200 mile supported bike ride

^^^^^^
Congrats, and good luck!!!!
I have never done it, out of fear. Pace yourself for there is no obvious reason to do it quickly. I have to imagine your greatest obstacles are bonking and monotony. Set your computer/phone up so it puts you on a regular schedule to eat and drink, regardless of your perception, and find a good group to ride with to build some camaraderie.

Total 200 is a very epic ride.

I think a few people on here (@Tim_Kelley, others?) have done this one a few times. I did it once — in 2013. I have heard that the course last year was actually much better. That’s good, because I didn’t think the course in 2013 was all that great — think lots of riding along quasi highways, with hot summer sun reflecting off the pavement. That route wasn’t especially scenic.

Here was my report from that year: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?5230-Total-200-Advice-and-Roll-Call&p=57373#post57373

In short: I found the ride very difficult, probably the most difficult ride I’ve done, because I seem to have an especially hard time managing overheating / cramping. For me that ride was significantly harder than Diabolical Double or Wilderness 101. Honestly, Diabolical Double was an absolute blast that I look forward to doing again. Wilderness 101 was a bit anti-climactic; lots of gravel-road miles made it a bit boring on the MTB.

Edit: I note that they’ve stuck with the earlier date (June vs. July), so that’s encouraging that it won’t be as hot again this year. That + the new route may tempt me to do this again! — But not this year.

Good luck, Liz! If you flip back a page on hozn’s link, you will see my event report. Hopefully that will help you avoid some of the pitfalls that I dove headlong into. Jason B is right; pace yourself and don’t let the excitement carry you away to an overly fast pace at the start.

I also found the route in 2013 a bit challenging — haven’t checked out the new route, but hopefully it is better. Outfit your bike with as many water bottles as possible because it was hard to find water between rest stops. I will also hope the weather behaves for you.

Liz M.

@ejwillis62 111452 wrote:

Thanks liz M. I am just going to be realistic, if at mile 125 I feel like it is too much I will stop. I am crazy but not nuts. Somehow I think there is a distinction. Who knows, I have read some accounts of it and it does seem daunting. We will see how I do, as long as I do more than 125 it will be a new record for me and that will be exciting. As for going out to fast that never seems to be a problem for me I will have to go out fast enough. I just plan on seeing if I can complete the challenge if not, no big deal.

Note that that they don’t have this year’s route up yet, but in the past you had to make your mind up more like mile 60 since I think that’s where the two routes split just after rest stop #2. I preferred the 2014 route over the 2013 version.

For anyone doing this, the charity partner is Mundo Verde PCS, which is where my kids go. It’s a bilingual-immersion expeditionary learning school with an environmental focus, and had the 2nd longest wait list in DC this year. The bike racks are overflowing every day with bikes from staff, longtails doing drop off, and kids’ bikes who rode themselves to school. We love it.