Author: Matthew Steinhoff

If you are a cyclist, eventually, you have to do a century — one hundred miles by bike in a single day. It is a right of passage, much like runners eventually need to upgrade from a 5K to a 10K to a half marathon and finally a marathon.

When I say ‘eventually‘, I mean you ride increasingly longer distances and work your way up to a century. Some cyclists take years to get to the point where they can bang out 100 miles.

But Not Laura — I Hate Laura

In February — late-February, she is quick to add — Laura decided to buy a bicycle and become a cyclist. She hadn’t ridden in years and was never a serious cyclist.

Her company, G4S Wackenhut, was organizing a team to ride the MS-150. I met Laura on a team training ride. She did nearly 30 miles at better than 16 miles an hour. I didn’t think much of her performance. That’s about average for a semi-regular cyclist working her way up to a charity ride.

She Had Been Riding for Only Three Weeks

It was only after the ride that I learned that she had owned a bike for only three weeks and, at that point, had ridden only 77 miles in the last decade. It was also about that point that I learned to hate Laura: no one should be able to ride that well after only three weeks.

Not only was she able to put in hefty mileage at a good speed after just three weeks, she did well in traffic, displayed no fear, road a pace line comfortably and — this is the worst part — never complained. She is always positive.

Pouring down rain on the Saturday morning we’re going to do 42 miles? No complaints. Hot? No complaints. Cold? No complaints. No sleep the night before? No complaints. It is almost pathological the way she manages to keep a positive attitude.

Police Athletic League Century Ride

April 19 was the Palm Beach Police Athletic League Century Ride. Laura’s longest ride to date had been 40-some odd miles. And, oh, by the way, did I mention she has only been riding for nine weeks?

Laura finished the hundred miles in about six an a half hours of saddle time for an average speed of 15.2 miles an hour.

To put that in perspective, my first four metrics (100 kilometers; about 62 miles) were done slower and my first century was done at 13.5 mph and I had been riding for eight years at that point. For a first timer with only nine weeks experience, she knocked it out of the park.

Nice work, Laura.

Laura at the Finishing Line Flaunting Her Cycling Prowess

Tell Us About Your First Century Bike Ride

Do you remember the first time you rode your bike 100 miles? Post your story below.

—Matt

From the files of ‘Who Knew?’ and ‘Better Late Than Never’…

I just found out that March 2009 is the Florida Department of Transportation’s South Florida Commuter Services Regional Bicycle Month. I don’t don’t what that means exactly, but I like the sound of it.

Regional Bicycling Month Proclamation Ride: February 28

What: Regional Bicycling Month Proclamation Ride
When: Sat Feb 28 8:30am – Sat Feb 28 4pm
Where: Oleta River State Park, North Miami
By: Palm Beach County Bicyle Month
Description:

The kick off for the 2009 Southeast Regional Bicycle Month is a tri-county regional bicycle ride. The month will include bicycling-related events and activities. The ride begins at Oleta River State Park in North Miami at 8:30 a.m., and ends at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound at 4 p.m. There are four planned stops on the ride, where riders can either drop off from the group or join the ride. These stops include Pompano Beach Amphitheatre, Boca Raton Spanish River Park and Jack’s Bicycle Shop in West Palm Beach. Each stop is expected to last 15 minutes. The speed for the ride will be approximately 16-18 mph. Join other bicycle enthusiasts for the tri-county ride. You can ride from start to finish or join the ride along the way. For those riders who are interested in transportation to and from specified stops, Tri-Rail transportation will be available. To obtain Tri-Rail schedule times and Tri-Rail bicycle policies, visit www.tri-rail.com. Please contact Bret Baronak, Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) at 561-681-4163 or BBaronak@pbcgov.org for more details.

North Miami to Hobe Sound by Bike

The first week of January, I rode from Palm Beach Gardens to Miami. It was a very nice ride with little traffic. This ride basically does the same thing in reverse. For those of you who have never ridden Tri-Rail, it might be fun. Take Tri-Rail south to Miami then ride home. Pretty nifty.

Are You Doing This Ride?

If you’re going to do this ride, please let me know and I’ll look for you.

Finally, thanks to Scott and his Tri Team newsletter for tipping me off to this event.

—Matt