Team Moose Tracks

Remember the Double Your Gift Challenge -- Get Cool Moose Tracks Stuff

Reminder #2: Just wanted to remind all visitors about the gift matching challenge we currently have going on and the opportunity to receive some Moose Tracks items as thank yous.  You can get all the details on the program in my earlier post.

I Rode a Century

Last Tuesday (May 17) I rode a century by myself.  I took a day off work and went up a local trail (25 miles), back again, and repeated.  I just wanted to see if I could do it before our first "big event" on June 4. 

I'm just getting my notes together, but thought I'd share with you all what I learned:

There's not much difference between mile 30 and mile 80.  After awhile, it's just all pain. :-)

You need to eat and drink a lot.  I felt better almost immediately each time I had something to eat.

Change at the halfway point.  I was soaked with sweat by mile 50, and it was good that I had an extra change of clothes in my car.  It made miles 51 thru 100 not as bad as they could have been.

Adrenaline helps some.  From mile 50 to mile 80, I could see that I was going to make it, and that gave me an extra boost.  Miles 81 thru 100 were tough, though, as I was close, but not close enough.

Go out slow.  If you ride the first 50 too fast (which I didn't), you'll deplete all your energy.

Work as a team.  I did this ride alone, but when I've drafted back and forth with others, I've had an easier time of it.

Hope these tips help.  I'll try to keep them in mind as the first "official" century is only eight days away.

Strategy for a Century, Part 4

My fourth strategy tip for a century ride is to: ride the second 50 miles faster than the first 50.

Said in another way, this means: don't start off too fast, waste your energy, then dog it the last half of the ride.

I've seen what can happen when a person goes out too fast and then fades at the end, and it's not good. I want to make sure I have something left for the second part of the ride.

Strategy for a Century, Part 3

My third strategy tip for a century ride is to: eat the right foods before, during, and after the ride.

In fact, a previous post I wrote about this topic says it all.

Update on Strategy for a Century

In an earlier post, I said I either needed a new bike or new tires to improve my performance.  Well, I got both!  I bought a Trek 1200 (road bike) that should be a LOT easier to ride for 100 miles -- as long as my back and rear end hold out.  :-)

Remember the Double Your Gift Challenge -- Get Cool Moose Tracks Stuff

Just wanted to remind all visitors about the gift matching challenge we currently have going on and the opportunity to receive some Moose Tracks items as thank yous.  You can get all the details on the program in my earlier post.

What I Learned on My Long Ride

If you saw Friday's post, you know that I was supposed to take the day off to see how far I could ride in one day, learn where I stand in my conditioning, and just get a feel for what it will take to ride 100 miles.  Here's what happened:

*It rained and we had thunderstorms that day (that's Michigan in spring for you)

*I didn't ride my long ride

*I rode instead on my indoor trainer

I hope to have a really long ride soon.  I'll keep you posted.

Strategy for a Century, Part 2

Second strategy point for riding a century: Ride as close to a one-day, 100-mile ride as I can before the event itself.

A big part of a century is in your mind -- thinking you can do it.  I want to go one step farther and actually know I can do it (or at least get close) before the event.  So I've taken off two days (today and next Friday) and will be riding somewhere in the 75 to 100-mile range each day.  If nothing else, I'll learn a lot -- what I feel like at certain points in the ride, what I do need and don't need to bring, etc.  I'll let you know how it went on Monday's post.

Strategy for a Century, Part 1

Four members of Team Moose Tracks (Scott, Brian, Bill, and me) are going to be riding in a century (100 miles) before the "official" ride on July 16.  Our date is June 4, so obviously we've been training fairly hard the past couple of weeks. But even as important as training is strategy, so I thought I'd take the rest of this month and post an item every other day or so about the strategy I'll be using on June 4.

First strategy point: Get a better bike and/or tires. 

I've been training on my Specialized Expedition comfort/hybrid bike for the past several months, but advice from experienced bikers says that at a minimum I need thinner tires (less resistance) to make the ride better all the way around.  If possible, I need a road bike -- that would be the best solution of all.  So what will I do?  Stay tuned.

Your Gift to The Sparrow's Nest Will Be Doubled -- Plus Get Some Great Stuff

Here are a couple exciting announcements:

For the next month (or until we raise an extra $10,000, whichever comes first), every donation made on this site will be doubled!  That's right, doubled!  We have a donor who's put up $10,000 in matching monies, so that every $1 you give to The Sparrow's Nest becomes $2, every $10 becomes $20, every $100 becomes $200, and so on.  There's no better time to give than now.

When you give, you can get some free stuff.  Our main sponsor, Moose Tracks ice cream, has donated some items that we can give away to people who donate to our effort.  Obviously, the values of these items are not anywhere near the donations requested, however they do represent a way for us to say thank you (similar to the way PBS does it).  To get your items, here's what you need to do:

1. Click on this PDF document to see the items available and their requested donation amounts. Download gifts_for_donations.pdf

2. Select the gift(s) you like.

3. Make the requested donation using your credit card or PayPal account by clicking on the "Make a Donation" button on the right side of the homepage.  If you prefer to pay by check, skip this step and go to #4.

4. Send us an email telling us your choice of gift items and if you've already contributed via PayPal or if you'd like to pay by check.

5. If you used PayPal, we'll verify your donation, then send you instructions on how to claim your gift.  If you prefer to pay by check, we'll give you instructions on how to do so.

It's that simple. Two great reasons to give to help orphans in Latvia!  Please consider making a donation today.  Thank you.

If you're visiting from Outside the Beltway, welcome!  Thanks for stopping by!