2016 Indian Head 100.

Sorry, I didn’t pick up on that. Yeah, that does seem deferent, then.

That was the best century I’ve done yet – the course was well-marked (I loved how some signs had mileage to the next rest station), they had FIVE aid stations with three on the back half (where you’re living aid station to aid station) and the volunteers were awesome. Best $25 I’ve ever spent and puts the spendy $$$ events to shame.

Finally got my nutrition dialed in too – I do best with liquid calories so I made sure to bring single serve scratch labs packets and had two cups of gatorade at each rest stop without fail. Never once felt bonk-y or drained. (Nor did I carry five pounds of extra food I didn’t need…)

@LeprosyStudyGroup 145406 wrote:

Sad to not have spotted Rod, I would have carefully approached him with a pbj sandwich and soft cooing noises, and hope he didn’t take my hand off with the first bite.

According to flyby, he passed us at about the first rest stop.

@Steve O 145423 wrote:

According to flyby, he passed us at about the first rest stop.

Oh sorry I missed you all! Since I hadn’t paid I just took water (even that I felt guilty about), so I was in and out of the rest stops quickly. After Pastor Darin Poullard, (a Strava friend for a few years who I’d never met in person) introduced me to a volunteer, Robert Smith, Robert enthusiastically tried to give me food even though I told him I wasn’t registered. That made me feel better about crashing the party but I declined the offer. Disappointed that I couldn’t purchase the lunch after reading on the ride’s Facebook page that it would be available to non-riders for ten bucks. Had a great time, saw a few friends but no one from here.

@Rod Smith 145458 wrote:

Had a great time, saw a few friends but no one from here.

I got to ride with most of the forum regulars who were in attendance. I was introduced to consularrider. I was also in the presence of Amalitza, who I did not know was Amalitza until Steve O told me on the car ride home, because I am super terrible at introducing myself to people I don’t know.

I did not get my sleepy-head, non-morning-person self up and moving in time to leave my house before 7, so it was 8 by the time I got there, got checked in, and started riding. I (rightly, per strava flyby) assumed everyone I knew would already be out riding. I did relatively minimal stopping at rest stops (though I made time for breakfast sandwiches at stop 1, tomato sandwiches at stop 3 and slushies at stop 5– I love that there is real food and not just snacks on this ride!) so I guessed (again, rightly, per strava flyby) that I might catch up with people along the way. I apparently passed everybody (except Rod) and saw nobody, despite looking for you all. This shows how observant I am I guess. I would have thought I would at least see and recognize Tania and her Warbird, but no… even though she said she saw me. Fast Friendly Guy found me at the last rest stop and pulled me most of the way back (he lives up to his name– he is both fast and friendly), then we saw everyone else after the ride. Hi everyone else!

I had an awesome ride, the weather was great, and unlike last year I am now fast enough to latch on to the random paceline (though not the fastest ones just yet). Which was fun!

Prior to doing Reston last week, I had totally forgotten that I’d changed the gearing on my road bike since last year’s centuries. In the middle of Reston, I suddenly remembered VERY CLEARLY that last year I had a 12-32 cassette and currently have an 11-25. I did a lot of grumbling to myself about that last week. Luckily these hills weren’t quite as steep so there was only one hill where I was complaining to myself about my gearing choice.

@Amalitza 145474 wrote:

Luckily these hills weren’t quite as steep so there was only one hill where I was complaining to myself about my gearing choice.

By the cemetery immediately before a rest stop? Yeah. I had a 32 cassette and that was the only hill where I was truly hurting.

(I put a 36 on last night for Civil War this Saturday – judge me all you like but I’d rather spin spin spin than suffer.)

@Tania 145582 wrote:

By the cemetery immediately before a rest stop? Yeah.

Suffering up that hill last year was exactly what prompted converting my old road bike to a 52/42/30 triple with 13-29 in the rear. Sadly I didn’t make it back this year to tackle it again with the new setup. (And some adjustment is still required, it keeps dropping the chain.)

No judgment here.