This year I put extra training time into preparing to do the STP 2018 (Seattle to Portland) bicycle ride in one day and completed it on July 14, 2018. I've done this ride twice before, completing it with some friends a few years ago. I enjoy the route, but there are so many people participating in the event, and there are so many other routes and rides I want to do. I decided that this year I would attempt to complete the STP bike ride in one day, so I can check off that box and move onto other rides. I was inspired to make this the year to try after I was inspired by the book Full Cycle by Christopher Blunt.
Here are some observations: It's all about pain management. Most of the pain was in my feet and seat. Get saddle time in training. Carry spare tubes and a pump. Time your food and drink. Every 10 minutes drink something and every 20 minutes eat something. Get sleep and hydrate the week before the ride. As some random cyclists told my wife a couple months ago, if you can do it in 2 days then you can do it in 1.
On the ride, I tried to maintain my planned pace. I had trained up to a 17 mph average for the last few months leading up to the ride, and during the ride, the pace groups assisted me to 20 mph average, and I ended the ride with a 17.7 mph ave. Plenty of groups were passing and if I felt I could keep up, I would join them, otherwise, I would just stay in with a group and would take my turn up front. The riders really spread out after the halfway point in Centralia and Chehalis. I only spent about 45 minutes total at rest stops, only stopping for food and a rest twice (100mi and 140mi) and stopped for more liquid several times. I tried to keep my 3 bidons topped off but along the way, but I also grabbed a Gatorade from an unofficial rest stop and a 'frozen' themed bottle of flavored water sitting in a box on the side of the road somewhere. I found I had slowly leaking rear tire and tried to pump up the tire to see how far I could get, but ended up changing the tube in Evaline, WA.
The way I felt on the last 100 miles was very similar to the way I felt on the last 100 when I did this ride in 2 days. The long exposed straights on SR 30 in Oregon were somewhat brutal and I relished any long stretches of shade I could find. In the last 15 miles I saw plenty of folks resting in the shade, one person puking, and one rider sitting at a rest stop with his head in his hands. The cycle computer said 103F for the temperature at one point. I rode in with a couple of ounces of liquid left. I felt really good at the end and could have ridden more, as long as I had fuel. I followed my food and drink plan and still had enough food for probably another 50+ miles (which somewhat indicates that I didn't eat enough, carried too much, or didn't fine tune my requirements - but hey, better to have fuel available then bonk with nothing). I had left at 04:45 PDT and arrived at the finish in Holladay Park in Portland, OR long before dark at 18:40 PDT.
Most of the challenge is mental, and getting in the long distance training to be comfortable. The longest training rides I did this year was two 100 mi rides.
The toughest part of this whole experience was honestly all the cycling I had to do to feel comfortably prepared. This meant I couldn't do all the running, hiking, swimming, unicycling, and time with my wife and friends and family I would have liked.
Statistics:
On-board cycle computer:
10,118 Calories
209.9 mile distance
12 hr 06 minute Ride Time
17.7mph Average Speed
18.8 mph dropping to 18 mph at the end
35.9 mph Max speed
Left SEA 04:45 AM PDT Arrived Holladay park, Portland about 18:40 PDT
Total 13 hr 55 min including stops
SportLegs pills every 2 hours
2 Ibuprofen at the halfway lunch stop
Liquid every 10 min. Food every 20 min.
Polar Heart Rate monitor stats:
Ave HR: 140
Max HR: 171
Target HR: 141-160
Zone 1: 06:33:43
Zone 2: 05:53:57
Zone 3: 01:41:44
Total Time: 14:17:49
10,219 Calories
13% Fat Calories
