Three Century Rides on my ElliptiGO

September was the month for centuries. For three straight weeks, I rode a 100 miler on my ElliptiGO. I started with the Ride for Angels century which was held on September 13 and started in North Andover, MA. It would travel through Southern New Hampshire and Northeast Massachusetts. It was hillier than I had imagined and we had some wet roads in the morning and mild rain later in the ride. I had a brake pad that was rubbing and my chain dropped off twice. Not only that but I went off the course and up one of the bigger climbs of the day before turning around and getting back on course. I hit the 100 mile mark in 6:35 elapsed time. I try not to stop except to fix problems or to navigate.

A week later I rode the Charles River Wheelmen Fall Century. This one passed through some of my training routes. It was hillier than the previous week, but I felt real good except for the last three miles. My elapsed time for 100 miles was 5 minutes slower than the previous week, but this was a tougher course with all the climbing.

Six days later, I rode the Tri-State Seacoast Century. This was my third year doing this ride (2014 and 2013)  and this year the chilly wind was blowing in the opposite direction. The first half of the ride was riding into the brisk wind and the return trip was supposed to have more of a tailwind, but the course was more sheltered and this was my slowest of three tries at this century.  My elapsed time was 6:46 for the 100 mile mark. I guess this is not the year I go under 6 hours. Doing it the way I ride them, without stopping for rest stations, is a tough way to GO 100 miles. The effort is similar to running a marathon and you go through the same draining of energy near the end.