‘bites’ might work for you. If you want ‘real’ food, PB&J sandwiches, bananas, oranges, bread products and the like are good choices.  Use your training rides as test runs for these items; see what works for you.

NUTRITION ON THE CENTURY

With supported century rides taking upward of six, seven, or even more hours for many, you will likely be relying on aide stations. The Santa Fe Century aide stations generally offer the following food and drink: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat, bananas, oranges, chex mix, pretzels, water, and Gatorade. While there will generally be something to eat at any given rest stop, we strongly suggest you still come prepared with your own snacks. If you like to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, bring one from home. Gel shots, protein bars, shot blocks and other items are small and densely packed with calories and electrolytes. In our experience, the longer you take to ride the route, the less food may be available at aide stations when you get there.

For those who supplement primarily with drinks, we suggest you plan on taking two bottles. Fill one with plain water, and plan on refilling that bottle at every rest stop – even if you are just topping it off. The other bottle should be mixed with a sports drink like Gatorade or Hammer Heed, Cytomax, or other product, or you can use an endurance mix such as Hammer Perpetuem. Mix it four to five times more concentrated than recommended, almost to a pasty consistency.  As you ride you will take small sips from this bottle, getting your primary hydration from the water bottle. You can start to dilute the mixed bottle at aid stations as you ride if you like. You might also want to take a small zip lock with a second batch of powder to mix into your bottle if you think you might consume the entire bottle before the end of the ride.  Endurance formulas cause lesser blood sugar / insulin spikes and don’t leave you with a sticky mouth.

If you prefer only water for drinking but need to replace electrolytes, Hammer makes an easy-to-swallow capsule called Endurolytes that replaces electrolytes without having to eat or drink them. On a long, hot ride they can make a huge difference.

Again, these are suggestions you should be testing on your training rides. See what works for you (and your stomach) and what doesn’t.

Your goal for hydration is a minimum of one large bottle per hour of riding.

With your nutritional needs sussed out before the Century, you can relax and enjoy your ride knowing you are prepared to sustain the energy you’ll need.