In cycling, riding a centruy is riding 100 miles, of late a metric century has also become a term for riding 100km. Typically, you are supposed to train and work up to these kinds of rides, building your distance until you can complete a century. This is a very common goal for most avid cyclists.

Well, today I’ve completed a metric century ride pretty much by accident. As Shirley is working on more Saturdays now and we’re not at the lake, I decided to join FOG, Fast Old Guys, a cycling club here in Winnipeg. The ride leaves from the Perimiter and Main street and has a stated goal of riding at about 35km/hour. What really wasn’t all that clear was how far they were planning on riding. I should have read the small print on the website where it states that rides can go up to 140km.

I arrive at the designated start point and make contact with the club secretary to announce that I’m a first time rider and to hand in my paperwork. I’m withholding the $50 membership until after the ride, just in case I can’t keep up with these guys. I think “old” is becoming more and more subjective. At the start of the ride they were kidding a guy who just turned 50, a spring chicken. Some of these guys looked more like “old” 30-40 year olds, but there was a good representation of grey hair. 29 riders started out on todays ride. I got the basic ride rules and etiquette from the club secretary Rene, a very nice guy who lead the group and kept a eye out for the new riders.

We start the ride at 9am as advertised and head out across the bridge to Main St. and onto River Road going north to Lockport. I’m having no trouble with the pace, in fact it seems a little slow but I’m busy working more on keeping in formation and watching 4-5 riders up the line to anticipate what’s coming up. On River Road a rider flats and the whole group stops & waits while he repairs, then we’re on our way. The next brief stop is in Selkirk. From there farther north on 320 , then across the Red River on Hyw 4.  This is where it gets interesting.

It seems there is an unwritten rule that all hills are a race, so as we approach the bridge to cross the red River, the approach is a hill, as much as one can generally expect for this part of the flat parries.  The nice tidy two columns of riders break apart and multiple sprint groups quickly form. I’m still feeling really good and fresh, so I hook onto the wheel of one of the guys and kick it up a few notches. What I didn’t know was this guy was one of the faster riders and we’re now the two person freight train passing everybody up this hill and soon we’re in front. OK, as the new rider I’m now feeling a little awkward and so I slow up and then rejoin the pack as things settle back into place.

At Hwy 4 & 59 we take a brief stop while the group discusses where and how far we’re going to ride. At this point about 5-6 riders are heading back down 59, back to teh start as they are done for the day. The majority of the group is still up for more riding so off we go down Hwy 44 to go into Birds Hill Park. At Hwy 206 the lead riders, who I’m right behind head up 206 towards the west gate of the park.

Hwy 206 is a long straight stretch, and I take a couple of turns pulling at the front of the pack. Then, along comes another hill, well more like a very long grade and everyone is pouring it on. I’m getting tired now and I’m having trouble keeping pace and the pack is pulling away. One rider drops back and I hook onto his wheel and he helps me up to the park gate where everyone has slowed down and I rejoin the group. At this point I know for sure I’m the weakest rider here. These guys have speed and endurance .

At a leisurely pack we wind down the roads to the beach area for a rest stop. Plus, I think this stop is also to check out what’s happening on the beach! Later, I find out that Rene did an extra 4km while we were resting. After this stop, it’s up some paths to the road and a full lap of the park (11km) and out onto 59. Here part of the group head back on 59 and the group I stuck with went down a gravel road across the Floodway and a series of back roads, with bad asphalt (ouch).

This is where I really get into trouble. I’m very tired, a bit lost, and I catch my self staring at the wheel directly in front of me and I’m wishing we were done, but knowing that I have to hang on to the group to get back. Finally I say to the rider next to me that I need to slow down. He sprints ahead hollering for the rest of the group to stop. He catches them and they turn back to meet up with me and we all stop. I really was very poorly prepared for this distance of ride. I’d only brought water, no food and really not enough water either. On of the guys gives me a bunch of Carbo Goo, which is a thick gel kind of stuff and some Gatorade to wash it down. He says it will kick in in a few minutes and will help me get some energy back to complete the ride. They ask if I know my name and if I’ve been hallucinating. Apparently you can crash quite badly on a ride when you haven’t been keeping up your energy intake. While I’m recovering they talk about some rider who threw up at the end of his first ride and they haven’t seen him since. It was very nice to get the help and the guys were very patient and encouraging. Kind of like the Marines, “we will leave no man behind”. After a few minutes we get back underway at a bit slower pace and I’m feeling pretty good.

I get a few more tips about what to eat on the ride and that I should talk a couple of Tylenol when I get home, which sounds like a great idea as several parts of my body are complaining about the length of time I’ve been cycling. Just as we approach the parking lot I casually ask the guy next to me how far we’ve gone and it’s 116km, a distance I’ve never done in a single ride before, the closest being 70km. I’m happy with the accomplishment and decide to join FOG and get a club jersey so I can really fit in with the group.

You can see the route here on Google Maps, or fly the route on Google Earth with the FOG Ride.kmz

It was a great experience and the guys were very friendly and helpful to a new rider. I’m looking forward to the next ride and for sure I’ll be better prepared.