Metric Century (100km) or Full Century Ride (100 miles)

[Shawn Gossman]

When it comes to setting goals, do you aim for the achievement of a metric century?

Or do you push the limits with a full century ride?

When was the last time you did either or?

 

[Rom]

When it comes to setting goals, do you aim for the achievement of a metric century?

Or do you push the limits with a full century ride?

When was the last time you did either or?

I try to get atleast one metric in a weekend. the full century is a less often occurance, but as the weather comes in i will be moving my weekend metric to a weekend full

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Here lately I have been trying for a full century a year.

I did one on my MTB on Tunnel Hill in 2022 and the Illinois TransAm ride last year.

This year I want to do something on gravel.

 

[Rom]

Here lately I have been trying for a full century a year.

I did one on my MTB on Tunnel Hill in 2022 and the Illinois TransAm ride last year.

This year I want to do something on gravel.

gravel is just so slow and a 100 miles on gravel is an all day event.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

gravel is just so slow and a 100 miles on gravel is an all day event.

100 miles on tunnel hill with my heavy 29er was a little over a 12 hour event lol

 

[Rom]

100 miles on tunnel hill with my heavy 29er was a little over a 12 hour event lol

That's miserable. Only way I can justify a day that long is if I'm going somewhere.

 

[darylm]

Definitely do a metric century first if you have never done one. My legs were total rubber after my first but after a couple years of training and experience I can do a gravel imperial century (i.e. Unbound) with not much difficulty

 

[Shawn Gossman]

That's miserable. Only way I can justify a day that long is if I'm going somewhere.

It was fun but it sucked.

About 2 miles in, debris got in my eye. It bothered me the entire ride and gave me partial blindness for a few days after. It was pretty bad but turned out to only be a temporary problem. I forgot my safety glasses that day. Bad mistake.

It took a long time. Started in the dark, ended in the dark.

First century ride in 8 years, too!

I did it just to prove to myself I can do it

While I regret forgetting my safety glasses, I definitely don't regret doing the ride!

I'd like to do it again but on my gravel bike haha

 

[Rom]

Sounds like a good end of summer goal

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Sounds like a good end of summer goal

Yeah!

 

[Rom]

Yeah!

Let me know if you do it. I have no problem taking a pull or 2

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Let me know if you do it. I have no problem taking a pull or 2

For sure. last time we did it, we had a nice group of us doing it., More the better!

 

[618Gravel]

Well I like to do a full century at least once a month and a few metrics along the way however work or rain seems to keep getting in the way. Maybe you can tag along sometime. lol

 

[darylm]

If you want to get better engagement, at least occasionally, I'd recommend posting such a ride to Strava. It might even be cool to have a "Bike Southern Illinois" Strava club (it's free!)

 

[Shawn Gossman]

If you want to get better engagement, at least occasionally, I'd recommend posting such a ride to Strava. It might even be cool to have a "Bike Southern Illinois" Strava club (it's free!)

I definitely post all my rides to Strava I think I have Southern Illinois Cycling or something on there as well.

 

[darylm]

I definitely post all my rides to Strava I think I have Southern Illinois Cycling or something on there as well.

I poorly worded that, I mean Strava "events". There is Southern Illinois Cyclists Carbondale, Southern Illinois Bicycling Du Quion, and Southern Illinois Bicycling Carbondale on Strava!