mguerra Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 The Hotter 'n Hell 100 is the biggest 100 mile bike ride in the country, held every year 9 days before Labor Day, in Wichita Falls, Texas. This was the 30th anniversary ride and the hottest it's ever been, 109 -111 depending on the weather station you pick. There were over 14,000 riders this year. Anybody on this board ever done it? It was my first century ride, at age 56, and it was the most brutally hot unbelievable inferno you could imagine. People were dropping like flies, some took the sag wagon back to town and some took the ambulance. I've never been so hot in my life, on the verge of collapse once or twice. Fortunately there were rest stops every ten miles for the first eighty miles and then about every 5 miles for the last twenty. I made good use of those to recuperate enough to get to the next one! So yours truly finished, vertical and in the saddle, and not last. I was well pleased to see a bunch of twenty somethings being drug in by the sag wagon, while I plodded on. My group started at 0620 and I finished at 1625, long after I anticipated. My average speed across the road was good, but I had to spend at least 20 to 30 minutes each at the last 4 or 5 rest stops to sufficiently cool off to continue. And at least ten minutes each at the rest stops from mile 20 to mile 80. If you have never done it but are considering it, DON'T! Well, that's what my friends and family kept telling me all year, but what the hell do they know? Apparently they know more than I thought. I did manage to stay properly hydrated and with a good electrolyte balance, but I didn't eat enough. I figure I put out about 8,000 plus calories but only ate 600. That's OK to do in an endurance event, as you can mobilize fat for energy, but I would have finished stronger by eating about 2,500 calories. Well, for all the cyclists here in the group I thought I would just beat my chest a little, but I know some of ya'll have finished century rides a lot stronger than I did. But maybe not in the 110 degree heat!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted August 30, 2011 Report Share Posted August 30, 2011 Re: Hotter 'n Hell 100, 2011 Let me be the first to congratulate you.. If your posts start to sound a bit loopy I'll just figure you cooked your noggin a bit.. I'm guessing this is just one of things you only have to do once in life. I think I'd rather do the polar bear thing... Congrats again.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcnich Posted August 31, 2011 Report Share Posted August 31, 2011 Re: Hotter 'n Hell 100, 2011 Congrats Michael, a physical challenge can be very rewarding. I know you feel good about yourself finishing a grueling event like that. I go to the gym 4 to 5 days a week, i find that even those mornings that i just dont feel like it and go anyway, i feel much better when i leave the gym! Getting harder at 60 though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
