Training Ride THIS Saturday (Oct 5, 2013)

Hey Nov 2 Crew (aka... Roundabout Century Riders)!

This Saturday, Oct 5, 2013 is the first of 3 planned group training rides for the Roundabout Century Ride.  This Saturday's training ride ends with the DC brewery tours and tastings!  Even if you have not yet signed-up for the Roundabout Century yet, please feel free to join the training ride!

Matt will be emailing details about the training ride later this week. We'll likely leave around 9am but   Update: We meet at 8am Saturday. Matt will have that info.

This is a great chance to not only get those miles on your legs but have some fun enjoying the DC local breweries.  What could be better!  The training ride (including the brew tour) is planned for approx 50 miles.  Of course we do not advocate drinking and biking but it's just a tasting!  : )

Sign-Up/Donate:
And, please, if you can, it would be great if you can sign-up/donate before the training ride this Saturday. If you can't make it to the training ride, please go ahead and register online this week by making the $100 donation to Calvary Women's Services.

Health Benefits of Cycling and sometimes...

Cycling is fun, of course.  And healthy, of course. But this healthy?!  Did you know that cycling:

• Builds stamina
• Is one of the easiest ways to exercise
• Builds strength and muscle tone
• Eats up calories
• Improves heart health
• Reduces stress
• Improves coordination
• Improves cardio-vascular fitness

And, sometimes riding a bike for many hours over long periods of time can lead to certain issues... Take a look at this article: Bike Fitting: Who would benefit from a bike fit? Might be worth it.  Andre has been working with a local DC bike fitter that seems to be tweaking some specific areas and helping out.  More to come on that.

Ride Tip: Eat eat eat...

It's very important to eat during a long ride because you will be burning calories and your
body needs that energy to continue riding.

A very simple rule of thumb (which can vary from person to person) is to consume approx. 250 calories per hour of riding.  As an example, a PowerBar Performance Energy bar is 240 calories.  So that equals approx. 1 bar every hour of riding. Typically an hour of riding is every 15-20 miles (depending on your mph average).  So that's makes it really simple, eat a bar every break and you should be all set.

Other people prefer to put those carbs and calories in their drink mix and drink throughout the ride.

Others' prefer the natural method:  fruit (bananas, apples, oranges) peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

And other's prefer to mix all of the above.

Bottom line, find what works best for you and don't forget to eat throughout the ride!!

Ride Safety and Ride Day

It's always important to be reminded of bike safety.

For ride day be sure to bring:

• Front and rear blinking lights
• Wear bright clothing
• Helmet (mandatory for the ride)
• Signal with hands and verbally when slowing or stopping on your bike
• Signal left and right turns
• Point out road holes, railroad tracks, etc for riders behind you

We'll not necessarily be riding like a cycling group on the Tour de France (so super close together) but we'll be riding as a couple groups most likely.  Be sure to keep enough distance between you and the rider in front of you.

Pay attention to what's happening around you.

Have a blast and be safe!!  : )

Additional Brewery Tour and Tasting on Training Ride

New DC Brew? - Some possible good news for the upcoming first group training ride - Matt may be adding an additional new DC brewery to taste and tour. Yippee!  Bike and beer, what could be better.

Watch for details to come soon! The first group training ride is Saturday, Oct 5.

Take a break!

We'll take a break every 15-20 miles on the ride to eat, hydrate and stretch a little, too! We'll take a longer lunch break approx half way through the ride.  :)

Here are some good cycling stretching guides.

Training Tip: Electrolytes

Training Tip:  More than Just Water

On longer rides it's important to not only hydrate with water but to add electrolytes and/or other carbohydrates and other good stuff for the body.

I like Ultima Replenisher Orange in my water.  You can purchase online or stop by Fleet Feet in Adams Morgan in DC.

Rider Spots Available

There are still spots available for the Roundabout Century Ride.  Do you know someone that would be interested in riding and supporting a good cause?

Just let Gillian or Matt know so we can be sure to get them the necessary info!

Ride Update

Roundabout Century Ride Update:  Great news! We'll have at least 1 support car if not 2 drivers with us on the ride that day.  So the previously unsupported ride is now a supported ride!   We'll have our own SAG Wagon.  Thanks and shout out to Michelle! 

Training Tip: Get miles on those legs

Training Tip:  Keep Pedaling and enjoy the ride

One of the best training tips someone told me when I began riding long distances and training for a long distance cycling ride was this:  "Just get miles on those legs".

Ride to work if you can, ride on the weekends or when you have a few hours available.  Increase miles over time. 

Most importantly, enjoy the ride!

Training Tip: Hydrate

Training Tip:  Hydrate, start now

Even though the weather is not super hot these days, it's important to continue to hydrate (drink water) each and every day.  That way on training and the Nov 2 century ride, you'll be in great shape.

Here is some additional hydration information from Performance Bikes. 

Sign-up and donate

Please use this donation link that directs you to Calvary Women's Services secure donation page.

Important Instructions:  In the COMMENTS section of the donation form, be sure to type "ROUNDABOUT CENTURY".  This will ensure the donation is credited to you and the ride.

If you'd like to make your payment with a check, please make it out to "Calvary Women's Services", bring it to the training ride and give it to either Gillian or Matt.

Thank you!

Upcoming Training Rides

Hello November 2 crew.

1.       Trail Ride and Brewery Tour 1:  Saturday, October 5.  Leave at 9am.  50 mile ride (which we could extend to more miles at the end, if you want). We'll have the cue sheet over the next weeks! (Matt and Gillian will both do this – heck it involves beer and maybe gin). This will be on a lot of trails around the city with greenspace all around. It will end with a tour of three (or four) of DC’s breweries.

2. Training Ride 2:  Sunday, October 20. Leave at 8:00 a.m.   Ride the W&OD trail to Ashburn, VA and back.  70 mile ride. (Matt will do this, if someone wants to join)

3. Training Ride 3: (Sunday or Saturday October 26/27). Leave at 8:00 a.m. Ride the W&OD trail to Ashburn, VA and back.  70 mile ride. (Gillian will do this)

For the last two rides, we could stretch it out further. You can (of course) join one or all of the training rides. Let me know if you can go to one or all. . . 

Gillian is working on the final details of the route for the Nov. 2 Century.  If you know of others who would like to join, please put them in touch.

Matt

Roundabout Century

Roundabout Century is a 100 mile century cycling event from Washington, DC to Annapolis, Maryland returning to Washington, DC.  The event is a fundraiser raising needed funds for shelter and services for women in Washington, DC.  100% of every dollar raised will go directly to Calvary Women's Services.  The ride will leave from Washington, DC head to Annapolis, Maryland on roads and bike routes, through parks and on streets and back to DC.  We are existed to launch the event and excited to ride with some many great people.  Ride strong! Ride Date: Saturday, November 2.